Drones in Society: A New Visual Culture?

This chapter discusses the evolution of visual communication and visual culture, focusing on the distinctive attributes of drone imagery and how these represent a departure from traditional visual conventions. By retracing the historical progression from chemical to mechanical and from technological to digital advances, this discussion highlights the profound impact these developments have had on the methods of capturing, sharing, editing, and storing images. The chapter draws on seminal works in photography theory and philosophy (Newhall, & Coke, One hundred years of photographic history: Essays in honor of Beaumont Newhall. University of New Mexico Press, 1975; Batchen, Inventing Photography: William Henry Fox Talbot in the Bodleian Library. Bodleian Library, 2023; Benjamin, The work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction. Penguin, 2008; Barthes, Camera Lucida: Reflections on photography. Cape, 1982; Sontag, On photography. Penguin, 1977; Freund, Photography & society. Fraser, 1980). These considerations provide a foundational understanding of how historical advancements in image technology contributed to shaping and reshaping visual culture over time. Further, the chapter examines more contemporary influences on visual communication, specifically the rise of mobile phones and smartphones (Gaby, Visual Studies, 25, 89–98, 2010), and their role in forming new socio-cultural practices (e.g., Hjorth & Hendry, Social Media + Society, 1(1), 2015; van Dijck et al., The platform society. Oxford University Press, 2018). This analysis explains how technological innovations, particularly drone technology, reshape our perceptions and experiences of our surroundings. Understanding these changes is crucial for comprehending the broader implications of engaging with and interpreting our visual environment. Through this historical and theoretical exploration, the chapter provides valuable insights into the dynamic landscape of visual culture, emphasising the transformative power of technological advancements in defining our visual experience.