The Future of Drones in America

By Austin Schoonmaker | May 14, 2019

As drones become increasingly accessible, this technology will begin to have major applications for our future. The Federal Aviation Administration predicts that by 2020, more than seven million drones will be flying the skies. Check out some of the coolest ways we will harness drone technology in the coming years.

Disaster relief

In the aftermath of natural disasters, it can be difficult for rescue crews to reach people among severe wreckage. With drones, rescue crews will be able to quickly locate victims, assess damage, and deliver aid to people in need. Drones are already being used to combat forest fires by identifying areas that are at high risk of fires or identify areas where fires have started before too much damage has been done.

Healthcare

Modern medicine has advanced to the point where millions of people can live healthier, longer lives. One issue is that there are still many in rural regions of the world still do not access to on-demand healthcare. However, with drones, people in difficult  to access places will be able to enjoy the benefits of quickly delivered drugs, blood, and essential medical technology.

Conservation

While poaching and climate change have had a serious impact in the ecological diversity of the world, drones may play a serious role in providing an a method for studying and protecting ecosystems. Drones will be used to help track endangered species, as well as locating and identifying poachers.

Agriculture

As the world’s population continues to increase, the global food supply will need to increase as well. Agriculture is one of the world’s most important parts for helping our well-being, and with drones, we will be able to increase farming yields and reduce costs. Drones will be used to help farmers gather data and automate processes, resulting in a sharp increase in efficiency. They can also be used to quickly pollinate flowers, an important aspect in compensating for the declining bee population.

Internet access

Global internet access is just around the corner, and some big technology companies like Facebook are experimenting with using drones for developing a global accessible network. With a solar-powered drone called Aquilla, Facebook plans to develop a fully automated network that will allow rural communities around the world access to the internet.

Retail

Yes, we will eventually live in a future where your next online order will be delivered to your doorstep via drone. Amazon is one company that is experimenting with this method, in hopes of operating an advanced network that will be able to fulfill orders on a wide scale basis.