The thought of unmanned aircrafts flying through our neighborhoods can have mixed reactions. For some, the convenience and futuristic technology is more than welcome. However, others have expressed concern about crowded skies and civilian privacy violations. Like it or not, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are becoming a part of everyday life, and quickly gaining popularity for commercial use. One Canadian film company has been using UAVs to filmToyota advertisements and other projects.
“People are a little bit hesitant (at first) because they haven’t seen it done before, and there are some misconception of drone use, especially for the public,” explained Matt Bujok, producer at Kaspi Films. “But it’s definitely growing.” The film industry has taken a liking to drone technology. The drones can be equipped with GPS tracking technology and camera equipment in order to film impressive shots. Typically, using a drone is much less expensive than paying an employee to operate a crane camera or helicopter for the same quality of shot.
The unmanned drones can be controlled by remote or even through a tablet or smartphone application. These UAVs are designed to perform a multitude of tasks and range in size from as large as a Boeing 737 jet to small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. They are used for a variety of tasks in a multitude of industries around the globe.
Drones have a controversial reputation for use in military operations, where flying a manned jet is considered to risky. The drones sometimes are used in surveillance missions, while others are used to bomb targets. “It really is a disruptive technology. It’s changing the game,” said Stewart Baillie, chairman of Unmanned Systems Canada, a non-profit based in Ottawa. For some, this practice has left a bad taste in their mouth for drone technology. However, it’s important not to throw out the baby with the bath water. There are many great and noble uses for drone technology, even if you have a problem with military drone policies.
“Unmanned aircraft have the promise of providing more data for a variety of applications that you wouldn’t even consider using manned aircraft for. It opens us a whole bunch of applications to understand things better, for sectors and companies who were never thinking in those directions before,” Baillie said. Drones are used to help monitor endangered species and protect them from illegal poaching. Amazon is working out ways to use UAVs for to-your-door delivery services. Drones are also used by farmers to study the topography of their land in order to get the most efficient use of pesticides and fertilizer.
In 2013, Transport Canada gave out 945 Special Flight Operation Certificates (SFOC), evidence of the growing interest in commercial use of UAVs. Compared to the 155 certificates issued in 2011, there has been a 500 per cent boost in interest in the last two years. Recreational drones that are under 35 kilograms do not require any certification to fly. The commercial certificates indicate where, when, and by whom the UAV can be operated. According to Transport Canada, unmanned drones cannot be flying higher than 120 meters, in order to avoid any interference with commercial aircrafts. The drones must also be within eyesight of the person controlling the UAV, or someone in contact with the person controlling the UAV.
Like GPS technology, the ability of the drones to easily access information, particularly location information, is the biggest pro and con of the technology. The ability to remotely view and track people, places or objects creates a lot of questions about privacy. “It’s certainly something that we’re going to see more discussion of,” said Roger Haessel, chief executive at the Canadian Center for Unmanned Vehicle Systems. “What are appropriate guidelines on the privacy front?”
The drones can be fitted with cameras fairly easily. As many great uses, both commercial and recreational, there are for drones, it’s not difficult to think up ways the technology could be abused. Imagine a stalker who had access to a UAV and a GoPro camera, who could follow their victims remotely with an iPhone. Privacy is becoming increasingly rare as society gets more transparent. It will be interesting to see how the law around this technology develops.
This writer, for one, is excited about the expansion of commercial and recreational use of drone technology. Remember, GPS technology was also once reserved for military operations. As the technology is more affordable and more is understood about its uses and limitations, we’ll likely get used to seeing UAVs in the sky. I’m looking forward to having my Amazon packages delivered via flying robot. How do you feel about the expansion of UAV use? Leave us your comments!
GPS-Enabled Drones Gaining Popularity For Commercial Use In Canada
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