MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, TECHNOLOGY WEEK - DRONES

 MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2022 - TECHNOLOGY WEEK

This week I’m writing about technology.  Some of this I taught and I’m looking forward to seeing what has happened in the six years since I retired.  Some topics:  Drones, Autonomous Vehicles, 3D Printing, and Money (aka electronic money).

Today, drones.

Drones are unmanned aircraft.  They generally are controlled by a person on the ground and can fly over hills, buildings, rivers, lakes, and all sorts of things that a person couldn’t do.  While helicopters can do these things, they are manned and thus generally much larger and more expensive.  

Drones are similar to radio-controlled aircraft but more maneuverable.  In a quick scan, you can get a drone for about $40 and up.  Most drones come with cameras and some with multiple cameras or even with other types of scanning devices like infrared, heat-seeking, or more.

My cousin has a drone and was working in real estate.  He could fly the drone over a house he was listing to sell and get a “birds-eye” view of the property. 

After floods, fires, hurricanes, and other disasters, you can safely fly a drone over the property to assess the damage.   

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Amazon is developing drones for delivery.  Their website says:

“It sounds like science fiction, but it’s happening. We’re building fully electric drones that deliver packages under 5 pounds to customers in less than 60 minutes.

“But we know our customers will only feel comfortable receiving drone deliveries if they know the system is safe and reliable. While it’s impossible to eliminate all risks from flying, we’re taking a proven aerospace approach to design safety into our system.”

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That implies that the drone will have its own GPS unit, and awareness of other flying objects (other drones, birds, and even stationery items like trees and porches). AND WITHIN 60 MINUTES.

I live about 5 miles “as the crow flies” from a regional Amazon warehouse.  So, within an hour, my package will be located, loaded onto a drone, and sent to my doorstep!!  (And, probably without any human intervention!!!) 

That is probably about the time it would take me to get in my car and drive to the local Walmart or Target and get the particular item.  But, inertia rules (“Newton's First Law of Motion states that a body at rest will remain at rest“) - and if I am in my favorite chair, it will be easier to grab my computer (or phone) and order the item right away and have it on my doorstep in an hour!!!

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Oh Oh - the dark side

So, can a drone “spy”?  Absolutely.  Drones have been used in warfare.  BBC news reported, “Ukraine may have used kamikaze drones in the recent attacks on Russia's bases in Crimea, according to a military expert.  If so, it marks another way in which drones are being deployed in the Ukraine war - to hit targets behind enemy lines.

Thousands of drones are being used in the conflict by both sides to bomb targets or to direct artillery fire on them.

Some of the drones being used are purpose-built, military drones. However, recently Ukraine seems to be turning more towards the use of small, off-the-shelf drones.”

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Drones can be viewed as birds by ground radar (and drones can even be programmed to fly bird-like flights).

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Where novels suggest that police conduct “stake-outs” of suspected felons, police could station drones over the house and watch for movement (including infrared, body heat, or other identifications.) 

While it wasn’t a drone, “A forward-looking infrared camera (FLIR) on a Massachusetts State Police helicopter helped to find traces of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's heat signature as he lay in tarp-covered boat.”

What if drones are used by criminals?  Sure, they can scan my house and identify when I am gone (for a burglary or a break-in). 

Could I be traced and watched by cameras all day long - including drones?  

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In the long run, drones will be improving and will be part of our future (even if we aren’t using them).  

Could a police state spy on its people?  Yes. Could the police watch for any and all traffic violations?  Absolutely.

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Could a drone be part of the transportation solution in the future? (Or a mini-helicopter?) Sure.

I envision that drones and personal air devices will be part of our future.  Are you ready?

And, can LOVE still win with drones flying around us?

YES - LOVE WINS!!

Karen White, October 17, 2022, ©