The Future for Drones

In the past few years we have seen a huge increase in the popularity of drones in the domestic market. This has been somewhat driven by the advancement of lightweight high-definition cameras that can be strapped to these machines and achieve amazing video footage. So what does the future hold for the humble drone and how can they improve our quality of life here in Melbourne and around the world?

Drones for Delivery

Recently there have been announcements from a few of the big retail players that they are looking into drone delivery as the potential future of fast home delivery.  Companies such as Walmart, Amazon and Google have all been reported to be researching and testing the viability of such a system.  Most of them claiming to have conducted testing within their own facilities and now expressing interest in conducting outdoor tests, which brings with it it’s own set of issues.

One of the major issues in the progression of the commercialization of Drone use in these industries is the regulation of airspace. Here in Australia, as well as in the US where this technology is being tested, commercial drone use is regulated by aviation authorities.  As this is a new and rapidly developing area of aviation, regulation and management is proving difficult and is still under review as to how best approach a solution. Walmart has applied to the FAA in the US to begin conducting outdoor trials and still awaits their response. Here in Melbourne, CASA is already looking at relaxing some of the rules around commercial drone operation.  

Medical and Life-Saving Opportunities

While the thought of having your order processed and delivered within the day is nice it’s the opportunity that these devices bring to help improve and save lives that really sparks our interest in the future of drones.  The ability of a drone to be rapidly deployed, that they are not hindered by traffic or water and can arrive within minutes offers a unique opportunity for life saving where time is critical and often personal just can’t make it in time.  Applications already being explored and tested are on-board defibrillators for cardiac arrest victims and personal flotation devices for water deployment.

Drones may have had a humble beginning in the defence industry and have more recently been popularised by the availability in the domestic market (I mean who didn’t want a remote controlled helicopter when they were young?) but in today’s age the drone is offering a new opportunity to improve life.  I don’t know what the future holds for drones but one thing for certain is that they are here to stay. Where they go is up to us and their potential is only limited by our imagination. If  you'd like to talk about your ideas for drones, or just discuss your product please contact  our Product Design team in Melbourne on +613 9413 9000 or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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A delivery drone as tested by Amazon