Eye in the sky

The technology used to film a spectacular high-rise stunt has a more grounded use.

Adriah Ninteoar, the pilot for Technometer Middle East, uses drone technology with an attached thermal camera to inspect and scan the exterior of Etihad Towers in Abu D habi for tiny holes where cold air might escape. Christopher Pike / The NationalShow less

Great ideas sometimes come about through happy coincidence. Just ask Richard Foulds, the manager of Etihad Towers, on the Abu Dhabi Corniche. Like many of us, he was impressed by the spectacular stunt in the blockbuster Furious 7, where a supercar bursts out of one of the skyscrapers and into another. He was especially intrigued by the drone used to film the scene. He guessed, correctly, that a drone camera could help spot tiny air leaks in the buildings’ window seals, saving time and money in repairing them.

This kind of thing is not unique. Technologies created for one purpose often end up being used in entirely different ways. The hair-loss treatment Rogaine was first devised to lower blood pressure, Play-Doh was devised to remove spots from wallpaper, and the texting function on a mobile phone was an afterthought that became more popular than the device’s intended purpose.

As much as we value scientific discovery, it sometimes take serendipity to find an invention’s best use.