On December 6 by Zi Yuan Wong

Drones have recently become a constant presence in our lives. From delivery drones to military drones, we become increasingly accustomed to the existence of drones and their use across multiple fields. As they can be operated without people having to be present at all, wider adoption is expected with their operators not having to leave the comfort of their offices. Soon, these unmanned machines might become the next step of modern transportation, where no driver will be needed to take us everywhere we want.  

While the drones we are familiar with are used by the military for warfare, civilian use of drones is steadily getting popular and commonplace, with many using drones to either enforce the law, taking photos, or just getting a bird’s eye view of their backyard. With the price of a decent drone going as low as $80, anyone with any extra disposable income can buy and own one. With the advancement of technology allowing drones to be used by normal people, how exactly did they come to be? 

How drones come to be 

Drones or in military terms, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), began as tools for militaries to attack their enemies without sending their own troops. The term ‘drone’ most likely came from the pilotless, radio-controlled Queen Bee target drone developed by the British for target practice during WW2. After much development, they are deployed on a larger scale during the Vietnam War for recon purposes and other roles like acting as decoys, attacking fixed targets and dropping leaflets for psychological warfare. Over the years, these models have become more sophisticated, and they are now sturdier, last longer in flight, and are powered by solar energy. 

It is not until recent years that drones are readily built and distributed for civilian use. Nowadays, most industries include drones as part of their business operations and civilians utilize drones for recreational activities like photography. With drones becoming increasingly more advanced by the second, our future will likely involve drones one way or another.  

Military Drones 

The more prominent and familiar use of drones is by the military, where they are extensively used to conduct modern warfare. Since WW1, drones were extensively developed by militaries globally for various military uses, from target practice to reconnaissance.  

Starting from the Predator drone in 1995, the drone soon became synonymous with US military operations in the Middle East, and the MQ-9 Reaper drone saw widespread use for recon or to eliminate targets if necessary. For better or worse, drones are now an everyday occurrence for the people living near those operation sites, and as long as there are wars, drones are likely here to stay. 

Civilian Drones 

Drones also have a wide array of usages in modern society. Delivery drones are now relatively common to deliver a variety of items like food, packages, or medicine to their customers. During the pandemic, corporations like Dominos, UPS, and Amazon have adopted the usage of drones to handle their deliveries and avoid disease by minimizing direct contact between people. An additional benefit to those corporations is they do not have to hire a new worker when another drone purchase will suffice. 

The applications of civilian drones did not stop after food delivery. Due to the advancement of technology, drones are now being used for more practical applications like search and rescue, monitoring the environment, and protecting critical infrastructure. It is envisioned that they will become even smarter and more versatile due to additional sensors, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, allowing them to respond to different scenarios without having someone to supervise them. After many years of development, drones will now be used to save civilians; no longer will they be solely harmed by their use. 

Outlook on the Future of Drones  

After a century of development, the advancement of drone technology has shown no signs of stopping. Initially developed for military use, in recent days, they are now being used for mundane tasks like food delivery or more sophisticated tasks like search and rescue or environmental monitoring. Due to rapid technological development, drones might double in sophistication and become smarter after a few years, and their adoption might continue to increase and have a significant impact on our future down the line.