In order to build a successful drone manufacturing, operations, or services company, one of course needs to start with a high baseline of technical knowledge. They need to know the ins and outs of what makes a good drone, what new innovations will either make a marked improvement in current workflows or open up entirely new ones, and what verticals are currently missing that could be unlocked by new technology. Years of education and experience are needed to gain this level of technical knowledge, something that can take a lifetime for many people.

Unfortunately, as anyone who has attempted to turn their technical knowledge into a full-fledged business can attest to, said knowledge is not the only factor in what makes a successful organization. In addition to all of that foundational knowledge, one must also have the know-how to take a product or service to market, when to expand into new verticals and how to choose the right ones, how to navigate an ever-changing and complex regulatory web, and how to then turn a successful go-to-market into a sustainable and scalable business.

This is a complex problem for many industries, with the commercial drone space being a particularly challenging one given its relative infancy and the aforementioned regulatory web. For professionals in Europe, one could argue it’s even more difficult due to the fractured nature of that regulatory environment, with a continental body in EASA overseeing the entire region, but different specifics for each individual nation.

All of this was a topic that was discussed during a recent webinar hosted by Commercial UAV News entitled "Navigating ROI, Regulation, and Recruitment: The Business of Drones in Europe." Moderated by CUAV News content manager Matt Collins, the 60-minute panel discussion featured insights from a diverse set of industry experts, one with experience in building a drone services business, another with experience in building a logistics and delivery operation, and another who has worked with both enterprises and regulatory bodies as a consultant in this space. In that order, the participating panelists were:

This wide-ranging conversation is available for free, on-demand viewing by following the link above, but a couple of points brought up in the discussion stand out. As one might expect, the issue of the complex regulatory environment across Europe was a major point of conversation. Both Sutton and Rovira spoke of the complexity that can come from operating in different countries around the continent, though their respective industries make that experience different for each of them. For Rovira, his pain points largely came in the early stages of the company in receiving waivers, but since they generally fly the same routes, he has an easier time with the regulatory aspects of the job once a route is established. For Sutton, whose company works in different industries like construction and utilities, as well as drone light shows, the experience is much more painful.

Herrera came to the conversation from a different perspective as a consultant who works with manufacturers, operations, and regulatory bodies, and understood the frustration of Sutton. When asked about what advice he would give to anyone starting a company in Europe on either the manufacturing or the operational side, he noted that one of the most important considerations is keeping the regulations top-of-mind from the beginning. One of the biggest mistakes he sees is from companies that don’t think about it until the end, which can lead to a lot of redoing earlier processes in order to meet regulations. Often, this is a lot easier if they are handled during the building stage rather than having to go back and fix mistakes later in the process.

Sutton also gave his perspective on how to build a services business, including when to start thinking about different applications and offerings. FlyBy Guys, for example, does inspections and drone light shows, and more recently has created its own software called DroneBundle. When asked how they know when it’s time to expand offerings, he noted that oftentimes it comes from the customers who share a need that they believe can be met by your team. He also talked about the importance of valuing your services highly from the beginning, imploring potential newcomers to the industry to “never sell a drone service cheap,” as they are “providing the value of what that drone service can actually do.”

This entire conversation is available for on-demand viewing below. What’s written above only scratches the surface of the entire conversation, so don’t miss your chance to view it in its entirety.

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