Drones to the Rescue

Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are aircraft with no crew or passengers onboard. Some are as big as airplanes and can weigh as much as 55,000 pounds. Others are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

UAVs are used in many ways. Some have cameras to help filmmakers shoot scenes from high overhead. Farmers use drones to monitor the health of their crops. And for less than $20, kids can fly a drone around their backyards.

In recent years, drones have also become essential tools for emergency responders. After a hurricane or flood, for example, drones have been used to survey an area to search for survivors. That lets rescue crews know exactly where to go. 

Drones are useful when it comes to fighting wildfires too, says Justin Baxter. He works for the U.S. Forest Service. UAVs allow experts to track the blazes and determine where they might spread. That helps firefighters decide which residents need to evacuate.

“Drones give firefighters on the ground a better understanding of what the fire is doing,” Baxter explains. “That leads to better and quicker decision making.”

Plus, drones can fly at night or in thick smoke, when it’s not safe to send in helicopters with human pilots.

UAVs also make it possible for people in hard-to-reach places to get vaccines and medical supplies. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a company called VillageReach uses drones to deliver medicine. The country’s thick forests and rough terrain make traveling tough. It can take up to 12 hours to deliver medicine by car or bicycle. But thanks to drones that can zip through the air, health centers can now receive lifesaving supplies in as little as 20 minutes.

“Now we are able to send whatever they need whenever they need it,” says Olivier Defawe of VillageReach. “Drones are a game changer.”

1. Based on the article, what do all drones have in common?
2. Why does Olivier Defawe of VillageReach call drones a “game changer”?
3. What is the purpose of the sidebar, “Meet SnotBot”?