In “Drones: Enterprise Mission Ready,” an article recently published in Cutter Consortium’s “The Next Frontier in Automation: Opportunities, Challenges, and Impact,” Drone Arrival’s Helen Pukszta analyzes today’s readiness of drones as tools for business innovation.
The following are a few of the takeaways.
Drones are in the ascent stage of the technology lifecycle—climbing out of the bleeding edge firmly into the cutting edge—and today’s potential for enterprise use of drones is unprecedented. Comparison with the path to maturity of the automobile is an apt one, and UAS industry growth and technology adoption will likely be just as circuitous and full of surprises, frustrations, and rewards.
[…] As with any new and potentially transformative technology, all organizations, whether in the private or public sector, should ask the following questions:
- What can drone-based technologies enable us to do that is of value but out of reach today?
- What would a reimagined value chain look like with drones in it?
- What can drones help accomplish in what we do today, but with more safety, accuracy, or efficiency?
- What can we—and our competitors and adversaries—do with easy aerial access and aerial intelligence?
[…] A UAS strategy—one aware of drone technologies’ business potential as well as of the inherent risks and potential liabilities—fits well within broader digital transformation and automation strategies. There is a natural and increasing convergence with robotics, AI, IoT, and autonomous transportation. Thus, drone systems will continue on a rapid innovation cycle with real-time intelligence, analytics, and deepening of the solution stack, as well as tighter integration into organizational operations and processes.
[…] A critical input to a UAS strategy is the analysis of how competitors and new entrants can wield drone-based technologies to rework the value chain, find novel approaches, or produce better results—and how to protect against such threats. At the very least, it is essential to monitor competitive advances in the application of drones and to develop the plans and capabilities to respond.
A free copy of Drones: Enterprise Mission Ready is available here from Cutter Consortium, or contact us for a full copy of the article.
