Innovation

Credit: Robinson Helicopter Company

Forgot an ingredient for your meal? Living too far away from your pharmacy? Need to set something on fire? Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) already make over 15 000 deliveries daily, says PwC, one of many use cases pushing sales in the commercial drone market, said to be worth $100bn, according to Precedence Research. Technology and use cases keep expanding and being refined, leading to more specialised drone models. Next time you look up, you might see one of these novel models buzzing past.

Weighing less than 250g, the Helius is a small surveillance drone that rescue teams, law enforcement, hikers, and the insatiably curious can use to survey their surroundings. Shorter than a standard ruler, this drone fits into any backpack. Pilots launch it by hand and control Helius with a smart device. The sealed body keeps it safe through rain, snow, and heavy winds, yet the batteries are easy to swap for continued use. A built-in camera provides steady video to the operator, although the Helius doesn’t support attachments. While its release has been delayed, this drone will hopefully be available later in 2026.