From recreation to military operations
As the expert noted, drones – or rather, unmanned aerial vehicles – have a wide range of applications today. They can be divided into several groups: recreational, sports, industrial, specialised and military. Each serves different functions and is subject to different regulations. Fintak underlined that Poland was one of the leaders in Europe in terms of the number of registered drones and operators, making this technology particularly noteworthy.
Drones in the service of society
In Poland, drones are used in many sectors: energy (e.g., for inspecting high-voltage lines), agriculture (e.g., for precision field spraying), construction, logistics and environmental monitoring. Public services such as the police and fire departments also use this technology, for example, to search for missing persons or record traffic violations. Fintak noted that drones now enable tasks that were previously impossible or extremely expensive and significantly shorten their duration.
New challenges and threats
Although drones offer many possibilities, their development also raises questions about safety and liability. The expert highlighted challenges related to device recognition in airspace – new regulations introducing mandatory registration and remote identification of most drones are crucial here. This will enable better traffic management and reduce the risk of misuse.
The technology of the future – and the present
Drones are already present in many aspects of our lives – from infrastructure inspections and emergency services support to scientific research and logistics. As Robert Fintak emphasized, key factors for the industry's development will be:
- further automation,
- an increase in the number of flights beyond the operator's line of sight, and
- integration with airspace management systems.
This is the technology of the future, which is becoming commonplace.
Robert Fintak, President of the Management Board at Terra Hexen Sp. z o. o, President of the Polish Chamber of Unmaned System, is a graduate of the University of Lodz and the Kozminski University. He specialises in modern technologies, management, and building franchise and partner networks. He is the founder of one of the largest translation companies in Poland – ILS – and the Hutchinson Institute. He has been involved in social and business activities for years, winning numerous industry awards. Robet Fintak is also a member of the Council of the Lodz Chamber of Industry and Commerce. In his private life, he is a lover of travel and Balkan cuisine, and a father of three children.
Edit: Michał Gruda and Małgorzata Jasińska (Centre for External Relations and Social Responsibility of the University, University of Lodz)
