Drones: a technology to be explored
At a time when drones are being discussed so much, it's important to mention that this technology has a still largely unexplored potential, encompassing areas such as logistics, agriculture, infrastructure inspection, surveillance, and even urban deliveries. Despite its growing popularity, the true impact and innovative applications of this technology are still under development and promise to revolutionize various sectors in the future. Drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAS), have a wide range of uses, from commercial, industrial, and scientific applications, including:
Agriculture
- Crop monitoring;
- Soil thermal readings;
- Pest identification;
- Analysis of plant water stress;
- Localized and more efficient application of fertilizers and spraying, minimizing environmental impact.
Inspections/Verifications
- Inspection of hard-to-reach or hazardous infrastructure, including; Power grids, telecommunications, wind farms, bridges, buildings and industrial facilities, nuclear power plants and dams, among others, reducing the need for manpower and the risk of accidents.
Mapping/Topography
- Capture of georeferenced images, detailed maps, high-precision 3D models for engineering projects, urban planning and resource management.
- Precise measurement of distances, areas and volumes.
Security/Surveillance:
- Monitoring and surveillance of large areas, properties and public events aimed at increasing security;
- Monitoring of natural disasters: These are essential tools in the analysis and management of events such as forest fires and floods, providing vital information on the spread of the event, location of victims and assessment of damage after the occurrence.
- Access to hard-to-reach areas: These devices can reach locations that are sometimes inaccessible or dangerous for ground teams (such as mountainous areas, flooded areas or areas with thick smoke), eliminating risks to operators.
- Rapid Incident Response: In emergency situations, drones can be immediately dispatched to the scene to assess the situation, allowing rescue teams (police, firefighters, and civil protection) to plan their actions more effectively.
- Early Detection and Prevention: Equipped with cutting-edge technologies, drones can detect fire outbreaks, suspicious movements, or changes in terrain (such as signs of landslides) in advance, which is crucial for disaster prevention.
Logistics/Deliveries:
- Drones equipped with cameras and scanners that fly through the warehouse or outdoors, capturing data from labels or barcodes, especially in hard-to-reach areas or at high altitudes. They can also be used for labeling and reading inventory in warehouses and other structures in the logistics area.
- Delivery Drones: Electric unmanned aircraft, ideal for transporting small packages quickly, overcoming ground traffic obstacles and optimizing the transport and delivery process. Several companies, such as Amazon and Connect Robotics (in a pilot project with CTT), are testing or implementing these systems.
- Cargo Drones: Larger versions of delivery drones, designed to transport heavier or larger quantities of materials to hard-to-reach locations, such as islands, mountainous areas, or disaster-stricken areas.
Emergencies/Rescue:
- Rapid Delivery: Enables the delivery of first-aid medical kits, essential medications, automated external defibrillators (AEDs), life jackets, or flotation devices in minutes, overcoming obstacles such as impassable roads, debris, or water.
- Delivery Precision: The ability to land or release precisely ensures that the material reaches victims or rescue teams in the field directly, even in isolated locations.
- Efficiency and Risk Reduction: Minimizes the risk to rescue teams, who do not need to expose themselves to danger to carry out the most urgent initial deliveries.
- Search for missing persons, using technologies such as:
- High-resolution cameras: provide detailed real-time images of the terrain, allowing search teams to quickly identify people or signs of victims in vast areas, including dense forests, rubble, or coastal areas.
- Thermal sensors (infrared): are crucial for nighttime operations or in conditions of reduced visibility (fog, smoke). These sensors detect the thermal signature (body heat) of people, even if they are hidden by vegetation, rubble, or in water, significantly speeding up location.
- Artificial intelligence (AI): AI automatically processes images and data captured by drones in real time, analyzing patterns and identifying potential victims more quickly and accurately than a human operator.
Study/Monitoring and Conservation of the Environment
- Monitoring of wildlife populations: Tracking the growth, distribution, and health of animal and plant populations to identify trends and threats.
- Assessment of the impact of human activities on the environment: Analysis of the effects of development projects, pollution, and climate change on ecosystems.
- Verification and control of environmental changes: Detection and mitigation of harmful changes, such as habitat degradation or the introduction of invasive species (with possible eradication).
- Study through the collection of images and data on habits and interaction between species in wildlife. Use of technologies such as camera traps, drones, and geographic information systems (GIS) to understand ecology and animal behavior.
- Collection of samples for scientific purposes.
Photography/Video
- Capture of images and videos for films, documentaries, advertising, and events.
Carlos Gamelas
