UF/IFAS Scientists Offer Safety Tips for Potential Dangers of Drone Use
Some people seem to view drones as toys, but they can be dangerous. In fact, about 1,000 people per year are injured from using drones incorrectly. To address the potential peril, two University of Florida scientists are offering ways to keep people from getting hurt while using drones.
Yiannis Ampatzidis uses unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) for some of his research. By using drones, Ampatzidis — a UF/IFAS associate professor at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee – obtains thousands of images from high above fruit and vegetable fields. Those images give him and plant pathologists the tools to help count trees and identify pests and diseases.
Because of his frequent use of drones, Ampatzidis co-authored a UF/IFAS Extension document with Serap Gorucu, a UF/IFAS assistant professor, also in agricultural and biological engineering. Gorucu studies agricultural safety and health.
For the new document, Gorucu and Ampatzidis studied data for patients treated from Jan. 1, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2020, as provided by the U.S. consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.
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