We’ve Been Ready…

While these startups all provide evidence of what is possible with aerial drones, looking at a few other key trends show that the technology and market is already far better positioned than autonomous cars:

Autopilot — Dating all the way back to 1912, autopilot on manned aircraft has evolved over the last 100+ years to automate all aspects of aircraft control with the exception of taxi and takeoff.

Consumer Drone Capabilities — Consumer drones such as the ones found in DJI’s fleets can already automate an entire GPS-guided path with sensors to prevent collisions with buildings or trees using the bulk of technology found in a common smartphone and costing no more than $1K.

Clear Skies — With the exception of airspace deconfliction and inclement weather, autonomous flight has arguably far fewer variables than autonomous driving which may be why autopilot has already been in development over the last 100 years. Icy roads, deer run-outs, unruly drivers/pedestrians, debris, poorly marked signs, construction…the list goes on for variables that autonomous cars need to account for that just aren’t there when you look up.

Navigating Regulations

Currently, the two largest FAA regulations that companies are chomping at the bit to get past are beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) restrictions and prohibited flight over uninvolved persons (i.e. all urban areas).