Five Great Uses for an Unmanned Aircraft System

February 24, 2016

Reading the news, you might think the only reasons someone might own an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) is for something nefarious. They could be peeping into their neighbor’s windows, conducting surveillance for the NSA, or dropping munitions on a crowd. But, have you considered the following applications? We are listing five great benefits of UAS that you might not have thought about.

1. Preventing Oil Spills. UAS can fly along a pipeline and detect weaknesses in the integrity of the pipe. This will alert crews who can make repairs before the accident occurs.
2. Rescuing Trapped People. UAS can be very rapidly deployed after a natural disaster to find people who need help. They can even bring supplies that might otherwise take days or weeks to deliver.
3. Feeding the Hungry. UAS have been used in precision agriculture to provide information to farmers about where to plant, where to fertilize, and where to apply pesticide. It is estimated these techniques increase crop yield by up to 12 percent, while decreasing pesticide use by more than half.
4. Fighting Forest Fires. UAS are being used to provide firefighters with real-time information about fire boundaries and fuel conditions. This intelligence helps direct resources where they are most needed.
5. Managing Wildlife. UAS are being used to track wildlife, conduct population counts, and prevent poaching. Wildlife officials can even map habitats, to create more effective management plans.

These are just five things that come to mind. There are literally thousands of great possibilities. What will you do with your UAS?