If you missed Part 1 of our UK Drone Market update you can catch up here. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) report has shown the immense benefits that drones can have on the market. This is particularly prominent in the economy. Part 2 of this 3 part series, however, is looking at the boost that drones could have on productivity.
The most immediate impact from drones is likely to come from lower costs and improved productivity. The use of drones for routine tasks could possibly also boost safety performance and reduce risks. This will, in turn, free people up to focus on other tasks, as well as improving the quality of said tasks. Those sectors with a high proportion of operational processes are likely to benefit the most from UAVs.
Productivity Impacts by Sector
PWC’s analysis suggests that the UK as a whole is set to reap around £16billion of uptake from drone use. This will, in turn, boost ‘multi-factor’ productivity by 3.2%. These findings, alongside those of productivity & financial gains by sector, are laid out in the following table:
As the table shows, the technology, media and telecommunications industries will see the biggest productivity gains. Alongside those industries, the transport & logistics sector is also expected to benefit greatly. This is a reflection of the opportunities these two industries have to cut costs massively and therefore see great savings.
The public sector is unlikely to, collectively, see as big of a benefit due to the sheer size of the industry. The retail and wholesale sector will be held back due to the fact the direct benefits fall within the transport and logistics sector.
At COPTRZ we feel the technology, media and telecommunications industry will see the largest productivity increase due to the practical nature of the industry. The use of drones can take the film industry, as an example, to new heights, and get shots, for safety reasons, you simply couldn’t get from a helicopter. The Inspire 2 is a particularly good cinematography/photography drone, find out more about the Inspire 2 here.
In case you were wondering: what is multi-factor productivity?
Multi-factor productivity measures the efficiency of the economy at producing output. It gauges how much output is produced for every input (labour, capital and land included). It essentially measures the total efficiency of all inputs into production, rather than simply focussing on one output.
Using the technology available for good
By the year 2030, it is likely drones will be saving lives on a regular basis. You may have seen the recent story from the Norfolk police of them using a drone to locate a missing person. It is highly likely we will see more of these stories pop up over the coming years.
Drones will enable live data to be received from accident scenes, and can this data can, therefore, be shared in real time with the emergency services. Drones can be used to gather evidence quickly and efficiently, without causing any intrusion. UAVs also have the ability to capture 3D and thermal imagery and could very easily be used to locate a missing person, or alternatively a criminal that has evaded capture.
They can also be used for supporting search and rescue missions. The sensors that drones carry can still be operated in poor and hospitable conditions where humans would struggle to work effectively or safely. This helps keep personnel away from dangerous situations and is a far cheaper option than using helicopters. Floodlights and megaphones can also be attached to help in search and rescue situations.
Using drones in construction and surveying
Drones can have a massive impact on productivity in the construction and surveying sectors. They are a cheap and efficient way of creating map sites and tracking the progress of constructions. Drones offer an effective method of collecting 3D information and integrating it with existing building information models (BIM) systems. Read more about how drones are revolutionising the BIM process.
There are a number of benefits drones could have compared to traditional methods, such as:
- Increased efficiency: A site survey can be undertaken up to 400 times quicker than usual.
- Lower costs: There are potential cost savings of up to 40%
- Survey grade accuracy: You can achieve an accuracy of around 3cm horizontally and vertically, with a pixel in an orthomosaic map representing 3cm in real life.
- Enhanced dataset: Improved photographic visualisation in 2D and 3D.
Overview
The technology that is available truly can be used for good. As you can see, different sectors and industries can hugely benefit from drones for different reasons. They lower costs and massively increase efficiency. It’s easy to see why productivity levels will be on the up due to their time cutting capabilities. The data they capture can be crucial for a number of industries.
We feel it’s likely, particularly in the media, technology, construction and emergency services industries drone use will multiply over the coming years. By the year 2030 the drone industry will have exponentially, and quite simply, drones will be everywhere.
Start your Drone Career
To date, COPTRZ has helped over 1000 businesses to access the benefits of drone technology, therefore providing cheaper, faster and safer operational capability.
By providing you with a complete solution, through best-in-world drones (also known as UAVs), payloads, software, training and consultancy to deliver the best possible drone strategy for your organisation.
Contact the COPTRZ team today on 0330 111 7177 or email info@coptrz.com to get started with your drone strategy.
