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 Over the last couple years we've seen a dramatic increase in the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by the private sector and the hobbyist. Major developments in batteries, sensors, and controllers have made made these flying machines, commonly referred to as drones, much more of a consumer reality. And let's face it, they are the ultimate high-tech toy, capable of much more than your kid's (or let's face it, your own) remote controlled helicopter or plane.
Drones use the same mechanism for propulsion as helicopters: angled blades that spin in a circle to move air and provide lift. What makes them mechanically unique is the use of four, six, or eight motor powered rotors instead of just one. This provides greater control and eliminates the need for a tail rotor to cancel out torsional moment. It also allows the drone to rely less on mechanical parts and more on electronic control.
The greatest asset of the drone, however, is that it is an intelligent machine. Drones employ a range of sensors (barometric pressure, compass, rotational speed, GPS, etc.) that help the craft take-off, fly, stabilize, and land itself. This is what distinguishes the drone from its predecessor craft. When a drone goes out of range, instead of crashing it will initiate an emergency landing on its own. When a heavy gust of wind or anomaly interferes with flight, it will attempt to auto-stabilize instead of relying on the pilot's adjustments to determine its fate. Instead of requiring the pilot to maintain visual contact while flying the craft, drones can transmit their GPS coordinates to the controller and display a visual of the flight through a mounted camera. This makes the drone so adaptive and functional.
Granted there are various levels of drone automation and capability, based largely on the price tag. Hobby UAVs range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on the features and functionality you want. More expensive models will often have additional/backup motors, increased flight performance, more accurate GPS/sensors, extended range and battery life, and higher carrying capacity.
 As more drones takes to the skies, however, we are seeing more concerns and controversy arise over the new, largely unregulated arena of drone flight. On the one hand, drones have the potential to be a major invasion of privacy, considering where they can fly and what they can capture on camera. On the other, more serious side, there are safety issues with UAVs using the same airspace as planes and helicopters. Just a couple weeks ago, a public service announcement released by Cal Fire (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection) urged the public to keep hobby drones away from active fires. When drones fly, aircraft used to fight wildfires must be grounded to prevent the risk of a collision. In 2015, their have been at least 25 incidents of drone-related interference with firefighting and containment efforts.
 Hopefully we will see the right steps taken to allow drones to be used safely and appropriately, in ways that are beneficial to our society. As it stands, the company Amazon is already preparing for the use of drones in its business to deliver small packages to consumers (dubbed "Amazon Air"). How soon these things will become a reality remains to be seen.
It is funny to note, however, that a little less than two weeks ago was October 21, 2015 - the day Marty McFly arrived in the future in the movie Back to the Future. On that day, coincidentally, there was a drone owned by USAToday taking pictures of a developing news story. And with all the drone use and development we are seeing today, this vision is no longer science fiction.
References:
Time - How Do Drones Work
HeightTech - Drone Science
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Re: Drones - No Longer Science Fiction
