Enter the drone

You don't have to wait long for a drone-related news story these days, whether it's Amazon looking to improve its delivery network with a fleet of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) or amateur hobbyists causing problems near airports. Autonomous, software-controlled vehicles aren't just set to fill the skies either- take a look at the self-driving truck Daimler recently tested out in the deserts of Nevada (with a human driver on board).

The benefits of drone-powered technology for our transport infrastructure are obvious: they don't have to stop to eat or sleep, they don't get distracted by the radio or affected by tiredness, and with the right equipment they're much better at calculating speeds and distance than we are. In the case of Amazon's drones, they could reach rural areas much faster and more efficiently than a human driver would be able to.

That said, there are dangers to watch out for- in case you were wondering, catching a drone in mid-air isn't a sensible idea, as Enrique Iglesias recently demonstrated while on stage. And while they're not susceptible to the same kind of illnesses that humans are, they can still be infected with a nasty virus — something that you wouldn't want if a computer-controlled big rig was heading down the freeway towards you.

Automating the supply chain using rapidly advancing drone technology has potentially huge benefits for our society, but getting it done right is going to be crucial — this is something that we need to be testing thoroughly in advance rather than experimenting with as we go. History is littered with examples of businesses that rushed into using new technology too soon and paid the price as a result.

And it's not just the companies that suffer in the case of an infrastructure breakdown. The fuel protests in the United Kingdom left everyone — from delivery truck drivers to holidaymakers — stranded with dwindling reserves of petrol. So, if adopting and deploying the latest tech too quickly is fraught with danger, and ignoring it can be just as risky, what's a forward-looking business to do?

Our prescription would be to keep it simple: evolve systems gradually, adding complexity slowly when the right testing and failsafe’s have been put in place. We believe there's also a need to focus on interoperable standards, like the internet — these systems have to work together for them to be able to succeed (consider the issues with aeroplanes that could only land at 'compatible' airports for example).

Let's be clear about it: autonomous drone technology has the potential to improve safety and security, bring unprecedented access to remote areas, and improve our quality of life. But we also need to make sure we're teaching our new robotic friends to walk before they can run.