Wikimedia Commons Drones are continuing to show their worth in a range of ways that few could’ve imagined when the remotely controlled flying machines started to become more affordable a few years back. Some commercial uses were obvious in the beginning, with, say, filmmakers quick to jump on board, the camera-equipped birds noted for their ability to produce spectacular aerial shots at a fraction of the cost of renting a helicopter. And after the Federal Aviation Administration showed a greater willingness to embrace the technology earlier this year with the launch of new drone rules for commercial operators, more industries are now discovering how the technology can work for them. Take ecologist Todd Dawson of the University of California, Berkeley.