This week is GITEX Technology Week , a time where thousands of developers come together to display the latest and greatest in Technological innovation. In this post I will specifically talk about Unmanned Arial Vehicles and their uses in the global society , I will also be going through the social and ethical issues which may arise from the use of drones and their over all advantages and disadvantages .
Drones are can be flown in different locations and can be piloted from great distances . These capabilities are very useful in situations where the examination of an area where humans cant get to , for example to inspect remote parts of an oil rig, or in search and rescue scenarios. a drone is capable of speeding up search and rescue which can potentially be life saving . Drones now have more payload capacity than ever before , so they can support the weight of a human and the increased thrust can even lift humans off the ground and take them to safety . Drones have evolved from being only able to carry small action camera to being able to carry military hardware over great distances. Missions can be completely controlled remotely from the ground in a safe location out of the danger . the birds-eye view gives researchers and rescue teams a better vantage point over any location . Many accessories can be attached to these incredible devices such as scientific measuring apparatus which can measure anything from any location on earth.
Some examples of this type of drone usage we saw at GITEX was in the government section where they were used by the Dubai Electricity & Water Authority for the inspection of inaccessible areas in their electricity generating plants and in their water treatment plants , this has been a great help to them as stated by DEWA Managing Director Saeed Mohammed Ahmed Al Tayer "These small flying tools have marked a breakthrough in our workflow and has revolutionized the way we work and have given us a deeper look into our own field". Dubai Police also showcased their use of the drone in locating criminals and in intense chases , the drone can track the position of the suspect and it can even follow the suspect , this puts the police out of harms way and also keeps the streets free of high-speed car chases and things of that nature.Both Dubai Police and DEWA used the DJI Inspire 1 which is a pro consumer drone which anyone with the money can buy , it is sold for a relatively cheap price considering the technology being offered, the DJI Inspire 1 uses lightbridge 2.0 which is DJIs own high definition video feed, these HD transmitters have the ability to stream full high definition real time footage straight to your mobile device (1080p @ 30fps , 720p @ 59fps) this is an amazing step up from previous drones which transmit 480p or lower at very low frame rates. not only does it provide a live video feed , but it can also track things like speed ,altitude, temperature,GPS and much much more.
The camera on these new drones are gyroscopic ally stabilized in 3 axis which allows for smooth footage even in the worst of wind conditions , this helps the police to get smooth footage so when they play it back for evidence the footage is usable and not shaky or blurry, DEWA can benefit from this too because the smooth video can allow them to look at the details and the smaller components of their power-plants without distortion of the footage .
Overall, GITEX really showcased how drones have rapidly influenced our world and made what was once not possible now possible , not only to the serious government consumer , but also the recreational users and filmmakers . Having this point of view opens up many new opportunities for innovation and research , however these amazing devices may not be permitted in some places in the world and i personally feel that these communities will definitely benefit greatly from UAVs and improve their society in a modern and effective way.
