Significance of drone technology for achievement of the United Nations sustainable development goals

Abstract

The drone technology, which originated in military applications, is now widely used for commercial, professional, industrial and private purposes. Applications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as ‘drones’, include different sectors of economy, for example, agriculture, transport, infrastructure, entertainment, and telecommunications. Not only are drones eco-friendly gadgets that allow to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions, but they are also time- and cost-efficient. Thus, drones can prove to be a major force for good as they hold massive potential for being used to meet the sustainable development goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations Organization and adopted in 2015. Developing countries, for instance those of Sub-Saharan Africa, are facing famine, epidemic diseases, poverty and other challenges. All these problems can be addressed with the help of the drone technology. The main objective of this paper is to identify the sectors that are most likely to be influenced by the drone technology and to highlight the scenarios in which this technology can influence the achievement of the SDGs. One of the most promising spheres in this respect is the usage of drones as delivery vehicles in agriculture, e-commerce, and health care. Moreover, drones can be effective for monitoring and surveillance in international and domestic law enforcement, wildlife preservation and scientific research.