Drone deployment has expanded beyond that of the hobbyist and military realms and has now taken flight for first responders, delivery services, environmental monitoring and agricultural applications.
According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the number of drones registered with the agency exceeded 785,000 as of August 2024. This total is expected to exceed 1.1 million by the end of 2025.
No longer limited to small quadcopters with limited battery life, drones are aiding search and rescue efforts, delivering time-sensitive packages of medical supplies and generating electricity.
Drones equipped with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear reconnaissance and surveillance systems to support accurate and speedy hazardous substance detection and implement appropriate remedial actions. Safety is also the impetus for the development of shark monitoring drones by University of California Santa Barbara researchers: beachgoers who have signed up for the program will be alerted when sharks are detected in the area.
But what is likely of the greatest importance to hungry engineers is the deployment of drones for fast food delivery.