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Drones
More than a toy
On July 25, Amazon reported that a
cross-Government team supported by
the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
had given it permission to conduct trials
of beyond-line-of-sight operations
in rural and suburban areas and for
multiple drones to be operated by one
person simultaneously.
These changes, which represent
a significant loosening of CAA rules,
have been introduced to help identify
how drones can be used safely and
reliably in the logistics industry and to
establish what rules and regulations will
be needed for the safe use of drones
‘beyond line of sight’.
While Amazon is still in the R&D phase
of its Prime Air 30-minute parcel delivery
service, organisations with less ambitious
plans are already using drones for
business purposes. According to
The UK
Drone Usage Report
from DronesDirect.
co.uk, 14.2% of drone owners in the UK
use their drone for work.
Following the CAA’s rule relaxation,
Tim Morley, category manager at the
online drone retailer, expects this number
to increase.
“It’s great that the CAA are open
to working with business and are
Who uses drones?
The typical drone user is male, middle aged and
interested in photography and hiking, according to
The UK Drone Usage Report
.
Drone owners are almost exclusively male (96.4%)
and many have adopted the hobby later in life, with 52%
aged 45 plus. A significant number list outdoor activities
such as hiking and walking (42.3%) amongst their hobbies.
Two thirds (67.9%) cite photography as one of their main
interests outside droning. More than three quarters (77.4%)
of those questioned have used their drone for videography,
74.5% for photography and 67.9% for entertainment.
Other uses include exploring local neighbourhoods and
capturing event footage
.
encouraging drone usage within a
commercial environment. This is a
significant step towards safely helping
to incorporate new drone technologies
into everyday scenarios, something that
will bring an array of new benefits to
consumers,” he said.
“
The Drones Usage Report 2016
reveals that more than half a million
people in the UK have used drones for
work purposes, with the creative and
photographic industries leading the
way. Drones are already being used
for deliveries of consumer products,
to provide humanitarian aid and for
security.We anticipate even more
businesses using drones for commercial
purposes following the recent change in
rules from the CAA.”
The decision by the UK Government to relax rules on drone usage so that
Amazon can continue to explore the potential of airborne parcel deliveries
highlights the interest that many commercial organisations have in
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or drones.
Future use
Morley’s confidence is backed up by
research carried out by YouGov for law
firm Charles Russell Speechlys, which
shows that around one third of business
leaders are already using drones or
expect to do so in the future (see table).
Typical is commercial pest control
business Mitte. After successfully trialling
the use of drones to inspect roofs for
evidence of gulls’ nests, it has announced
that it will now be using them for other
services, including damage inspections,
aerial mapping and, with the addition
of heat cameras, the location of pests
hidden in undergrowth.
To ensure corporate drone users
operate within the law, Charles Russell
Speechlys has produced a report
1
on
the legal aspects of drone use, including
damage inflicted by drones, aerial
trespassing, privacy, drone security and
personal responsibility. Meanwhile,
drone pilot training academy UAVAir
) advises businesses
to employ qualified drone pilots to
maximise the benefits and minimise the
risks of drone use.
Drones aren’t just toys. For businesses,
they have interesting applications and
serious ramifications for compliance. If
you don’t do so already, it’s time you
took them seriously.
1.
Charles Russell Speechlys - Ready for take-
off. Navigating the legal framework around
drones for business
can be viewed at www.
charlesrussellspeechlys.com/media/312504/
ready-for-take-off.pdf.
Online drones e-tailer DronesDirect.co.uk
is bringing a new dimension to fishing
with the DJI Phantom 4 – Fishing Edition.
The £15,000 package, which includes
integrated electronic fishing spool, line
and hooks, enables users to view remote
video footage of fish activity and catch
fish up to 200g in weight. The drone
detects when the bait has been taken
and automatically rises into the air. The
DJI Phantom 4 can be controlled from
up to 2km away and up to 100m above
water level.
Odyssey Toys’ Pocket Drone is the
world’s first collapsing video drone. The
size of an iPhone 6, its collapsible blades
can be tucked neatly inside the unit for
easy transport. The built-in 720p High
Definition camera captures video and
pictures and saves them directly to a
4GB Micro SD Card.
Current and Future Drone Use by Industry
Industry
Already
in use
Predict use
in future
Total
Manufacturing
7%
26%
33%
Construction
16%
54%
70%
Retail
3%
35%
38%
Hospitality/leisure
2%
32%
34%
IT & telecoms
7%
36%
43%
Media, marketing & PR
17%
23%
40%
Finance & accounting
1%
15%
16%
(source: Charles Russell Speechlys)
Tim Morley,
category manager
DronesDirect.co.uk
