Changing the stigma associated with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
By Mike Johnson from Yamaha Sky Division
The earliest recorded use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s) was in 1849, when the Austrian military deployed unpiloted Air Balloons fitted with explosives
to Venice.
As the balloons were heading towards their target, a gust of wind blew them back on the Austrian fleet which had released them.
The extensive use of unmanned aerial vehicles in war has unsurprisingly created a highly negative stigma around the technology. This means it is an uphill
battle for industry representatives who want to make use of UAV’s in their own businesses. Legislatively and socially, there is a fear surrounding
unmanned aircraft which if quashed, could result in massive improvements in productivity, efficiency, and safety.
Over the last 150 odd years, UAV technology has come a long way. We have seen applications by the military consistently throughout this time, but other
industries are starting to join the party. UAV’s are becoming important tools in agriculture, surveying, topography, search and rescue, sports telecasting,
and even goods delivery.
The Japanese government first commissioned the development of an unmanned helicopter for use in the rice paddies in 1983. Today, roughly 60% of Japanese
rice paddies are serviced by the Yamaha RMAX, which is leased to franchisees in Australia for weed control, viticulture, and numerous other agricultural
applications.
Fox launched their FoxKopter during last summer’s Big Bash League providing viewers with stunning aerial shots of the stadiums. DHL in Germany and Amazon
in the USA have both been trialling units as a means of delivering packages. Bondi Surf Life Saving met with Yamaha Sky Division Australia late last
year to discuss the potential for UAV technology to be applied to their coastal patrols.
The beauty of UAV technology is its diversity. Currently, there is a lot of red tape surrounding their engagement, but the process will only become more
efficient in the future. This opens the door to countless innovative uses.
For more information on the Yamaha RMAX Unmanned Aerial Vehicle please visit the website.
Mike Johnson is the National Sales Manager for Yamaha Australia’s Sky Division. Mike travels around the country running demonstrations of the RMAX unmanned helicopter for land owners and potential franchisees.
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