It is amazing to see how soon the Drone’s have become part of the culture as event enders with Drone shows or even main events. Drone technology using 4 motors started becoming mainstream when FAA issued the first permits in 2006 and the production of DJI Phantom 4 in 2016, though the first phantoms started in 2012.
From then to now, DJI phantom has owned the drone market, but it was not always so…there was Parrot drone from France that came into commercial production in 2010, followed by 3DR’s solo drone. It is insightful to read about how 3DR started as a company to make drone parts and then grew to create a drone that ultimately failed. There is a good Forbes article about the transition of a successful 3DR to an ultimately unsuccessful company.
The insight is that as the technology gets adopted, it becomes simpler and then creative uses are developed but it takes time. There are obvious uses of drones – to remotely monitor or some way used in war is different from where it has developed too. For example, many of the fireworks shows that use combustible material and are dangerous to operate have been replaced with Drone shows which are cheaper and easier to show. It is not quite the same but it is definitely unique and is controllable.
When technology starts getting adopted, new uses will develop that may not be what a initial venture see’s in the beginning but it will certainly be used. For new technologists, keep your eyes and ears open to what is possible in the future.
