Almost all of us dreamed of flying cars or hoverboards in the 2000s. Although there are studies on this subject, we still do not have a floating car. Instead we got small helicopter-like devices called drones. Drone technology has matured so rapidly in recent years that it is now possible to buy a drone for the price of a smartphone.
The drone is called the technology of the future because like all systems it will become autonomous, it will be able to easily go to places we cannot reach. Since drones can be easily controlled from a distance and can act autonomously, it seems certain that they will be buzzing around in the near future. Let’s take a closer look at what a drone is and how it works.
What is a drone?
Drone; It is an unmanned aerial vehicle that can be controlled remotely or autonomously thanks to its engines, propellers and sensors.
Although it varies according to the usage area, every drone has some basic equipment such as GPS, infrared camera and main camera. Drones have at least 4 propellers called rotors for stable flying, the number of propellers may increase according to the drone size. While they may have more complex systems, drones in general are controlled remotely using a smartphone or tablet.
What does a drone do?
It is thought that the first steps of drone technology, which is similar to today’s systems, were taken in the 1930s. Of course, when we consider the conditions of the period, it is not surprising that these drones were used for military espionage and attack. However, the goal is always the same, to reach places where people cannot reach.
A drone can be used in dozens of different areas. Its purpose is simple, to eliminate human boundaries and to minimize the human factor in a job. To give a simple example; Before drone technology was developed, you needed at least a helicopter, a pilot, a cameraman and a camera to get aerial views of a city. A drone with a powerful battery and motor can meet all these needs on its own, providing high-resolution images.
How does the drone work?
Regardless of their size, drones are made of durable but sturdy materials. As a result, this device should fly but not be damaged so easily. The number of motors varies according to the size of the device. These motors drive propellers called rotors. Two of the propellers rotate clockwise and two rotate counterclockwise.
The device takes off with the thrust force given to the ground according to the rotation of the propellers. According to the rotation of the propellers, the thrust force is terminated and the device descends. These movements can be made by a controller over the device’s Wi-Fi network. Instead, thanks to a software added to the device, it can also perform this movement autonomously.
Even as drone systems change, GPS system and infrared cameras are indispensable. When artificial intelligence is added to drones, we will of course see much more interesting systems, but today the autonomous management of a drone is just like the robot vacuums we use at home. It is a useful system, but if we are to talk about it as the technology of the future, it must have a much more advanced system.
What can drone technology do in the future?
Thanks to the mature autonomous system with the development of artificial intelligence technology, perhaps there will be no need for human control for drones used in basic missions. For example; Thanks to the fire cannons loaded on the drones used for forest inspection, a device will detect even a puff of smoke that has not yet turned into a flame, intervene and prevent major disasters.
Of course, since we are talking about flying machines, everyone will think of science fiction movies that draw a dark future. It is possible that we will encounter drones in the future that use facial recognition systems for security and will neutralize people they do not know. In other words, it is important for what purpose we use drone devices, like all technology products.
