Welcome to the fascinating world of drones – from golf course to weddings

Until recently, drones were associated with terrorism and law enforcement agencies used these UAVs extensively to track down and eliminate terrorists. Drones have proved their usefulness in tackling terrorism in Afghanistan and Syria. But – the concept is gradually changing and today commercial drones are available online and off the shelf at affordable prices.

A report in Dailymail dated 29 March 2016 (1) mentions drones on the golf course. Golfers usually have to make trips from the green to the clubhouse to get refreshments and that can be a pain. However, Rakuten, a Japanese firm is bringing drones also known as quadcopters) on the scene. The firm has unveiled a snack-delivery service for golfers.
Golfers can order anything by using their smartphones from drinks to replacement balls through an app and the items will be delivered by a quadcopter in minutes - the golfers need not leave the course.
This service is expected to be deployed sometime in May at a golf course in Chiba Prefecture southeast of Tokyo. Chiba is a city where the government will ease up on a few aviation restrictions.
Rakuten is an e-commerce platform, and it plans to team up with Yamato Transport and undertake field tests of the drones that will be used for home deliveries. It will be similar to how Amazon is going to proceed with their drones. Operations for delivery of packages will start only in 2020. It will begin by picking up packages from distributors and transferring them to large condominium complexes in the prefecture.
Incidentally, Amazon will also being using the deregulated zones of Chiba to test out their delivery drones.
In Sky News dated 25 March 2016 (2) there was news about the first federally authorized delivery by drone in the US.
The occasion was when a six-rotor drone delivered a package containing bottled water, food and a first-aid kit to an uninhabited address in Hawthorne, Nevada. The State governor Brian Sandoval has acknowledged that this was the first federally authorized urban delivery in the US.
The drone followed a pre-GPS programmed route for the half-mile journey as indicated by Flirtey chief executive. A pilot and visual observers were on standby during the flight but their services were not needed. The 'experiment' is proof that drones can safely navigate urban obstacles like power lines, rooftops and street lamps.
Flirtey had earlier conducted the first US rural drone delivery last July when it brought in medical supplies to a Virginia clinic.
Obviously, these herald a new era in business and the achievement is perceived as a major step towards making regular deliveries to your front doorstep.
Nevada is one of six states that the Federal Aviation Administration has designated as test sites for unmanned aircraft. NASA is working with the drone industry and the FAA on a low-altitude air traffic control system to prevent drone crashes.
The online retailer Amazon has been testing drone deliveries in other countries, including Canada and the Netherlands. And, Times of India dated 15 February 2016 has reported that in Indian weddings a trend is appearing where there is a clamor to capture those glorious moments of weddings on videos from the air – this aerial photography is done by using drones.
Many of the Indian weddings of the rich and famous are held at magnificent forts and palaces and drones add another dimension to make the event more regal. This trend is fast catching on as more and more couples are opting for aerial shots of their wedding.
Rajasthan is a state that provides a diversity in landscaping, clear skyline and open space to the lensmen who say that the demand for drone cameras has increased several times in the past two years. As a wedding planner admits - in Rajasthan, a drone can add grandeur to the images of the already plush wedding venues. ... The wide-angle and top-angle shots give a new outlook. The cameras are installed with ultra-high resolution (4K) cameras, zoom lenses and advanced stabilizers.
Such sophisticated drones provide a unique visual perspective of the ceremonies and can be purchased online from between Rs 75,000 to Rs 4 lakh, based on the demand and purpose. Of course, many photographers prefer to take it on rent for Rs 12,000 to 35,000 per day after depositing the identity proof and security money.
Photographers of Jaipur claim that last year there was a tremendous demand for drone photography. The photographers have their own code of conduct keeping in mind the security and safety aspects - they strictly say no to clients for drone shoots in city areas and the shooting are confined to farmhouses and outskirt areas.
Ref 1 - Forget using a caddy: Delivery drone will fly drinks and balls to golfers in minutes http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3514306/Forget-getting-golf-caddie-Delivery-drone-fly-drinks-balls-golfers-minutes.html Ref 2 - US Drone Makes History In First Urban Delivery http://news.sky.com/story/1667163/us-drone-makes-history-in-first-urban-delivery Ref 3 - Huge demand for drones at weddings http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Huge-demand-for-drones-at-weddings/articleshow/50990552.cms