Drones: Flying above the digital ecosystem

There will be more than 25 billion IoT connections in the next decade alone and drone technology is being rapidly integrated into the connected world. These unmanned aerial systems offer the potential for new ways to solve our daily problems. With the explosion of connected devices and demand for speedy actions in certain situations, there are many opportunities for drone technology to bring benefits. The key with drone technology is to act and learn. Drone technology, combined with analytics and a computing platform, further integrates digital solutions to harness the power of SMAC (social, mobile, analytics and cloud). A few examples of such synergies working together in drone technologies are: Below is the diagram of our digital connected world equipped with drone technology.

• Beyond digital medical emergency services: Delivering medicines/aid/meals on time to the desired places
• Drone sprinklers: For pest control, water, seeds, fertilizers,etc. on top of watering Irrigation sensor services (checking humidity/soil analysis)
• Drone negotiator/distractor: During hostage situations, drones could solve problems in a whole new way
• Drone gas sprinklers (NOS – Nitrous Oxide commonly known as laughing gas) to analyze the crowds and disperse action to minimize the loss of lives and property.
• Drone ammunition services: For military and individuals during crisis situations.
• Blood bank drone services: To hospital and accident sites to save lives.
• Anti-fire discharger drones: To extinguish fires after analyzing the type of fire situations.

The concept of bringing these ideas to reality requires not only enhanced analytics, machine learning and automation but consensus from government and regulatory bodies to participate in the digital cycle below

Some of the many hurdles the connected digital world requires overcoming in this transformation phase are: Overcoming these challenges will pave the way for explosive growth in digital airborne services and another era of soaring digital transformation. Drone technology is exciting but very challenging and complex. Time will tell to what extent is its wider applications are realistic.

• Airspace allocation (licensing) and Interference with controlled airspace (air traffic concerns)
• Achieving ultrahigh reliability, navigation and accuracy.
• Monitoring unauthorized drones
• Avoid remote hacking and hijacking
• Human error, environmental (weather, birds, collision) issues and technical errors
• Safe and smooth communications