Sometimes, when people hear the word “drone” they think of the flying machines that governments can use to remotely monitor, attack and kill people. This usage of the technology is tragic, as it causes pain and suffering around the world. However, I would argue that drones do not kill people; people kill people. The upsides of the technology can far outweigh the downsides if it is put in the hands of the right people.
Here’s a thought experiment that I enjoy asking people. If I were to tell you that I have invented some technology that has the following properties, would you invest in it?
It provides millions of jobs
Everyone that doesn’t have it wants it
It significantly improves the quality of life
It kills 10,000 people every year
This is a tough decision to make. The benefits get so clouded by the downsides of the technology, and its tough to realize the true potential. A current technology that has all of those properties is the automobile. We couldn’t imagine life without cars, but still the immediate jarring effect from the thought experiment causes reluctance.
Currently, drones are nowhere near as useful as automobiles, but it is interesting to think of the potential of such technology aimed towards consumers.
Personally, I cannot wait until drones play a frequent, personal and safe part of everyday life. Amazon Prime Air is currently experimenting with consumer drone delivery in the UK, and they are busy creating safe techniques to interact with everyday people. What they are doing is awesome, but it is just the tip of the iceberg for potential consumer applications of drone technology.
In the future, there are many other roles that I can envision drones playing. Imagine deploying a drone to clean up a backyard, or even bigger, a neighborhood. With a trash grabber mounted to the drone, it would play the role of a volunteer trash collector and safely avoid all people, animals and important objects.
Another really cool role that drones will have as the technology develops is emergency delivery. Did you forgot your wallet at home? No problem — your personal drone will bring it to you as long as you are within a 5 mile radius. This is especially compelling for first aid kits and other time-sensitive medicinal procedures. Lives could potentially be saved due to the existence of consumer drones.
Because of the current stigma that exists, it will be a gradual process for people to accept drones in everyday life. But once the benefits of the technology can be clearly demonstrated, we will naturally transition from being afraid of drones to demanding them. Only then will the laws of our society change to reflect our needs. In other words, until we can demonstrate the immense societal value of drone technology, FAA laws and regulations will be strict and inhibitive. It is my hope that Amazon and other companies working on drone technology can navigate this space to create a safe and useful technology for the masses.
