Drones are flying high, for good and bad purposes

THE increasing popularity of drones and their adoption for commercial use is largely due to the expanding number of applications these unmanned aerial vehicles can be used for and the benefits they offer business.

“However, as with any technology, while drones are predominantly being used for good, the flip side of the coin is that their capabilities can be exploited for nefarious purposes.

Pieter Scholtz, DSM expert: AO/ data centre services at T-Systems South Africa, said research showed around 3000 drones currently used commercially in South Africa, but fewer than 1000 are properly licensed. It is estimated that only about 600 were registered for business use, he said.

Regulations stipulate that drones used for commercial, corporate and non-profit purposes need to be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority.

According to Dale McErlean, operations director at NTSU Aviation Solutions, there are 46 Remote Operator Certificate (ROC) holders. A ROC is an approval issued in order to operate a drone for commercial, corporate or non-profit operations.

Said Scholtz: “Currently, most drones in South Africa are being used by the mining industry, with about 80% being used for security purposes, while the remainder are being deployed in the areas of engineering, surveying and the film industry.”

Other sectors also exploring the use of drones include agriculture, law enforcement and emergency services.

As part of the trial phase, the SA National Blood Service is conducting tests with a drone pilot and medical technician with the objective of using a drone to deliver blood to remote areas where conventional transport is often a challenge.

Drones have already been successfully deployed in urban settings, most recently during the Tshwane protests, where they were used for monitoring and surveying, as well as giving police a perspective of individuals and vehicles involved in the strike, according to Jaacie Visagie, business development manager at UAV & Drone Solutions.

“We’re working on a project where we’re implementing Internet of Things devices, with trigger sensors.

“Besides following a normal flight path or grid flying, we’ll be flying on triggers or alerts. For example, if there’s a trigger (security breach) in a particular area, we’ll direct the drone to that spot.”

“IoT devices and hardware integrating with drones is becoming a reality going forward, so we’re already integrating that technology into our operations,” Visagie said.

However, with drones will come additional security threats, and these will be physical, as well as cyber threats. They can also easily be used to trespass on a property, as they can bypass security measures when coming in by air.

Said Scholtz: “Furthermore, weaponised drones can be used to commit terrorist acts, and there is already evidence that drones have been used to smuggle drugs, weapons and other contraband in and out of South African prisons.”

Despite the rapid uptake of drones across so many industry sectors, regulations are still being fine-tuned.

Nonetheless, South Africa can boast about having the strictest drone regulations in the world.

“We need to keep in mind that 99% of drones will be used for good, while 1% will be used for bad.

“The problem with drones is the magnitude of the damage that one can cause.

“Drone technology is easily accessible and not always traceable,” Scholtz concluded. |