4/8/2018 BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / The rise of drones

6 Minute English INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

The rise of drones

EPISODE 180215 / 15 FEB 2018

Drones have become commonplace in the skies above our heads. In certain cases they have been dangerous, but there are many new uses
for them that are bringing us benefits too. From delivering parcels to saving lives, drones are taking off. Join our discussion about them and
learn some new vocabulary in 6 Minute English.

This week's question:

Drones are sometimes also referred to as UAVs. So what does UAV stand for? Is it…

a) Unidentified aerial vehicle

b) Unmanned aerial vehicle

c) Unaided aircraft vehicle

Listen to the programme to find out the answer.

Vocabulary
surveillance
carefully watching someone or something, usually to try and stop something illegal

aerial footage
film recording made from the sky

game changer
something that completely changes the way something is done or thought about

the sky's the limit

there's no limit to something

harmonised
two things being suitable for each other to allow them to work properly

droning on
talking too much in a boring way

Transcript
Note: This is not a word for word transcript

Rob
Hello I'm Rob and this is 6 Minute English – a programme that brings you an interesting topic, authentic listening practice and some
vocabulary to help you improve your language skills. Joining me today is Neil.

Neil
Hello. And today we're discussing those pilotless aircraft that we seem to be hearing and reading a lot about at the moment.

Rob
You mean drones. And yes, they are in the news quite often for good and bad reasons. They've been used for many things from smuggling
drugs, detecting water leaks and surveillance.

Neil
And surveillance – that means ‘the act of carefully watching someone or something’ – perhaps a criminal – but also it means spying, maybe on
me and you Rob? So should we be welcoming the rise of the use of drones?

Rob
Well, before our discussion about that 'takes off', we need to set today's question for you to answer, Neil.

Neil
What are you droning on about Rob? And by that I don't mean ‘flying a drone’ – I mean ‘talking too much in a very boring way’!

Rob
Thanks Neil. Now just answer this, will you? Drones are sometimes also referred to as UAVs. So, what does UAV stand for? Is it…

a) Unidentified aerial vehicle

b) Unmanned aerial vehicle
c) Unaided aircraft vehicle

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4/8/2018 BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / The rise of drones
Neil
Well, I'm going to go for b) unmanned aerial vehicle.

Rob
Ok well, we'll see if you're right later on. Now let's talk more about drones, which, apparently, seem to be everywhere now.

Neil
But are they safe and are they necessary? I've heard about them being a hazard to aircraft because they've been flown close to airports.

Rob
Well, figures in 2016 showed that in the UK there were 70 near misses involving drones. And that's more than double the year before. So that
is a little worrying.

Neil
Yes. And there's the potential risk of people's privacy being invaded when a drone is flown over their property with a camera attached to it.

Rob
Ah, but those cameras are also good at capturing some great aerial footage – that's the film recording of the view from the above the ground.
So they're not all bad. And Dr Yoge Patel would agree. She is CEO of Blue Bear, which supplies unmanned planes and drones. Here she is
speaking about drones on the BBC's Woman's Hour programme…

Dr Yoge Patel, CEO of Blue Bear

They have the potential to be dangerous, agreed. They also have though, on the flip side, the ability to be a game changer in both domestic
use and in military use. So, some of our drones are being used for aircraft inspections. We've put our drones into Fukushima.

Rob
So there you go Neil. There are many useful things drones can do, and Dr Patel said they have the ability to be a game changer.

Neil
And by that you mean ‘something that completely changes the way something is done or thought about’.

Rob
Yes. Her company has used drones to inspect the inside of the damaged Fukushima nuclear power station in Japan. And another example of
drones being a game changer is UNICEF and the Malawian government testing drones for carrying medical supplies. This could help save
lives in remote places.

Neil
And I have read that in Australia, lifeguards are using drones to help rescue swimmers who get in trouble in the sea.

Rob
And have you heard about a Japanese firm that's planning to use a drone to force employees out of their offices by playing music at them if
they stay to work evening overtime.

Neil
I haven't, but you've convinced me – it seems like the sky's the limit for the uses of drones! I mean there's no limit to what they can do. But I
am a little concerned about how they are regulated or controlled.

Rob
Well Dr Yoge Patel says because the technology is new, regulations – or legal controls - are developing all the time…

Dr Yoge Patel, CEO, Blue Bear

As technology progresses, regulation and operational use needs to then be harmonised with it. And we are, as a community, going through
that whole process of saying what is proportionate and appropriate regulation to go with different uses of drones.

Neil
So she talked about regulations being harmonised as technology progresses.

Rob
So I think she means ‘making regulations suitable and appropriate for what the drones are being used for’. So they need some control, but not
so they can't be useful and effective.

Neil
Like flying drones to stop you working late! Now Rob, I'm dying to know what the other name for a drone is.

Rob
OK, let me tell you. So earlier I asked what does UAV stand for? Was it…

a) Unidentified aerial vehicle

b) Unmanned aerial vehicle
c) Unaided aircraft vehicle

Neil
And I said b) – was that correct?

Rob
Yes Neil, you know your drones – that's correct. Well done. UAVs or drones have been around for quite a while in different forms. It's thought
they were first used for providing practice targets for training military personnel. OK Neil, let's quickly go over some of the vocabulary we have
mentioned today, starting with surveillance.

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4/8/2018 BBC Learning English - 6 Minute English / The rise of drones
Neil
"The police kept the jewellery shop under surveillance because they had a tip-off about a robbery." So that means ‘carefully watching someone
or something, usually to try to stop something illegal’.

Rob
Then we mentioned aerial footage – that's film recording made from the sky. "The aerial footage on TV of the dolphins swimming was
spectacular."

Neil
Yes, drones have been a game changer for wildlife programmes on TV. That means ‘something that completely changes the way something is
done or thought about’.

Rob
We also mentioned the phrase 'the sky's the limit', meaning ‘there's no limit to something’. "The sky is the limit to what professional footballers
can earn these days."

Neil
Then we discussed harmonised – that describes two things being suitable for each other to allow them to work properly. "The garden has been
designed to harmonise with the natural landscape."

Rob
Very useful vocabulary, Neil. But let's stop droning on – and that means ‘talking too much in a boring way’ - and remind everyone to check out
our You Tube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages – and of course, our website at bbclearningenglish.com. See you next time. Goodbye.

Neil
Goodbye

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How would you like to pay?

EPISODE 160211 / 11 FEB 2016

Are the days of paying by cash for a latte or a newspaper nearly

gone? Alice and Neil discuss Neil's fondness for loose change...

How do you like your tea?

EPISODE 160204 / 04 FEB 2016

Tea comes in different forms – milky, sweet or spicy. Alice and Neil
discuss how this Asian leaf conquered the world.

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The commute
EPISODE 160128 / 28 JAN 2016

Train, car, bicycle ... Hundreds of millions of us make the same

journey day in day out. Take a hike with Alice and Neil and learn new
vocabulary.

Are we afraid of food?

EPISODE 160121 / 21 JAN 2016

Are food allergies on the increase and if so, why? Neil and Alice talk
about the growing fear of food and teach new words.

Is modern life making us tired?

EPISODE 160114 / 14 JAN 2016

Are artificial lights and late night TV ruining our sleep? Neil and Alice
discuss the issue and teach you related vocabulary.

Asking the right questions

EPISODE 160107 / 07 JAN 2016

What does it take to be a good interviewer? Neil and Alice discuss TV

chat show hosts and teach you some related vocabulary.

The way we look

EPISODE 151231 / 31 DEC 2015

How much does appearance really matter? Neil and Alice discuss
fitness and New Year's resolutions

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Christmas kindness
EPISODE 151224 / 24 DEC 2015

Some families struggle to buy even food and can’t afford presents.
Neil and Alice discuss how some charities are helping those in need.

Why do we take risks?

EPISODE 151217 / 17 DEC 2015

Alice and Finn talk about the passion some people have for danger
and the unseen threats we face every day

Is student life all good?

EPISODE 151210 / 10 DEC 2015

Alice and Neil discuss the psychological pressures of going to

university. They also teach some related vocabulary.

Robin Hood
EPISODE 151203 / 03 DEC 2015

Neil and Alice discuss the long-lasting appeal of this man with a bow
and how he has changed over the centuries

How much is your spouse worth?

EPISODE 151126 / 26 NOV 2015

Do you know how much your partner earns? Is he or she in debt?

Would this make you love them less?

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100 Women
EPISODE 151119 / 19 NOV 2015

The BBC broadcasts a season of programmes discussing women's

issues around the world

What makes us laugh?

EPISODE 151112 / 12 NOV 2015

Are you good at telling jokes? What makes a good comedian?

The impact of plastic

EPISODE 151105 / 05 NOV 2015

Should we all pay for supermarket plastic bags? Neil and Alice take a
look at the environmental impact of plastic and teach you some
related words.

Shakespeare in plain English

EPISODE 151029 / 29 OCT 2015

Should the difficult language of Shakespeare be 'translated' into plain

English?

New transport on two wheels

EPISODE 151022 / 22 OCT 2015

The bicycle is the most popular form of two-wheeled transport in the

world, but could we all soon be using hoverboards? Listen to Neil and
Finn's conversation and learn some new words.

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Will robots take our jobs?

EPISODE 151015 / 15 OCT 2015

If you are sitting at a desk or answering the phone, stop for a moment
and ask: could a robot or machine do this job better? Neil and Finn
discuss the future of our jobs.

Do we read to show off?

EPISODE 151008 / 08 OCT 2015

Neil and Alice discuss what kind of book people like to be seen
reading. Do you like to impress people with a classic book in your
hands?

Summer-born kids
EPISODE 151001 / 01 OCT 2015

Does being born in the summer reduce your chance of going to

university?

The Earth's core

EPISODE 150924 / 24 SEP 2015

Take a trip with Rob and Alice to find out about the Earth’s core.
They’ll discuss how hot it is – and whether there are any dinosaurs
living there!

The meaning of clothes

EPISODE 150917 / 17 SEP 2015

Do you dress formally or casually? Do you choose trendy items or old

comfortable ones? Rob and Will talk about the meaning of clothes.

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The Proms
EPISODE 150910 / 10 SEP 2015

It's been described as the world's largest and most democratic

classical music festival. Neil and Finn guide you through the BBC
Proms

Is knuckle cracking good for you?

EPISODE 150903 / 03 SEP 2015

What an awful sound - cracking your knuckles! Listen in to Rob and

Neil to find out if it's a useful skill or just an annoying habit

Evolution before Darwin

EPISODE 150827 / 27 AUG 2015

Was Charles Darwin the only man with ideas about evolution? Rob
and Neil talk about someone else who discovered it first.

Lifts
EPISODE 150820 / 20 AUG 2015

What are the modern day dilemmas in using a lift? Rob and Neil
discuss the awkwardness and irritation of being in one

Compulsory voting
EPISODE 150813 / 13 AUG 2015

Should young people be made to vote in elections or should we

choose? We discuss the ideas behind compulsory voting

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Chins
EPISODE 150806 / 08 AUG 2015

What do we need our chins for? Rob and Neil discuss how we got
them and what our chins say about us

Why do gibbons sing duets?

EPISODE 150730 / 30 JUL 2015

Why do gibbons sing duets and what has this got to do with the
evolution of the human language?

Are models too skinny?

EPISODE 150723 / 23 JUL 2015

Skinny models: What does the law say about walking the catwalk?

Is a game just a game?

EPISODE 150716 / 16 JUL 2015

The dangers of computer games. How good are they for our health?

The wonder of blood

EPISODE 150709 / 09 JUL 2015

It's amazing! What part of our body have scientists discovered can
heal and help us?

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Why did Singapore ban gum?

EPISODE 150702 / 02 JUL 2015

Do you chew gum and what do you do with it when you've finished?
Listen to Rob and Finn discussing the history and chemical properties
of gum and why it's messing up our streets whilst explaining some
related vocabulary

Food banks
EPISODE 150625 / 25 JUN 2015

Food banks provide food to people in the UK who can't afford to buy
their own. Rob and Finn discuss this how they work and how they help
many of the country's poorest

The teenage brain

EPISODE 150618 / 18 JUN 2015

Listen to Neil and Rob discussing mood swings, risk taking, and why
people make fun of teenagers, while they also explore some related
vocabulary.

The Outernet
EPISODE 150611 / 11 JUN 2015

How can remote parts of the world get access to the internet? Neil
and Catherine discuss a new idea for spreading knowledge

Is aggression useful?
EPISODE 150604 / 04 JUN 2015

What makes us angry and why is aggression useful? Neil and

Catherine discuss human behaviour.

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Are beards back to stay?

EPISODE 150528 / 28 MAY 2015

Big bushy beards have become so fashionable that there's now an art
exhibition dedicated to them

Is a door just a door?

EPISODE 150521 / 21 MAY 2015

A London apartment block has front and back entrances for private
and social housing - or so-called rich and poor doors. Does it make
sense to you? Listen to a discussion whilst learning some housing-
related vocabulary

The first space walk

EPISODE 150514 / 14 MAY 2015

Fifty years ago, on 18 March 1965, Soviet astronaut Alexei Leonov

took the first space walk. Listen to Rob and Neil describing the
struggles of that ground-breaking space mission whilst explaining
some related vocabulary.

Wireless furniture for phones

EPISODE 150507 / 07 MAY 2015

Furniture with built-in wireless charging technology - like a coffee table

is now being sold. 'Built-in' means the technology is included as part
of the table. So you just pop your phone on the table, and technology
does the rest!

Saving China's elephants

EPISODE 150430 / 30 APR 2015

Many animals face extinction. But people are realising that they must
act now to stop further losses. A scheme to save the Asian elephant in
China could provide an answer.

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Life without music

EPISODE 150423 / 23 APR 2015

How does music make you feel? Research shows that it actually
influences us more than we realise - whether we're at the movies, the
supermarket, or down the pub

The story behind coffee

EPISODE 150416 / 16 APR 2015

Coffee is now the most popular drink in the world. But what about the
economics and politics of coffee production? It's as complicated as
getting the right flavour in your cup

The sun
EPISODE 150409 / 09 APR 2015

Rob and Neil put on their sunglasses to find out more about this
special star and teach some related vocabulary. We promise you
won’t be blinded with science!

The three-parent baby

EPISODE 150402 / 02 APR 2015

The UK has become the first country to approve legislation allowing

the creation of babies with genetic material from three people. Listen
to Neil and Harry’s conversation and learn some related vocabulary.

A threat to London's artwork?

EPISODE 150326 / 26 MAR 2015

What are some art galleries banning to protect their paintings? Find
out with Neil and Harry

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Human microchips
EPISODE 150319 / 19 MAR 2015

An electronic device under your skin?! Workers in Sweden take part in

experiment which allows them to get in and out of their office without a
key, ID or password. Listen to Neil and Harry’s chat and learn some
related vocabulary.

The two sides of Churchill

EPISODE 150312 / 12 MAR 2015

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Winston Churchill’s death. He

is known throughout the world for his role in defeating Nazi Germany
but he also made mistakes. Listen to Neil and Mike’s discussion, and
learn new vocabulary.

Poverty in a rich world

EPISODE 150305 / 05 MAR 2015

We live in a richer world. But the gap between rich and poor is still
very wide in individual countries. How to change this? Listen to Rob
and Harry’s discussion, and learn some related vocabulary.

The cost of life-saving vaccines

EPISODE 150226 / 26 FEB 2015

The price of vaccines has escalated and some poor countries are
struggling to prevent children from catching certain life-threatening
diseases, says Medecins Sans Frontieres. Listen to Rob and Neil’s
discussion, and learn some related vocabulary.

Do you fear Artificial Intelligence?

EPISODE 150219 / 19 FEB 2015

Will thinking computers be the end of humans? Listen to Rob and

Neil’s chat and learn some related vocabulary.

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Should tourists go to Antarctica?

EPISODE 150212 / 12 FEB 2015

About 37,000 tourists are expected to visit Antarctica this season. But
should they be going to a region with such a sensitive environment?
Listen to Rob and Neil’s conversation and learn some new vocabulary.

Does your CV shine?

EPISODE 150205 / 05 FEB 2015

At a time when more people compete for fewer jobs, are you sure you
present your skills and abilities well to a potential employer? Listen to
Rob and Neil's conversation and learn some related vocabulary.

Are you big on small talk?

EPISODE 150129 / 29 JAN 2015

Going to a party where you don't know anyone? Listen to Rob and
Neil's advice and learn some related vocabulary

Are computers making us dumb?

EPISODE 150122 / 22 JAN 2015

We use computers for everything nowadays. Are we forgetting our

own abilities - and losing our talent? Listen to Rob and Neil's
discussion, and learn some related vocabulary

Smokers to face one more ban

EPISODE 150115 / 15 JAN 2015

Smoking in cars with children might be banned in England. Listen to

Neil and Rob's chat and learn some related vocabulary

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Bullying or normal competition?

EPISODE 150108 / 08 JAN 2015

Is bullying just an attempt to give a bad name to what is part of human

nature? Listen to Rob and Neil’s chat and learn some related
vocabulary.

Time capsules
EPISODE 150101 / 01 JAN 2015

What would you put in your time capsule? Listen to Rob and Neil’s
chat and learn new vocabulary

The Christmas Truce

EPISODE 141225 / 25 DEC 2014

When enemy soldiers sang together in WW1. Listen to Rob and Finn’s
chat and learn some related vocabulary.

42 languages
EPISODE 141218 / 18 DEC 2014

The London school where students speak 42 different languages

Laughter is bad for you

EPISODE 141211 / 11 DEC 2014

Laughter isn't always the best medicine, says research

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Cloud of suspicion
EPISODE 141204 / 04 DEC 2014

Are your pictures, documents and videos safe online? Listen to Rob
and Finn's chat and learn new vocabulary

Sharing economy
EPISODE 141127 / 27 NOV 2014

Nowhere to park? How the sharing economy is changing the way we

use our space

Can science fiction save the world?

EPISODE 141120 / 20 NOV 2014

How can science fiction help the world? Rob and Finn discuss a
project which aims to inspire through stories of a bright future

Is eating meat killing our planet?

EPISODE 141113 / 13 NOV 2014

Why is eating meat bad news?

What makes a superhero?

EPISODE 141106 / 06 NOV 2014

Do real-life superheroes exist or are they just cartoon characters?

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Cigarettes v e-cigarettes
EPISODE 141030 / 30 OCT 2014

Rob and Finn discuss the World Health Organisation's

recommendations on e-cigarettes

The bitter taste of sugar

EPISODE 141023 / 23 OCT 2014

Should we eat less sugar? Listen to Rob and Neil and learn new
vocabulary

How quickly can you learn English?

EPISODE 141016 / 16 OCT 2014

Is learning English getting easier? Find out what's new

Food waste
EPISODE 141009 / 09 OCT 2014

Why do we buy so much food and not eat it all? Learn more about
food waste

Sleeping on the job

EPISODE 141002 / 02 OCT 2014

Is it right to sleep at work? Rob and Finn discuss the benefits of

sleeping on the job.

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The fame game

EPISODE 140929 / 29 SEP 2014

Is the way we see famous people a new thing? Learn about the first
'modern celebrity'.

Dealing with boredom

EPISODE 140821 / 21 AUG 2014

Bored? You're not alone. Rob and Finn discuss how to deal with
boredom and teach some related vocabulary. We promise you won't
be bored!

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