Sony to begin developing drones

Officials of Sony say they have begun developing unmanned aerial vehicles commonly known as drones.

Sony holds the leading global market share for sensors that work like human eyes. They are used in digital cameras and other devices.

Sony wants to expand the use of the technology to drones.

Sony is considering drones equipped with these sensors to inspect infrastructure such as aging tunnels and bridges. The drones can also be used to check how agricultural crops are growing.

Analysts say that the economic effect of drones will be over 76 billion dollars in the US alone by 2025.

The new project may help Sony rebuild its finances, as its television business has been in the red for the past 10 years.

In the IT industry, there has been a global move to use drones for commercial purposes.

US-based online retailer Amazon.com announced in December last year a plan to deliver goods using drones.

Facebook in March announced its plan to use drones to beam Internet signals to various parts of the world as a way of expanding connectivity. The firm also began the development of solar-powered drones that can fly for long periods.

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