Norway’s Oslo fjord may look beautiful, but tons of garbage lurks beneath its idyllic surface – including countless unwanted cars. The port authority recently announced plans to use underwater drones to scan the fjord for this junk, which human divers – and eventually an electric-powered ship with a crane – will then clear from the seabed.
It’s the latest example of how drone technology is transforming all kinds of industries and tasks, from farming and mining to construction and transport. In fact, the emerging global market for business services using drones is now valued at more than $127bn (£90bn).
With that in mind, PwC has established a team of UK drone specialists, headed up by director Elaine Whyte, to help its clients take advantage of the technology and the data it offers. So where do Whyte and her team think the technology is having the biggest impact?
They could revolutionise emergency services
Whyte, a former RAF engineer, says that accident response drones could be a common sight above UK roads by 2030. Live data from accident scenes would be shared with the emergency services so they know what to expect when they arrive, and the drone would quickly document the evidence from an accident, reducing the time it takes to clear the road. “This data could be sold to insurance companies, which could provide the emergency services with a new revenue stream,” she says.
They supply medical aid
In Rwanda, drones are literally lifesavers. A company called Zipline has used them to transport more than 5,500 units of blood across the country over the past year, earning it the nickname “Uber for blood”.
Trials of defibrillator-carrying drones are also under way. One study in Sweden found that, on average, these drones arrived 16 minutes faster than the emergency services, which could be the difference between life and death for someone suffering a cardiac arrest.
UK cities are helping to develop the future of drone operations
Nesta’s Flying High Challenge is offering five UK cities and regions the chance to design how drone technology could support local needs. Over the next few months, Bradford, London, Preston, Southampton and the West Midlands will explore how drones might support public services, the commercial opportunities they can provide, public attitudes towards them, and more.
“The challenge is a great example of engaging the local authorities and local businesses to think about what they want their future skies to look like and how drones can work for them,” says Joanne Murray, a member of the PwC UK drone team. “Over the coming years this will need to go further, to involve members of the public in ongoing consultations as technology and regulations evolve.”
New UK drone standards set to come into force this year should also help strengthen public confidence in the safe and secure operation of drones in cities, and create a clearer distinction between commercial and hobbyist use.
You might use one as a taxi one day
You open an app, request a ride, and minutes later you’re whisked into the sky by an autonomous drone. You soar above the gridlocked traffic below and arrive at your destination in a fraction of the time the journey would have taken by road or rail. And your ride costs far less than a helicopter flight.
This is the future of urban air mobility – at least according to companies such as Boeing, Daimler, Airbus and Uber. Between them they’re investing considerable resources in what Uber has called “a potential new mass-scale form of urban transportation” (pdf), the vertical take-off and landing drone (VTOL). But will these flying taxis really revolutionise the way we travel?
“The key to the success of safe, widespread drone use – be it by hobbyists or flying taxi companies – is the establishment of an unmanned traffic-management system, which enables the safe integration of drones into existing airspace,” says Murray. “Alongside this, the public needs to have trust in any new system that is developed; they need to feel that their safety and privacy is a priority in times of technological change in order for this change to be accepted.”
They’re helping countries overcome infrastructure and humanitarian problems
This year, Zipline plans to work with the government of Tanzania to launch what it claims will be the world’s largest drone delivery network. Under the scheme, the firm will deliver not only blood, but also HIV medication and antimalarials, UV tubes and other medical supplies to four bases in Tanzania.
Drones can also be used to monitor emergency situations, such as displaced people and flooding, and provide a temporary wifi or mobile signal for areas recovering from a natural disaster. AT&T’s Flying COW drone, for example, provided data, voice and text services to Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
In addition, the monitoring and evaluation capabilities of drones can provide assurance to donors about the progress of donations made to overseas projects. They’re also a valuable tool in the planning stages of infrastructure projects in remote or poor regions, especially when there is little prior knowledge of the terrain.
You’re watching more drone footage than you think
The film Dheepan, released in 2015, was the first Palme d’Or winner (the highest prize at the Cannes film festival) to include a scene captured from an unmanned drone. It’s an example of how drones are quickly replacing helicopters on film sets, offering film-makers the chance to capture stunning aerial footage at a fraction of the cost of hiring a helicopter.
“People don’t realise how well established drones are in the film industry and coverage of live sporting events,” says Whyte. “They don’t see how that image is captured. They just see the image.”
Murray says that drones can add an extra dimension to news footage, thanks to their ability to quickly get in close to the action. “The drone has the added benefit of being relatively small with an in-built gimbal, providing rock-steady footage without the need of cumbersome equipment such as a tripod.”
Half the six-person PwC drone team are women, and Whyte says more role models are needed to encourage girls to pursue careers in fields like her own. “Statistics show that they make these decisions fairly young in life, in the 13-16 age range, and we need to encourage more of them to realise that this is a field they can operate in successfully.”
To find out more about PwC’s Women in Tech initiative, head here.
To find out more about student opportunities in technology at PwC, head here.
To find out more about experienced hire technology opportunities at PwC head here.
