7 ways drone technology is being used by businesses

Drones have seen much debate owing to their use in military and wars. Most countries today have armed drones, although haven't yet been used in large scale operations.

However, like most technologies, drones can be used to help the world, or cause it more damage. In the spirit of positivity, here are 7 uses of drones that help humanity:

1. Deliver blood and medical supplies

In many parts of developing countries, often medical supplies are not available in time due to lack of infrastructure and transport issues. This is where drones are changing the situation. Rwanda became the first country to use drones for blood delivery, inspiring Ghana and Tanzania to follow suit.

2. Law enforcement

Without traffic obstruction, drones can be highly advantageous as first responders that can help assess the situation while help is on the way. They can provide better indication of help required at the scene which can be dispatched sooner to take better control of the situation. Moreover, they can record what’s going on at the scene which can help law enforcement authorities.

3. Fighting Fire

Okay, so drones can’t actually carry large amounts of water or extinguishers, but they can be used to search and rescue people via thermal imaging, as well as carry extinguisher pipes to greater heights. Considering the number of high-rise towers in the UAE that have caught on fire, this can be a quicker method to control fire than traditional ladders.

They can also help gather critical information regarding the spread of fire which can help in the creation of a better fire fighting strategy.

4. Search and Rescue

Drones can be a safe option to aid search and rescue operations in places affected by natural disasters as well as those that are human-inflicted. University of Zurich has made a specially designed foldable drone exactly for this purpose.

5. Mapping

While this is definitely helpful for Google Maps to be up-to-date, it has a number of other benefits, such as: study the levels of sea invading lands, track deforestation, watch over endangered animals to protect them from poachers and send help as soon as required, as well as preserve data from archaeological sites.

6. Agriculture

The mapping aspect when combined by hyperspectral imaging can help farmers get data regarding weeds, nitrogen levels, diseases and more for them to watch over their lands’ health and take action more productively to maintain their farms.

7. Passenger drones

This is still in the works, but perhaps one day we’ll move over the excitement of driverless cars to have drones carry us around, just like the Jetsons.

Learn more about Uber’s plans for this below.