How have Drones changed the world?

Summary

"How Have Drones Changed the World?" – Who Smarted?

Podcast: Who Smarted?
Date: April 6, 2026

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Episode Overview

This fast-paced, humorous, and kid-friendly episode explores the evolution, technology, and impact of drones—both in the air and in society. The hosts, joined by an AI "drone assistant" (Alexandra) and a witty bee character, quiz listeners and weave together history, science, real-world applications, as well as concerns and curiosities about the future of drones.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Exactly is a Drone?

• Definition:
  • “A drone is... B, an unmanned aircraft or vessel controlled remotely or by an onboard computer.” (A, 00:26)
• Remote-controlled planes are a type of drone.
• Drones are not limited to just flying toys; they're central in many industries and applications today.

2. Drones in Today's World

• The drone industry is booming, expected to be five times bigger by the decade’s end (A, 01:23).
• In the US:
  • Over 850,000 drones registered.
  • Over a million recreational pilots.

3. Bee–Drone Connection

• Comic segment where a literal bee and a drone “compete” in the conversation (01:07 – 04:40).
• Both bees and drones “buzz” and deliver things, making a playful analogy.

4. Types and Technology of Drones

• Most common drones have four propellers, unlike helicopters (A, 03:55).
• Fixed-wing drones vs. quadcopters explained (A, 04:30).
• UAVs: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles; they can be controlled from anywhere—including other planets (A, 04:34).
• Modern drones use multiple propellers, GPS, onboard cameras, and computer control (A, 06:40 – 07:36).

5. History: Where Did Drones Come From?

• First used for warfare.
  • 1849: Austrians used explosive balloons in Venice. These weren't steered—wind changed their course (A, 04:40).
  • First radio-controlled UAV: Developed in the 1910s during World War I (A, 05:22).
• Military drones got headlines, but civilian drones (like those for fun or package delivery) are now taking off (A, 06:00).

6. Civilian Drones – Uses and Advances

• Early “toy” drones: Remote-controlled planes, popular since the 1960s (B, 06:30).
• Modern civilian drones hover, film, and travel autonomously (A, 06:40).
• Sensors, mini-cameras, and smart controls mean more possibilities.

7. Real-World Uses of Drones

• Alexandra summarizes:
  “I can go places that would be dangerous or difficult for humans. I can fly into storms, find lost hikers, inspect a natural disaster, bring emergency aid, map hard to reach terrain, explore the upper atmosphere, take incredible aerial images and videos.” (B, 07:36)

• Package delivery:

  • Walmart has delivered over 10,000 packages via drone.
  • Drones are “faster, cheaper, and environmentally cleaner” than trucks (B, 09:01).
  • They can get to places with tough ground access.

• Pollination: Drones are even being developed to pollinate flowers (B, 10:52).

8. Drones, Bees, and Jobs

• Future: “In the future, drones like me will be everywhere.” (B, 09:35)
• Concerns:
  • Potential privacy invasion by cameras.
  • Risk of crashes and property damage.
  • Fear of drones replacing jobs, e.g., in delivery or even pollination (A, 10:47-10:59).
• The role of jobs connected to drones and bees is humorously debated.

9. Origin of the Name ‘Drone’

• The name dates to 1946, inspired by a 1935 British UAV called the “Queen Bee.” (A, 13:20)
• Quote:
  “UAVs were called drones because they have no mind of their own. And like bees, they buzz around.” (B, 14:06)

10. Out-of-This-World Drones

• Farthest a drone has flown: Mars!
  • NASA Ingenuity: First UAV on Mars, first flight on April 19, 2021 (A, 14:46; B, 14:46).
  • Exceeded its mission: over 68 flights (A, 15:03).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Q&A with Kids:
  “So what exactly is a drone? Is it... C, a triangular shaped pastry? If you said C, you might be hungry and thinking about a scone.” (A, 00:24)
• Alexandra the AI Drone:
  “Searching. Here’s something I found on the Internet. Bee is the second letter of the alphabet...” (B, 02:05)
• Bee character interjects:
  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy with the arms there, pal. I’m here for the show.” (C, 02:28)
• Humor on job automation:
  “At least my job is safe.” (C, 10:49)
  “Right now. Drones... are learning how to pollinate flowers.” (B, 10:52)
• Modern drone advantages:
  “We also don’t have to wait in traffic and can travel to homes that are difficult to reach.” (B, 09:01)
• On the Queen Bee origin:
  “Let me guess. B, the Queen Bee.” (C, 13:20)
• On Mars drone flights:
  “Ingenuity has flown over 68 times and is sending back video which you can see on the NASA website.” (A, 15:03)

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Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment/Topic | |----------|-------------------------------------------------------| | 00:06 | What is a drone? Initial quiz for listeners | | 01:07 | Introduction of Alexandra and bee character | | 03:13 | Main episode question: How are drones changing world? | | 04:40 | First use: Balloons for warfare (1849) | | 05:22 | First remote-controlled drone (WWI) | | 07:36 | Modern uses: Surveillance, rescue, mapping, video | | 09:01 | Package delivery and drone advantages | | 09:53 | Concerns about privacy, safety, jobs | | 10:52 | Drones learning to pollinate like bees | | 13:20 | ‘Drone’ name origin; Queen Bee UAV | | 14:46 | NASA Ingenuity on Mars | | 15:03 | Number of flights by Ingenuity |

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Episode Tone and Style

• Humorous, pun-filled, and light.
• Characters encourage critical thinking and ask listeners to guess answers.
• Mixes sound effects and playful banter to break down complex ideas.

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Summary Table: Drones vs. Bees (as Presented in the Episode)

| Aspect | Drones (UAVs) | Bees (as characters/analogy) | |-------------------------|--------------------------------|-------------------------------------------| | What they do | Deliver, survey, explore | Pollinate, make honey, “buzz around” | | Main feature | Remotely/computer controlled | Work in colonies, essential for ecology | | Concerns | Privacy, jobs, safety | Stinging (jokingly), being everywhere | | Future | More tasks, everywhere | Still vital for pollination | | Link to Name | Remote drone = drone bee | "Queen Bee" British UAV |

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Final Takeaways

• Drones have rapidly evolved from war balloons to high-tech flying robots found in rescue ops, deliveries, and even space exploration.
• The line between nature and technology blurs: Drones may even help pollinate flowers, like bees.
• Society faces choices: Widespread adoption brings benefits—and risks, especially around privacy and employment.
• Kids are encouraged to think critically about the technology shaping their future.

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For parents, teachers, and kids, this episode offers a lively primer on the wonders and the worries of the drone age—punctuated by laughs, sound effects, and endearing character voices.

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Transcript

[A]

And now it's time for who's Smarted?

[B]

Psst.

[A]

Hey, smarty pants. Have you ever played with a remote controlled vehicle? How about a remote controlled plane? If so, you've used a type of drone. And if you haven't used one, chances are you've seen one. And if you've seen any recent movies, TV shows, concerts or sporting events, chances are you you've seen footage captured by a drone. So what exactly is a drone? Is it A, any vehicle that flies in the air? B, an unmanned aircraft or vessel, or C, a triangular shaped pastry? If you said C, you might be hungry and thinking about a scone. No, a drone is actually B, an unmanned aircraft or vessel controlled remotely or by an onboard computer. So that remote controlled plane of yours is actually a type of drone. And so are the high tech drones becoming increasingly popular today?

[B]

Like me, my name is Alexandra. I am a completely original civilian drone operating system. And definitely not a copy of a well known voice assistant shaped like a hockey puck that you might be listening to. Who smarted on?

[C]

Mm.

[A]

Around the world, billions of dollars are being spent on civilian drones like Alexandra. And some estimates say the industry might become five times bigger by the end of the decade. In the United States, drones are the fastest growing part of aviation. Less than 20 years ago, the US issued its first permit for businesses to use drones. Today, more than 850,000 drones are registered with the government, and more than a million people are using drones just for fun. Sorry, smarty pants, I got a bee buzzing around me. Alexandra, is there any way you can get rid of this bee?

[B]

Searching. Here's something I found on the Internet. Bee is the second letter of the Alphabet derived from the Greek letter beta. Common words starting with B are. Book, banana, baseball, bulldozer, baboon.

[A]

Alexandra, stop. Okay, okay. Maybe I'll just try and shoo it away myself.

[C]

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Easy with the arms there, pal. I'm here for the show.

[A]

The show?

[C]

Yeah. You're doing a episode on drones, right? Hello, I'm a drone.

[A]

There must be a mistake. We're talking about unmanned aircraft, not bees.

[B]

Other bee words include birthday boxes, buttocks.

[A]

Alexandra, stop.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Just look at my contract. See, in this episode, you gotta talk about bees.

[A]

Really? Bees?

[C]

You best be. Leave it, pal. So I think I'll just buzz around while you record your podcast.

[A]

Okay, so, smartypants, how do drones work, where do they come from, and how are they going to change the world? All right, all right. And how are they connected to bees? It's time for another whiff of history and science on who smarted, who's smarted? Who's smart?

[C]

Is it you? Is it me?

[A]

Is it science or history? Listen up everyone. We make smarting lots of fun.

[C]

But who's smart and.

[A]

Smarty pants? Compared to other aircraft, remote controlled drones may seem a bit unusual. For starters, how many propellers do the most popular drones have? 1, 2, 3, or 4? While some may have three or as many as eight propellers, the most popular drones have four. That's a stark difference for most helicopters, which have only two. Meanwhile, fixed wing drones, which look like planes, are distinct looking in that they are missing windows and a cockpit. After all, there's no need for either because there's no pilot on the drone itself.

[B]

Often the pilot is far from the aircraft.

[A]

Very true. Drones are also called uavs.

[C]

Sorry to buzz in here, but I'm not called a UAV.

[A]

No, not bee drones. Electronic drones. They're called UAVs. Which stands for what? Smarty pants? Unmanned aerial vehicles. The ability to control a UAV from far away, even from another planet, can be useful in many ways. Smarty pants, what do you think the very first drones were used for? Is it A, farming, B exploring, or C warfare? The answer is C warfare. The early history of drones is a bit hazy, but some say they originated in 1849 when the Austrian army used unmanned explosive packed balloons to attack the city of Venice, Italy. But these balloons weren't controlled by anyone. And all it took was a change in wind direction to blow this balloon off target. Out of the hundreds of balloons launched, only a few actually hit the bullseye. Oops. So, smarty pants, when do you think the first remote controlled UAV was developed? Is it a, in the 1910s during World War I? B in the 1960s during the Vietnam conflict? Or C, in the early 2000s during the war in Afghanistan? While modern military drones were introduced in Afghanistan, the first radio controlled pilotless aircraft was was actually created in the 1910s during World War I. Today, drones are still used in many military conflicts. But the drones that are capturing the imagination and are vastly growing in popularity are drones like Alexandra here, what we call civilian drones. And what kind of popular toy was the early version of those? Smarty pants? Take a guess.

[B]

Searching. Here's something. Early civilian drones were remote controlled planes which became popular during the 1960s.

[A]

Well done, Alexa. I mean, Alexandra. Remote controlled planes are fun, but they need to be constantly controlled by humans. On the ground, they aren't as useful as today's UAVs modern drones are operated with the help of computers, and they're multiple propellers which can move independently at different speeds, allowing them to hover and zip around with without much human guidance. Many have sensors and GPS technology just like your smartphone, which allows drones to use satellites in space to find any point on earth and any spot in the sky without a pilot's help. A person just types a location and the drone goes there. And the development of mini cameras and smartphone technology have allowed humans on the ground to see what drones see in the air. Smarty pants, can you think of ways that might be helpful?

[B]

I can go places that would be dangerous or difficult for humans. I can fly into storms, find lost hikers, inspect a natural disaster, bring emergency aid, map hard to reach terrain, explore the upper atmosphere, take incredible aerial images and videos.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But can you make toast better? Like with honey?

[A]

Okay, okay, I get it. No. Drones can't replace creatures like bees.

[C]

Huh? Oh no. I was wondering if this drone could get me some honey. Heh. This toast is too dry. Got any honey, Alexandra?

[B]

Searching.

[A]

Wait, wait, wait. You're a bee. Don't you make your own honey?

[C]

Um, I'm not that kind of a bee. I don't make much of anything.

[A]

And how are you eating toast? Uh, never mind. However, smarty pants, this bee is onto something.

[C]

Here I am. I mean, yeah, of course I am. Bees know a lot about honey.

[A]

And no, it's not the honey, it's the delivery of the honey. Drones like Alexandra might soon help with that.

[B]

Walmart has delivered over 10,000 packages via drone. Compared to ground delivery, UAVs are faster, cheaper and environmentally cleaner. We also don't have to wait in traffic and can travel to homes that are difficult to reach. Someday, we may be used to deliver food, like honey. Or perhaps pizza.

[A]

Imagine that, smarty pants. A drone delivering your next pizza. I'll have one with extra pepper drone y. Get it? Pepper drone y.

[B]

In the future, drones like me will be everywhere.

[C]

Well, that's not creepy at all.

[A]

Yeah, people would much prefer bees flying all around them.

[C]

Point taken.

[A]

At the same time, Smartypants, that is a growing concern people have about drones. Do we truly want them everywhere?

[B]

We might become just as unpopular as bees.

[A]

Ay. Despite being a little scary, bees are essential to our environment.

[C]

Ha. Take that.

[A]

Of course, some people believe civilian drones will be the same.

[B]

Right back atcha.

[A]

Simply stated, as UAVs do more things, they're going to bother more people. Smartypants, can you think of any reasons why? Well, many don't want drone cameras spying on them. And drones might crash into things in the air and on the ground, causing injury or damage. That's why national and local governments have strict rules as to what can fly, and they've prevented drones from becoming widespread at the moment. But chances are these safety issues will be worked out and drones will soon buzz around like bees. Unfortunately, when that happens, many people who work in businesses like package delivery will be out of a job.

[C]

At least my job is safe.

[B]

Right now. Drones like myself are also learning how to pollinate flowers.

[A]

So yes, they might even do your job.

[C]

But that's not my job.

[A]

I'm sorry, what is your job and why are you here?

[C]

I could tell you, but I'd rather just hang out. Got any more food?

[B]

Searching I have an answer to your question about the food about why he's here.

[A]

Great. Let's hear it after this quick break. Spring is here and if you're a homeschool family trying to finish the year strong, I want to tell you about ixl. It's the award winning online learning platform that fits seamlessly into your homeschool routine covering math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. What I love most about IXL is how it adapts to each child's pace. Whether your kid needs to reinforce foundational skills before an assessment or push ahead into new material, IXL meets them exactly where they are with no pressure and real encouragement built right in. Kids earn rewards, see their own progress, and actually feel good about learning. And for parents, the real time progress tracking is a game changer. You always know exactly where your child stands. Plus it makes learning fun. And you know I love that over 15 million students use IXL and it's proven to improve achievement in all 50 states. So make an impact on your child's learning. Who Smarted? Listeners get an exclusive exclusive 20% [e-mail] smarted that's ixl.com smarted for your 20% off. Now back to who smarted. Smarty pants. When do you think people started calling UAVs drones? Is it A in the 1940s, B in the 1960s or C in the early 2000s? The answer is A. The first use of the word drone for a UAV was in 1946 and it may have stemmed from the name of a remote controlled UAV developed by the British in 1935. Can you guess what it was called? Was it a the Royal Biscuit, b the Queen Bee, OR C the 007?

[C]

Let me guess, be the Queen bee.

[A]

If that was your guess too, smarty pants, you're right.

[C]

We drones aren't just useful. We're royalty.

[A]

But drone bees are not queens. They're male bees.

[B]

Here's something I found on the Internet from the Merriam Webster dictionary. Drone bees have a mindless, driven existence. They don't gather honey, they don't defend or maintain the hive, and their only purpose is to impregnate a queen bee. And most don't even get to do that.

[C]

Wow, that's cold. Yeah, but it sounds about right.

[B]

UAVs were called drones because they have no mind of their own. And. And like bees, they buzz around.

[C]

Oh, boy, things have taken a turn here.

[A]

Hold on. Drones are getting way smarter and going way farther than ever.

[C]

There you go.

[A]

The UAVs, not the bees. Oh, smarty pants. Can you guess the farthest location a drone has ever explored? Is it A, Antarctica, B, the moon, or C, the Mars? If you said see Mars, you're right. NASA's Ingenuity Mars helicopter is the first UAV to fly on another planet.

[B]

Ingenuity took its first flight on April 19, 2021. It's a drone specially designed for Mars thin atmosphere. NASA planned to demonstrate this new technology by having Ingenuity take five flights above the Martian surface.

[A]

But that's not quite how things worked out, Smartypants. Do you know how many flights ingenuity did take? 2? 4? 10? Or more? The Ingenuity Mars helicopter has far exceeded expectations, having flown over 68 times. And it's sending back video, which you can see on the NASA website. NASA believes this little powerful drone will pave the way for other drones to explore Mars and. And hopefully other space objects.

[C]

Yeah, but can it get me some honey?

[B]

Searching scientists do not believe there is honey on Mars.

[C]

Oh, well, I guess I could go find some myself, but that's too much work. Dry toast. It is.

[A]

A high flying shout out to Logan in Columbia, Maryland. I hear your family love smarting at breakfast and that you love fun topics like are dragons real? I think that's great and I love that you're getting smarter with us. So keep on smarting, smartypants. This episode Drones was written by Dave Beaudry and voiced by Jenna Hoban, Sheffield Chastain and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh Hahn. Who's Smarted is recorded and mixed at the Relic Room studios. Our associate producer is Max Chamaski. The theme song is by Brian Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis, who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production.