Going Mainstream
Augmented Reality (AR) enhances what we see by integrating computer generated graphics into the real world. Last week, Apple announced that the new iOS 11 will allow customers to experience augmented reality. I am sure a lot of people didn’t know what augmented reality is prior to Apples announcement last week, but that’s all about to change. According to CNBC, Robert Scoble a prominent tech evangelist stated that “Apple and Google will play a significant role in taking the technology mainstream”. As developers continue to learn more about augmented reality, the technology will become more advanced and transform our lives.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Augmented Reality
Not only is AR getting traction in the video game industry but it is slowly becoming popular within the drone industry. UAVs are now using augmented reality for gaming. Edgybees is an augmented reality drone racing game and Air Hog’s Connect Mission Drone is a game that allows its players to fly search and rescue missions.
In the commercial side of the industry, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles are extremely beneficial. Not only are UAVs with augmented reality capabilities being used for gaming, but they are also being used for firefighting missions and disaster response. According to Commercial UAV NEWS, “drones from Boeing subsidiary Insitu and the Microsoft HoloLens are being used to make fighting forest fires a lot safer for firefighters”. Operators use the holographic tactical map to send resources where they are immediately required. In disaster response drones equipped with SmartCam3D can positively contribute to disaster relief. As per suasnews.com SmartCam3D uses “augmented reality overlays to live or recorded video, making it useful before, during and after a natural disaster”.
Precision Agriculture and Augmented Reality
As time passes AR will become more sophisticated and people in the drone industry will have access to cutting edge technology. I would like to see augmented reality being used in precision agriculture. UAVs in agriculture are used for mapping, surveying, and spraying. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles allow farmers to monitor their crops from a bird’s eye view. Ground level inspections are not efficient and they give a farmer limited visual information. Farmers can find problem areas easier and quicker with a UAV. The data collection process is easy and efficient as well. Once an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle captures images of a farm using a multispectral sensor, the images get uploaded into the cloud and afterwards processed. After that, the farmer will get an image like the image above. From looking at the image the farmer will be able to determine the problem areas. Unfortunately, the image won’t specifically tell the farmer what the problem is, because of this the farmer has no choice but to physically walk over to the problem area for further inspection. Instead of a farmer walking over to the problem area for further inspection, special sensors and cameras can be incorporated to enable augmented reality. As an alternative, a farmer can fly his drone over the farm and use a tablet to inspect the problem area. Whether the farm is visible on a tablet or as a hologram it shouldn’t matter as long as the farmer is able to identify what’s wrong with his crops. If one day this becomes a reality I am sure it will gain traction and farmers with hundreds of acres will be happy.
Drones For Good 