A few decades ago when you heard the word “drone” you thought of a boring lecturer. Today, drones, or small-scale unmanned aircraft are poised to change everything from defense to business to personal recreation.
While drones may be unlikely to become part of our daily lives in the immediate future, the possible applications are limitless. Drones can take on countless tasks from delivering groceries to private security, to managing and spraying crops. Most famously, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced that they were testing the possibility of having drones deliver packages. All of a sudden the public began to take drones seriously as game-changers.
These applications are enough to get anyone excited at the possibilities, but the true impact of the drone industry is much larger than that. If it’s going to reach the economy of scale that is predicted, then components industries like GPS and sensor manufacturers will need to grow and accommodate the increased demand. This is all to say nothing of the legal and administrative legwork necessary for privacy concerns and regulatory hurdles.
Facebook says it is developing a drone the size of a 747 that could fly for months at a time delivering low-cost wireless signals. Indeed, with the number of commercial and recreational drones expected to enter the market, FAA regulations will likely have to be re-written. That seems feasible considering that Amazon and Google have hired lobbyists to advocate the case for drones on Capitol Hill. With the backing of these influential companies, it’s pertinent to ask not if the drone revolution will happen, but rather which industry will be the most disrupted.
Drones are just one of the myriad technologies relying on servo motors. You rely on your servos, too — so if you have Rexroth technology needing support, you need us. Call us today.