Is this the year of the drone? by Steve Marsten

Last week I heard one of the most interesting stories I’ve heard in a long time.  I was talking to a neighbour of a friend in Brisbane and his 14 year old son was flying his newly purchased drone down the street about 70 to 80 metres in the air. We watched on his iPad console other neighbours mowing their lawns, a junk mailer walking up the street filling up the mail boxes and children playing cricket across the street. Suddenly the drone came up the street and the lad had it hover over my friend’s roof.  We could see some cracked tiles and his gutters were full of leaf matter.

We suddenly started talking about the commerciality of such devices. The neighbour suddenly realised the benefits of using a drone to check out sites as he himself is a roof painter. We suddenly realised the many ways that this simple toy (or highly sophisticated piece of technology?) could be used by so many different businesses. For example a real estate agent could use a drone to check in on sites for owners and monitor progress remotely. Electricians could use drones to inspect high level wiring on housing. During the conversation – the lad who was operating the drone and listening in on the conversation, reminded his Dad how they founds their lost dog with the drone – apparently the dog broke out and was in the next street!

I took the time to do some research on drones and found that in the US they are already selling drones that can fly up to 15-20 klms from the base unit and carry 9 kilos. A pharmaceutical business was using drones to deliver medication to its customers in the immediate area. Switzerland and Germany have tested drones in delivering supplies to storm affected.

Being an auditor in a past life, I can see the use of drones by some larger accounting firms to audit stockpiles such as woodchip and coal. A local football coach told me it’s worthwhile thinking about a drone over the top of his team’s football game so he could give his players better tips on strategy. Maybe the NRL may have an issue with that!

Drones will explode as the next big gizmo and then there will be the add ons – like drone mechanics, drone pilot schools and the government will get involved and charge people for licences and the like.

I think we are a few years away from the drone getting me a drink from the fridge however the new landscape is very exciting. As a business owner of Sothertons I love discussing innovation with other business owners. Call us on 4972 1300.