Drones are often seen as a relatively new technology, with the sudden interest in their military and domestic use; however, that is not necessarily the case. Drones have been used since the 1950’s. Some new drones are used for good. For instance, Amazon.com, an online retailer, has recently announced and shown that they will be using drones as a method of shipment, which could lead to drastically shorter shipping times than standard US mail (Amazon). Drones, whether for military or commercial use, are very controversial, and new developments in drone technology are making them safer, more reliable, and more useful, all the time.
The US military has been using drones since the Cold War. Ryan Aeronautical Company conducted a study in 1959 to …show more content…
A counter-drone program in California, named the Black Dart, demonstrates the apprehensiveness of the Department of Defense when it comes to drones. Navy Commander David Zook stated that "Small manned and unmanned aircraft have always been hard to find…it's hard to tell the difference in the radar cross section from that and other small airborne vehicles or even birds." (Ferdinando, par. 5). The project officer for Black Dart Air Force Major Scott Gregg said that drones can be purchased with ease online or at your local hobby shop (Ferdinando, par. 10). His mission at Black Dart is to stay one step ahead of the game (Ferdinando, par. …show more content…
Drones are in high demand with online retailers such as Amazon.com; drones have also grown in popularity within agriculture. The Federal Aviation Administration recently proposed rules for the commercial use of small drones for agricultural reasons (Businelli, par. 3). These drones can scan farms with ease from a high vantage point. They can also determine what plants are the most healthy, and if a certain patch isn’t getting enough sunlight or water (Businelli, par. 7). They also can determine where fertilizer is most needed (Businelli, par. 8). Water management can also be improved on with the use of drones. They can even record the temperature of the plants to determine the different levels of field irrigation (Businelli, par.
The US military has been using drones since the Cold War. Ryan Aeronautical Company conducted a study in 1959 to …show more content…
A counter-drone program in California, named the Black Dart, demonstrates the apprehensiveness of the Department of Defense when it comes to drones. Navy Commander David Zook stated that "Small manned and unmanned aircraft have always been hard to find…it's hard to tell the difference in the radar cross section from that and other small airborne vehicles or even birds." (Ferdinando, par. 5). The project officer for Black Dart Air Force Major Scott Gregg said that drones can be purchased with ease online or at your local hobby shop (Ferdinando, par. 10). His mission at Black Dart is to stay one step ahead of the game (Ferdinando, par. …show more content…
Drones are in high demand with online retailers such as Amazon.com; drones have also grown in popularity within agriculture. The Federal Aviation Administration recently proposed rules for the commercial use of small drones for agricultural reasons (Businelli, par. 3). These drones can scan farms with ease from a high vantage point. They can also determine what plants are the most healthy, and if a certain patch isn’t getting enough sunlight or water (Businelli, par. 7). They also can determine where fertilizer is most needed (Businelli, par. 8). Water management can also be improved on with the use of drones. They can even record the temperature of the plants to determine the different levels of field irrigation (Businelli, par.