We can see how drones have evolved in recent years. Nowadays, they're not just for hobbyists—they're being discussed for use in everything from logistics to agriculture. Do you think drones will move beyond being a luxury toy and become a necessary tool in the future? Or will they still have limited applications? Considering the ethical and legal aspects of this technology, how do you think the bureaucracy and regulations involved will affect things? What’s your take on this?
The future of drones: Luxury or necessity?
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A couple of years ago, I enrolled in a precision agriculture course at Complutense University, and 80% of the syllabus was about drones. At first, I thought, "What a drag, another gadget," until I tried a Phantom 4 RTK in an almond field near Alcalá. I wouldn’t say I fell in love with it, but seeing how it automatically mapped areas with water stress and generated an action plan in 20 minutes… I was blown away. What started as a "cool tech" whim ended up being the tool that saved us from losing 30% of the harvest to drought.
But let’s be real—it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. To fly it legally, I had to take an AESA course, pay €100 for registration, register the drone as an operator, and fill out more forms than for my tax return. Every time I wanted to change the flight zone, I had to notify Torrejón control tower. On top of that, neighboring farmers eyed it suspiciously when I took it out: "It flies by itself and spies on us," they’d say. Ethics is another whole issue… imagine if it wasn’t an almond field but your family garden instead.
Could drones used for crop analysis in agriculture, for example, become a fundamental tool for agricultural engineers in the future? And who would manage the permissions for such a vast number of drones in the field?