无人机的作用不少，从保护大家免受疟疾风险到向偏远区域发送邮件，用这种技术的新办法一直在研发中。
Technology is developing by leaps and bounds. A gadget1 as small as a smartphone now has more processing power than rockets to the Moon once had. New tech brings many advantages, making our lives easier and opening up new opportunities. One piece of kit2 thats been really taking off recently is the drone. This pilotless mini aircraft, originally developed for aerial photography and warfare3, is now bringing us benefits closer to home. In the last few years, tech companies such as Amazon, Alphabet and Uber have promised us delivery drones bringing goods to our doorsteps in a matter of minutes. Progress in developing them has, however, been slow.
Drones are helping4 to connect with and enhance the lives of people in remote locations. In the UK, the Royal Mail wants a fleet of 500 drones to help deliver the mail to far-flung communities. Windracers, the company developing the drones, say they can fly in fog and produce 30% fewer emissions5 than comparable piloted aircraft. And in Coventry in the UK, construction has started on an air hub, which will act as a base for police and delivery drones. Urban-Air Port Limited is working with car-maker Hyundai on the mini-airport, known as a skyport.
Drones could also play a part in improving the health of millions of people. In Zanzibar, for example, theyre being used to spray wetlands against malaria6. And writing for BBC Future website, Harriet Constable7 describes an incredible development project by the University of South Australia. The plan is for drones to eventually be able to survey populations for disease by reading the blood oxygen levels of humans from the air. Theyll also be able to scan for other vital signs, like coughing and a high temperature.
It seems the skys the limit for what drone technology can achieve. The only thing that sometimes keeps it grounded is regulation. Writing for the BBC, Jessica Brown says: If our skies are to become as crowded as our streets, airspace rules need updating to prevent accidents. There are also related problems, such as noise pollution.
