无人机的最新用途

无人机的用途很多，从保护人们免受疟疾危害到向偏远地区发送邮件，使用这种技术的新方法一直在研发中。

词汇：Technology 科技

• Technology is developing by leaps and bounds. A gadget as small as a smartphone now has more processing power than rockets to the Moon once had. New tech brings many advantages, making our lives easier and opening up new opportunities. One piece of kit that’s been really taking off recently is the drone. This pilotless mini aircraft, originally developed for aerial photography and warfare, is now bringing us benefits closer to home. In the last few years, tech companies such as Amazon, Alphabet and Uber have promised us delivery drones – bringing goods to our doorsteps in a matter of minutes. Progress in developing them has, however, been slow.

  技术正在突飞猛进地发展。像智能手机一样小的设备现在拥有的处理能力超过了登月火箭曾经拥有的能力。新技术带来很多优势，使我们的生活更容易，并打开(开辟)了新的机会。最近，无人机是一种非常受欢迎的工具(真正起飞的一件装备是无人机)。这种无人驾驶的微型飞机，最初是为航空摄影和战争而开发的，现在给我们带来了更多(近)的好处。过去几年，亚马逊(Amazon)、Alphabet和优步(Uber)等科技公司向我们承诺，无人机会在几分钟内将商品送到我们家门口。然而，开发它们的进展一直很缓慢。

  ⭐ by leaps and bounds 突飞猛进地，非常迅速地; gadget 小设备; processing power （计算机）处理（数据）能力; tech 科技设备; kit 成套装备; drone 无人机; pilotless 无人驾驶的; aircraft 飞机，飞行器; aerial photography 航空摄影; delivery drone 交付无人机，物流无人机;

• Drones are helping to connect with and enhance the lives of people in remote locations. In the UK, the Royal Mail wants a fleet of 500 drones to help deliver the mail to far-flung communities. Windracers, the company developing the drones, say they can fly in fog and produce 30% fewer emissions than comparable piloted aircraft. And in Coventry in the UK, construction has started on an air hub, which will act as a base for police and delivery drones. Urban-Air Port Limited is working with car-maker Hyundai on the mini-airport, known as a skyport.

  无人机正在帮助偏远地区的人们联系并改善他们的生活。在英国，皇家邮政(Royal Mail)希望组建一支由500架无人机组成的机队，帮助将邮件投递到遥远的社区。研发这种无人机的Windracers公司表示，这种无人机可以在雾中飞行，而且比同类有人驾驶的飞机少产生30%碳排放(排放30%的废气)。在英国的考文垂，一个空中枢纽已经开始建设，它将成为警察和运输无人机的基地。城市航空港有限公司正与汽车制造商现代合作建造这座小型机场，即空中机场。

  ⭐ fleet 机队; fling (过去式、过去分词 flung)v. 扔，掷；far-flung adj. 遥远的; emissions 碳排放; piloted 有人驾驶的; air hub 航空枢纽; Coventry [ˈkɒvəntri] n. 考文垂（位于英国中部）; skyport 小机场 n. 大楼顶层的直升飞机机场(天空港)

• Drones could also play a part in improving the health of millions of people. In Zanzibar, for example, they’re being used to spray wetlands against malaria. And writing for BBC Future website, Harriet Constable describes an incredible development project by the University of South Australia. The plan is for drones to eventually be able to survey populations for disease by reading the blood oxygen levels of humans from the air. They’ll also be able to scan for other vital signs, like coughing and a high temperature.

  无人机还可以在改善数百万人的健康方面发挥作用。例如，在桑给巴尔，它们被用于向湿地喷洒疟疾药剂。哈里特·康斯特布尔在BBC未来网站上描述了南澳大利亚大学一个令人难以置信的发展项目。该计划是让无人机最终能够通过从空气中读取人类的血氧水平来调查人群的疾病。他们还能扫描其他生命体征，比如咳嗽和高烧。

  ⭐ spray 喷洒; malaria [məˈleəriə] n. 疟疾; survey 检查; scan 扫描

• It seems the sky’s the limit for what drone technology can achieve. The only thing that sometimes keeps it grounded is regulation. Writing for the BBC, Jessica Brown says: “If our skies are to become as crowded as our streets, airspace rules need updating to prevent accidents.” There are also related problems, such as noise pollution.

  看来无人机技术的发展前途无量。有时唯一能让它站稳脚跟(立足)的就是监管。杰西卡•布朗(Jessica Brown)在为英国广播公司(BBC)撰稿时说:“如果我们的天空变得像街道一样拥挤，空域规则就需要更新，以防止发生事故。”还有一些相关的问题，比如噪音污染。

  ⭐ the sky’s the limit 没有限制的; grounded 停飞的; airspace 领空; airspace 领空; noise pollution 噪音污染;

词汇表

by leaps and bounds 突飞猛进地，非常迅速地

gadget 小设备

processing power （计算机）处理（数据）能力

tech 科技设备

kit 成套装备

drone 无人机

pilotless 无人驾驶的

aircraft 飞机，飞行器

aerial photography 航空摄影

delivery drone 交付无人机，物流无人机

fleet 机队

emissions 碳排放

piloted 有人驾驶的

air hub 航空枢纽

skyport 小机场

spray 喷洒

survey 检查

scan 扫描

the sky’s the limit 没有限制的

grounded 停飞的

airspace 领空

noise pollution 噪音污染

测验与练习

1.  阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How quickly do tech companies want to deliver goods to your home?

2. Where does the UK’s Royal Mail want to deliver mail to by drone?

3. What might drones be able to do to check for disease in a community?

4. True or false? Drones work by having a mini pilot on board.

5. According to Jessica Brown, why do we need to update airspace rules?

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. The bus company has bought a new _______ of electric vehicles.

hub                            fleet                           gadget                            survey

1. The speed of our broadband connection has improved _______.

by leap and bound                                       by leaps of bounds

by bounds and leaps                                    by leaps and bounds

1. London’s Heathrow airport is a _______ for much of the UK’s international flights.

skyport                       kit                               grounded                        hub

1. My laptop has great _______, so it’s much quicker than yours.

process power           processed power        processing power           power process

1. The _______ say we have to have smoke alarms installed in every room.

emissions                  skyport                        drones                            regulations

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How quickly do tech companies want to deliver goods to your home?Quickly – in a matter of minutes.

2. Where does the UK’s Royal Mail want to deliver mail to by drone?The Royal Mail wants a fleet of 500 drones to help deliver the mail to far-flung communities.

3. What might drones be able to do to check for any disease in a community?They may be able to survey populations for disease by reading the blood oxygen levels of humans from the air and scan for other vital signs, like coughing and a high temperature.

4. True or false? Drones work by having a mini pilot on board.False. Drones are mini aircraft that have no pilot.

5. According to Jessica Brown, why do we need to update airspace rules?Jessica Brown says: “If our skies are to become as crowded as our streets, airspace rules need updating to prevent accidents, terrorist attacks, and related problems, such as noise pollution.”

2.  选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. The bus company has bought a new fleet of electric vehicles.

2. The speed of our broadband connection has improved by leaps and bounds.

3. London’s Heathrow airport is a hub for much of the UK’s international flights.

4. My laptop has great processing power, so it’s much quicker than yours.

5. The regulations say we have to have smoke alarms installed in every room.