Drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles have become highly popular recently due to their multifaceted capabilities across fields. Drones are currently used in agriculture, health services, military operations, law and order maintenance, and creative enterprises.  

Besides, drones are being used across segments due to their low expenses and minimal human intervention, and their utility will increase further in the coming days with the advances in drone technologies. In this article, we look at 5 amazing ways drones can save lives. 

1. Drones Help In Emergency Operations 

Drones play a critical role in assisting rescuers in cases of natural disasters, pandemics, or accidents.  

During massive floods or devastating earthquakes, when all means of regular transportation break down, authorities often take the help of drones for emergency services. Drones can scan the affected area to find unconscious or injured people with the help of thermal imaging cameras. 

Such features expedite the rescue process by swiftly informing the authorities about the extent of damage and the steps to be taken. For example, when an earthquake of 7.8 magnitude hit Nepal’s Kathmandu and rescue efforts were halted due to the breakdown of transport infrastructures, international agencies deployed drones in the affected area to expedite rescue and relief operations. 

2. Drones Assist Healthcare Services 

Due to their mobility advantage, drones can help deliver essential medical services in remote areas much faster and more efficiently. Drones or UAVs can assist in delivering blood, medical supplies, oxygen, etc.  

Drones can transport life-saving medicines to inaccessible areas or disaster-affected locations, helping to save patients' lives. Moreover, drones can save health workers from getting infected by contagious diseases by delivering medical essentials remotely. According to UNICEF, drones may also be used for aerial spraying to disinfect contaminated places. 

3. Drones Improve Safety Of Construction Work 

Drones have been used increasingly in engineering and construction work in recent years. Since drones can capture high-resolution photographs from close proximity, they can help engineers identify potential building problems. Moreover, drones eliminate the need for manual inspection of elevated structures, increasing the safety of human workers and saving time.  

UAVs with VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) technology can scan and capture the inside view of a narrow building. Drones also help move building equipment and materials to the construction site without the requirement of machinery or manual labor. This helps to improve the safety of the construction workers. 

4. Drones Help In Wildfire Management 

Drones are a critical tool when it comes to managing wildfires. Drones or UAVs assist in detecting, containing, and suppressing wildfires.  

UAVs also help locate the hot spot of the wildfire and subsequently deliver water to the target location. Drones are superior to helicopters during wildfires due to their maneuverability and flight time. Recently, drones have been used to shoot fireballs in grasslands to trim the shrubs and woods to prevent future wildfires. 

5. Drones Aid In Weather Monitoring 

Data suggests that weather-related catastrophes have increased manifold over the last 50 years, resulting in the death of 115 people and an average loss of US$ 202 million every day. It also takes great effort to rescue and rehabilitate the affected people during the weather-hazards.  

So, if such weather disasters can be predicted, preventive measures can save many lives.

Drones help monitor and gather data on impending weather calamities like storms and hurricanes. Efficient drones can fly through hurricanes at lower levels and inform us about their trajectory, strength, and duration.  

Types of Drones:  

Four major types of drones come into use in most scenarios. 

● Fixed-wing: These drones have long endurance and cover large areas. They are designed to be maneuvered like airplanes and are the fastest. These drones are most suitable for inspection of an affected area. However, these drones require a higher level of expertise for good handling.  

● Single-rotor: They are more durable and look like helicopters. These drones have heavier payload capability and are excellent for transporting food, medical aid, and other essentials to remote or inaccessible areas.    

● Multi-rotor: These drones are very easy to use and provide the best control to the user. They have great camera controls and are excellent for aerial surveillance and photography. These UAVs can operate in confined areas like narrow buildings or dense forests. However, these drones have short flight times, which is unsuitable for long-duration weather monitoring.  

● Fixed-wing Hybrid: Fixed-wing hybrid drones are still developing, but these UAVs specialize in vertical take-off and landing (VTOL). So, they can be instrumental in helping rescuers in closed locations like mines and caves.   

The Bottom Line 

From their initial days, drones have come a long way to facilitate several essential services. Even the search and rescue personnel risk losing their lives in catastrophic situations. Fortunately, pilots can promptly deploy drones in locations where the affected people might be stranded.  

So, authorities can track and save people without putting rescuers at risk and minimize collateral damage. With the advances in drone technology, we can expect that drones will play a more significant role in saving lives in the coming times.