SUSANNA PUOMIO
Finland’s largest drone survey up to now measured the attitudes of Helsinki Metropolitan Space residents. The outcomes point out that residents are most accepting of drones getting used for monitoring and imaging duties, with 43% having a optimistic angle in the direction of using drones in emergencies. A brand new survey has simply been launched.
The latest opinion survey acquired responses from just below 400 grownup residents of Helsinki and its neighbouring municipalities, making it the biggest drone survey ever carried out in Finland. The survey was carried out as a part of the EU-funded AiRMOUR city air mobility undertaking, which concluded on the finish of 2023.
The outcomes present perception on the expectations, considerations and attitudes of Helsinki Metropolitan Space residents concerning drones and their familiarity with drones. The survey centered significantly on using drones in emergency medical providers, transport and emergency conditions.
“Surveys assist not solely the Metropolis but in addition firms to evaluate what sorts of drone providers are value implementing in Helsinki. Residents’ acceptance of the expertise is essential for profitable enterprise,” says Enterprise Helsinki’s Staff Supervisor of Innovation Providers Kimmo Heinonen.
In line with a examine carried out on Helsinki, the city air mobility service market in Helsinki will likely be value roughly EUR 20–80 million by 2030, so development is anticipated.
“To ensure that this development to be realised, the wants and considerations of metropolis residents should be taken significantly,” Heinonen continues.
Residents would love clearly outlined areas for drone flying
One of many issues examined within the survey was the place respondents would most prefer to see drones. The highest responses have been workplace hubs and inexperienced areas, equivalent to parks. Alternatively, respondents have been additionally extra against drones flying over parks than on routes crossing water areas, for instance.
The proportion of respondents who did need drones to be flown freely anyplace within the metropolis was 59%, with pedestrian centres and residential areas being the areas the place residents least needed to see drones by a transparent margin.
Collisions, knowledge safety and privateness are the biggest considerations
The vast majority of the survey respondents, 95%, had seen a drone, and as many as 65% of respondents felt that they knew at the least one thing about drones. Simply over half of respondents had a optimistic or impartial angle in the direction of drone expertise. The commonest expectations reported by respondents have been that using drones would cut back emissions and enhance the accessibility of locations and folks positioned far-off or in difficult-to-reach areas.
Based mostly on the survey, persons are most involved about security, safety and privateness points on the subject of city air mobility: 84% of respondents have been at the least considerably involved about elevated monitoring because of digital camera drones, whereas 66% had considerations about cyber safety, equivalent to hacking. The subsequent greatest perceived dangers have been the chance of drones colliding and crashing and weakening privateness safety. The proportion of respondents who thought of it necessary for drones to be as secure as at present used plane was 85%.
Drones present assist in emergencies
Lately, drones have been used to move items and meals and to help emergency medical providers in Helsinki. For instance, the AiRMOUR undertaking concerned testing the transportation of defibrillators and epipens by drone. In the meantime, the continuing CITYAM undertaking includes testing drones in maritime rescue operations.
Based mostly on the survey, Helsinki Metropolitan Space residents are most approving of using drones for images, video recording, monitoring and upkeep work. Solely 7% of respondents thought of using drones for monitoring to be fully inappropriate.
The proportion of respondents who had a optimistic angle in the direction of using drones in emergencies was 43%, with as many as 91% being welcoming of drones close to their houses within the occasion of an emergency. Greater than half of respondents additionally permitted of using drones for transporting medical provides and samples. Moreover, 69% of respondents have been at the least barely within the transportation of medical personnel and injured folks with drones.
Don’t agree with the outcomes? A brand new survey is already in progress!
The outcomes of this survey have been collected in 2022 and 2023. This spring, the CITYAM undertaking is holding a brand new drone survey for Helsinki residents for the aim of additional mapping native attitudes. When you disagree with the outcomes of the earlier survey, you’ll be able to reply the brand new survey till 26 April 2024 (in Finnish)!
Along with Helsinki, related surveys are additionally being carried out in Hamburg, Stockholm, Tartu, Vilnius and Gdansk. The survey was produced by the Tallinn College of Know-how.