An introduction to drones and their usages

Drones are becoming increasingly powerful and popular tools. The drone industry itself has faced rapid growth, valued at USD 3.3 billion in 2015 and rose to USD 20.8 billion in 2021, and is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 57.5% from 2021 to 2028.

With their ability to execute multiple tasks using its drone technology and other softwares, there is an opportunity for drone usage across all industries. Industries such as agriculture, construction, real estate, government and health have already shown demand for the employment of drones.

From taking aerial photos and videos and delivering pizza boxes to conducting LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, the use of drones are expansive and have the potential to stimulate great growth in other industries.

The agricultural drone industry is expected to face the highest growth by over 300% in the Asia Pacific market by 2028. Precision farming and smart agriculture are attractive solutions which allow for more productivity and less strain of labour. In April 2021, XAG launched a drone-aided cotton farming field which used remote sensing and agricultural drones. This trial was found to reduce its labour costs by 60% and used 36% less pesticides compared to its traditional farm.

In 2018, the construction sector saw a 239% increase in the adoption of drone technology. In combination with other sensor technology such as LiDAR, RGB, thermal or multispectral, drones can capture data efficiently. WingtraOne’s drones contribute to better surveying results, capturing topographic data up to five times faster than with land-based methods. Their PPK (Post Processed Kinematic) geo-tagging also reduces the time taken in obtaining data than with traditional methods.

The obstacles of the COVID-19 pandemic stipulated increased health safety globally. In October 2021, 900 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were delivered within India via i-Drone from Manipur to compromised areas such as Karang. The results saw faster and safer deliveries, from 4 hours via road transport to 15 minutes via drone transport.

The various uses of drones are prominent and its usage faces rapid positive growth. Though there are a few regulations placed on drones, there are still major advancements to their mechanisms to be seen in the future.