By reducing the need to commit massive human resources to extensive search operations, drones provide the benefits of saving time and labor, as well as reducing the opportunity cost for society that missing police officers might cause. (Image:Kobiz Media)
SEOUL, Jul. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — Drones, once the exclusive property of the military, have gone mainstream. Now, their use is only limited by one’s imagination.
Besides the military, law enforcement agencies may be the organizations that employ drones the most for their intended purpose. The police have increasingly begun to use drones to carry out search missions across large swathes of terrain.
By reducing the need to commit massive human resources to extensive search operations, drones provide the benefits of saving time and labor, as well as reducing the opportunity cost for society that missing police officers might cause.
Gyeonggi’s Southern Regional Police Department is leading the pack when it comes to the use of drones on missions. Last year, the department agreed to an MOU agreement with the Korea Drone Industry Association (KDIA) and used drones to carry out searches for missing and dead bodies in suspected murder cases.
The department states that since its deal with the KDIA, drones have been used in seven different cases involving murder or missing persons.
In Jeonju, a sports league using drones in a game of “drone soccer” has already been established, with drone pilots organized into various club teams. (Image:Yonhap)
Civic organizations are also figuring out novel ways of incorporating drones into their work. In Pyeongtaek, drones were used to check the air and waste pollution levels of factories, steam power plants and other industrial complexes.
In Gimhae, Gyeongnam, local authorities were able to crosscheck property tax documents with video footage taken by drones of the properties in doubt.
In Jeonju, a sports league using drones in a game of “drone soccer” has already been established, with drone pilots organized into various club teams. In drone soccer, each team is made up of five drones, and the purpose of the game is to fly into the opponent’s goal to win points.
Drones are even expected to be used in show business. This year, the Korea Content Agency fielded proposals for cultural content productions that would be funded by the government. One of the ideas proposed was for “Busking Drones”, a performance where drones would showcase different functions in time with music.
The KDIA has high hopes for the future of drones. “In the near future, drones will be used even more as the development of big data will enable drones to require less instruction when performing tasks,” an official said.
By S.B.Woo(editor@koreabizwire.com)
