Cool Tech Tools: Drones

Drones were considered fun when they first came out, but they are far from toys. Drones have surprising benefits with extremely high return on investment to certain business owners.

A drone is a robot that can fly and that is controlled by a remote device. The technology includes GPS (global positioning system) and built-in sensors. There are many benefits to using drones:

• They can go places where it might be dangerous for employees to access, improving employee safety.
• They increase efficiency and productivity while decreasing workload and costs.
• They can improve accuracy.

A drone can be used in the following ways:

• To gather information for pricing estimates, such as roof repair
• To inspect items, such as a tree’s disease progression
• To monitor systems or the status of certain items, such as landfill fire risks
• To photograph items from an aerial view

There are many industries that have begun to routinely use drones, such as:

• Forestry
• Agriculture
• Construction
• Waste Management
• Environmental
• Disaster Relief Services
• Photographers
• Real Estate
• Advertising
• Event Planning
• Highways, Traffic, and Road Safety

Rules for Drones

Before you fly your new drone, there are rules you’ll need to follow. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has put into place the rules for flying drones safely. There may also be rules passed at the state and local levels that you’ll need to check on.

When using drones for commercial purposes, you’ll need to register your drone, familiarize yourself with the operating rules for your type of drone, and pass a pilot’s test.  Find out more here: https://www.faa.gov/uas

Cost of Drones

Drones can cost anywhere from $50 to $25,000 and more. A beginner recreational drone can cost under $100, while a beginner commercial drone can range from $300 to $500. A commercial drone typical starts at a $1,000 price tag. Drone prices will vary depending on their size, features, and intended usage.

If your industry is one that is adopting drones, it might be a good time to start researching them for your business.