While the word “drone” sounds like something straight out of Star Wars, it really just refers to an unmanned vehicle. Drones have been around since the 1960s and were used in the Vietnam War for reconnaissance missions. Fast-forward to today where drones are fitted with missiles and are regularly used to wipe out targets. The big difference now, however, is that drone technology is being commercially applied to a variety of industries at affordable prices. Imagine one day looking out your window and seeing all sort of drones buzzing around. This is something that has aviation authorities around the world quite concerned.
Amazon launched “Prime Air” on July 9th, 2014 to achieve the goal of putting packages into the hands of customers in thirty minutes or less. Google has been developing drones since 2011 and has created a prototype that is 2 ½ feet high and has four propellers that activate during different stages of a flight. Facebook is now touting its plans to create a solar powered drone the size of a 747 to help bring Internet access to remote parts of the world. Even Dominos is experimenting with drones to deliver its pizzas. The arguments in favor of drones are that they provide a more efficient method of delivering goods. These arguments, however, are facing a tough battle against communities that cherish security and privacy.
It makes a lot of sense to allow farmers to use drones to survey their land. It also makes sense to use drones to deliver supplies or even Internet access to remote areas. It does not make sense, however, to have drones equipped with cameras flying around my home. Companies like Amazon, Google, and Facebook are always interested in collecting as much data as they can about their customers and anyone else who might be in the area. As for me, I value my privacy a lot higher than a 30-minute drone pizza delivery.
For more information on drones, please refer to the following articles:
Google Is Testing Delivery Drone System, Wall Street Journal, ALISTAIR BARR and GREG BENSINGER, August 29th, 2014 (http://tinyurl.com/m5umjkg)
Introducing Prime Air: http://www.amazon.com/b?node=8037720011
Drone on the Farm, WSJ Blog, Rachel King, December 10th, 2014, (http://tinyurl.com/ol9h3sx)
Facebook Lays Out Its Roadmap for Creating Internet-Connected Drones, Wired, Issie Lapowsky, September 23rd, 2014 LAPOWSKY (http://tinyurl.com/oqjzneu)
For more information about the Corvinus Global Business blogger, go to https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinmjackson1.
Blog 13
