Back in the day, a ‘drone’ denoted someone ‘boring’. Then, ‘drones’ became associated with high-tech military equipment
– usurping the tediousness of a monotone voice with the action of the continuous humming of machines used to spy out
enemy locations, map out territories, or even drop bombs. While both understandings are still in use today, ‘drones’
have also become a little more ‘delightful’.
The popularity of drones for commercial and personal use has grown exponentially over the past few years. Especially
during the Covid lockdown, some companies adopted drones as a ‘no-contact’ delivery system. And more individuals began
investing in drones as a way of seeing and interacting with the outside world from the literal safety of their homes.
Pilots looking to fly a drone should, however, be aware of New Zealand’s regulations surrounding this technology. While
it is legal to operate a drone in this country, pilots must be cognisant of and adhere to airspace restrictions,
trespass definitions, privacy laws, and so on.
Before buying a drone, it would also be good to do some homework on the different types available for private use (see this website for more info). It would also be good to determine what exactly the drone would be used for, as having a purpose for
the equipment could mean getting a lot more value out of the purchase.
From photography to wildlife research, there are many drone-related activities to choose from. A particularly growing
community of drone enthusiasts enjoy 3D mapping, where a drone is used to take aerial photographs of an area and then
produce a digital 3D replica thereof using specialised software. Other uses for drones include filming, search and
rescue assistance, and even ‘drone wars’, where competitors race their drones or attempt to outdo one another in aerial
acrobatics.
All this is a long way from the days of a ‘drone’ being synonymous with ‘boring’.