Ideas, plans and opportunities in 2021

Preparing for an economy powered by drones

There are trends that have the capacity to turn into megatrends and cause radical change in the economy as we know it. Drones managed to do this in a fairly short period of time.

Seen as mere “hobbyist’s toys,” “the rich’s flying cameras” or “underground military machines”, drones have penetrated large areas of our economy again and are beginning to become an important part of our daily lives. . Unimaginable uses of drones are coming to life every day and their evolution will only increase over time.

Business tech buffs around the world are trying to carve out a slice of the pie in this rapidly growing trend. The size of the drone services market is expected to grow from $ 4.4 billion in 2018 to $ 63.6 billion by 2025.

For a budding entrepreneur, owning a drone these days is a latent business opportunity begging to be explored and exploited. For opportunistic businessmen, drones have multiple uses and can be explored and used in a variety of ways.

Before embarking on any drone related activity, it is fundamental to check local regulations on the commercial use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Some countries already have strict regulations in place that restrict the use of drones.

How to get started with a drone business

Before you decide to dive into the fascinating world of drones and the business opportunities associated with them, the very first steps are to enroll in an FAA approved aviation training program to earn a remote pilot certificate, which is a prerequisite for being able to commercially conduct a full-fledged drone business. You can enroll in the Drone Pilot Ground School, which helps novice drone pilots prepare for the appropriate test for the FAA Aviation Knowledge Test.

UAV Coach also offers a step-by-step guide to FAA Part 107 for U.S. commercial drone pilots to assess a drone certification process that covers all new regulations implemented by the FAA.

Drone business opportunities

The potential business opportunities with drones are vast. Below, we’ve listed some of the ways people are getting into the drone business.

Solo aerial film unit (film making)

With basic knowledge of using video cameras and flying drones, people can in-house produce documentaries, short films, video clips, and edits that would otherwise require helicopters to shoot. In addition, drones are cheaper, more maneuverable and safer than helicopters.

Individuals and large corporations can also operate a wedding and special event photography business with drones. Owning a drone can be the ultimate starting point for a freelance commercial photography and videography business, which could turn out to be a secondary or even primary source of income.

Drone Photography Company

Aerial photography represents one of the largest shares of the drone services market. Various markets are turning to aerial photography to collect digital data. For example, the architectural, oil and gas, and civil engineering industries rely on drone photography for data collection, asset management, and aerial mapping.

Agriculture Maning / Company Inspection

Drones in action

Farmers can reduce the variable cost of manually inspecting their farms, as drones can reach niche areas in half the time of manual labor. Farmers can also use UAVs for pest and blight identification, crop health and weed identification, and agricultural applications such as fertilizers, pesticides, and water distribution.

Cartography and Industrial Inspection Company

With a georeferenced map, areas and objects can be easily measured and quantified with drones, which would otherwise take a ground survey team several days. Architects, owners of construction sites, mining engineers, maritime transport and infrastructure professionals, etc. can be potential customers for a drone inspection company.

Drone repair service company

In most infant industries there is a corresponding requirement for maintenance and repair work. With the increasing use of drones around the world and the likely accidents of military and domestic drones associated with it, a good drone repair service will never be without work.

Drone repair may not seem like the most revolutionary business opportunity in the field, but it could be a great way to undermine the market and grow quickly in this particular niche – using 3D printing to keep costs down. .

Professional drone course provider company

As interest in drone uses and operations increases, more and more tech enthusiasts can benefit from the teachings of professional pilots, drone technology experts, and manufacturers. The drone piloting lessons generally involve theoretical and practical sessions. Students can learn basic maneuvers and the safe use of drones to take photos or capture images. Providing students with licenses and certifications can also be offered as part of the coursework by licensed instructors.

Small business delivery

Uber

By obeying local rules and laws, small businesses can benefit tremendously from drones. Drones can deliver everyday supplies, repair materials, products, and perform minor functions that can dramatically lower operating costs for small businesses. Eliminating middlemen and manpower for menial jobs (such as deliveries and pickups) can help boost bottom lines for many businesses around the world.

Drone advertising and marketing company

Drones have another unusual intelligence gathering and data mining function for businesses. As an example, one of the biggest players in retail, Walmart, is testing how drones could help improve warehouse inventory management.

Supported by cloud services and big data techniques, the unprecedented data collection capabilities of drones have the potential to radically alter the competitive dynamics of the information landscape.

Apart from this, drones can be used for marketing campaigns by carrying banner ads and filming aerial footage campaigns, thus maximizing business exposure.

Real estate drone company

The real estate market is an emerging opportunity for drone technology. Drones have the ability to generate video tours for clients interested in the property. Flying over halls and rooftops, drones give customers a more immersive experience than traditional real estate photography.

In addition to the above, other drone business opportunities to consider are:

• Commercial inspection services: Provide inspection services for bridges, cell phone and television towers, wind turbines, power lines, pipelines and even solar panels.
• Fast food delivery: Large companies such as Domino’s Pizza will look to invest in drones for pizza delivery in the future.
• Parcel delivery: Australia Post and Amazon are already investing in drone technology to deliver packages.
• Residential inspections: Check roofs, chimneys, siding, bricks and other structures for exterior damage.
• Drone delivery methods: Solve the “Last 50ft Dilemma” by developing a method of delivery, such as drop, drop, lift, or land.
• Software programming / Applications: If you know something in particular that the drone market is lacking, then invest in building an app for it.
• Drone rental: Since drone technology evolves so quickly, it doesn’t always make sense for a business to make a long-term investment. Renting, rather than selling, drones can provide more flexibility where it’s needed.

More to learn

The opportunities listed here are just a few of the vast opportunities this emerging industry has to offer. After understanding the basic concepts behind the use of drones and its business potential, you should take the time to assess the possibilities and determine what your greatest strengths are.

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