This book explores the evolving world of drones through a multifaceted lens, revealing their profound impact on society and visual culture. The comprehensive collection bridges the gap between technology and aesthetics, dissecting the transformative role drones play in various domains, from cinema and art to surveillance and environmental sensing. Each chapter, penned by leading scholars, explores the unique ways drones are redefining our visual landscape, whether in capturing unprecedented cinematic shots, aiding in critical rescue missions, or offering new perspectives in artistic endeavours.

The book is an essential read for academics, professionals, and enthusiasts alike, and is a key resource for anyone seeking to comprehend the full spectrum of drone capabilities and their implications for the future of visual communication and technology.

Chapter 2 is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Extends current theoretical understandings of digital culture and society Includes concise, clear and constructive academic contributions Provides a multi and interdisciplinary approach

Autorentext

Elisa Serafinelli is a Senior Lecturer in Digital Media and Communication at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. While working at the University of Sheffield (2016-2022), she was awarded a British Academy/Leverhulme small grant and an AHRC Leadership Fellowship for studying drones in society and visual culture to enrich the current scholarship on new visual technologies.

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- Part I Drones in cinema, films, and storytelling.- 2. Controlling Drones in Contemporary Science Fiction.- 3. Threat Trajectories: Cinema, FPV Drones, and Pandemic Anxiety.- 4. Monstrous Mobilities and Predatory Perspectives: Drone Shots and the Gaze of Monsters.- Part II Drones, data, sensing and mapping.- 5 Drone sensing in emergency: Visuals, volumes and vocabularies.- 6. Thermal Aesthetics. Beyond Visuality in Drone Technology.- 7. Global South Dronification: Mapping Drone Socio-Technical Networks in Córdoba (Argentina).- Part III Drone art and creative practices.- 8. Imaginational Metaveillance, Creative Painting Practice, and the Airborne Drone: A Visual Essay.- 9. Speculative VisionsDrones, Digital Art, and Ecological Concerns.- 10. Romancing the Drone: The Vertical Imagination in Indian Wedding Photography.- Part IV Drone Practices: Activism, conflicts, and general uses.- 11. Consumer Drone Warfare: Practices, Aesthetics and Discourses of Consumer Drones in the Russo-Ukrainian War.- 12. The Tourist Drone: Commercial Visions and Practical Considerations.- 13. COMPLEX: A visual index of the Immigrant detention industry.- 14. Concluding Remarks.