Drones are becoming more available and affordable; nearly anyone with a few extra dollars to spend can have one. While drones can still reach upwards of thousands of dollars, cheaper ones can be at the fifty-dollar area. Tech stores and hobby shops worldwide offer drones to customers, while more-serious orders can be fulfilled via online shopping.
Drones are no longer mere cameras that can fly around. Today, drones fulfill a variety of jobs in nearly all facets of society. From maintaining building security, surveillance, search and rescue, and item delivery, drones optimize work with their autonomy and flight.
A Golden Opportunity
New advancements happen regularly, giving drones better designs, better battery life, and faster recharging. But that poses the question: are we actually in a ‘golden age’ when it comes to drone technology?
While there is an abundance of drones available in the market, society may still see it as a niche product. People and businesses in general still prefer to do it ‘the old way’. Even in the midst of a new decade, people still prefer traditional methods to newer, untested methods.
Drones in security for instance can cover more ground, require less management, and can record everything from a better vantage point. However, most companies would still prefer hiring security guards and placing cameras instead of relying on drones. While these methods may be older, they are proven methods, and are therefore, a safer bet. Drones require specialized controls, and companies may not want to invest on a newer product. At the end of the day, people still rely on manpower over machine to get the job done. While human error is a possibility, it is still a proven way of doing things – and that counts more than anything else.
Take the Good with the Bad
While drones have made a number of things more efficient, they are not perfect. Irresponsible drone use have caused chaos all over the world. Airport incidents have risen in number over the past few years. These drone sightings have caused a number of disruptions in airport security, leading to flight delays, cancellations, and even aircraft damage. Even though irresponsible drone flying is but a minute percentage, this does paint drone owners in bad light.
If bad news involving drones do not involve airports, the next likely scenario revolves around privacy. Tourists are a common example of this, as they use their drones while traveling in order to take snapshots of the trip. It can often lead to incidents, such as flying over restricted areas like government buildings. People have faced fines and even jail time because of illegal drone flying while abroad.
A Malevolent Eye
Other times, drones have been accused of spying on people. Peeping Toms now have a flying camera to snoop on other people. Residential areas in particular receive complaints about drones hovering above their homes. Private companies often notify authorities when an unknown drone flies around their areas. Even flying in public spaces can draw some ire. Flying your drone around beaches for instance can be viewed as malicious, as people often have less clothing and feel more exposed.
Reasons for these complaints all boil down to the feeling of being watched. A drone in the sky, armed with a high-definition camera, can record a lot of things from that vantage point. Nobody wants to feel recorded when they never gave any consent. Even if your intentions are harmless and the persons complaining are not your target, without proof it is a matter of violating privacy.
So what do you guys think? Are we living in the golden age of drones? Or is this golden age still to come? Are the current batch of drones the peak of the technology, or are transport drones capable of carrying people the next step?
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