Less talk more drone: social research with UAVs

Authors

Thomas Birtchnell, University of WollongongFollow
Christopher R. Gibson, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

97902

Publication Details

Birtchnell, T. & Gibson, C. (2015). Less talk more drone: social research with UAVs. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 39 (1), 182-189.

Abstract

There is a growing body of work in geography and sociology on the impact of drones on warfare, surveillance and civil protest. This paper assesses the challenges of using drones for teaching human geography and spatial social sciences. Affordable and expensive drones are now available in the market place; however, there has been next to no reflection on how drones might impact upon the social sciences as a research tool. Yet, unmanned flying vehicles pose some profound possibilities for social and cultural inquiry and aerial data collection.