As we live in the ‘new normal,’ technology is rapidly transforming the world beyond our expectations. While technological advancements have been occurring for many years, COVID 19 has accelerated the process. The pandemic forced people and businesses to change their ways of doing things and reorient their behaviors. The outbreak increased the use of contactless technologies, which are transforming every aspect of our lives, from payments to food delivery to health care.
Drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are robots that can fly autonomously thanks to embedded systems that use remote sensing, software development, GPS, and other technologies. This combination foresees a bright future for the widespread use of drones in providing services, particularly in areas where humans can not physically serve. They had been in the early stages until now, but mass adoption of such services will see a significant increase in the future. Drones provide major benefits to industries around the world, including increased work efficiency and productivity, lower production costs, improved accuracy, refined service, better customer relations, and security.
The global drone industry is expected to grow at a 13.8 percent CAGR to $42.8 billion by 2025, according to the Drone Industry Insights Report 2020. With the Ministry of Civil Aviation updating the Drone Rules 2021, India is aiming to become a global drone hub by 2030. According to the findings, India is expected to be the world’s third-largest drone market by 2025. The Indian unmanned aerial vehicle market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 20.9 percent between 2020 and 2026, providing an estimate of investments from industrial conglomerates, chip companies, IT consulting firms, and others.
Drones have been used by India’s defense forces since 1999, so they are not new to the system. However, apart from that, they were highly inefficient due to security concerns and a lack of a robust UAV ecosystem in the country. Drones were legally permitted to fly for commercial purposes in 2018. Drones will be the next big thing in India now that the government has issued new guidelines.
While we’re looking into drones and their capabilities, consider the following five key sectors where drones can make a difference:
Drones in Agriculture
The agricultural sector, the backbone of the Indian economy, hires 58 percent of the country’s population. Drones have a lot to offer in this area, including automated crop fertilization, traffic incident monitoring, and surveying difficult-to-reach areas, among other things. They can also help farmers by measuring crop height. They employ a remote sensing technology known as Lidar, which uses a laser to illuminate the crop and calculates the distance by measuring what is reflected. Drones can survey the extent of the affected areas and determine how quickly the fires spread during wildfires. Images can provide information about specific areas of damage.
Drones in Healthcare
Given that India is a large country with 67 percent of the population living in rural areas, a new, effective method of distributing medicines is required to overcome logistical issues. This is where a delivery system based on drones comes in handy. Drones could make medicine delivery more accessible and faster, particularly in remote areas. Drone delivery of medical goods and time-sensitive transplant organs will also help with improved resource management of limited supplies and will allow for just-in-time delivery to the current supply chain.
Drones in Inventory Management
The e-commerce industry is experiencing high demand for a while now. Management places a high value on warehouse and inventory management. Identifying and tracking these numerous orders mechanically takes time. As a result, warehouses are using drones to scan inventory. These machines, which are equipped with sensors, can quickly monitor and transmit data to enterprises in real-time, allowing them to efficiently manage warehouses.
Drones in Security and Surveillance
These flying devices can provide eyes that can reach and hover above specific sites and areas, making them pilotless protectors in the skies. Drones, with their remote monitoring capabilities, can also be used for critical surveillance and intelligence gathering. They can also be used to inspect construction sites and provide real-time footage.
Disaster Management
Authorities can dispatch drones to monitor affected areas in the event of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or flood. Drones have the potential to be used as a social rescue device, detecting and directing trapped people to safe areas. One such example is Chennai-based Garuda Aerospace, which assisted the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in its relief and rescue efforts at the Chamoli glacier burst site in Uttarakhand.
All-inclusive
The use of drones has the potential to have a far-reaching positive impact on society. Furthermore, these flying machines are likely to find their way into a wide range of businesses in the future, creating a plethora of job opportunities for engineers and technical experts and thus becoming a major contributor to the Indian economy.
