This week’s “Around the Commercial Drone Industry” news round-up looks at a Drone Industry Insights report on a decrease in funding in the drone industry, UAVs engaged in volcano research in Costa Rica, and how the Italian olive oil industry is looking to improve production by using drones.

A Decrease in Funding for the Drone Industry

Drone Industry Insights (DII) looked at investment levels in the drone industry over the past ten years and concluded that “investments have significantly declined” in recent years. Specifically, the market research firm found that “The amount of money invested in the drone industry in 2022 was USD 3.04 billion. However, the total value of investments decreased by 43% (to USD 1.7 billion) in 2023 and by an additional 54% in 2024 (to USD 820 million).” DII stated that “regulatory restrictions hinder organic market expansion” and cited the need to acquire more funding as “the biggest challenges for the industry.”

UAVs for Volcano Research in Costa Rica

Last month, Dronelife reports, “a team from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) used drones to collect gas samples from the crater of Poás volcano in Costa Rica.” According to the report, the researchers are looking for ways to “make volcano research safer by testing a new method of soil gas measurement using unmanned aircraft.” By deploying UAVs, the researchers were able “to collect data from a volcanic crater about half a mile wide and 1,000 feet deep—one of the largest on Earth—without exposing personnel to dangerous conditions.” For the study, researchers flew a “small Parrot drone to scout a safe landing area and a 24-pound Alta X Heavy Lift drone to carry the scientific instruments.”

Drones for Efficient Olive Oil Production in Italy

From Olive Oil Times comes news that Italy’s Liguria region “is funding an experimental project to enhance olive farming” new technologies like smart sensors, artificial intelligence, and drones. According the report, UAVs will “apply treatments to olive trees more sustainably and efficiently, with hopes of influencing Italian and European lawmakers to create regulations for drone use in agriculture.” Ultimately, the project looks to give farmers “valuable insights and advice based on real-time soil and plant data” that could improve “productivity in traditional olive groves.”