Universiti Teknologi Mara: Confidential 1 LG/APR 2019/ELC231/230/SET 2
Universiti Teknologi Mara: Confidential 1 LG/APR 2019/ELC231/230/SET 2
INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
PROGRAMME/CODE : _________________________________________
PART : _________________________________________
II Drones have been around for more than two decades, but their roots date
back to World War I, when both the U.S. and France worked on developing 20
automatic, unmanned airplanes. In the military, drones have been used as
target decoys, for combat missions, research and development, and for
supervisions. It is estimated that global militaries will spend $70 billion on
drones by 2020, where drones will play a vital role in the resolution of future
conflicts and in the replacement of human pilots. Many drones are being 25
designed exclusively for surveillance, but others are for offensive operations
used by militaries around the world, including the U.S. Marines, the British
Army, the Australian Army, and Norway’s Armed Forces. The Royal
Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), on the other hand, has sought for high
technology UAV to boost its air defence capabilities to monitor strategic areas 30
such as the South China Sea, the Straits of Malacca and the Sulu Sea near
Sabah. UAVs which are equipped with sophisticated technology with a wider
flying range would be suitable to the requirements of national security apart
from meeting the needs of other government agencies and departments. The
UAVs will continue to be applied in various military operations due to their 35
high convenience in reducing losses and enabling the execution of high profile
and time-sensitive missions.
III Innovations in camera technology have had significant impacts on the growing
use of drones during emergencies. UAVs outfitted with thermal imaging
cameras have provided emergency response teams with a way for identifying 40
victims who are difficult to spot with the naked eye. A special vehicle with a
roof-mounted, thermal imaging drone designed by the Land Rover Company
includes an integrated landing system which allows the drone to securely land
atop the vehicle while in motion. This vehicle, dubbed ‘Project Hero’, is hoped
to save lives by speeding up response times in confined areas with limited 45
lines of sight. By extending existing emergency infrastructure, drones may be
able to dramatically increase survival rates in both rural and urban areas
around the world, where quick access to modern medicine, blood, and
medical technology has been rather difficult. In addition, drones come in
handy during times of natural disaster. In the aftermath of hurricanes and 50
earthquakes, UAVs have been used to assess damages, locate victims, and
deliver aid. During forest fires, surveillance drones are deployed to detect
abnormal forest temperatures. By doing so, rescue teams are able to identify
areas most prone to forest fires or identify fires just three minutes after they
begin. While recreational drones are strictly prohibited in active forest fire 55
regions, they have been proven useful when operated by appropriate
authorities.
IV Illegal poaching and climate change have a dramatic impact on the health of
wildlife worldwide. Fortunately, conservationists are adopting the use of drones
to monitor and track animals. The innovation has allowed them to conduct 60
research without disturbing natural habitats. The Ocean Alliance is an example
of an organisation that has used drones to collect samples from animals,
specifically, mucus from whales. In addition, tracking animals also allows
researchers to track disease. Drones with thermal imaging cameras have been
used by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to track macaque 65
movements in the province of Palawan in the Philippines - a region where
malaria is an active threat. The ability to follow these animals has provided
further insight into the possible movement of infections from animals to humans.
In a similar vein, Microsoft is also leveraging drone technology to capture and
test mosquitoes for infectious disease. Ideally, this intelligence could be used to 70
protect local residents, and in the future could be used to prevent epidemics
before they begin. While drones have successfully served the noble mission of
animal protection and conservation efforts, these devices have been expanded
to trace unlawful animal hunting and trapping activities, as well as to track and
incarcerate poachers. 75
V Despite all the benefits, why do people still have a negative perception of
drones? According to a recent report, the main concern people have is with the
consumers themselves. Drone users tend to neglect security hazards; showing
a lack of common sense and displaying recklessness in drone use, which pose
serious negative consequences for the entire drone industry. Crashing a drone 80
into a neighbour’s yard does not make you look good, but putting national
security at risk is worse. In a September 2014 incident, a drone attack on
Angela Merkel, a German politician, during her public speech, has resulted in a
significant discussion of using drones for security issues. The risk of drone
technology interfering with navigational tools, like crashing into a plane, is also 85
high. In 2016, a commercial drone slipped through under the radar at the
Heathrow Airport and nearly hit the British Airways vessel. The number of such
occurrences has quadrupled in recent years with as many as 23 near collisions
registered by the airport authorities. Drones can also be a great nuisance
during emergency operations, if operated by amateurs. During a wildfire in 90
Southern California, five commercial drones recorded mobilising in the air, have
delayed the response time of fire fighters’ helicopters by around 15-20 minutes -
a time which could have been spent on pacifying the fire. In 2016, a drone was
caught carrying 6 pounds of synthetic drugs at the US/Mexican border, and
another was caught with 28 pounds of heroin when trying to pass over the 95
border close to San Diego. Clearly, there should be persistent concerns and
rulings on the use of these unmarked commercial vessels.
https://www.businessinsider.com/drone-technology-uses-2017-
7/?IR=TExploring the latest drone technology for commercial,
industrial and military drone uses
QUESTION 1
State whether the following statements are TRUE (T) or FALSE (F).
ii. Global militaries plan to spend $70 billion to replace human pilots.
iv. 23 plane collisions have been recorded at the Heathrow Airport since
2016.
(4 marks)
QUESTION 2
What do the following words mean as used in the passage?
a) stagnant (line 11) : ___________________________________________
(4 marks)
QUESTION 3
All of the following statements are FALSE on the use of drones except
(Circle two (2) answers.)
QUESTION 4
How do drones used at other countries’ arm forces differ from those used in the Royal
Malaysian Air Force?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
QUESTION 5
Why would the military sector continue to apply the UAVs in various military operations?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
QUESTION 6
Explain what the writer means by the following statement.
‘This vehicle, dubbed ‘Project Hero’, is hoped to save lives by speeding up response times in
confined areas with limited lines of sight.’ (lines 44-46)
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
QUESTION 7
What are the benefits of the innovation of drones on animal conservations?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
QUESTION 8
‘Crashing a drone into a neighbour’s yard does not make you look good, but putting national
security at risk is worse.’ (lines 80-82)
What can you infer from the statement?
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
QUESTION 9
State two (2) positive consequences if drone users are more alert and cautious in the use of
drones?
i) _____________________________________________________________________
ii) _____________________________________________________________________
(2 marks)
QUESTION 10
Based on the passage, do you think drones should be allowed for an individual’s private
use?
Provide two (2) reasons to justify your answer.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
(3 marks)