Drones and Geography: Who Is Using Them and Why?

Abstract

Drones have equipped geographers with the capacity to collect high-quality geospatial data at multiple spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions. Although the adoption of drones is increasing across geography, knowledge of those using this technology and their practices is limited. The purpose of this article is to understand who is using drones in geography, how they are using them, and what future opportunities exist. We collected data from eighty-eight survey respondents, predominantly based in the United States but a handful from Australia, Canada, the European Union, and the United Kingdom. The findings from our Web-based survey show that about 85 percent of geographers using drones are White. Female respondents made up only about 30 percent of respondents, although they represented about 75 percent of the eighteen to twenty-four age group. Although the word drone has a negative connotation, most users (∼38 percent) prefer it, followed by unmanned aerial vehicle (∼21 percent) and unmanned aerial systems (∼19 percent). Only 22 percent of geographers have more than six years of drone experience, suggesting the rapid growth in use and popularity among geographers. Off-the-shelf drones are the most desirable, perhaps due to their low cost and ease of use. Overall, drones in geography are considered positive and have introduced a new era of small extent geospatial analyses.