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Singapore – Rise of the drones

09 October 2015

Singapore Post announced yesterday that it had successfully delivered a parcel via drone to one of the country’s offshore islands, reportedly a world first for a postal service, reports Yahoo.

Once the preserve of the military, civilian drones have become much more widely available and affordable. In a country struggling to balance opportunities for local workers with rising demand for skills; some companies are turning to drones as an alternative source of labour.

Earlier this year one restaurant unveiled drone waiters to carry plates of food from the kitchen, allowing staff to focus more on meeting customer needs and providing customer care. While not entirely replacing human staff, the drones have been part of an experiment to gauge their effectiveness and practicality.

Drones have been used to capture video footage and photos from higher altitudes by both the public and companies. Broadcasters have been able to use drones to film in areas unsafe for helicopters, such as fireworks displays. 

Companies are also using drones in promote their brands, with Coca-Cola and the Singapore Kindness Movement teaming up to use drones to deliver cans of Coke and short thank you notes to construction workers.

The increase in both corporate and private drone usage comes at a time when nations across the world are considering tougher legislation to regulate how and where drones can be used, and by whom.

Legislation passed earlier this year in Singapore prohibits drones from carrying dangerous materials. Operators also need to obtain permits to fly unmanned aircraft weighing more than 7kg, take photos of protected areas, and fly or operate unmanned aircraft within 5km of aerodromes.

Companies using drones in enclosed spaces also need to ensure that they have sufficient legal coverage should the drones malfunction and cause injury or damage.