From infrastructure and agriculture to security services – drones are finding applications in many sectors of the economy, and further technological innovations are expanding the spectrum of their potential uses. The potential of the global unmanned aerial vehicle market is currently estimated at 127 billion dollars. The European Commission forecasts that by 2050, 150,000 jobs based on drone operations will be created in Europe*.
According to analysts at the consulting firm PwC, the value of the global market for business solutions based on drones reaches 127 billion dollars**. The greatest potential lies in the infrastructure sector – investments in unmanned aerial vehicles in this market could amount to as much as 45.2 billion dollars. Companies in this industry use drones, among other things, to obtain information for urban planning, 3D spatial modeling, or monitoring the progress of construction work. Agriculture is another sector whose development could be significantly influenced by drones. In this case, it is estimated that spending on drone technologies will reach 32.4 million dollars. Although the use of aerial vehicles in this industry may be surprising, agricultural drones are already being used even in Poland. They are used, among other things, for precise field spraying and for monitoring land and crops. Interest in unmanned aerial vehicles is also growing in other sectors. They are used in transport, internal security, mining, and telecommunications, among others.
As the analyses of the Mikromakro Institute show, the Polish drone market is also developing dynamically. In 2015, its value was estimated at 165 million PLN, and in the following years, this amount is expected to increase by as much as 150 percent in civilian applications and by several hundred percent in military ones. Approximately 27 million PLN accounts for operator and photogrammetric training (photo and video processing, taking measurements, and 3D modeling based on material recorded using drones)***, which only confirms the thesis about the prospects of this market.
Airbus, Intel, and Intel RealSense technology – drones are becoming increasingly intelligent
The number of business applications for unmanned aerial vehicles is constantly growing, and further technological innovations allow drones to conquer new market areas. The ability to record 4K video is becoming a standard, and more and more drones allow for 360-degree filming. In addition, manufacturers are striving to make drones more intelligent and autonomous.
– The growing intelligence of drones is one of the most distinct trends in this industry. An example is the recently presented anti-collision system based on Intel RealSense technology, thanks to which a drone avoids obstacles and is able to independently determine an alternative course. This is a major step forward compared to devices based on ultrasonic sensors, which allow for identifying objects but do not enable the plotting of an alternative route. Thanks to this technology, the drone is able to follow the user even in difficult terrain full of obstacles – says Gabriela Maksymiuk from Intel Poland. – RealSense, apart from a wide spectrum of civilian applications, also offers great possibilities in business applications.
One example of business applications for drones with Intel RealSense is the visual monitoring of aircraft skins. Intel and Airbus are currently conducting tests on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles with Intel technology in this area, and the first results are promising. Equipped with a RealSense camera, the AscTec Falcon 8 drone prototype allowed for shortening the inspection time of an Airbus A330 aircraft from 2 hours to 10 minutes. The device flew along a pre-determined route, systematically taking pictures of the skin in search of any damage, scratches, and defects. The collected shots were processed and assembled into a 3D model of the aircraft.
A video presenting the tests of the AscTec Falcon 8 drone with Intel RealSense technology:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpoCf9ev0VM
*http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52014DC0207
***http://www.pwc.pl/en/publikacje/2016/clarity-from-above.html
***Mikromakro Institute “The drone market in Poland 2015. Book of supply and demand” http://analizybranzowe.pl/?p=161