Drones as an Automation Tool

So, you’re first thought is likely: What do drones have to do with automation? And that’s a reasonable question considering that drones are not typically seen as a direct part of the sense-decide-act control loop in which almost all automation technologies tend to fit. But if you think of drones as a sensing tool, you can begin to see how they could play a big role in automation. So, the first thing to understand is how drones can be used as data collectors. And it’s not hard to understand this when you realize that industrial drones are typically outfitted with an onboard computer, multiple sensors, GPS positioning, accelerometers and high-definition cameras. With all this technology onboard, it’s easy to see how drones can fit into the industrial internet of things concept and contribute to the aggregation of data—which is at the core of any IIoT project.