Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV): Important Merits & Demerits To Know
- Technology
Nandini Prashad- 0
- 13 minutes read
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is commonly known as drones and have been used for various purposes in nations around the world even in India. The technology has largely been adopted in military forces around the globe. This technology has been considered to be highly beneficial, which it indeed is. However, there are some drawbacks to it as well that have been discussed in the article below.
What Is An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)?
An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is an aircraft that is operated without any human onboard (be it the pilot, crew, or passengers). Examples include Rustom UAV drones are also a part of the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). These drones are designed in a way that they can be operated remotely by a person or team who has the access to them. The remote operator it hosts also gives it the name of a Remotely-Piloted Aircraft (RPA).
Further, it offers different levels of autonomy to the team that operates it. UAV drones had been initially developed for military usage (that is continued even today). However, there have been attempts to utilise the technology for other domains such as aerial photography to take note of landscapes, the information of which is then harnessed for recreational purposes. The various benefits and limitations of UAV drones have been mentioned briefly below.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Merits
The advantages that this technology provides to military forces around the world and other spaces have been noted here.
1. Promotes Safe Environment
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle drones have been implemented in various fields that also include the safety of the environment. Due to the remote-control option, these aircraft can hover around regions that are difficult for humans to travel to. The technology can be used to supervise the environmental conditions and be prepared for any hazard that can be foreseen. Moreover, a check on oil or gas reservoirs can be kept for preventing mishaps due to fire accidents. In addition, during times of natural calamities or high risks, these drones are used by the military to monitor areas around them without having to put someone’s life at threat.
2. Economical In Nature
During World War II, drones were not used extensively, which is why they were expensive at that point in time. Thereafter, the technology was utilised in other domains and was even made available to common people as well. Therefore, the prices started dropping as the production was elevated. In addition, it also aids in uplifting the operational activities of industries as due to its cost-saving nature, it is one of the most preferred ways of conducting research in various sectors.
3. High-Quality Aerial Photography
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle India implementation in the military has been beneficial due to the amazing picture quality it has. The camera sensors used are the best in class. This makes it easier for the forces to monitor even the slightest changes happening around them. The military has been using the DRDO Rustom drone for such purposes. In addition, information about any natural disaster world is known beforehand. Further, the image and videos captured can be used to live stream in other sectors that might help in research and development activities.
4. Accuracy
UAV drones use the Global Positioning System (GPS) in the software that aids in the precision and accuracy of the place that is being monitored. The precise images and video of a particular location have been beneficial for the agricultural sector. This is due to the fact that agricultural fields are often large in area and require continuous supervision so that the crops remain healthy. This is where these drones help. Minute details including the formation of weeds or pests can be known after using the mini versions of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle India drones.
5. Easy Control And Installation
These drones are easy to use and can be installed with the minimum resources. Moreover, the technology is not complicated to use as one with basic knowledge of it can do the job. It is important that the monitors used for looking at the captures are set up well and that is it. The drone will do its job. In addition, the remote control options are also not that fancy and are simple to understand and operate. This makes it easy for people to deploy the technology in various sectors and locations where limited resources are available.
Other merits include:
- Better security provisions for military
- Natural dangers and life threats can be monitored
- Data obtained is in detail
- A quick audit is made possible
- Reaches areas where humans cannot (danger zones)
UAV Drones Demerits
Even though there are numerous benefits to using a drone, there are some drawbacks as well. Therefore, the limitations that these drones come with are explained below.
1. Privacy Concerns
Since this technology can reach any part of the world that too without the requirement of humans to travel along, there are issues of privacy raised. This is because of the fact that if these are operated in and around residential areas then there are high chances of intruding into someone’s private moment. Moreover, it is really uncomfortable for people to live with the fear of being looked upon by unknown sources. However, this case doesn’t appear during the military use of drones.
2. Regulations Are Yet Not Formed
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) have been used widely around the world. But the fact that laws and regulations regarding the same are still developing has not changed. This is why it is uncertain that this technology would be used the same way as it is being employed currently. This might induce problems later on as people would have to resort to the regulations or legislations formed for the use of UAVs in a country.
3. Uncertain Safety
Since the drones are handled by people from remote locations, it is difficult for them to ascertain what is going on in the exact peripheries of the device. In addition, there can be safety issues due to change in weather, which might lead to damage to the gadget. This can even prove to be detrimental to the research activities conducted by industrial companies. To mitigate this issue, it is necessary to hire a professional who can operate the drones in an effective manner so that loss of property is not caused. But even then, there are possibilities of human error.
4. Software Functioning Problems
However advanced the technology might be, there are chances of a malfunction. During crucial moments the drone can stop functioning properly. This can hinder the entire motive of employing this technology. In addition, there have been instances wherein military drones have resulted in firing weapons at the common people in the nation due to some malfunction. Therefore, it is uncertain whether this technology can deter doing harm to people if there are issues in the software. Also, life threatening possibilities should not be ignored.
5. Spying Activities
Drones can easily be used to spy on somebody. This gives access to the personal information of an individual that can be then used to do harm to them. Further, even rival countries can choose to use tiny drones so that they can know what is going on the other side and take advantage of the situation. Both on an individual and political basis, drones can prove to be harmful in some or the other way. However, if it is chosen to be used for security purposes that require spying then it should not be considered as an offence.
Other demerits include:
- Danger to wildlife
- Hacking the system is easy
- Weather conditions affect its use
- If specific and intricate data is considered, it is important to expert knowledge and skill
- The speed of data transfer is often slow
An Aerial Round-up!
An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is extremely beneficial to various sectors in a country. These include help to the military forces and normal people to research and know about things that have remained unexplored for a while. Moreover, the high-quality images can be relied on for knowing intricate details of a specific location. However, the problems arise when the technology is used in an unregulated manner. Also, the fact that the laws for its usage are not clear is a matter of concern. In addition, spying activities and trespassing of privacy are some other drawbacks of this technology that should be avoided at all costs.
