DRONELIFE is happy to current this insightful visitor put up by Matt Sloane, the Founder and CEO of Skyfire Consulting. As a distinguished determine within the drone trade, Matt brings a wealth of experience and firsthand expertise to the desk. On this reflective piece, he shares worthwhile observations on the state of the drone trade in 2023 and provides his predictions for the transformative yr forward, 2024. DRONELIFE neither accepts nor makes fee for visitor posts.
2023: Trade Reflections by Matt Sloane
As 2023 attracts to an in depth, I wished to mirror on just a few issues concerning the state of the drone trade, and significantly on the general public security house; in addition to make just a few educated predictions for 2024!
First, 2023: A Yr of Transformation
It’s been an unsettling yr within the drone house, not as a result of issues are going poorly; actually, it’s fairly the other. The trade is realigning itself, reinventing to be prepared for what’s coming in 2024 (I’ll get to that in a minute).
There have been mergers, acquisitions, strategic alignments, outright closures and dozens and dozens of horse trades. There are quite a lot of good individuals on this trade, some are in locations the place their abilities are properly utilized; others in locations the place they’re underutilized or outright wasted. That is typical within the early phases of any trade! The chief in the present day might be in chapter subsequent yr – a lot as we noticed with juggernauts like PercisionHawk.
Because the trade shapes into its last – or subsequent type, a number of stuff will get jumbled. However all of that mentioned, 2023 noticed some actual progress ahead. Some actual competitors in locations the place it wanted to exist, and a few particular harbingers of the place that is all headed.
It additionally noticed ALOT of infighting, finger pointing and blame video games. We noticed the stratification of the “pro-China“ vs “anti-China” factions play out in just a few spectacular methods; but it surely stays a sizzling button challenge (maybe the most well liked button) in our trade.
2024: The First Yr of a New Drone Period
So what do we now have to look ahead to in 2024? In so some ways, I imagine the historical past books will report 2024 as the primary yr of the brand new drone trade. Gone are the “flying automotive” type predictions from 10 years in the past of drones crisscrossing within the sky, and package deal supply in 73 seconds from the time of order.
What’s going to start to emerge in 2024 is an image of what the longer term will actually appear like. There will likely be package deal supply in additional locations, however with extra lifelike expectations, and quite a lot of blood sweat and tears on the suppliers. There will likely be flying automobiles in additional locations, however they are going to be restricted.
What’s going to really begin to emerge are “micro-systems” of drone suppliers providing particular companies to particular markets. Drone first responder capabilities are rising, and we’ll see a double-down or triple-down on that. Drones getting used for emergency response, medical machine supply, life-saving expertise, and rather more.
Many former adversaries will discover methods to companion – realizing that we’re higher collectively than we’re at odds with each other.
I additionally imagine Congress will lastly do its job and go the FAA Reauthorization, the FAA will formally launch the rule making for Half 108, and a path to the way forward for BVLOS.
Within the meantime, the Federal Aviation Administration will proceed its heroic, albeit sluggish ahead movement in the direction of this new regular by permitting individuals who do that the precise means early entry by waiver.
There will likely be BIG consolidation amongst small firms, and some (albeit fewer) failures than earlier than.
I’m right here for all of it!
Congrats on making it by way of ‘23, and cheers to what will likely be a really shiny 2024!
Matt Sloane is the CEO and founding father of Skyfire Consulting and its mother or father firm, Atlanta Drone Group. Earlier than he based Atlanta Drone Group in 2014, Matt spent 14 years in varied roles at CNN in Atlanta, Matt has additionally labored as an authorized Emergency Medical Technician for Emory EMS, working his means as much as Chief of Assets and Planning for the division.
Matt is an inaugural member of the Nationwide Hearth Safety Affiliation (NFPA) technical committee on drones, a technical advisor to the Worldwide Affiliation of Hearth Chiefs expertise council, and an FAA-certified pilot.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, knowledgeable drone companies market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone trade and the regulatory atmosphere for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles centered on the industrial drone house and is a global speaker and acknowledged determine within the trade. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising and marketing for brand spanking new applied sciences.
For drone trade consulting or writing, E mail Miriam.
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