American Robotics CEO Reese Mozer believes that while drone deliveries garner a lot of media attention, they overshadow the more impactful uses of drones in various industries. Speaking with DroneDJ, he highlights how American Robotics is at the forefront of automating critical drone services that are set to revolutionize industrial operations.
According to a report from McKinsey, over 660,000 commercial drone deliveries have occurred in the last three years, with almost 500,000 in 2021 alone. Mozer points out, however, that much of this growth is happening outside of North America, particularly in regions of Africa where companies like Zipline and Swoop Aero conduct numerous medical supply flights. He argues that commercial drone deliveries remain rather limited in scale compared to the far-reaching benefits of drone automation in sectors such as heavy industry, energy, and infrastructure.
Mozer expresses concern that the excitement surrounding delivery drones detracts from the significant and often more lucrative applications of drones in collecting data for inspections and surveying. He predicts that this aspect of drone technology will gain increased recognition in the near future.
Adding weight to Mozer’s assertions, software-based broadband company Ondas Holdings acquired American Robotics for $70.6 million last year. By expanding their team with the addition of artificial intelligence (AI) analytics software company Ardenna, Ondas aims to harness AR’s innovative UAV-in-a-box Scout platform to provide comprehensive drone automation solutions for industrial clients.
American Robotics stands out as the only company with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) waiver for regular beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights, a significant milestone in the field of drone technology. Mozer articulates that this capability is a game-changer, facilitating more extensive applications of drone technology beyond merely delivering coffee and cake.
In a detailed discussion, Mozer explains why he feels delivery drones may not represent the future of drone technology as strongly as data-collection drones. “When you drill down into the details, it becomes clear that data collection has a more critical place in the market, particularly for monitoring industrial assets,” he states.
Mozer categorizes the commercial drone market into two significant segments: drone delivery and data collection. American Robotics focuses on the latter, which encompasses a broad range of industrial applications across sectors such as agriculture, mining, oil and gas, and nuclear power. The essence of data collection drones lies in their ability to digitize real-world assets for inspection and monitoring to prevent hazards or inefficiencies.
For instance, drones can detect methane emissions, monitor pipeline corrosion, and inspect railroads for defects potentially leading to derailments. Mozer argues that the value derived from these inspections is potentially transformative for industries that rely on physical assets, making them keener on automating such processes.
Automation, according to Mozer, stands central to American Robotics’ business model. He highlights that a significant majority of enterprise use cases require full automation to be viable. “Performing inspections once or twice a year is insufficient when the objective is to preemptively detect issues that could arise at any time.”
To ensure comprehensive monitoring, industries need to engage drones that can operate continuously, covering vast areas to capture high-resolution data. This need makes automation not just a luxury but an essential aspect of modern industrial operations. With extensive physical assets to monitor—over 900,000 well pads and 140,000 miles of railway in the U.S.—the scaling of human-operated drone inspections can quickly become unfeasible.
As for the future of automated drone services, Mozer believes the industry is at an inflection point. He argues that both technological advancements and regulatory approvals have now reached the stage where comprehensive, automated drone services can be fully realized. “The next five to ten years will look profoundly different for this sector,” he asserts. 2022 is poised to be a pivotal year for the commercial drone industry, with autonomous operations becoming more prevalent in industrial applications.
American Robotics remains a pioneer with the only FAA waiver allowing for automated beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights without the need for human controllers. Mozer notes that achieving this status involved overcoming numerous hurdles, including the rigorous safety and regulatory standards set by the FAA. “Crafting a system that can operate reliably and repeatedly in real-world conditions is exceptionally challenging,” he explains.
Email Mozer’s examination extends to the collaborative potential following American Robotics’ acquisition by Ondas. The integration allows for enhanced private communication networks crucial for long-range drone operations. The merger has also expanded the company’s resources, supporting its growth in personnel and technological capabilities aimed at delivering comprehensive drone solutions.
With a shared vision between American Robotics and Ondas in the data analytics field, they aim to develop innovative solutions optimized for industrial utility. Both companies operate in overlapping sectors, indicating a synergistic approach to their objectives in transforming industrial data management.