Drones aren’t going away anytime soon. Though once thought of as Tools of war they’ve found their way into the consumer market, giving civilians the chance to pilot the machines themselves. So how has Joe Everyman re-purposed drones? This list covers ten of the more creative and unconventional ways drones have invaded our lives and may change the future.
8Racing
Drone racing sees the pilots control the drones from afar, viewing the course from the drone’s perspective. There’s some controversy in the racing community as to whether or not it should be considered a sport since the pilots are only involved via remote control. But you can’t deny that it takes a lot of skill to fly these properly.
7Storm Chasing
The scientific communities are able to use drones to study and photograph storms in new ways. Drones are able to position themselves in ways previously unreachable, thus collecting data that other instruments cannot.
Given the added bonus of keeping researchers a safe distance from the storms themselves, it seems likely that storm chasing drones will eventually see mass use.
6Food Delivery
You’re likely familiar with the Tacocopter, the drone-based taco delivery service. But others are slowly singing on board with the idea. London’s Yo! Sushi has used drones for delivery, for example.
But in at least one instance involving the Lakemaid Beer Brewery the FAA has stepped in and put a stop to the fun, so depending on where you live this use of delivery drones may forever remain a dream.
5Construction
The Swiss Federal Institute were able to use three drones to build a suspension bridge that can actually be walked across. The intricate maneuvers were no issue for those controlling the machines.
4Document Delivery
In 2014 the United Arab Emirates announced plans to deliver official government documents via drones, cutting down on travel for the recipient and, over time, the expense of sending out such documents in the future.
But because these are potentially sensitive documents the plans also include retina and fingerprint scanners as high-tech security measures.
3Farming
Obviously, drones are useful for doing a lot of menial labor, such as spraying crops, but the ability to take high-resolution images can allow farmers to better target problem areas and use resources more efficiently, making farms more productive and profitable in the long run.
2Tooth Removal
Though it’s not likely to become a regular feature with your local dentist, YouTube has a few videos of people using drones for the purpose of tooth removal.
It seems crazy but appears to work quite well, and those having the “operation†done on them don’t appear to be in any pain during or after.
1The Swarm
In a way, this one is almost self-defeating, but it’s still cool: a man in the United Kingdom built a hovercraft out of fifty-four drones.
It can carry just over three-hundred pounds, flies for ten minutes and can reach a height of only fifteen feet, but maybe this is the first step into something even greater.
