Three drone experts took the stage during the latest YellowScan User Meeting to discuss the future of the industry. The participants were Thomas Eder (Nokia), Robert Leake (Quantum Systems), and Martin Held (Hero.aero). The panel was led by Roberto Casini (YellowScan).
How changes in BVLOS restrictions affect the drone industry
Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) is the ability to conduct unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations without the need for pilots to maintain constant visual proximity to the UAVs at all times. But to be able to fly BVLOS, drone operators need waivers that require lots of paperwork and are therefore not that easy to obtain. The situation is different in the US where such waivers are easier to get than in Europe. Currently, exceptions exist for so-called blue light organizations (police, emergency services, fire brigades) in certain countries, which provides opportunities for drone regulators such as the FAA in the US and EASA in Europe that such drone operations can be conducted safely. Hopefully, this situation will lead to new business cases to prove that investments in drone technology from customers pay themselves back.
In some large countries including Brazil and Australia, customer demand for large-scale drone flights of 25,000 up to 100,000 hectares is now a reality, which requires BVLOS while regulators are slowly responding. Both manufacturers and customers should communicate with regulators on how to move forward so that it becomes easier to get permission for BVLOS operations while providing safety for people on the ground as well as other air-based vehicles. This requires finding a balance between being able to scale up drone operations as a service from drone operators, as well as implementing regulatory standards that guarantee safety.
How AI changes the drone market
How AI will help the drone market is different for each of the participants. In the case of Nokia for example, third-party application providers can bring their AI on board to Nokia’s drone platform in the form of an app that is offered through an app store. Nokia does see a strong potential for AI in terms of connectivity, as a drone connects over 4G or 5G networks, similar to smartphones. This connectivity enables a form of predictive intelligence that tells a customer when a drone needs to switch to a different network or the drone when scaling the quality of its payload up or down.
For Quantum Systems, the potential lies in AI on the data side of things. AI will help optimize and shorten data capture and analysis workflows while simultaneously relying less on operators and data analysts. For Hero.aero, AI will enable to substitute a remote pilot in the future. While there’s technically no threshold anymore to make this a reality, it’s the regulatory perspective that limits this development.
What market segments will gain the most traction?
Nokia mentions several market segments as Interesting verticals for the future of drones. These are the blue light sector, as well as mission-critical industries including utilities (powerline monitoring using drones) and oil and gas. Similarly to blue light sector applications, these use drones with a flying security camera. Quantum Systems mentions that industries with the money and manpower to use drones for inspection services will likely upscale these efforts in the future. Where the tipping point will be for drones in agriculture is not yet clear, but maybe AI-driven workflows or drones-in-a-box will enable growth in this industry at one point.
Resource: How do UAV experts imagine the future of the drone industry?
