Drones In Action: 5 Non-Military Uses
Government agencies, universities, and a few private companies won authorization to use drones in the US. Take a peek at the drones on the job.
![](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt69509c9116440be8/blte7aec1661cc8fe7b/64cb571efedfce44d313562e/Drone-in-action.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimates that as many as 7,500 commercial drones -- ranging in size from the large wingspan of a Boeing 737 to a small radio-controlled model airplane -- will be hovering in the US airspace by 2018. Beyond the military, there are numerous potential uses for drones, or unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), such as law enforcement, storm tracking, search and rescue, and aerial surveying. But managing drones domestically comes with its own challenges, which still need to be addressed by the US government and the private companies involved.
The FAA in December set up six sites to test drone operations around the country. The congressionally mandated sites are tasked with conducting research into the certification and operational requirements for safely integrating commercial drones into the national airspace. The six sites include the University of Alaska, the state of Nevada, the North Dakota Department of Commerce, Texas A&M University/Corpus Christi, Virginia Tech, and Griffiss International Airport in Rome, New York.
The FAA's move to set up drone test locations follows the release of a roadmap in November, addressing current and future policies, regulations, and procedures that will be required as drones continue to become more mainstream. "We have made great progress in accommodating public UAS operations, but challenges remain for the safe long-term integration of both public and civil UAS in the national airspace system," FAA administrator Michael Huerta said in the document's introductory letter.
Safety tops the list, especially when it comes to the logistical challenges of managing drones. "Buildings, antennas, manned airplanes, and other drones can make it a chaotic place, and safety needs to be the number-one focus of those managing drone implementation," said Roei Ganzarski, CEO at BoldIQ, in an interview with InformationWeek Government. BoldIQ, a provider of optimization software, recently completed analysis of Silent Guardian, a solar-electric drone to highlight the benefits of using hybrid technology.
Companies managing drones need to consider logistical planning involving individual drone operations, coordinated drone fleet management, and incorporating drones into a "manned airspace," all while processing enormous amounts of real-time data, according to Ganzarski. "When assessing a fleet of drones operating autonomously or even semi-autonomously, it becomes impossible for the human brain to process and manage the data to keep the entire system operating smoothly. It requires sophisticated real-time dynamic optimization software," he said.
Beyond logistics, another issue is the security of the drones themselves, and the cargo they may be carrying. It's vital that systems are in place to protect these expensive technologies while in flight and on the ground. Privacy is also a major concern for the public. Organizations need to make sure that UAS equipped with cameras do not violate privacy laws, said Ganzarski.
At the moment, almost all commercial drones are banned by the FAA. But that should change in 2015, when the agency expects to release its guidelines for safely operating drones. In the meantime, government agencies, a number of universities, and a handful of private companies are putting robotic aircraft to good use -- and in some cases challenging the FAA's authority.
A judge agreed March 6 the FAA had overreached fining businessman Raphael Pirker, who used a model aircraft to take aerial videos for an advertisement. The judge said the FAA lacked authority to apply regulations for aircraft to model aircraft. That may open the skies to a lot more privately controlled drones.
Click through our slideshow to learn how drones are being used domestically.
NASA has partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Northrop Grumman on a $30 million program that uses two Global Hawk drones to improve hurricane forecasts. The drones were designed for high-altitude, long-duration missions, with the ability to stay in the air for approximately 30 hours. Global Hawks can reach altitudes greater than 55,000 feet, which allows them to fly into storms and study hurricane formation, as well as intensity.
Source: NASA
The US Geological Survey (USGS) has been using UAS for a range of activities, including scientific research, monitoring environmental conditions, analyzing the impacts of climate change, responding to natural hazards, wildlife inventories, and search and rescue, among others. USGS acquired two drones from the Department of Defense (DHS): a 4.4-pound AeroVironment Raven (pictured), and a 20-pound Honeywell T-Hawk. Both are designed to support 90-minute missions and operate on rechargeable batteries.
Source: US Geological Survey
The Seattle Police Department got FAA approval to use Draganfly Innovations' Draganflyer X6 UAS helicopter, with the goal of gaining a better viewpoint of crime scenes. The 3.5-pound drone can be paired with a camera for capturing video and stills, or a thermal sensor for complete situational awareness. Early last year, however, Seattle mayor Mike McGinn canceled the program following opposition to the police department's drone use -- an indication that negative public perception of drones hasn't changed, especially when it comes to privacy. Draganflyer is being used by other public safety and law enforcement departments across the US, but in limited capacity.
Source: Draganfly Innovations
Commercial drones are revolutionizing civilian jobs around the world. They're being used for aerial surveying of crops, inspecting power lines and oil pipelines, and collecting data through 3D mapping. Trimble, a California-based company that specializes in aerial imaging and mapping, introduced a 5.5-pound drone in June 2013, called UX5. Surveyors and geospatial professionals overseas use the UX5 for its photogrammetric aerial mapping capabilities to collect data at up to 2,460 feet above ground. But the US will have to wait until the FAA comes up with rules and requirements in 2015 for operating commercial drones in domestic airspace.
Source: Trimble
More than 20 universities around the country have been authorized by the FAA to use drones, generally for various research purposes. The list includes California State University, Cornell University, Kansas State University, and Penn State University. While using drones for research isn't new, private companies are taking note of their potential uses -- whether it's agriculture, mapping, or surveillance. The University of Florida, for example, has developed drones that can take high-resolution photos for wildlife research. According to the university's Unmanned Aerial Systems Research Group, which has worked for more than 12 years to build the technology, the initial motivation for developing drones was to save lives. Light aircraft crashes are the principal cause of workplace deaths among wildlife biologists.
Source: University of Florida
More than 20 universities around the country have been authorized by the FAA to use drones, generally for various research purposes. The list includes California State University, Cornell University, Kansas State University, and Penn State University. While using drones for research isn't new, private companies are taking note of their potential uses -- whether it's agriculture, mapping, or surveillance. The University of Florida, for example, has developed drones that can take high-resolution photos for wildlife research. According to the university's Unmanned Aerial Systems Research Group, which has worked for more than 12 years to build the technology, the initial motivation for developing drones was to save lives. Light aircraft crashes are the principal cause of workplace deaths among wildlife biologists.
Source: University of Florida
-
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like