If you missed Part 2 of our UK Drone Market update you can catch up here. PricewaterhouseCoopers report has so far shown how drones are likely to not only affect the economy but also the productivity levels across the country. Part 3 of this 3 part series of blogs will show you the number of drones that are projected to be in the sky and the specific industries that this will greatly benefit, as well as how we can turn the great potential that drones offer into huge opportunities.
The UK’s airspace is expected to be heavily populated by drones by the year 2030. There are estimated to be over 76,000 drones in the UK skies by 2030. The below table shows the projected split across different sectors:
We feel that the agriculture, mining, gas and electricity sectors are likely to see huge benefits from drone use. This is due to the fact that there is a lot of surveying and inspection work needed. This is where drones like Flyability’s Elios come into play. The Elios has been specially designed for these industries and has rapidly increased the levels of productivity. It is also unsurprising to see the public sectors seeing the most drones take to the skies. This is due to the sheer size of the industry, so naturally, will see higher numbers.
Helping agribusinesses become more efficient and sustainable
Drones are already being heavily utilised in the agricultural sector for both crop spraying as well as health assessments. Certain drones have the ability for extra payloads to allow for thermal imaging to deliver invaluable data. This data can give valuable insight into crop health that the naked eye may miss. Thermal imaging can detect dry areas and ensure water is delivered when and where required. Due to the low flight costs, drones can be frequently flown to create a timelapse to highlight and issues.
The COPTRZ team would recommend either the MicaSense RedEdge or the Parrot Sequoia as the two leading thermal cameras for agricultural surveying. Both products are suited to use with data analytics and processing platforms, meaning you will have tools at your disposal to dissect the data after an operation.
Read more: MicaSense RedEdge vs Parrot Sequoia
Using drones to manage mining operations
Drones are providing the mining industry with a new and efficient way to supervise the extraction process. They also help to drastically improve the management of sites across multiple, and often remote, locations.
Drones can be used for exploration, logistics management and for environmental reporting. They can create 3D digital twins of mining sites to enable accurate volumetric measurements of extracted ore. These operations can all be conducted from the safety of the companies office.
We expect drones to become more and more prominent in mining operations, not only due to the invaluable data that they produce but also because of the safety that they provide to the staff and the drone operator themselves. Why risk human injury when you can simply send a drone to do all the hard work for you?
Turning the potential of drones into a reality
Drones are highly likely going to become a key source of data and provide insights that will rapidly become a key part of any businesses digital strategy moving forward. Any businesses operating in the sectors that we have mentioned, it is recommended they move quickly to avoid losing out to faster moving competitors.
PWC have created a simple, 4 step guide to help business become a leader in their sector and to realise the true potential of drones.
Whatever the size of industry or the sector, tomorrow’s market leaders are already getting one step ahead of the game. They are exploring options and looking into the future to explore the future.
PWC believe there are 4 questions you should be asking yourself to make the most of the drone opportunity:
- How vulnerable is your business model to drone-driven disruption and how soon will that disruption arrive?
- What game-changing openings are there within your market, and how can you take advantage of them?
- Do you have the talent, data and technology you’ll need to do this?
- How can you build transparency and trust into your drone platforms and applications?
As long as you get the answers to these questions right, you’ll be well placed to emerge as a winner from the drone revolution that’s coming. Now is the time to explore the possibilities, and it is highly likely you will see wins from both productivity and economically.
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.
