Smart drones compose one of the development direction selected by Brisbane in terms of the “Smart, Connected Brisbane” program. This technology implies the creation of a new way of transportation: Boeing plans to collaborate with Brisbane to launch autonomous systems. Public transport such as buses, metro, and aircraft are proposed to be environmentally friendly and contribute to the sustainable growth of the city (“Smart, connected Brisbane”, n.d.). It is also consistent with one of the goals of Brisbane vision 2031, which identifies that the majority of citizens are expected to feel safe and have no related concerns about their families (“Brisbane vision 2031”, n.d.). In this connection, drone technology is associated with the risk of its limited use due to people’s beliefs about its unsafety.
Drones are not loud, which is regulated by the Environment Protection Act, and less harmful compared to traditional vehicles. This transportation option is not big and can exist in the modern urban environment even though some adjustments are necessary (more charging stations). It can potentially serve the entire city in case people are not hesitant to use it. Drones should have implemented maps and safety systems to avoid car collision, while they can travel fast on relatively short distances without charging. Brisbane Council is responsible for introducing, managing, and landing drones, while the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulates Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) in the air.
The risk rating may be identified as high, and the action is required along with the senior management review. Therefore, the pivotal objective of the Council is to ensure that citizens understand the role of drone transportation technology in the development and maintenance of environmentally friendly approaches to transportation. It is essential to design and implement a program that would clearly describe the benefits of drones to both the city and people (Mahmood, 2018). The customer mindset and lifestyle should be targeted by the program that needs to take into account people’s preferences and needs regarding safe transportation (Hull et al., 2015). In addition, the improvement of the strategies that are used to improve the safety of drones is also likely to be useful in addressing the identified risk. Another recommendation refers to conducting quarterly reviews on safety and customer views by senior management, thus evaluating the impact of the recommendations and adjusting them if required.
References
Brisbane vision 2031. (n.d.). Web.
Hull, L., Bjørnstad, E., Boerakker, Y., Brolin, M., Chae, Y., & Yellen, D. (2015). Identifying the factors for ensuring customers actively engaged in smart grids. Journal of Energy and Power Engineering, 9, 68-77.
Mahmood, Z. (2018). Smart cities: Development and governance frameworks. Cham, Switzerland: Springer.
Smart, connected Brisbane. (n.d.). Web.