Novel & innovative uses of drones (or UAVs) in the fields of Science and Healthcare and their pros and cons

The recreational drone industry has grown in leaps and bounds in the last decade or so with the introduction of affordable, high-capacity lithium batteries and brushless electric motors making models cheaper, lighter and more powerful than their nitro-methanol or diesel-burning predecessors. This relatively new class of aircraft have emerged hand-in-hand with the miniaturisation of high quality cameras like the GoPro ‘Hero’ and with the development of first person view (FPV) technology, which have enabled a multitude of applications across various fields of endeavour. When they are applied as ecological survey tools in field studies they are capable of producing really visually spectacular results due to their high-resolution quality photography and/or live video footage, often in a way that the human eye has never seen before. From flying into the eye of a forest fire or volcano, to filming Humpback whales feeding on large schools of Herring from above, drones can provide this valuable data faster, cheaper and more safely than any previous technology that has been available. Although there are some ‘cons’ inherent with their use, sensible aviation regulations and policies put into place will alleviate these issues. On the whole, the ‘pros’ far outweigh the cons as drones fast become and ‘everyday’ technology with huge benefits to society