The role of drones in ambient assisted living systems for the elderly

Following years of restricted military applications, recently unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) also known as drones have become the new disruptive force in many industrial and everyday life applications. Very obvious usage areas are transportation and parcel delivery. However, recent research reveals that there are a number of ways that drones can be employed to help elderly people sustain a better independent lifestyle. This paper introduces some of the most recent and interesting applications that drones can find in creating ambient assisted living environments for the elderly. Advantages and disadvantages, possible healthcare models and challenges are discussed. Even though these are some very interesting and original applications there are a lot of challenges involved in accepting drones as “flying assistants” to extend the independent living environment of the elderly. © The Author(s) 2019.