With drones becoming more advanced and affordable every year, they present exciting new opportunities for businesses across many industries. Drones allow companies to gather data and observe operations as never before.
Delivering Products Quicker with Drones
One of the biggest potential uses for commercial drones is expedited shipping and delivery. Drones can transport lightweight packages much faster than trucks or vans stuck in traffic. This would allow many retailers to ship products to customers the same day they are ordered. Medical suppliers could also deliver urgently needed medicine and devices to hospitals faster using drones.
Some experts think drone delivery networks will rapidly expand once the technology for drones to reliably navigate to addresses is perfected. Tests are already underway by companies like Amazon and UPS to test drone delivery. As the technology improves, drones may be delivering products all across the country within a few years. This would provide businesses with a major advantage in customer service and convenience.
Gathering Data and Monitoring from Above
Drones equipped with high resolution cameras, sensors and scanning technology allow businesses in fields like construction, mining, agriculture, and utilities to closely monitor operations. Drones can provide detailed aerial maps and data to help companies plan and manage large sites more efficiently.
For example, utility companies can use drones to inspect transmission lines, cell towers and pipelines over remote or hazardous areas. This is safer and cheaper than sending employees to dangerous locations. Drones also let crop growers detect areas of drought stress or insect infestations early.
Exciting Possibilities in Infrastructure Inspection
Civil engineers continually explore new technology to monitor the structural health of roads, bridges and dams. Currently, inspectors must perform risky hands-on evaluations in person. But drones fitted with the latest cameras, lasers and imaging software may take over infrastructure inspections.
Advanced drones would detect cracks, erosion, and weak points instantly. This allows engineers to prevent catastrophic failures by catching problems early. In the future, public infrastructure may incorporate built-in drone docking stations. This would enable automated, continuous evaluations to maximize safety for the public. Similar technology could also be applied for inspecting aircraft, railways, ships, and factories.
Training Employees to Operate Drones
As drones become widely adopted across industries, having properly trained staff will be essential. Operating drones for commercial purposes requires in-depth knowledge of aviation regulations, navigating software, data analytics and more.
Many companies will choose to send employees to intensive drone training courses provided by companies like ProTrain to gain these skills. There is high demand for certified drone pilots as businesses recognize their enormous potential. Companies with licensed drone operators on staff will have a clear edge.
Enacting Strong Safety Protocols
As drones become more prevalent in commercial operations, businesses must make safety a top priority. Collisions or crashes could damage property or injure bystanders if proper protocols are not followed. Companies should institute thorough operator training, pre-flight checklists, maintenance routines and instructions for safe flying. Specific guidelines like maintaining visual line of sight, setting altitude limits, and avoiding flight paths overpopulated areas are also critical. Companies that cut corners on safety put themselves at major risk for penalties, lawsuits, or suspension of drone activities. Having comprehensive safety procedures and redundant fail-safes in place allows the tremendous advantages of drones to be reaped responsibly.
Conclusion
Drones present almost unlimited possibilities to give businesses an advantage. As the technology continues improving, drones will likely transform delivery services, data gathering, monitoring and infrastructure analysis across the economy. Companies that embrace drones early will be best positioned to unlock their benefits. But having properly trained and licensed drone operators is key to harnessing their capabilities.
