Consumer vs. Commercial Drones
Drones, drones everywhere. And not just the ones being flown by hobbyists in the park or used to deploy military weapons. Somewhere in the middle of those two uses, consumer and commercial drones serve a lot of valuable purposes. These devices range in technical capacity and price and are becoming more and more essential for business operations and our personal lives.
What Do Businesses Use Drones For?
Drones are sophisticated enough for use in a huge range of commercial enterprises. Of course, the most complex and capable drone technology is used by the military for surveillance and even combat. Commercial drones don’t have these capacities but have become essential technology for many businesses.
Drones for Agriculture
Farmers quickly recognized the value of drones. Agriculture is a sector that quickly adopted drone technology. Drones are used to map and study farmland, inventory crops, identify failing crops and map irrigation systems. They can also be equipped to disseminate pesticides, water or fertilizers. In addition to the benefits for plant life and crops, animal populations can be tracked and monitored using drones.
Drones for Internet Services
Drones that deliver the internet are a new frontier being explored by many technology power players. Back in 2016, Facebook built and proceeded to fly Aquila, a solar-powered internet plane. It was grounded midway through 2018. Google had a similar, and similarly abandoned, idea. Now, the concept is being picked up as a partnership between NASA and SoftBank (for AeroVironment). The solar internet drone is called Hawk 30. The goal is to test its ability in different altitudes and with different frequencies and communications payload. It remains to be seen whether this has the potential to establish permanent internet in the stratosphere.
Drones for Real Estate and Architecture
Architects and realtors rely on the imagery from drones for 3D renderings. Construction projects and real estate transactions can use drone footage to track progress and market homes. Before drones, it was essentially impossible or cost-prohibitive to get aerial footage that could be populated with 3D images/plans or illustrate a planned community. Now, this is a wonderful, revenue-generating resource for professionals in these fields.
Drones for Filmmaking
It’s safe to say that drones have transformed TV and film. Even while they are regulated by the FAA, drones are far more accessible than historical methods for capturing aerial footage. There is a major cost saving and ease of use. Adding a drone pilot and requisite equipment to a film crew makes getting those perfect golden light shots or swooping skyward footage a breeze.
Drones as a Service
Spanning the commercial to consumer gap, drones as a service (or turnkey drone solutions) is a way for businesses to use drone technology without having a huge inventory of drones. The company Measure is a thought-leader in this space. They’ve launched automation platforms, mobile flight and mapping as well as Drones as a Service and Enterprise Solutions.
What Do Consumers Use Drones For?
Drones are also becoming a standard issue for regular people. With accessible price points and models so easy they can be used by kids, drones are sitting on the shelf in a lot of homes. When they take flight, they do so for a few reasons.
Epic pics and vids: home movies have gotten a major upgrade since drones became affordable and accessible. That sweet vacation shot, home movie or wedding video can now include amazing aerial imagery. Many professional photographers or videographers can now use drones to make a moment truly magical.
Insurance: many insurance companies are now using drones to inspect and capture footage of buildings and homes. It may be possible that your insurance company will send out a drone pilot and device to thoroughly document the state of your home before issuing or renewing your policy.
Deliveries: in the future, it’s likely that your Prime delivery is going to get dropped off via drone. It’s also possible that urgently needed medical supplies and disaster relief could get an assist from drone technology.
Commercial Drone Brands and Best Buys
Unmanned aerial vehicles (the technical term for drones) are available as commercial models, with plenty of high-tech features. Some of the best drones for commercial use are:
DJI drones are some of the most popular on the market and come in commercial and consumer models. Some of the popular commercial options are:
DJI Mavic 2 Pro: this model is considered to be one of the best small drones you can buy. It has great battery life and high video quality. DJI Mavic 2 Pro price starts at $1,599.
DJI Inspire 2: raw video capture (5.2K), superior build and high-end performance. DJI Inspire 2 price starts at $3,569.
There are a few other standout companies that make great commercial drones.
Yuneec H520 Hexacopter: built for commercial use, it allows for long flight times and reliable flight even in high-wind. It can provide stall flight and change environments without disruption. Yuneec H520 price starts at $3,798.
UVify IFO-S: this is a simple drone that’s based on UVify’s first (very popular) entertainment drone. It has a light body and has aerial robotics capabilities. UVify IFO-S price starts at $1,999.
Consumer Drone Brands and Best Buys
Drones that you can buy for home or light work are affordable and easy to use. Keep in mind that many drones do require FAA registration and a license to operate. Some, however, are low-flying and great for the whole family. Here are some of the best drones for consumer use:
DJI Mavic Mini: all DJI Mavic Mini reviews praise its high-quality camera, stable images and ease of use. DJI Mavic Mini price starts at $399.
Syma X20 Mini Drone: this drone is made by Symatoys and comes with basic hardware. It is simple and very affordable. Great for kids or a drone you’re just trying out. Price starts at $35.
Propel Star Wars X-Wing Starfighter: ready to access your inner nerd? If you are really buying a drone just for the fun of it, this one is modeled to look like a Star Wars X-Wing Starfighter and will offer up plenty of entertainment and admiration. Price starts at $45.
Drone Repair in Federal Way
Have a broken down drone? Gadget Genie can help! Our expert team provides repairs for consumer or commercial drones. We can repair DJI drones, DJI Mavic Minis and all other makes and models of drones.
Many drones are fixable, whether they have software issues or physical damage. If you’re looking for “drone repair near me,” you can bring your drone into us for assessment and recommended repairs.
