No one can predict the future, but it is difficult to imagine a future where drones and other kinds of robots will not be an important component of our lives. They will help first responders assess risks, survey damage, and look for victims after natural disasters. They will swarm out over fruit orchards, counting oranges and assessing the health of trees. They might even, one day, deliver your newspaper. As someone who has lived in this area for nearly 30 years, and as the dean of Penn Engineering, I am simply delighted that Philadelphia is playing a role in inventing the future.