How technology is enabling drones to coordinate complex missions

 

The use of drones in farming has changed the agricultural landscape worldwide. Photo credit: zettafarms.com

A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), defined as a powered, aerial vehicle that does not carry a human operator, uses aerodynamic forces for lift, and can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely.  It is commonly controlled from the ground via a remote control or software-driven flight plans.

 

Drones can operate with varying levels of autonomy, ranging from fully autonomous navigation utilizing GPS, sensors, and artificial intelligence to completely remote piloting. From tiny leisure models to massive military systems, they can be categorized by size, weight, power source, and flight type.

 

They are employed in many different fields, such as military reconnaissance, delivery services, agriculture, aerial photography, surveillance, and search and rescue. Our everyday lives now revolve around modern technologies. They enable us to acquire new information and experiences, expedite and simplify repetitive chores, and facilitate both work and relaxation.

 

However, in addition to their clear advantages, technologies can be applied in novel ways that greatly enhance our quality of life. Although they resemble flying item toys, drones are capable of unimaginable tasks that should not be undervalued. They are significant due to their adaptability and revolutionary influence across various industries.

 

They provide quick aerial observations to evaluate the health of animals, trace migration routes, and stop poaching, making them an economical and effective substitute for tracking wildlife and safeguarding natural habitats. Drones with cameras can access challenging or hazardous areas, gather high-resolution data, and increase productivity, safety, and cost-effectiveness in a variety of tasks because of their autonomous or remote control capabilities.

 

An overview of drones' roles in other fields

Agriculture: By monitoring crop health, precisely applying fertilizers and pesticides, managing irrigation, and evaluating agricultural damage for insurance claims, drones can increase yields while using fewer chemicals.

 

Construction and Infrastructure: They carry out site mapping, progress tracking, 3D modeling, and building, bridge, and power line inspections. By limiting the need for manual inspections in dangerous locations, they improve worker safety and cut down on surveying time.

 

Delivery and Logistics: Last-mile delivery of products, packages, and even medical supplies is made possible by drones. This is especially advantageous in isolated or difficult-to-reach locations, as it offers quicker delivery times and lower transportation costs.

 

Environmental Monitoring and Conservation: Drones survey wildlife, keep an eye on deforestation, identify poaching, and research the effects of climate change. They are also used to gather DNA samples from marine mammals, monitor ocean ecology, and detect sharks for public safety.

 

Emergency Response & Disaster Relief: Drones are used for post-disaster reconnaissance, search and rescue operations, and catastrophe assessment. They provide real-time imagery to direct rescue efforts, find safe paths, and avert subsequent disasters.

 

Industrial Inspections: They examine wind turbines, oil and gas pipelines, offshore rigs, and solar farms, accurately identifying leaks, structural flaws, and maintenance problems while lowering worker risk.

 

Security and Surveillance: Provides real-time situational awareness and enhanced threat identification; used by law enforcement and the military for perimeter security, border surveillance, traffic monitoring, and crime scene recording.

 

Media and Photography: Drones enable imaginative and economical aerial images for films, real estate marketing, sporting events, and virtual tours.

 

Scientific Research and Weather Monitoring: NASA uses high-altitude Global Hawk drones to research tropical storms and enhance forecasts. Drones gather data on storms, hurricanes, and atmospheric conditions.

Will robots lead to a future crisis in unemployment?

 

Robots in agriculture: Photo credit-freepik.com

 

Humanity cannot undervalue how quickly modern technology is changing many facets of daily life, the economy, and society. The internet has made it easier for people to communicate and plan their everyday activities. One thing people should keep in mind, though, is that artificial intelligence-controlled robots are not just science fiction anymore.

 

Robots have already replaced humans in several industries, including packaging and sorting in warehouses, coffee making, surgery, street patrol, and customer service. Scientists predict that the integration of robots into society will become commonplace and inevitable within the next ten years. Would this lead to a global unemployment crisis? That is the crucial question.

 

In the upcoming years, robots will continue to play a part in a variety of industries. Humanoid robots are employed in classrooms to instruct pupils, demonstrating the widespread usage of robotic technology in many areas, including healthcare, agriculture, the food industry, manufacturing, mining, and education. Robots are increasingly being used in the car manufacturing industry and defense activities by the military.

 

Even though a portion of the workforce will be replaced by artificial intelligence robots, experts predict that this will not result in the complete elimination of jobs but rather in a significant shift in the labor market. The global unemployment rate may not be rising significantly; rather, a large redistribution of jobs will be concealed by this macro-metric.

 

Society's inability to adapt to the rapid pace of change poses a greater threat than the robots themselves. The difficulty can be transformed into an opportunity for nations that make investments in education for the future, establish adaptable social support networks, and figure out how to properly share the advantages of automation. 

They will be able to use the human potential that has been liberated from routine to solve challenging issues, be creative, and enhance people's quality of life.

 

Humans and robots will collaborate in the future rather than fight each other. However, achieving this future calls for a level of preparation, human capital investment, and social cohesion never seen before. The only way to make the integration of robots a benefit rather than a curse is to actively manage the transition. 

THE ROOTS OF POVERTY IN RESOURCES RICH AFRICA

Slavery is a human genocide

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Africa, especially the region located in the south of the Sahara, is the poorest region of the planet. At the end of 1993, 11 African countries were among the 15 poorest countries. Although this can not be said about North Africa because of oil. 

The poverty of the African continent is exacerbated by a population explosion. Since the continent is unstable, many think Africa is unattractive for capital investments. Despite the vast resources, there is poverty in Africa, and the poor are totally dependent on agriculture.

Although there are a lot of modern reasons for such a lag in development, however, the roots of the problem go back to the distant past, when Europeans who believed that they were superior and more civilized, needed people with different skin color to work for them.

From the middle of the 15th century, slave markets and the sale of African slaves began. They were used as domestic servants, and a great percentage was used in agricultural fields. 

After the Europeans destroyed the indigenous population of the New World, slaves from Africa were exported to America. Only a hundred years from the 1680s, through the 1780s, from Angola to the Spanish colonies of the West Indies took about a million people.

During the slave trade, peculiar slave routes arose. From Europe to Africa, merchants carried firearms, cold arms, alcoholic beverages, copper, iron products, dishes, and glass baubles. 

There, they exchanged these cheap things for the lives of African slaves, which were delivered to the American colonies. In turn, in the New World, black slaves were exchanged for colonial goods highly valued in Europe, such as tobacco, sugar, cotton, etc. 

This brought huge profits to European traders, especially the English ones. Many cities, such as Manchester, London, Liverpool, Bristol, Nantes and Rouen, Dutch Amsterdam, and many others, owe their well-being to the slave trade.

It was only after the European powers divided the whole of Africa among themselves that their governments began a determined struggle against the slave trade. The colonialists did not regard black people as humans and treated them worse than animals. 

In Africa itself, the slaves were very cheap, and their influx to the markets of the New World led to the fact that their prices were rather low; therefore, the 'living goods' traders, striving for the highest profits, tried not to spend money on the slaves. 

In shackles, they were carried in a cramped ship, and the only possible way for them to survive was to sit. Swimming from the coast of Africa across the Atlantic took several weeks, so often slaves died on the way. 

According to some scientists, for every black African brought to the American colonies, there were about 8 people killed during the voyage or during the transition to the coast, and roughly in total,

Africa had lost over 100 million people in the slave trade. 

The slave trade hindered the development of the African continent, hindered the development of agriculture, and prevented the creation of African states. 

According to historians, the slave trade was one of the reasons why the majority of the African population still lives in abject poverty. 

Surprisingly, Africa is still not free. Since slavery and colonization are no longer possible, Africa is now being targeted with strange diseases from 'heaven' yet created by man, not God.