By Lucy Wyndham
As the employment of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) increases, a recent report has named North Dakota as the state most prepared for commercial drone use.
North Dakota has dedicated time and money to researching, designing, and providing the necessary tools for widespread drone use. UAVs can be deployed very effectively for a broad range of applications, including aerial imaging, emergency rescue, and delivery of goods, but, in some cases, legal issues have slowed their adoption. North Dakota’s state laws for drone users, together with its pioneering UAV network, mean that it is ready for widespread commercial drone use in the near future. Its residents have already benefited from a pilot scheme for delivery of essential items, and, with drone technology to survey specific sites, a range of essential industries and emergency services are being served.
Drone Networks Enhance Package Delivery
As UAV technology improves, drones are playing an increasingly important role in many aspects of modern life. As well as aerial imaging and surveys, they are being used for the fast, safe and cost-effective delivery of packages. To further improve the efficiency of these deliveries and other services, this new mode of transport could benefit from its own managed interstate infrastructure, much like the road and rail networks. Last year, a platform for the country’s first state-wide drone network was unveiled in North Dakota. The state has committed more resources than any other state to creating this system, which allows the operation of drones even when out of sight.
Enabling The Safe Distribution Emergency Aid
As well as efficiently delivering non-essential packages, drones have proved to be very useful in vital situations. Although complex legal issues have slowed the full commercial application of drones, last year a pilot scheme for on-demand drone delivery supplied self-isolating residents of Grand Forks with food, medicine, and other essential items. In the same city, research was undertaken with North Dakota universities to see if it was viable for drones to check temperatures safely from a distance, and even sanitize public areas such as playgrounds.
Imaging Techniques Assist Emergency Workers
One of the first uses for drones was for visual reconnaissance, and this continues to be a vital component of their service. UAVs provide vital information to police, fire and rescue agencies, using a wide range of imaging techniques. Firefighters tackling a blaze in North Fargo last December were helped by the thermal imaging and real-time video of one of the fire department’s drones. A drone is safer and more effective than a handheld thermal imager, and, with its aerial views of the fires, firefighters were able to extinguish the fire more effectively. Thermal pictures can help pinpoint hotspots within a fire, identify any people trapped in a building, and help investigators find the initial cause.
As the use of UAVs becomes more commonplace across the country, North Dakota is ahead of the curve. While universities research vital applications of drones, the first state-wide network for UAVs will enhance all types of drone use, from delivering goods to emergency rescue.