Role of Drones in Smart Tourism Development

Authors: SEYED JALALALDIN FARAJI, AMIRHOSSEIN PAYANDEH, SAMAN KEYVANNIA, FATEMEH IZADI YAZDANABADI

Institution: Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran; University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Country: Iran

e-mail: faraji@atu.ac.ir ; a.payandeh@ut.ac.ir ; SamanKeyvannia@ut.ac.ir ; F.Izadi@atu.ac.ir

Coronavirus stopped tourism activities for a while, but we must note that Coronavirus is not the only obstacle and limitation of travel! Restrictions such as access to tourist destinations, time, cost, health, etc., can always exist in the way of tourists; in the meantime, virtual tourism can be presented as the best complement to traditional tourism. Using drones in the virtual tourism industry with applications such as online filming of natural, historical, and recreational places and presenting these videos with a combination of environmental effects, including cold, heat, wind, and the specific scent of each environment and also, using the 8D sound technique in a platform can be presented as one of the new options to overcome the limitations of traditional tourism. And by involving different human senses, reduce the distance between reality and the virtual world as much as possible. Virtual tourism is a new model whose purpose is to reduce limitations by simulating the maximum of real recreational places in the virtual space by involving the maximum of different human senses in addition to the sense of sight, including the importance of touch, smell, and multidimensional hearing. In this operational research, presenting a new conceptual model in the approach of virtual tourism with the title “Dynamic Virtual Tourism,” the introduction and application of new technologies such as drones are discussed to provide an utterly live way to visit tourist places that can sometimes be very difficult and expensive to access. In a practical example in Ebrahim Khan Castle of Najafabad, Isfahan, a model drone (MAVIC PRO) was used to fly in the target location. Its video was sent online to local stations with the help of a direct broadcast link on the Internet. In a realistic scenario, live images were made available to the virtual tourist hundreds of kilometres away from the target location with the help of virtual reality cameras. In this method, the bird, by settling in one of the five local stations around the castle, flew between the stations intelligently and without human intervention, and the tourist, who was far from The Castle, could only speed on the path between the stations. Move and control “the virtual eye.” The world will be filled with drones instead of crowds of people on the ground. People will use virtual reality to travel with drones and around the world while sitting in the comfort of their homes. The world is no longer afraid of viral infections because virtual tourism is predicted to become more popular thanks to innovative developments in drones and UAVs. The world will be completely available virtually in real-time. Most people are accustomed to using Google Maps, pre-recorded images, and videos to navigate their environment. The 360-degree views these video programs provide are stunning compared to decades ago and provide a higher level of immersion for the user than ever before. In addition, the addition of narrative tours in which explanations are given about the place of visit (by the speaker) along with animation and background music with 8-D sounding technique and special environmental effects for each environment can be a more realistic and enjoyable experience for the virtual tour. From virtual travel and probably increase his motivation for the virtual journey. Nowadays, there is more and more demand for uninterrupted live images. Virtual reality drones provide uninterrupted visuals to their user, possibly miles away. Using a headset, special glasses, and a controller, the user can visually experience and see environments far from their place. It is worth noting that this has many advantages in terms of care and first response in emergencies. But obstacles remain for now, such as some concerns. Limitations include visual data amount and transmission delay. However, 5G networks are just emerging and are likely to revolutionize the field. All devices and drones exist on a public 5G network for virtual reality travel. The potential for virtual reality travel certainly sounds exciting. The ability to explore or view events worldwide live through virtual reality drones would be fascinating. And, of course, it can promote better human safety in many situations. The opportunity to experience live events remotely through virtual reality drones will become common. And, of course, many new jobs and businesses will emerge as VR travel evolves. Unrestricted tourism, touching the wild nature up close, experiencing remote places, a new experience, a new feeling, a step towards the new future of tourism, tourist destinations are not so far away.