美國(guó)使用無(wú)人機(jī)預(yù)測(cè)巖石滑坡，觀察野生動(dòng)物

美國(guó)使用無(wú)人機(jī)預(yù)測(cè)巖石滑坡，觀察野生動(dòng)物

In the western American state of Utah, drone aircraft are flying near avalanches to watch snow crashing down from mountains.

在美國(guó)西部的猶他州，無(wú)人機(jī)在雪崩區(qū)附近飛行，以監(jiān)視從山上墜落的雪。

Drones are also being used in the southeastern United States. For example, in North Carolina, they are searching for endangered birds and the places they use to raise their young.

無(wú)人機(jī)在美國(guó)東南部也有應(yīng)用，比如，在卡羅萊納州北部，無(wú)人機(jī)用來(lái)尋找瀕危的鳥類及它們哺育后代的地方。

Public transportation agencies are using drones in nearly every state. That information comes the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, or AASHTO.

公共交通機(jī)構(gòu)幾乎在每個(gè)州都使用無(wú)人機(jī)，這一信息來(lái)自于美國(guó)國(guó)家公路和交通官員協(xié)會(huì)，又稱AASHTO。

In a report released this month, the nonprofit group found a large increase in the use of drones over the past few years. The aircraft are also called unmanned aerial vehicles.

在本月發(fā)布的一份報(bào)告中，非營(yíng)利組織發(fā)現(xiàn)，過(guò)去幾年無(wú)人機(jī)的使用率大大增加，無(wú)人機(jī)也被叫做無(wú)人駕駛飛行器。

The association’s survey found that governments as well as private citizens have accepted the technology. They include individuals who love flying model aircraft.

該組織的調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn)，政府和個(gè)人都接受了這項(xiàng)技術(shù)，包括喜歡無(wú)人機(jī)模型的人。

In 2016, the group found that no state transportation agency was using drones every day. Now, 36 states employ certified drone pilots.

2016年，該組織發(fā)現(xiàn)，國(guó)際交通機(jī)構(gòu)并不是每天都使用無(wú)人機(jī)，現(xiàn)在，36個(gè)州雇傭了專業(yè)的無(wú)人機(jī)飛行員。

Jim Tymon is the executive director of the association. “You’ve seen the cost of drones come down significantly, and the capabilities that come along with some drones increase significantly as well,” he said.

吉姆·廷蒙是該協(xié)會(huì)的執(zhí)行董事，他說(shuō)：“可以看到無(wú)人機(jī)方面的成本大大下降，而且無(wú)人機(jī)的也性能大大改善。”

Jared Esselman is the director of aeronautics at the Utah Department of Transportation. He says that drones are valuable for all kinds of work.

杰瑞德·埃塞爾曼是猶他州交通部航空學(xué)主任，他說(shuō)，無(wú)人機(jī)在所有種類的工作中都有很大價(jià)值。

“We can predict not only snow slides, but mudslides and water runoff as the snow melts,” Esselman said. “Drones are a perfect tool for any job that is dangerous or dirty.”

“我們不僅可以預(yù)測(cè)雪崩，還可以預(yù)測(cè)雪融時(shí)的泥石流，徑流。”埃塞爾曼說(shuō)，“無(wú)人機(jī)是任何危險(xiǎn)或骯臟的工作中的完美工具。”

In North Carolina, drones are finding the nests of endangered species like the red-cockaded woodpecker, reports Basil Yap. He is the unmanned aerial systems program manager at the state’s transportation department.

據(jù)Basil Yap報(bào)道，在北卡羅來(lái)納州，無(wú)人機(jī)發(fā)現(xiàn)了瀕危物種紅嘴啄木鳥的巢穴。他是國(guó)家交通部的無(wú)人駕駛航空系統(tǒng)項(xiàng)目經(jīng)理。

People once used helicopters or all-terrain vehicles to inspect for evidence of woodpeckers before building new projects. But the drones can do the job quicker with fewer problems, Yap said.

新項(xiàng)目建立之前，人們?cè)弥鄙龣C(jī)或全地形車去監(jiān)測(cè)啄木鳥的行蹤，但是無(wú)人機(jī)可以更快，更精準(zhǔn)地完成這項(xiàng)工作。Yap說(shuō)。

A number of states are beginning to explore how to create laws to control a flood of private drone traffic that is likely to come in the future. In Ohio, the state government is working on an air-traffic control system, called SkyVision, which would enable drones to recognize and avoid other aircraft in flight.

很多州都開始探索怎樣立法控制將來(lái)可能發(fā)生的私人無(wú)人機(jī)洪流阻塞交通的問(wèn)題。在俄亥俄州，州政府致力于建立空中交通管制系統(tǒng)-SkyVision，該系統(tǒng)可以幫助無(wú)人機(jī)在空中識(shí)別并避讓其他飛行器。

I'm John Russell.

約翰·羅素報(bào)道。
 

Words in This Story

avalanche – n. a large amount of snow and ice or of dirt and rocks that slides suddenly down the side of a mountain

survey – n. a study or investigation

certified – adj. having met the official requirements that are needed to do a particular type of work

nest – n. a place made or chosen by a bird for sheltering its young