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Tuesday 24 OcTOber 2017

The New Caribbean Lifestyle:

Drones: Revolutionizing Medical, Economic, and Logistic Sectors

By Ir. Damien Richardson inventor of the drone tech- and a 100,000-job boost to Only Barbados, has institut- Oceanographic Institute
ORANJESTAD - Drones are nology, Nikola Tesla, way the U.S. economy by 2025. ed fly zones to help regu- is using Drones to collect
becoming an inescapable back in 1898 in his patent Looking at theseforecast- late the recreational use breath samples from hump-
reality in the Caribbean. ‘Method of and Apparatus sand the areas being im- of the UAV’s. It recently an- back whales in a Marine
They have already taken for Controlling Mechanism pacted by Drone technol- nounced that it is reviewing Sanctuary off the coast of
the world by storm and are of Moving Vessels or Ve- ogy, one is hard pressed to all rules and processes gov- Massachusetts. It was the
now infiltrating every area hicles’. He described, in a know why the Caribbean erning the import and use first time the difficult task
of business and of our col- seemingly prophetic tone, is not yet more involved in of drone technology, even of collecting whale breath
lective social experience the wide range of possibili- a greater measure.One though it already restricts samples was executed
causing the Caribbean to ties for his new radio-con- opportunity for the tour- recreational flying of UAVs along with capturing aer-
ask some essential ques- ial photos of their bodies.
tions going into the future. In the Antarctic, scientists
are now able to check the
What role will Drones play health of Antarctic moss-
in bringing true economic es, revealing clues on the
and social diversity to the pace of climate change.
region? What kind of op- Mosses are sensitive to
portunities do incorporat- even minor changes in
ing Drones in our training their living conditions. Tra-
institutions create for the ditionally, the researchers
employment future of the had to tramp through diffi-
citizens of the islands? cult terrain to collect data
What level of innovation, on them. Using the special-
licensing, and regulations is ly-designed drones is faster,
the Caribbean prepared to kinder to the environment,
provide and confront? and deliver detailed im-
Change is not coming; it ages that satellite imagery
is already upon us. One cannot match. Drones are
of the things that the Ca- becoming of increasing
ribbean should consider importance in the medi-
short-term, is to develop cal field. Not only can they
a regional collaborative be used to deliver medical
team to manage the stra- supplies to remote loca-
tegic network of drone tion, “Medevac Drones”
movements within each is- are developed to move
land and between islands, medically critical persons.
develop policies, regula- In the commercial world,
tions and licensing types. UAV’s are being used to
A research and develop- solve and facilitate essen-
ment institute could be es- tial beneficial adjustments
tablished and be tasked to our daily experience.
with the role of innovating Among the companies
new regional and interna- that are employing Drones
tional venture opportunities trol technology: “Vessels ism industry in the region is to four designated areas as an increasingly essential
for businesses, government or vehicles of any suitable hinted by ‘Dronelife.com’, in the country and requires part of their business dy-
agencies and private indi- kind may be used, as life, and suggests to its read- an operating license. namics are: UPS, DHL, Roy-
viduals. dispatch, or pilot boats or ers that “travelling with On St. Maarten, the De- al Mail, Amazon Prime Air,
It is vital for the Caribbean the like, or for carrying let- a drone has become an partment of Civil Aviation, British Telecom, AT&T, BBC,
to understand Drone tech- ters packages, provisions, ‘epic way to catalogue... Shipping and Maritime Af- Microsoft, Shell, etc. Drones
nology and to understand instruments, objects… but summer exploits’, was now fairs is evaluating a num- are used by law enforce-
the crucial role Drones will the greatest value of my much cooler than taking ber of requests surrounding ment agencies, National
and can play in the region invention will result from its selfies, and was the best UAV’s, giving persons or Park Rangers in Africa use
is from various perspectives. effect upon warfare and way of capturing a visit to potential companies the them, the Dubai’s Roads
Unmanned Aeronautical armaments, for by reason the beaches of the Carib- opportunity to acquire a and Transportation Agency
Vehicles (UAV’s) as they of its certain and unlimited bean”. business license to operate has drones. To round off
are often called, are flying destructiveness it will tend The Caribbean island au- a Drone business. One such the examples of the use
objects that have become to bring about and main- thorities don’t seem ready business intends to provide of UAV’s, the military uses
modern-day key players to tain permanent peace for the Drone technology. virtual reality residential them as spy vehicles and
facilitate reconnaissance, among nations.” There are little to no regula- and commercial listing op- militarized combat drones
imagery, and be delivery Today, the Drone civil in- tions or licensing governing portunities, special events to carry payloads to loca-
logistics. They are used to dustries market impact is their recreational use, busi- and weddings. In addition, tions more than fourteen
make ground breaking seen to be $10 billion with ness opportunities, import, it can inspect flare stacks hours away and hit the tar-
research advancements, an influence on the follow- safety, or privacy of others. and power lines, mapping get with a 100% accuracy.
and are also becoming a ing areas private security, There are some sporad- and surveying services, SAR Drones provide opportuni-
key tool to assist with medi- law enforcement, real es- ic undefined regulations -search and rescue assis- ties for the Caribbean. It is
cal care and business ac- tate, media, film, construc- throughout the Caribbean, tance, and to facilitate ag- a new area of business ac-
tivities. tion, mining, agriculture, even to the level of having ricultural assessment. tivities that should seriously
“The invention which I have and utilities. The impact of a complete ban on the use UAV’s are being used for be explored and consid-
described will prove useful commercial drones is esti- of UAV within the country scientific research in vari- ered for development in
in many ways,” wrote the mated to be US$82 billion (Nicaragua). ous ways. The Woods Hole the region.q