Today, the use of drones in modern society has become a widespread phenomenon. Using unmanned aerial vehicles to deliver packages, for recreational purposes, and/or conducting surveillance have been widely utilized. The commercial benefits from this technology have been enormous as well as controversial due to concerns about potential injury or invasion of privacy. In addition, operating these devices may be illegal, depending on the situation.
Advantages Of Using Commercial Drones
There are some advantages to be had by using commercial drone services, for example:
- Less laborious tasks can be done with a drone; this means more time is spent focusing on the bigger picture. For instance, there is no need to hire an outside contractor or company if it can all be done by an autonomous drone, making it easier for the company to keep overheads low.
- Less risk of injury for employees because they are not carrying out physical work. This is especially important when dealing with dangerous or strenuous activities that can cause long-term health problems if done without protective equipment.
- They’re more efficient than human labour; they can work more hours in a day and never get tired.
- Drones can work around the clock, which will allow companies to maximize their profits.
- This is common in farming; being able to automate certain tasks means that less damage is done to crops due to human error. For example, in Japan, automated machines are used to prune grapevines and raspberry canes. This means less time and money is spent on labour costs, and no damage is done to the crops.
- They could be used for surveillance purposes which may help stop crime before it happens, as well as helping catch those who have committed a crime afterwards.
- Drones can ensure buildings are constructed to safety standards, making it less likely that the building will collapse due to negligence.
- They can assess places where there could be potential risks for people, such as landslides or other hazardous environments. This would help prevent further damage to land and property.
- Drones can be used in dangerous situations, which would reduce human exposure to harm. For example, drones can be sent into potential wildfires to get an early warning of the fire’s path.
- They can help with search and rescue missions, helping people who are stranded or lost by sending back vital information on their location.
Disadvantages Of Using Commercial Drones
Even though there are many advantages to commercial drones, there are also some disadvantages as well:
- If something goes wrong with a drone, it is very difficult to intervene because they don’t have the capability of being able to operate all the time remotely.
- Commercial drone services can be costly, especially if their use is unnecessary, and this would be a waste of money.
- They can’t exert as much force as humans; for example, it would be more difficult to build a house with a drone. This is often the case when certain tasks are needed that have very specific needs or requirements, which then need human input to complete successfully.
- They can’t always be relied upon; if the weather conditions are bad, then this could limit what they’re able to do and where they can go to complete their task. For drones that work outdoors in particular, like crop spraying or inspections of buildings, this will prevent them from completing their task.
- Companies are also at risk of losing money because they have invested in drones; if there are problems with the drones, then this could affect the company’s reputation and their bottom line.
- If the company doesn’t have enough money, then they can’t purchase new drones, which means they’re stuck with what they’ve got and may struggle to complete certain tasks.
- It’s expensive to invest in these machines, and if their use is unnecessary, this is a waste of money.
- Private companies who are using commercial drone services will have to meet new regulations on their use, which means they will have to spend money on training employees.
- They’re also at risk of being hacked or hijacked, which would be a big security concern for companies who are using commercial drone services.
- Commercial drones can’t always complete certain tasks that are more difficult; this makes it possible to send humans in to complete the task.
