The Future of UAVs
Drones can substitute traditional methods of operation in many business activities, decreasing time and costs while increasing safety and data analytics, which allow companies to better understand and calculate operating performance. In some industries, drones will be even enabling new business models and opportunities. As the demand for drones in the commercial world rises, we’ve sat down with our President and Vice Chair of Operations at Unmanned Systems Canada, Jordan Cicoria to discuss the changes in the unmanned industry in Canada.
What would you say is the biggest achievement in the unmanned industry over the past year?
Over the past year, there has been significant growth towards the development of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) which is an incredible milestone and the step towards integration of BVLOS in commercial drone applications. In addition to this, more businesses are beginning to accept the many benefits drones can provide.
What is AERIUM’s role in this?
Since it’s establishment, AERIUM has been a pioneer when it comes to commercialization of UAV services. Through our work within Project Skysensus and focus on R&D, we are continuing to further the growth of the unmanned industry.
As the unmanned industry continues to evolve and expand, what’s next on the horizon?
Hopefully, we will see new and updated regulations in the next two years that will open more possibilities for the implementation of UAV technology in the commercial world.
How important is innovation for individuals and companies seeking to pursue commercial UAV applications?
Innovation is absolutely crucial, but it should not be the only point of focus. Collaboration through projects and consortiums will allow for rapid industry growth. Bringing together a diverse group of companies and individuals with different views and life experiences will spur on new and creative ideas.
Where do you see UAV industry in five years? Everyone likes to talk about drone delivered pizzas, but what do you anticipate will be a major transformative application of UAVs in commercial and day-to-day use?
While the development of the UAV industry relies heavily on government regulations, we are likely to see increasing adoption of drone use by diverse businesses and industries. Hopefully, these changes will encourage more industries and businesses to adopt UAV technology.
