Unmanned - Needs A Piece Of The Sky

It’s only been about a decade since drones more accurately, commercial and personal quadcopters first started being mass-produced. But already, they are everywhere. Personal drones are buzzing on the beaches and at parks, commercial drones are working on construction sites and farms and delivery drones are even starting to deliver packages/medicines in some cities. The increasing ‘specialization’ of drone technology for commercial use indicates there will be many different types and sizes of drones at work around a city in the near future. The massive rise in use cases being published by companies also suggests that drones will be put to use in a wide range of hitherto unimagined ways.

Continued adoption of the commercialised unmanned flights will require an expanded regulatory framework. Governments will also need to play a role for supporting this growth in form of extending the waiver provision and adapting regulations as per technology. The reality is that to fully develop and mature the commercial drone manufacturing and application development sectors would prefer a clear set of rules and regulations that are essentially standardized at the national or better yet, global level. Just like any new technology, the standardization of technical specifications and regulatory guidelines will be key to not only driving commercialization and investment into the sector, but also in setting the rules of engagement for businesses and governments. Despite this evolution and enthusiasm, the Industry faces operational challenges when integrating UAV and Pilots into existing airspace. And if these hitches aren’t overcome, safety and security concerns could ground drones before they truly take off.