Watch video: Drone technology and its impacts on society

Event abstract

Drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), have positively contributed to society by enhancing efficiency, safety, sustainability, and accessibility across various sectors. Examples include disaster response, precision agriculture, and environmental monitoring. However, like many new technologies, drones come with public concerns such as privacy and airspace congestion. This presentation introduces emerging drone technology and explores its role in balancing societal benefits and mitigating negative impacts.

About the speaker

Karl Stol is an Associate Professor and Deputy Head (Academic) in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Auckland. He earned his PhD in Aerospace Engineering Science from the University of Colorado in 2001, held a postdoctoral researcher position at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, then joined the University of Auckland in 2004. Since then, he has supervised over 180 project students and co-authored 120 refereed publications in the application of control to wind energy, mobile robotics, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). He is currently the director of the Drone Technology Research Group (http://dtrg.org/), developing new UAV designs and control systems.

Click on the "Open in PDF Viewer" button above to download the flyer for this event.