The future of drones: Delivering packages, performing real-time, in-air analytics, and saving endangered ferret populations
Since their inception, drones have been used in a variety of new and exciting ways around the world. One headline-stealing use of drones made the rounds this summer, as the US Fish and Wildlife Services started using drones to dispense M&Ms in rural Montana. Why does rural Montana need M&Ms? Well, to save the endangered black-footed ferrets of course! The drone-dropped M&Ms are laced with a vaccine for the sylvatic plague, which is killing many prairie dogs in the area – the ferrets’ main source of food.
But alongside taking aerial photos, inspecting hard-to-reach heights, and helping to save an endangered species, drones have a number of as-yet untapped opportunities. To better understand this drone revolution, Ericsson worked with AT&T Foundry and RocketSpace to interview dozens of entrepreneurs, global executives, academics and government officials who are helping to shape the future of drone technology. We compiled our research into 10 Bold Projections on the future of drones:
Since their inception, drones have been used in a variety of new and exciting ways around the world. One headline-stealing use of drones made the rounds this summer, as the US Fish and Wildlife Services started using drones to dispense M&Ms in rural Montana. Why does rural Montana need M&Ms? Well, to save the endangered black-footed ferrets of course! The drone-dropped M&Ms are laced with a vaccine for the sylvatic plague, which is killing many prairie dogs in the area – the ferrets’ main source of food.
But alongside taking aerial photos, inspecting hard-to-reach heights, and helping to save an endangered species, drones have a number of as-yet untapped opportunities. To better understand this drone revolution, Ericsson worked with AT&T Foundry and RocketSpace to interview dozens of entrepreneurs, global executives, academics and government officials who are helping to shape the future of drone technology. We compiled our research into 10 Bold Projections on the future of drones:
- Drones will enable dynamic communications networks
- Swarming technology will allow drones to work together
- Algorithms will fly drones
- Analytics will be performed in real time, on board drones
- Drones will never have to land
- Drones will create a new category of immersive experiences
- Drones will be an extension of ground vehicles or even become vehicles
- Drones will carry out important tasks more safely and quickly than humans
- Drones are the development platform of tomorrow
- Secure IoT platforms will catalyze widespread adoption of drones
One of the projections we’re most excited about at Ericsson is the first – drones’ ability to enable dynamic communications networks. By using drones to extend mobile connectivity, operators can provide on-demand communications links where they are most needed. For example, after a natural disaster, our Ericsson Response team is one of the first on site to provide communication networks to emergency responders and other essential personnel. Imagine if Ericsson Response could, instead of repairing cell sites, use drones as temporary network hotspots for continued and flexible connectivity.
This is just one great example of how we project drones will be used once regulations, safety precautions, and other challenges in the drone industry are addressed. You can explore more examples, indicators, and startup spotlights for all of our projections in the Future of Drones report here.
This is just one great example of how we project drones will be used once regulations, safety precautions, and other challenges in the drone industry are addressed. You can explore more examples, indicators, and startup spotlights for all of our projections in the Future of Drones report here.
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