Drones take flight to go where scientists dare not

Drones are changing the way industry and science operate. Small, manoeuvrable, unmanned aircraft allow access to difficult or dangerous-to-reach sites and equipment, so it isn’t surprising that the chemical industry, as well as fields like atmospheric chemistry and astrochemistry, are investing in them. But what is surprising is their sheer diversity of how they are being applied.

These systems are not very well-defined, with various terms coming in and out of favour over the years, including ‘unmanned aircraft systems’ (UAS) and, more recently, ‘uncrewed aerial systems’. But a drone generally refers to any powered aerial vehicle with no human operator on board that flies autonomously or via remote control.