Is it a bird…? Is it a plane…? You have to look carefully nowadays as millions of drones take to our skies across the world.
Once known as multi-rotors in the RC flying community, drones have rapidly taken over the world in a craze as everyone wants to soar.
From consumer grade toys to multi-million rand industrial equipment, drones have spread into many different aspects of our lives without us knowing it.
The biggest industries growing out of this new technology are aerial surveys, mapping and agricultural work. Drones are affecting everything from the food we eat, the roads we travel on down to the shows we watch on TV. These inventions have gone from a toy in the hobby world to something we cannot live without. They now affect us all in our daily live
Roads are being built better, crop yields are being increased and we are bearing witness to never-before-seen images of the world we live in. All thanks to drones.
One of the biggest manufacturers of drones, DJI, has become the new “Apple” of the world’s eye, releasing consumer drones with functions and systems that make it easier and easier to fly each year.
They have even partnered with Apple for distribution to get their drones to more places and deploy devices such as the iPad or iPhone to operate them.
Unboxing and using one of the models such as the new DJI Phantom 4 is similar to getting your first iPhone. This puppy is slick, seriously looking the part with smooth lines and edges. And it comes in all white, naturally. It’s designed to be plug and play. Just open the box, charge the batteries, download the app following a few basic steps and off you go. You’re ready to concur new heights and capture the world in amazing 4K resolution.
All the fun and positives are not without cost though. Drones do have a huge negative aspect, and that is with their rapid rise few users really know how to deal with them safely. The first multi-rotors on the market required knowledge and experience. Pilots needed to have flown for years with many hours behind them. Now with help readily available on computer systems and stabilization hardware, anyone can pick up a drone and fly it, without any understanding or comprehension of the risks involved, instead relying 100% on the drone’s “intelligence” to fly.
Many countries are trying to regulate and pass laws in order to keep the skies safe but they too have no idea how to regulate something that has risen so suddenly to power and that almost anyone, anywhere, can get their hands on and fly without restrictions.
But if this doesn’t deter you from owning a drone, make sure that you do plenty of research regarding the rules and regulations for your area and operate the drone using common sense for the safety of others. All things said and done, the drone has landed and it’s here to stay.
Date Published: 25 July 2016
