A few days ago, the Chennai police arrested a Chinese national for flying a drone near Marina beach. He was reportedly unaware that in India, one needs permission from the police and the DGCA to operate an unmanned aerial vehicle (read drone). While Qiang was let off after questioning, such incidents point towards the urgent need for our laws to catch up with emerging technologies. Apart from their deployment in wars, drones have many great uses, from farming to insurance to mass media. In developed countries, drones help map crop position, control agriculture subsidies, detect pests, monitor nutritional and water stress on crops, and even spray fertiliser and pesticides.

On January 15, a group of 10 news organisations, including The New York Times , The Washington Post and NBC Universal , joined hands with Virginia Tech to test drones for newsgathering. The US-based PrecisionHawk makes drones that help farmers gather vital data. Its unmanned aerial vehicle sports on-board sensors that collect information on moisture levels in the soil and air, and nitrogen levels in crops. Intel Capital is one of the investors in PrecisionHawk.

Elsewhere, HD-image producing drones help insurance companies and government authorities survey calamity-hit areas and calculate damage in a matter of hours, expediting compensation processes and rehabilitation. Back home, weather forecaster Skymet recently conducted a drone-aided pilot study in Gujarat that mapped the groundnut crop.

Last week, the US proposed rules on drone use, with certain caveats. The final rules are not ready yet, but the country is making all the right moves in this direction. India has a lot to learn from this. Unlike a few decades ago, today new gadgets and technologies are emerging so fast that delays in catching up can cost industries and governments lucrative opportunities in business and welfare.

Assistant Editor

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