Previously reserved only for military use, drones are now relatively commonplace. They provide eagle-eye coverage of sporting events, concerts and films and are being heavily invested in by tech giants like Amazon and Uber for potential applications such as delivery. Drones are also utilized in agriculture for the monitoring of crops and animal herds, and in search and rescue for locating missing persons.
Drones are proving an effective tool for designers and engineers. The possibilities for their application within our industry seem infinite. There is no doubt that drones will continue to change the face of engineering and the wider business world in which we operate.
According to the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), optimal integration of drones in the U.S. will result in the creation of about 100,000 jobs and an effect of USD 82 billion on the economy by 2025. It stands to reason that a similar impact will be seen in Australia and worldwide. We must therefore be prepared to operate with confidence in this emerging space.
Increased safety
Drone applications and their potential use grow every day. From an engineering perspective many of their capabilities sit within inspection and audit work and we are finding they improve safety immensely. Some of what engineers do is quite dangerous work. The less time an engineer needs to be in a confined space, using ropes, harnesses and pulleys on a cliff face or a bridge, the better. A drone can half the amount of dangerous work an engineer may normally engage in which is a great outcome for all involved.
Other than the obvious safety benefits, drones free up an engineer’s time to think strategically, giving us the opportunity to gain a different perspective. Traditional plans and surveys delivered by on-the-ground crews can only provide so much. Once we get a drone up into the sky the options open up. For example, we could create a 3D model daily for a site. This means that we can produce drawings, models and other tools for sites that are constantly changing.
Strict regulations
The rules of the sky are strict and professional drone operation, much to many people’s surprise, is not something that can be delivered by just anyone. Even personal drone use is subject to protocols to help ensure community safety. Understanding the regulations and how to operate within them requires training, although it is important clients become educated about a drone’s limitations as well as its potential.
On the horizon, some changes to the regulations regarding professional drone use in Australia could massively reshape the industry and how we currently use drones.
Regulations such as limiting the number of drones that can be flown simultaneously by one operator and maintaining line of site with the UAV, would need to be modified or removed to allow companies like Uber and Amazon to bring their delivery systems here. This would open the doors for other professional drone services to be controlled remotely.
Impacting the bottom line
Drone usage has a positive impact on an organisation’s bottom line. They remove delays and deliver results at a comparatively low fiscal rate, resulting in more cost-effective project outcomes that increase profit margins. And while human expertise is a fundamental requirement to precisely operating drones, the technology still mitigates risk without increasing the cost to the client.
An obvious and potentially immediate economic impact comes in the form of job creation. As professional drone usage increases, more operators, technicians and data cleansers will be required to deliver projects in this potentially billion-dollar growth industry.
The level and detail of data captured through drone usage is far superior to what we could extrapolate in the past. But with this volume of data comes the requirement for expert people to create programs and workflows that help us to review and cleanse the data to ensure we achieve robust results.
Disadvantages to drones
While the positive financial implications of drone use are obvious, many have voiced concerns about instances where their use could be detrimental. Privacy concerns are a key issue for those nervous about data collection. Delivery drones need a camera and GPS to navigate destinations and people have suggested this is potentially intrusive.
And beyond the use of the drone itself, drone delivery services will no doubt face logistical roadblocks. Traditional postal services maintain liability of damaged or stolen property incurred in the delivery process. However, without human monitoring, a drone is unable to ensure seamless deliveries. Likewise, deliveries in major cities are bound to encounter numerous issues. And finally, aside from logistical and privacy concerns, wildlife such as birds face higher risks with a greater number of aerial vehicles.
The future perspective
Drone technologies will continue to thrive and play an increasingly prominent role in organisational operations and consumers’ lives.
Many businesses are eagerly embracing these hi-tech changes that can result in long-term cost reductions, increased safety and improved profit margins. But keeping ahead of the curve and understanding the new technologies will not be easy. Luckily there are many experts who are already immersed in the field and can help us navigate this fast-paced ever-changing technological landscape.
About the Author
Meet Kieran
Kieran Sroba, a Senior Spatial Analyst at GHD Digital has over five years of broad experience across large multi-disciplinary projects. As a certified UAV pilot, Kieran brings with her a wealth of knowledge in the field of drone application and their potential use.
For more information please visit www.ghd.com/digital or contact Kieran at Kieran.Sroba@ghd.com