Drones are small flying robots that, until recently, were used as both cheap toys and expensive weapons. These were small spider-like devices that could sometimes be seen flying in parks or on beaches, or large military aircraft that took down terrorists, allowing Nevada operators to launch missiles at suspected terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan. But what is perhaps not widely known is that drones have been used for very different and surprising purposes; from starting a riot during a football match, to discovering a hitherto unknown monument in the deserts of Jordan, to performing at the Super Bowl in the United States, to smuggling drugs and cell phones into prisons and breeding elephants in Tanzania. These astonishing ranges of activities have all been accomplished by drones in the recent past. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Drones, as cheap toys, are by far the largest category with sales of over 2 million worldwide in 2016. The second category, military drones, account for the vast majority (nearly 90% ) of global spending on drones. Drones were previously considered cheap toys or large, expensive weapons, but now companies are coming up with interesting commercial uses for this flying robot. According to Gartner, a consultancy, about 110,000 drones (technically known as unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs) were sold for commercial use in 2017. This figure is expected to rise to 174,000 in 2018 and the number of consumer drones (used as toys) to 2.8 million units. Although unit sales of commercial drones are much lower, the total revenue from them is almost double that of consumer drones. Drones are increasingly finding use as “powerful business tools.” Of the total $100 billion likely to be spent on both military and civilian drones between 2016 and 2020, the commercial segment is expected to be the fastest growing, particularly in construction, agriculture, insurance and in infrastructure inspection. Another far-reaching prediction is that the commercial market will eventually contribute the majority of the UAV industry's revenues. The rise in popularity of commercial drones has been made possible by three developments. First, intense competition in the consumer market has made machines much more affordable, reliable and capable than they were just a few years ago. For example, the best-selling consumer drone, Mavic, which costs just $999, can hold its position in light wind, detect obstacles and land automatically. One of the engineers who worked on the Mavic proudly demonstrates that it can even respond to hand gestures to follow its owner or take a “drone selfie.” And it can even fold up to fit neatly into a backpack. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Second, the proliferation of consumer drones in America has prompted regulation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which had repeatedly delayed the introduction of regulations for commercial drones. The surge in commercial vehicles has forced regulators to allow commercial use. Third, the industry experienced a shakeup when a group of emerging startups eventually launched several commercial versions. The latest drones can capture breathtaking video footage, inspect oil pipelines and wind turbines, measure the water content of soils,.