Drones, also called UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), are remote controlled aircraft which used to only refer to military UAVs that, in history, were used for a variety of purposes that range from being unmanned weapons to being remote controlled aircraft which purpose is to take pictures and/or video footage of an enemy. In the late 2000s, civilian drones used to take pictures and record footage have become more commercialized and available to the public, as companies and hobbyists both gained interest in using these, and as a result civilian drones have become somewhat popular. These drones are usually used for shooting video and taking pictures, for different purposes such as:

• farmers surveying crops/fields
• news organizations capturing aerial footage
• emergency responders capturing aerial footage
• police to track fugitives
• hobbyists capturing photos and video for recreational use, etc.

I believe drones will make impact on communications and media technology, especially in the near future. One reason for this is because drones are unmanned aircraft that don't put the person piloting the drone at risk, which can be useful for news organizations and companies that require photos or video shot in dangerous situations (e.g. war, natural disasters, etc.). For example, when piloting a drone the pilot/controller of the drone can usually be at a far distance away from the drone, which means they can be in a safe area while controlling a drone in a dangerous one. Another reason why I believe drones will make an impact on communications and media technology is that they can be used for a variety of purposes and can make complicated and somewhat hard work much easier. For example, instead of a farmer having to manually to survey crops by checking to make sure they are in good condition, the farmer can simply operate a drone while simply using the camera to check the condition of the crops, without having to do any tiring work (this can apply to other jobs or practical uses as well).

Drones however also have their cons, as:

• people can use them for causing trouble, stalking, harassment, interfering with other people's privacy and other means of harm
• for military drones there is controversy over how the drones kill/injure innocent people
• they can interfere with emergency responders doing their job
• they can be used to smuggle illegal contraband
• if not used carefully they can collide with aircraft

Because of this, they are currently laws and regulations in place to help control the use of drones, and make sure they are controlled and not misused. More laws in the future are sure to come to help control and make sure drones are used in accordance with the law, and not used unethically.

Drones are becoming more common nowadays, and because of their versatility, it's unlikely they will go away soon. But because of they're increasingly common use, more laws will have to come to regulate and monitor the use of drones to make sure they are not used unethically. In conclusion, drones will have a big impact on communications and media technology, and will add versatility to recording video and taking photos.

Sources:

• http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/technology/guide-to-civilian-drones.html?_r=1
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_unmanned_aerial_vehicles