Drones have been making their way into commercial markets for several years now, yet they are still an underutilized piece of technology that can elevate businesses large and small.
UAV technology has made it easier for businesses to capture images, video and data in ways only the largest corporations could do in the past. While we may not live in a world where drones can deliver our packages just yet, other uses have become regular practice in competitive industries.
Check out our Top 5 Industries for Drone Use:

5. First Responders
With the right training, drones can be a powerful tool for firefighters, police officers, and EMTs. Even on the simplest levels, having a drone in the air can aid first responders in search and rescue missions and suspect tracking. Drones can provide angles and vantage points that first responders on the ground wouldn’t have access to otherwise. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) can also get to incidents faster through the help of a certified remote pilot providing live video feeds to those on their way to the scene.
Drones can also help first responders with:
- Fire hot-spot detection
- Wildfire surveillance and suppression
- Traffic accident investigations
- Security sweeps
- Tactical surveillance
4. Utility Inspection
Utility companies, such as Nipsco, have begun to use drones to inspect power lines, wind turbines and solar panels. Drones now allow electric companies to assess infrastructure without sending a lineman to great heights with the risk of electrocution.
Aside from power lines, drones can carry payloads that give them the ability to detect gas leaks, ruptured pipes, and more.
By using drones, gas, electric and other utility companies can cover a lot more ground than a typical human team. The Duneland Media team has aided a Northwest Indiana septic company by using a live drone video feed to inspect their pipeline spanning several miles.
3. Agriculture
Agriculture is one industry that is constantly innovating as new technologies come on the market, and adopting drone practices is one of the more recent developments.
Properly equipped drones offer farmers the opportunity to create topographical maps of their land that can provide an array of data including moisture levels and crop counts. Using this data farmers are able to stay on top of things such as irrigation issues, soil condition and plant disease. UAV technology has also expanded to equip drones with sprayers which allows farmers to cut down costs and emissions of crop dusters.
2. Real Estate
The competitive nature of real estate has agents looking for ways to make their listings stand out. Drones have given real estate agents the ability to give prospective buyers a better idea of what their home, property and surrounding area looks like.
According to the multiple listing service (MLS), homes and properties with drone images are up to 68% more likely to sell than those without them.
Check out this video made by the Duneland Media creative team for a real estate listing in LaPorte County, Indiana:
1. Marketing
Over the last several years, we have seen photo and video dominate the digital marketing space. In fact, according to Stray Media, 84% of consumers say that watching a brand’s video persuaded them to buy a product or service.
Drone images and video allow you to showcase your product, office and brand at new heights. 20 years ago, marketing firms and corporations would have to hire a helicopter to get aerial footage. Now, a licensed Part 107 Drone Pilot can capture the same thing. Drones have opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for marketing in all industries.
For instance roofing and construction companies can showcase their work with photos and videos by simply sending a drone up in the air. Post- project content and before and after projects are both frequently requested by contractors, craftsmen and construction companies. Check it out:
Interested in how your business can use drones to expand? Contact the drone pilots at Duneland Media to learn more.