Origins

Abstract

This chapter examines the catalysts that led drones to become a vast consumer market in a very short space of time. It tells the story of the drone’s resurgence as an object of popular desire and how this reflects a certain kind of technotopian allure, which is found more widely in the technological consumer culture. In so doing, it examines the historical origins of the drone across military aviation and musical culture, along with the major achievements in modern civilian drone exploration. The chapter also draws on literature in design theory, historical analyses of drone patents and speculative fictions within product development to articulate the central drivers behind the proliferation of drones in civil society.

Citation

Miah, A. (2020), "Origins", Drones: The Brilliant, the Bad and the Beautiful (Society Now), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 1-36. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83867-985-920201002