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A new paper is extolling the benefits of drone use in Australia, saying their use in regional areas and for emergency services could provide billions of dollars in government savings.
The report by the national centre for transport and mobility research iMOVE, working with the University of South Australia, predicts a $460 million net boost to the national economy from the emergency services sector alone, with a net productivity increase of 10 per cent, as well as between $1-8 billion if drones are used in early fire detection.
According to Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King, increased drone use can provide benefits for sectors such as emergency relief and disaster management; security services; freight; agriculture; last-mile deliveries; recreation; and entertainment.
“This report makes it clear that drones present unique opportunities for a range of different sectors to operate more cheaply, safely and in an environmentally friendly way,” she said.
“This includes in life-saving sectors such as emergency services and disaster management, where drones have the potential to help us undertake critical functions such as early fire detection – while unlocking productivity gains and economic growth.”
The report points to factors including Australia’s strong and open economy, low population, and large rural areas as being especially suited for expanding drone use, though challenges such as battery life, weather resilience and in-air traffic management will need to be addressed.
“This capacity for change is why our Government continues to provide the regulatory, policy and other support needed to adopt new and emerging aviation technology such as drones,” said Minister King.
“We will continue to play this important leadership role, working closely with stakeholders, to make the most of this emerging technology – in a way that best supports communities, aviation safety and the environment.”
Drone delivery is already expanding in Australia, with Wing – a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet – rolling out a partnership with DoorDash in Ipswich, Queensland, to deliver food and essentials from Mirvac’s Orion Springfield Central shopping centre to surrounding communities.
