Unmanned aerial vehicles, or 'UAVs' for short, are unmanned aircraft that are manoeuvred by means of radio-controlled equipment or self-contained programme controls. They are highly flexible and portable, and are capable of autonomous flight control through built-in control systems. Drones are widely used in a number of fields such as agriculture, environmental protection, construction, transport and healthcare. In agriculture, drones can be used for aerial inspection of farmland and data collection; in environmental protection, they can be used to monitor environmental pollution; in construction, they can be used for building monitoring and inspection; in transport, they can be used for traffic monitoring and management; and in healthcare, they can be used for the distribution of medical supplies. With the continuous development of technology, UAVs are moving towards miniaturisation, micromation, networking and clustering.
Classification
There are more types of drones, the most common being fixed-wing, multi-rotor wing and helicopter.
Fixed-wing
Fixed-wing UAVs have the longest endurance, the highest flight efficiency, the largest load, and high flight stability, but they must take off with the help of a runway or with the help of instruments (ejection, hand-throwing) and are widely used in surveying and mapping, geology, agriculture and forestry, and other industries.
Multi-rotor Wing
Multi-rotor UAV is small in size, light in weight, low in noise, good in concealment, suitable for multi-platform and multi-space use, can take off and land vertically, and does not need a catapult or launcher for launching. Low flight altitude, strong manoeuvrability, strong ability to perform special tasks, simple mechanical structure, flexible control is now more often used in aerial photography, reconnaissance, environmental monitoring and other fields.
Helicopter
Unmanned helicopters can take off and land vertically, hover, do not need a runway, have strong terrain adaptability, and have a large load capacity and good wind resistance. At present, they are more often used in short-distance transport, emergency rescue, forest protection and fire-fighting and other fields.
Application
Faster Logistics
In the field of logistics, drones are leading a 'speed revolution'. Whether it's emergency transport of materials in remote mountainous areas or rapid distribution between cities, drones have significantly improved logistics efficiency thanks to their flexibility and efficiency. They are able to cross the terrain obstacles, directly to the destination, the goods will be safe, fast delivery to the hands of users.
Delivery
Drones not only greatly shorten the waiting time, but also reduce the delivery pressure and risk of delivery workers, so that the 'lazy economy' and 'efficient life' are perfectly integrated, adding a touch of warmth and convenience to the fast-paced urban life. Compared with traditional delivery methods, drone delivery is more than 40% more efficient, saving consumers more than 10,000 hours of waiting time in 2023 alone.
Revitalizing the Countryside
In the vast countryside, drones have become a powerful assistant in rural revitalization. They are used in many aspects of crop spraying, pest and disease monitoring, and land resource assessment, greatly improving the efficiency and quality of agricultural production. Through precise fertilizer application, pest and disease control, drones have helped farmers achieve scientific cultivation, reduced the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and promoted the development of green agriculture. At the same time, drones also help the promotion and sales of rural speciality products, through aerial photography of the beauty of the countryside, live broadcasting with goods, etc., so that the beauty of the countryside and high-quality agricultural products out of the mountains, to the country and even the world.
Safeguarding Lives
In safeguarding lives, drones have likewise demonstrated extraordinary capabilities. In the event of natural disasters, drones are able to quickly enter the disaster area, carry out disaster reconnaissance, personnel search and rescue and material delivery, and provide important information support for rescue work. In areas such as forest fire prevention and border patrol, drones have played a great role in detecting and reporting abnormal situations in time, effectively preventing accidents.
