One thing is certain, drones are having a big impact in modern society and consequently in all sorts of industry. Drone technology is used in various sectors: filming, mapping, aerial control, aerial security and many more – our society needs drones. While many contend that robots such as the UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) would take away jobs, the contrary has so far been proven. Besides the job opportunities been created by the commercial drone market in which drone sales have grown higher and higher every year, professional drones have enabled a wide variety of new jobs.
A great example of this is the surging wave of new agricultural jobs in Western Australia. It serves to prove how society keeps finding new different ways to use drones and consequently simplifying tasks. For example, as ABC in Australia reports, Ben Broadwith from Australia has been inspecting crops, filming promotional videos and even tree-counting for one of the local forestry companies. Agricultural terrains can cover a very big area, therefore having the capability of using a drone to monitor terrains from the sky is both time efficient and cost-effective. Local companies have been hiring Ben and his new drone on a frequent basis to perform these important tasks. Ben already plans to use his drone to monitor the plant’s health by using multispectral cameras. This is done via a near-infrared-camera attached to the drone. Thus, allowing farmers to know on which areas they can and cannot apply more fertilizer and to detect pests and soil health.
What some people may not realize is that most of these tasks do not require an expensive industrial drone. Many farmers have been using a DJI Phantom 4 or even cheaper drones with autonomous functions and decent payload. On the other hand, some specialized cameras may require industrial drones capable of carrying more than 1 or 2kgs. Such drones require a professional drone pilot to maneuver them. However, to inspect crops, film aerial videos and mapping, practically any drone expert can train to do this. A good way to earn a few extra bucks with a drone!
In fact, a recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, the second largest professional multinational professional services network in the world, estimates the addressable market for agricultural drones to grow to an amazing $32.4 billion in the upcoming years. The report predicts an increasing need for aerial crop inspections and soil and plant aerial analysis. This type of drone usage will decrease costs since the current form to monitor, by using satellite imagery, is much more expensive. Drone usage will also decrease the time needed to perform this tasks and increase accuracy of inspections and analysis. According to Australian ABC, this report from PricewaterhouseCoopers said: “”Furthermore, drones can be integrated at every stage of the crop lifecycle, from soil analysis and seed planting to choosing the right moment for harvesting,”.
The world has a lot to gain by investing in drone development. At the moment, only individual and private companies seem to be interested in drone technology outside the military sector. When will the Government realize the potential of drone technology besides the military use, some may wonder. It is unquestionable that drone technology, not only, enhances efficiency and cost-effectiveness in many areas but it also crates new different jobs. People are not just buying drones for casual activities, they are also discovering new ways to optimize their jobs and in coms cases increase earnings. It is nice to see that filmmakers and photographers are not just the only professionals making use of this modern technology. Hopefully, in the future, mankind will be making the most out of drone technology in a wide range of industry sectors.
What is your opinion? Have you ever earned money thanks to a drone? Perhaps for aerial video promotional purposes or perhaps you own a racing drone and received a money prize. Let us know in the comment section below, we would love to read your stories. Keep on flying and finding new usages for your drone, we are living the era of drone growth!
Guest Post by Julio Ventura – DronesWorld.NET