2. Inventory

Taking stock of inventory can be managed much more efficiently with drones. At Hardis Group, they use their drone to automate warehouse inventory. The drone flies down each aisle, noting and verifying what is stocked and where.

3. Repairs

Drones can complete short service repairs. For example, drones are now used to fix utility towers, preventing utility workers from the dangers of climbing such heights. Instead of risking a human life fixing a utility tower, drones can be sent up to assess and repair the damage, according to TechRepublic contributor Brandon Vigliarolo.

4. Shipments and delivery

Drones are making deliveries. UPS has already begun testing its drones earlier this year, according to our sister site CNET. In an effort to speed up shipments and deliveries, drones can either be placed in a truck or on top of a truck, making autonomous deliveries at the same time as truck drivers. Amazon, through its Prime Air service, is another company working to use drones for shipping, but regulations by the FAA have halted those efforts for the time being.

5. Security

Traditional alarm systems may be a thing of the past with drone technology. Alarm.com has created camera-equipped drones that can monitor your home or business. The drone can fly to specific locations if a motion sensor is activated, or if it detects an intrusion, our sister site CNET reported.

6. Site inspection

With the ability to fly at great heights, drones prove useful for inspecting prospective industrial sites. For example, if a company is looking to mine a certain area, they can send a drone overhead to capture photos of the terrain. Using a drone is a much cheaper, more effective way to determine whether or not a site is excavatable, according to TechRepublic’s sister site ZDnet.

7. Risk monitoring

Insurance companies can also benefit from drones. By flying over construction sites, drones can check to make sure construction workers are out of danger. The drone images can help companies see potential hazardous areas to either avoid or repair, without a human having to explore the site.

8. Telephone service

Drones can be mobile cell towers. For areas without cellular service, drones may be the answer, providing voice, data, and internet to the specified location, according to TechRepublic’s Olivia Krauth. If this technology takes off, so to speak, drones could be a fantastic solution to spotty cell service for traveling business professionals, or help provide coverage to rural areas.

9. Natural disaster recovery

Death tolls from natural disasters could decrease with drones. Drones proved themselves very useful during last year’s hurricane season, reported our sister site ZDnet. Not only could drones capture footage of areas too dangerous for humans to access, but they can also help track storms, allowing individuals to stay vigilant and safe.

10. Farming

Drones could help increase farmers’ productivity by 500%, according to a report by DroneDeploy. TechRepublic’s Dan Patterson analyzed the report, discovering that the view from drones helps farmers determine what areas of the field should be harvested. Instead of driving around and through a 100-acre field, farmers can yield healthy products faster by capturing images via drone.

Also see

• Advantage of Autonomous Drone Fleet in Industrial Structure Inspections (TechRepublic)
• FAA drone testing program takes off in 10 cities (ZDNet)
• Project Wing: A cheat sheet on Alphabet’s drone delivery project (TechRepublic)
• Best Drones for 2018 (CNET)
• AI-powered autonomous drone could bring new capabilities to agriculture, logistics, more (TechRepublic)