Submitted by Larry Bellehumeur on
All you have to do is a simple Google search and you can find out all of the horrible things that the Internet has brought to our lives…..increased waistlines / decreased health, less privacy / increased “big brother”, cyber-stalking and more. You’d swear that the Internet is the worst thing that has ever happened to the planet if you only looked at the negative news. However, it has also provided us with some of the greatest advances in human history….millions of people are getting great educations, there is increased access to health care for many, there are huge opportunities for millions of current and future entrepreneurs….the list goes on and on.
Why is this important? It reminds me of the same thing when you look up drones….
If you ask most people about drones, they will automatically point to the negative side, and perhaps rightly so….military kills, “peeping toms”, drones eliminating jobs, drug mules and many more things seem to dominate the headlines. Wouldn’t we all be better off if a drone was never invented?
While I can see the basis for that argument, I believe the answer has to be no. There are simply too many ways that drones can be used to enhance our lives:
Search and rescue teams are using drones to help search for lost victims in places where a traditional search may be dangerous. Drones are also being used to provide support after major disasters such as forest fires, earthquakes and hurricanes.
Medical delivery to remote areas is one that I never really thought of before I researched this blog. Defibrillator manufacturer Schiller is exploring how they can be used to deliver them to remote areas at speeds that are much faster than a traditional ambulance in remote areas.
Animal protection agencies are using drones to provide visibility to animals in the wild. This is both from a research standpoint (to observe their behaviour in the least intrusive manner possible) and to better spot poachers who threaten both the lives of the animals as well as their habitat.
Environmental protection agencies are using drones to better identify patterns for things such as glacier melting in Alaska. This is key because it allows not only more frequent research during times of bad weather but also access to areas that might become more risky to visit as icepacks continue to melt.
Not only Amazon can use drones for delivery as they are beginning to be used to drop off key supplies for a variety of different groups. First, they can be ideal for bringing small to medium sized packages in the case of groups that are working in the front line in 3rd world or hostile countries, such as in remote areas of Africa. As well, they are ideal for delivery of supplies for hikers, boaters and skiers, especially in the event of a medical emergency.
The Bottom Line
There probably hasn’t been an important technology advance in the past 200 years that has not been used in a perceived bad way by some group of people. This doesn’t mean that the technology itself is bad. It just means that we have to do a better job of making sure that it is used properly. I can’t imagine life without the Internet…..I mean, how else would someone that used to annoy you in Kindergarten get in touch with you now….better yet, maybe I should go offline more!
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