An Argumentative Essay about Technology: Writing Tips and Sample

The Importance of Usage of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones) in Commerce

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) become more popular every day. No one doubts that their usage can bring a lot of benefits in various spheres. The focus of the article would be on positive effects of drones’ acceptance in business. Adoption of this technology leads industries to an entirely new level of production. It is crucial for entities to realize the potential and advantages of usage of UAVs ASAP.

The historical context can explain the mega-trends in the issue of UAVs. First drones were designed and used primarily for military purposes since the 1950’s and even earlier. For instance, the U.S. and France worked on the development of unmanned airplanes during World War I. Then army started to use drones for delivering messages, intelligence and bombing attacks (Calder). Such vehicles can perform dozens of missions without risking a life of pilots. Moreover, drones became smaller and more maneuver. They complete actions that were impossible before.

Besides the army, UAVs become more commonly used for civilian purposes. Drones with artificial intelligence can provide surveillance videos and aerial data from different places and heights. Furthermore, they can make a report on any activity from the air. It opens new horizons in the building industry. Companies can use drones for making aerial pictures and analyzing data about the constructing process. The startup Kespry already uses UAVs for earthworks projects, mine planning. It also assists insurance firms. The drones inspect roofs and make the necessary reports for companies (“Kespry Automated Drone System”). Robots support customers with real-time data. Deere & Company involved drones in its operations, and now the outcomes bring a lot of benefits. Its customers can use industrial drones for getting very accurate topographic data in minutes (“John Deere and Kespry”).

Another business sphere that needs unmanned aerial vehicles is an agriculture industry. UAVs can monitor the crops automatically. They determine the places where the fertilizer must be added. Drones take geo-tagged images and give real-time feedbacks for farmers. UAVs in Japan are used since the mid-1980s to dust crops. The drones monitor the lands in a much shorter time and provide online data, so the customers can even see some fields or gardens on the Internet (Smith).

UAVs are also very capable of security aims. Large shopping malls can use them for finding thieves. Japanese company Secom created a drone which automatically follows the intruder and can send the information for security or police. Automated capturing provides opportunities in other spheres too. Inspecting the cell towers can become less risky, as the individuals don’t need to access towers personally. All can do the drones. Automated UAVs are necessary for inspecting wind blades too. They eliminate risks and quickly detect problems (Newlands).

The next sphere which needs drones is logistics. Drones can become the best couriers as they don’t get into the traffic jams. The retail industry can dramatically change in the few years. The technical giants such as Amazon, Alphabet, and others start to test various delivery services. For instance, the first pizza drone delivery was in Whangaparaoa, New Zealand in November 2016 (Meola). The Amazon corporation plans to revolutionize its delivery services. The goal is a shipment of goods in 30 minutes through their Prime program. Such improvement brings benefits both for the company and its customers. Estimations show that Amazon spent roughly $5.75 on the average delivery of a package in 2016. The drone delivery would cost less than $1 per shipment (Meola). Business firms will save money on logistics, and the customers would receive their items more quickly.

Although drone delivery seems very attractive, it has a lot of issues with implementation. In the U.S. all the aircraft is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. It controls the safety in the air. Its line-of-sight rule requires that owners must be able to see their drones when flying them. The drone technology is evolving, and the UAVs must become safe in the air. So the FAA should create new drone rules.

So the obstacle is in the legal and regulatory environment. Furthermore, the capacities of drones are small. Drones can usually deliver just one package that weighs less than 5 pounds. After the delivery, it has to go back to the home base and be recharged (Wang, Dan, et al.). It has a lot of drawbacks comparing with delivery trucks.

Nowadays the best usage of drones is presented in the areas where there are no roads. The drone start-up Matternet has created a drone delivery network in African country Lesotho. Transportation of goods is complicated because of bad roads in the country. So Matternet’s drones helped to deliver blood samples. They brought them from clinics to hospitals for analyzing HIV/AIDS. The cost of each delivery was only 24 cents (Wang, Dan, et al.)

Conclusion

The usage of unmanned aerial vehicles can bring a lot of benefits for businesses. Drones can assist with the insurance, building and agricultural industries and much more. They are very efficient in security aims and control systems. Moreover, drones can change the retail industry. After improvements, both in technical and regulating areas UAVs will provide a new delivery system. It can reduce the cost of shipment and help customers to get their goods faster.

Works Cited

Calder, Michael. “The Rise Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.” Beyond The Horizon, 30 Ьфн 2017, www.behorizon.org/the-rise-of-uav/.
“John Deere and Kespry Forge Global Alliance.” Kespry, 3 July 2017, www.kespry.com/meet-the-press/john-deere-and-kespry-forge-global-alliance/.
“Kespry Automated Drone System | Kespry.” Kespry, 2017, http://kespry.com/.
Meola, Andrew. “Shop Online and Get Your Items Delivery by a Drone Delivery Service: The Future Amazon and Domino’s Have Envisioned for Us.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 18 July 2017, www.businessinsider.com/delivery-drones-market-service-2017-7.
Newlands, Murray. “5 Ways AI And Drones Are Opening Up A Billion Dollar Market.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 Aug. 2017, www.forbes.com/sites/mnewlands/2017/08/10/5-ways-ai-and-drones-are-opening-up-a-billion-dollar-market/#14aadc531348.
Smith, Richard. “Japan UAVs Take the Back-Breaking Labour out of Farming.” The National, The National, 26 Dec. 2016, www.thenational.ae/business/japan-uavs-take-the-back-breaking-labour-out-of-farming-1.221693.
Wang, Dan. “The Economics Of Drone Delivery.” Flexport Data, 12 Dec. 2015, www.flexport.com/blog/drone-delivery-economics/.