Drones, like any new technology, invite new benefits and costs. We present the following summary of costs and benefits for drone use by Red Cross/Red Crescent members, derived from telephone interviews, email correspondence, and desk review of relevant documents.
Drones generally offer a low-cost and easy to use means of collecting high-quality geospatial data after disaster. In many countries and scenarios, drones represent the only realistic or affordable means of collecting aerial imagery: manned aircraft and usable satellite images are not options. Drones permit disaster responders to quickly create usable, actionable maps, and to rapidly impact a disaster’s effects on the community.