“Rudolph the red nosed reindeer…” most of us are familiar with this song. But do you know the names of all of Santa’s furry, horned friends?
The carol “Night before Christmas” gives us the names of 8 of these magical helpers. Rudolph, you might be surprised to learn, was only added to the list in 20th Century. Before Rudolph, there were only these

What are the names of Santa’s 9 Reindeer?

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen.

But it’s never fun just knowing the names is it? So let’s get to know a bit more about Santa’s magical helpers –

1. Rudolph –

Of course, we all know about him as he’s the most famous one of them all! He’s the youngest member of the team and his shiny red nose lights up the sky to help Santa find his way in bad weather.

2. Blitzen –

Blitzen’s name comes from the German word for lightning. True to his name, Blitzen always charges ahead. His special power is the ability to infuse his team with lightning, to make them zoom around faster. This ability is particularly handy when Santa’s running in late.

3. Donder –

Donner, just like Blitzen, is a name of German origin. It means “thunder”. And Donder has a thunderous presence and a loud booming voice! A proud animal, Donder loves singing along with Santa.

4. Cupid –

Cupid, as the name suggests, is the most affectionate one of the lot. With Christmas reins decorated with green and red heart-shaped bells, Cupid’s motto is to spread love, which is often accomplished by placing mistletoe over unsuspecting people.

5. Comet –

Never far away from Cupid, Comet is as fast as his name implies! His laid-back charm and easy going nature make him a hit with the kids. He really is quite adorable, which is why Santa often takes him to check up on kids. The handsome Comet is an inspiration for kids to be on their best behaviour.

6. Vixen –

Vixen is playful and charming, and quite foxy! She is witty and easy-going and makes everybody laugh. The kids love her tricks, and Santa cleverly uses this when he forgets a gift on the list!

7. Prancer –

The most majestic of them all, Prancer is light on his feet and looks impressive as he kicks and speeds through the air. He loves prancing around with the elves in Santa’s factory, and Santa loves taking him whenever he wants to make a grand entrance!

8. Dancer –

With a passion for dance, Dancer, too is blessed with Grace. Dancing around with Prancer, the pair are a sight to behold! Dancer is gentler than Prancer, but is deceptively fast! Santa loves the ease and elegance with which she handles her job, and often takes her along with Prancer on rides to impress.

9. Dasher –

Last, but certainly not the least, comes Dasher. Dasher is known best for his bursts of speed, which come in especially handy when the holiday gift list is long. Together with Blitzen, he makes timely deliveries possible and Santa loves him for it.

So now we know all about Santa’s reindeer. Of course, everyone has different stories to tell about them. But that’s what makes them so magical, doesn’t it?

Related Article:

Santa’s Sleigh Game for Kids, visit: https://mocomi.com/santas-sleigh-game/

If you’ve read the book “The Da Vinci Code” then you already know about the Fibonacci sequence. This intriguing sequence of numbers is an integral part of what is known as “the golden ratio” which is said to be the ratio in which many natural phenomena occur. Be it a tree branching out or a cluster of stars, the golden ratio can be observed in most naturally occurring phenomena. So let’s find out some more about this mysterious series of numbers.

What is the Fibonacci Sequence?

The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers starting from 0 where every number is the sum of the two numbers preceding it. Thus, the sequence goes 0,1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and so on. The mathematical equation that represents this sequence is  xn = xn-1 + xn-2.

Who invented Fibonacci Sequence?

The sequence is named after Fibonacci, an Italian mathematician who was also known as Leonardo of Pisa, or Leonardo Pisano. He was a man who traveled widely and traded extensively. As knowledge of mathematics was important to traders, his interest was cultivated in his youth. The Fibonacci numbers were first introduced to the Western World through his book Liber Abaci in 1202. However, the discovery of this sequence precedes Fibonacci; it was discovered and described as “Virahanka” in Indian mathematic scriptures.

Fibonacci and the Rabbits Problem

Fibonacci first noticed this sequence when he pondered the question of rabbit breeding. The question he pondered was: Beginning with a male and female rabbit, how many pairs of rabbits could be born in a year? After making certain assumptions he deduced a certain pattern to the breeding of rabbits. The pattern followed the Fibonacci sequence. If you’re curious, the answer he came to was 233 pairs of rabbits at the end of a year.

Why is Fibonacci called as Nature’s Code?

The Fibonacci sequence has a greater significance than simply answering hypothetical rabbit breeding questions. This mysterious sequence appears all around us in nature. The petals of a flower, the seeds of fruits, rows of seeds on a sun flower or the lobes of pinecones and even the spirals on a shell develop or add up to the Fibonacci numbers.

The Golden Ratio: Phi

Why, you ask? Simply because nature always follows the most efficient way of doing things. And that’s why the Fibonacci numbers are also called nature’s code. Another interesting thing of note is that when you divide any Fibonacci number (say 8), with its preceding number (say 5), the result is very close to 1.618, which is also called “Phi”. Go ahead, pick some more numbers off the sequence and try it! Considering all the beautiful wonders of nature created in this ratio, it was deemed the Golden Ratio. “Phi” is also believed to have been used in ancient Greece to denote the ratio of physical perfection.

The beauty of nature is guided by Mathematics. Doesn’t that make math just a little bit more interesting, if not a whole lot?

Electricity is the life blood of the modern world. Most of us cannot imagine life without electricity and the various appliances and services powered by it. Now, there are multiple ways in which electricity is generated, but the most popular and widely used method all over the world is generation of electricity using water, called hydroelectricity. Also known as hydropower, it refers to the conversion of energy from flowing water into electricity.

How does Hydroelectricity work?

It’s a fairly simple process to explain. To generate hydroelectricity, flowing water is used to turn huge turbines. When the turbines spin, they generate mechanical energy. This mechanical energy is converted into electrical energy using generators.

Types of Hydroelectric Power Plants

1. Dam based :

In this method, dams are built to harness the power of water. The hydroelectric power plant is built as a part of the dam. Water in the dam is released and directed towards the turbines, which cause them to spin, thereby generating electricity. Water may even be stored at the base of the dam in a reservoir. This water can be pumped up into the dam, to meet high demands in electricity.

2. Run of River based :

The electricity generating method remains the same. The only difference in this method is that instead of building the plant as a part of a dam, the hydroelectric power plant is built close to a river. A small portion of the river is redirected to spin the turbines in the plant, and generate electricity.
Both these methods are excellent, but not without their own pros and cons.

Pros and Cons of Hydroelectric Power Generation –

• The dam method is excellent because it gives us greater control over the generation process. Water can be stored and released as needed, which means demands for electricity can be met more efficiently. On the other hand, building a dam is expensive. Not to mention that building a dam changes the surrounding environment and ecology as well. Also, the consequences of breakage or damage to the dams are serious! A dam breakage can cause large scale damage to its surrounding flora and fauna. These are all important factors to consider when building a dam based hydroelectric plant.
• The run of the river method is more benign as far as natural consequences are considered. On the down side though, this method relies on the natural availability of water, which could mean fluctuations in electricity supply and reduced control over the production of electricity.

All things considered, hydroelectricity is still the most widely used method of generating electricity all over the world, and for good reason! Hydroelectricity is a clean source of energy, as it does not involve pollution and emissions in the process of generating electricity. It is also considered a renewable source of energy, because the key ingredient, i.e. water is renewed in the water cycle.

Delhi – The most polluted city in the World!

The capital of the Republic of India has been in the news lately, and not for a good reason either. India is a populated country, the second most populated in the world, in fact. Thus, Delhi being the capital is overcrowded, with both people as well as industries. While on one hand the industrial growth is good for the economy, the same cannot be said for the environment. In recent times, it has come to light that the air pollution in Delhi is dangerously high – it is in fact the most polluted city in the world!

10 Interesting Facts about the Air Pollution in Delhi

1. The air pollution in Delhi is primarily caused due to industrial waste and vehicles. Around 80,000 trucks ply the roads of Delhi, most of them old trucks burning diesel and kerosene. These, added to the power plants that are located within city limits are the major causes of air pollution in Delhi.
2. The dreamy looking fog around Delhi is actually a blend of toxic gases with a high concentration of nanoparticles, which are responsible for respiratory health problems. And it only gets worse. Apart from the visible smog, there are several other toxic gases in the air that are completely invisible to us!
3. Spring brings on clearer looking air, but is actually the time when sunlight reacts with nitrogen dioxide and VOCs to create ground level ozone, exposure to which is equivalent to rubbing sand paper on the insides of our lungs.
4. A busy road on Delhi can now be equated to Hitler’s gas chambers. So high are the levels of VOCs, Sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide and ground level ozone when one is on the roads of Delhi! And being in a closed vehicle isn’t any significant measure of safety either.
5. As days go by, the pollution seems normal to us. The human body’s tendency to numb out irritating smells causes our ability to perceive pollution to diminish day by day.
6. So bad is the air in Delhi that living in Delhi is said to be equal to smoking twenty plus cigarettes every single day.
7. The pollutants in Delhi are evolving such that the human body can no longer filter out these harmful, carcinogenic pollutants. Called smart pollutants, pollutants like the PM 10 or PM 2.5 , contain particles that are less than 10 and 2.5 microns in size respectively. A human hair strand has a width of around 70 microns. Which means that these pollutants are too small for our bodies to filter out, granting them easy access to our lungs, causing severe respiratory problems.
Records show that the concentration of PM 10 and PM 2.5 in Delhi are at 283 and 517 micrograms per cubic metre, which is way beyond the acceptable standards of 60 and 100 respectively.
8. At this point, merely planting more trees is going to be virtually ineffective against the pollution problems of Delhi. The pollution in Delhi is too thick to be dissolved by just planting trees and going our merry ways.
9. Pollution in Delhi claims the lives of more than 10000 people every year. And these numbers are only getting higher. Winter is especially bad in Delhi, and shows an increase in pollution induced morbidity.
10. Post Diwali 2016, the pollution in Delhi has reached alarming levels, and people are being advised not to step outside due to the severity of the pollution levels. Elders and children suffer all the more in such a situation.

So what can be done?
There’s only one answer – constant monitoring of human activities. Active measures such as the ones mentioned below must be taken, and taken seriously, if there’s ever any hope of salvation for Delhi –

4 Ways to deal with Delhi’s Air Pollution

1. Use of carpooling and public transport. The lesser the vehicles on the road, lesser the pollution.
2. Stopping the consumption of disposable items. Plastic bottles and bags, which cannot be safely recycled only add to the pollution problems, and hence they should be actively avoided.
3. Go green. Combined with other measures to reduce pollution, planting more trees will certainly help alleviate Delhi’s pollution problems.
4. No more willful polluting, by bursting crackers or burning stuff. At this point, bursting crackers amounts to willfully creating respiratory problems for the city of Delhi by introducing more noxious gases into the air.

The future is here thanks to science. We’re talking self-driving cars – cars that don’t need human input to make their way around. Imagine a world where you don’t need someone to drive you around. A world where accidents due to human errors in judgment are a thing of the past. Doesn’t that incredible? Let’s see how science makes this possible.

What is an Autonomous Car?

Self-driven cars, also called autonomous cars, driverless cars, AI cars or robotic cars, are cars that do not require human input to navigate while driving. They use an array of software and technologies to achieve this, including GPS, radar, lidar, odometry and computer vision. The cars are equipped with sensors that allow them to detect obstacles along the way, be it a pedestrian, another vehicle, whether parked or in transit or even a bird. And of course, they have a robust GPS system to navigate the right path to its chosen destination.

How long before we have Driverless Cars?

It may be hard to believe, but the concept of driverless cars was introduced to the world way back in 1939 at the Futurama exhibit by General Motors at the World Fair. Not surprisingly, Japan soon came up with an autonomous car that used cameras and analogue computing to process signals around 1977. Post that, the development of autonomous cars gained a footing in Europe in 1980s, with the Navlab and ALV by Carnegie Mellon University in 1984 and the EUREKA Prometheus Project by Mercedes-Benz and Bundeswehr University Munich in 1987. Since then, many major companies have entered the fray with model after model of driverless cars. With the advent of the Tesla Motor’s and Google’s autonomous cars however, the spotlight shining on this technology is brighter than ever.

6 Levels of Autonomy

There are 6 levels of autonomy to a driverless car from no autonomy to fully autonomous – 

1. Level 0: Where the Automation System (AS) has no vehicle control, but may issue warnings.
2. Level 1:Driver must be ready to take control at anytime. AS may include features such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Parking Assistance with automated steering, and Lane Keeping Assistance (LKA) Type II in any combination.
3. Level 2: The driver is obliged to detect objects and events and respond if the AS fails to respond properly. The AS executes accelerating, braking, and steering and can deactivate immediately upon takeover by the driver.
4. Level 3: Within known, limited environments (such as freeways), the driver can safely turn their attention away from driving tasks.
5. Level 4: The AS can control the vehicle in all but a few environments such as severe weather. The driver must enable the AS only when it is safe to do so. When enabled, driver attention is not required.
6. Level 5: Other than setting the destination and starting the system, no human intervention is required. The AS can drive to any location where it is legal to drive

Tesla motors first rolled out the Tesla Autopilot in 2015 with a software update. Naturally, everybody was excited about the autopilot feature. The autopilot feature ranked at a level 2 or 3. The car saw its first fatal accident in May 2016, and Tesla Motors has since doubled its already considerable efforts to remind drivers that even with the Autopilot feature, drivers still have to remain alert and ready to take control of the vehicle.

Google’s Driverless Cars

Google has also rolled out prototypes of “Google cars” the smiley faced cute cars that are 100% autonomous, i.e. level 5. This means they don’t have steering wheels, or gas / brake pedals. Google cars are undergoing rigorous tests to ensure their safety before they’re released to the general public. They’ve also had some minor accidents and Google is working diligently to learn from these accidents and improve the user experience.

Going by the various declarations by the top motor companies, we could all hope to be “driving around” our own driverless cars by 2021 – just as soon as they figure out a way to get around the existing technical and legal obstacles. So, are you looking forward to giving up vehicle control to simply relax and enjoy the drive?

Living in the deep dark sea and swimming around without being able to see. That’s just one of the things that makes hagfish interesting. Hagfish are interesting creatures that are also called slime eels because of their appearance but they are actually jawless fish.

Where does the Hagfish Live?

There are around 76 species of hagfish living in cold waters around the world. The largest of them can grow up to four feet whereas the smallest of them is hardly a few inches long. They prefer living near the soft ocean floor where they can bury themselves if threatened.

10 Interesting Facts about the Hagfish – Seemingly Repulsive Species

1. Sock skin: Hagfish do not have scales. They have loose fitting sock like skin that ranges from pinkish to blue-gray in color.
2. Hearts and hearts: Hagfish have 4 hearts! That’s right. The slimy fish has one heart which serves as the main pump and three other accessory pumps.
3. Skin breathers: Hagfish can breathe through a well-developed network of capillaries in their skin. They also have anywhere between 5 to 15 gills depending on the species, which help them breathe.
4. No sight: Hagfish do not have compound eyes, but instead have eye spots that detect light. In some hagfish, even these spots are covered by skin. This doesn’t mean they can’t find their way around the ocean however. Hagfish have a very well-developed sense of hearing and smell which lets them navigate and find food quite easily. They also have several barbels and sensing tentacles around their mouth.
5. Jawless but not toothless: Well, they’re not exactly teeth, but hagfish have two rows of tooth-like keratin structures that they use to bite off food and burrow into the ground.
6. Tail torque: Hagfish tie their tails into knots when eating live prey to generate torque and increase the force of their attacks. Resourceful, eh?
7. No evolution: The only hagfish fossil is around 330 million years old, but it is hardly different from the hagfish today. Which indicates that whatever evolution happened then is working pretty well for them.
8. They can go months without eating: Hagfish have slow enough metabolisms to be able to survive months between feedings.
9. Slime masters: Hagfish are notoriously called slimy eels because of this disgusting instinct of theirs. They produce quite an amount of slime and chuck it at their predators to escape. The can produce litres of slime in a matter of minutes! They have slime glands along their body that help them do this. To clean themselves off they knot themselves and scrape it off. To clear a slimy nostril, they sneeze.
10. Futuristic fibre: Hagfish slime contains tens of thousands of pretty strong protein threads that scientists believe can be woven into fabric. Just like spider-silk, hagfish-slime-fibre would be super strong and could have a number of potential uses.

Although they are pretty slimy and can seem quite disgusting, hagfish actually play an important role in maintaining the health of the ocean. Sadly, quite a few of hagfish species are nearing endangerment and need conscious efforts from our side for their protection.

With the push of a button, you summon a metal box that saves you from trudging up flights of stairs. In fact, for any building more than 4 floors high, an elevator is practically a must. Can you even imagine skyscrapers being around if not for elevators? And apart from the ease and convenience to most people, elevators also make life easier for those with physical handicaps. Elevators are an innovation we’re so used to, that few of us ever pause to wonder how this box works.

Elevator Pulley System

Have you ever tried drawing water out of a well? If so, you’ve used a pulley. The bucket is attached to a rope which passes through a wheel, making it easier to draw water out. The earliest elevators worked on the same principle. They were manually operated, and were powered by laborers / animals. Of course, the modern elevator uses much more elaborate and sophisticated mechanisms to better handle the weight of the elevator and its cargo but the principle is essentially the same.

Working Principle of Elevator

An elevator is basically a metal box attached to a very strong metal rope. This rope goes through a “sheave” in the engine room above the elevator. A “sheave” is the equivalent of a pulley wheel. It has grooves to hold the rope tightly. The entire system is motorized. When you push the call button (or the floor button), you activate the motor and the elevator goes up, down or stops. The key parts of an elevator are –

1. The metal car that we ride in

The car of the elevator is a metal box that is held in place by guide rails and supported by strong metal cables. There are two sets of doors in an elevator door, and most modern elevators are locked using an automated system. Unless they are forced open, the outer doors open only when an elevator car is on the floor. This is to prevent people from accidentally falling into the shaft from a moving elevator.

2. The counterweight

On the other end of the metal cable is a metal weight, about as heavy as the elevator would be when it is half full. This is to balance the weight of the elevator car, thereby minimizing energy needed to operate it.

3. The cables

As mentioned, the elevator car is supported by multiple cables of very strong metallic rope twisted together. They’re strong enough that even if one of them snaps, the elevator doesn’t fall to its doom. But what if all the cables break? Well, elevators aren’t just suspended in midair on metallic ropes. They’re also held in place by guide rails on the sides of the elevator. And there’s also a ratchet system for added safety. This safety system was invented by Elisha Graves Otis back in the 1860s. Each car ran between two vertical guide rails with sturdy metal teeth embedded all the way up them. At the top of each car, there was a spring-loaded mechanism with hooks attached. If the cable broke, the hooks sprung outward and jammed into the metal teeth in the guide rails, locking the car safely in position.

4. The electric motor and the braking system

At the push of the button, the motor is activated. When the motor turns one way, the sheave raises the elevator; when the motor turns the other way, the sheave lowers the elevator. The sheave, the motor and the control system are all housed in a machine room above the elevator shaft.

5. Safety systems

Apart from the above mentioned ratchet safety system, there are also speed governors (to control the speed of the elevator) and hydraulic or gas spring buffers to minimize impact damage in the event of a malfunction.
Fun Fact: In times of elevator crisis, the safest place to be is often right inside the elevator!

Whether we want to talk to our friends via email or instant messaging, shop, book movie tickets, or even read and research, the internet makes our lives much easier. It’s hard to imagine a world without the ease and convenience of the internet. It’s a wonderful technology that has extended to most areas of our lives. But how does this technology work? Have you ever wondered?

What is the Internet?

Simply put, the internet is a global collection of networks of computers connected to each other. These networks allow data to be transferred between the computers/devices connected to them. This exchange of data is possible only because all the computers on the network play by the same set of rules, called the Internet Protocol (IP).

How does this Global Network called the Internet Work?

Be it for a Google search for your favorite movie, or an email to a friend, what’s essentially happening when you use the internet is that you’re sending a message from your device to another device. Thus, when you use the internet, what you’re doing is sending and receiving messages (requests) to and from other computers and devices on the network.

Data Transmission on the Internet

The computers and devices that we use are called clients and the computers that websites such as Google or Facebook use are called servers. The websites we access are all files on the hard disks of the respective servers. Our devices do not directly access these files. When we access google.com for example, our client device forwards its requests to Google servers via our internet service providers (ISPs). The results also come to us via our ISPs. Which is why we cannot access the internet if our connection to our ISPs gets terminated.

Also, these messages and requests aren’t sent or received as a whole. Any time you use the internet, your message is broken down into units called “packets” that travel through the network to its destination. Upon arrival at the destination, the packets are put together in the original order. You can think of a packet as a chunk of your message / query. Or like a part of a jigsaw puzzle that needs to be solved at the destination. If for some reason the packets aren’t put together in the right order at the right time, the results are in the form of distorted content. Like when a video lags, or a web page doesn’t load properly.

But there are millions of people and devices accessing the internet at any given time. Which means countless packets of data. So how do these packets of data find their way to their intended destination? Every device connected to the internet has its own unique I.P address which acts as the postal address does in the physical world. And to make the data flow smoother and avoid data traffic jams, there are routers. Routers sort the packets based on their destination and ensure that they end up on the right device and not on other devices on the network.

So does anyone own the Internet?

Most of the data that is exchanged on the internet flows through internet exchange platforms. These platforms serve all kinds of organizations, including internet service providers, social media, universities, companies, publishers, telecom providers etc. By using an internet exchange platform, these organizations can achieve faster exchange of information at lower costs. So basically, the internet works because of mutual agreement of several organizations all over the world to share and exchange data using the same set of rules. So no one organization owns the internet.

The deliverers of home cooked meals to offices all over Mumbai (now common in other Indian cities as well), Dabbawalas make up one of the most efficient delivery systems in the city. A network of 5000+ professionals with one goal, to ensure timely delivery of tasty, homemade meals to their clients.

Origin of Mumbai Dabbawalas

Long back in 1890, a man named Maadeo Havaji Bachche started a lunch delivery service employing around 100 men. Over time, they formed an official association called the Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers’ Association, otherwise known as “The Dabbawalas”. The term “Dabbawala” or “Dabbawallah” can be translated to “tiffin box delivery man”. Dabba, means box, although when it comes to dabbawalas, it refers to the cylindrical aluminium containers they use to transport the lunchboxes.

The Dabbawala network consists of more than 5000 dabbawalas/workers, who collectively transport and deliver more than 350,000 dabbas or lunches in a day, and all of them, on time. Their work, while seemingly simple is quite challenging and involves commuting all over the dense urban landscape to deliver the lunches on time, all the while fielding train delays and traffic. Not to mention carting around heavy crates of lunch boxes and ensuring the contents do not spill. Their clients are usually middle-classed professionals who prefer home cooked meals to the restaurant fares. Which means they have to provide good service at affordable prices. This is no mean feat!

How do Mumbai’s Dabbawalas Work?

1. As the work day begin (typically around 9), the Dabbawala reports for work at his appointed station.
2. Next, the dabbawala picks up lunchboxes from the maker’s house. The makers keep the meals ready for pick up, neatly packed in multi-tiered lunch boxes, which can be conveniently placed in the aluminium ‘dabbas’.
3. A dabbawala typically collects lunches from around 30-40 lunchboxes from all over the neighborhood.
4. Around 10:30 am, the dabbawala meets other dabbawalas at the reporting station for the sorting of the dabbas based on their delivery location.
5. Once sorted, the dabbas are packed into crates and assigned to individual dabbawalas.
6. The dabbawala then transports his crate, either by bicycle or train, depending on the delivery location. Each crate holds at least 30 dabbas.
7. Once the destination is reached, the dabbas are again split for final delivery to the assigned local dabbawalas. These dabbawalas deliver the lunches to the final recipient. This is usually around noon to 1 pm.
8. Once deliveries are done, dabbawalas have their own lunch.
9. Post lunch, the dabbawalas collect the now empty tiffin boxes and return them to the maker’s homes, following pretty much the same process in reverse.

Challenges faced by Dabbawalas

To ensure that the tiffin reaches the right recipients, dabbawalas have their own unique color coded system in place. The major challenges faced by the dabbawalas is ensuring timely delivery against traffic and train delays. Even so, mistakes in delivery are rare, and delays infrequent. The rate of mistakes is reported to be less than 1%. The Dabbawalas are an excellent example of teamwork and commitment to work.

Look! In the sky. It’s not a bird, plane, or even superman for that matter. It’s a drone. Probably on a delivery run. Sounds futuristic doesn’t it? But it’s true. Pretty soon, drones in the sky would be an all-too common sight. But first, let’s learn a little about these cool flying machines.

What are Drones?

A drone is an aircraft powered and controlled by computer technology. Which means that it doesn’t need a pilot in it to fly it. It’s also called a UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). A drone can either be pre-programmed or be remotely controlled by a pilot. Drones are guided by in-built GPS systems or the pilot controlling them.

What are Drones used for?

There are mainly two types of drones – military and civilian. Both of these are used for myriad purposes, ranging from surveillance and monitoring, as also for delivery of products and services, photography and such. In fact, a majority of drones are used for non-military purposes.

14 Interesting Facts about Drones

1. The largest manufacturer and exporter of military and defense drones is Israel.
2. The most expensive military drone is the US-made MQ 9 Reaper, which costs around 14 million USD.
3. The most expensive passenger carrying drone is the China – made Ehang 184, which costs around 300,000 USD.
4. The first “armed” drones were created by the USA, while in pursuit of Osama Bin Laden. Since then, armed drones have been used in countless missions.
5. Drones are used not only for military purposes, but also to help the police fight crime.
6. Drones are used not only for crime and military surveillance, but environmental surveillance as well.
7. Drones are used for humanitarian causes as well, such as delivering food and aid to remote areas.
8. Did you know that drones also help farming? Farmers use drones to map out their crops – to check irrigation systems, and also determine which areas of crops are sick/healthy and make adjustments accordingly.
9. Drones have also been used by many retailers to deliver their products.
10. Drones are widely used in covering all kinds of news and international tournaments.
11. Drones have also captured creative minds, and have founds users in all kinds of creative fields, from photography to music and even stage setup.
12. Even the real estate market has started using drone tours to their benefit.
13. Drones are heavily used in the movie industry to capture beautiful cinematic shots.
14. Nowadays, drones are easily available for everyone to purchase and use for really low prices to boot. This also gives rise to concerns regarding privacy however, and has caused numerous debates by human rights activists.

Drones are super cool, aren’t they?