Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Then and Now

Back in 2015, drones were about the scariest thing one could experience. Other than the fact that Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are pilotless aircraft, people, as well as governments, had several concerns that drones, or UAVs would spy on them. There was the scare of leakage of valuable information, the invasion of privacy, and the simple fear that you never really knew who was watching. Governments were concerned with the limitations of the usage of drones, since there are certain areas or certain heights that no one should ever come across. However, UAVs wasn’t always that scary; they had much simpler mechanics and proposes when they were first designed.


The Evolution of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

The first unmanned aerial vehicles were designed and built during World War I; they were flown by radio control. Surprisingly, the drone was designed before the Wright brothers even came up with the idea of an airplane. Samuel P. Langley was the first to ever design a drone; it ran on steam and was built from wood, steel and fabric.

Unmanned aerial vehicles were used as a 24-hour “eye in the sky” for the army for a whole week. It was not until 1991 that a live television feed was filmed using a drone.

Between 1917 and 2001, drones were limited to military uses. It remained that way until 2006, when the FAA finally acknowledged the potential that a non-military drone holds. The FAA had lifted some of the restrictions and issued the first commercial permits. Naturally, after the permit had been issued, various possibilities and opportunities were available for both companies and professionals who had a certain vision that involved using drones.

Gradually, the drones had started to evolve, one invention after another. By 2010, a French company had released a drone that could be solely flown and controlled using Wi-Fi via any smartphone. Naturally, this was considered quite the breakthrough.

There are dozens of companies that continue to release new drones that are smarter and more professional. There is a multitude of options to choose from, and like with any other product, you need to be careful when choosing the right drone for your ultimate use. You can read more at RC Hobby review and other sites that can guide you in the right direction.

Back then, the army in World War I never worried about the public’s usage of drones, or that the drones might fall into the wrong hands, which is the complete opposite of today’s governmental concerns. Many limitations have been put into place in regard to how high drones can fly and, more importantly, where they fly.

Photography Made Better With Drones

Today, the public uses drones for countless reasons, starting with the obvious, the photography business. Some professional photographers use drones and raise the bar for their competitors, since drones reach a level which non-drone users can never reach. Drones are now used in weddings, photo sessions, and different sorts of events capture the picture or video from a unique perspective. Even non-professional photographers use drones to capture unbelievable footage that makes them look professional. They simply take these incredible shots by taking aerial shots, which has a unique quality to it that you can easily reach even if you are not a professional photographer.

How FPV Revolutionized the Drone

FPV, or First Person View is another breakthrough in the drone world; FPV is basically the ability to live stream your live flight footage through your smart device. Another reason as to why the FPV is a breakthrough is because there are goggles that are directly lined with your drone, which can make you witness what it would be like to fly!

No Limits to What Drones Can Do

Drones have opened the playing field for so many people to go absolutely crazy with what can be done. The technology allows for some really nifty ideas. Some like to use drones to capture a live footage of an incredible football game; some others use drones for other risky sports such as mountain biking, snowboarding, and extreme sports where this technology really comes in handy. All to record unique angles that have never been seen before the innovation of drones, or that would have cost too much to capture.

Fans of whale watching have managed to invest in drones, so they can capture up-close footage of immigrating whales, or detect their locations in order to reach them and enjoy real life whale watching. Lately, with the huge decline of drone prices, various people and communities find them more affordable, which opens a wide door for creativity. Some pranksters out there invest in drones to creatively prank their friends; they basically dress it up in frightening costumes such as ghosts, grim reapers, or flying goblins.

Drones are also used as a means of scaring unwelcome animals away. For instance, some areas are notorious for geese, which inevitably means a lot of goose droppings. People have found a creative solution to this problem by using drones to scare them away.

The Difference

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are pilotless aircraft, which were innovated during World War I. Drones were much slower, and bigger in size than today’s drones. Needless to say, the camera’s quality was very poor, which prevented the troops from getting the needed resolution of the battlefield, or of the enemy. Drones were also too big to be discreet, which was what they initially needed from a drone.

However, with today’s technology, drones are much different when it comes to size, speed, and resolution. Not to mention, back when they were first used, only the army was allowed to use drones. Nowadays, many people have invested in drones and use them in various and different ways to record, capture live feeds, or look for their lost pet. Which proves how drones have evolved, and how people have found more than one reason to enjoy the use of drones.

Today’s technology has allowed drones to become more professional with different uses. They have become sleeker, look like they might have come out of a science fiction movie, and not to mention, are just plain cool. They’ve also become extremely affordable, giving everyone a chance to invest in one and really enjoy the experience.

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