Three years ago, when Barry Alexander first pondered the idea of creating an Uber-like app for civilians and businesses to order drone services, the global economy was doing well. Stock markets were booming, national unemployment was virtually non-existent, and the U.S. drone industry was growing at a rapid pace. Fast forward to 2022 and the picture is very different. America is still dealing with the damaging delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic which has wreaked havoc across all industries, including the commercial drone sector. But signs of positive change abound.
Today, Connecticut-based drone service provider Aquiline Drones Corporation (AD) announced that it has finally launched an introductory version of the original app that aims to disrupt and revolutionize the way business owners and consumers access and use drone services. Similar to Uber and Lyft, the Aquiline Drone-on-Demand (ADoD) app is now available for download on all mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets through Google Play Store and Apple IOS.
Here’s how it works:
- Users download ADoD app from Google Play Store or Apple IOS.
- They are prompted to create a user profile.
- A list of available drone services for individuals and businesses is displayed.
- Users can order their specific drone service for personal or commercial use.
- The job application is checked for legality and practicality, then matched with a certified and trained drone service provider (DSP), the majority of whom are graduates of the Flight-to drone pilot training academy -the-Future of Aquiline. These DSPs live close to the customer’s location and are able to perform the service. With this beta launch, customers can process their requests within 30 days. Over time, the period between work request and execution will be dramatically shortened to become truly on-demand.
“When our on-demand drone application was first conceptualized, it was with the understanding that UAV [unmanned aerial vehicles] the regulatory environment would allow for scalability and mass adoption of drone delivery services,” Alexander said. “Unfortunately, the drone industry has been hit hard by the pandemic, which has led to production delays, staff layoffs and supply chain issues. As career aviators, we are used to operating in turbulent – even economic – climates and so decided to pivot our on-demand drone app accordingly.
Specifically, Alexander notes that a major task originally planned for the ADoD app was drone delivery services for light packages, drugs and prescriptions, even human organs and tissues. However, the airspace, as regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has not yet approved this activity by creating the migration paths and channels necessary to fulfill it. “As we saw with the recent shutdown of Verizon Skyward and Amazon Prime Air drone delivery businesses, no one can predict how long this approval process will take,” Alexander adds.
Aside from the pandemic, Alexander points out that there are still many misconceptions about drones regarding privacy, further delaying wider acceptance of the technology. Commercial drones that are supported by an artificial intelligence (AI) platform can perform a wide range of activities in a safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective manner. AD has already built a platform for such applications.
Alexander points out that the new ADoD app takes a “crawl-walk-run approach” and easily offers many semi-autonomous operations that don’t involve surveillance or raise consumer privacy concerns. For example, some of the services available on the ADoD app for businesses and consumers include:
- Utility inspections including, for example, power lines, pipelines and wind turbines.
- Heavy asset inspections including, for example, bridges, tunnels, construction sites and railways.
- Consumer services including roof inspections, aerial photography and videography.
- Agricultural services, such as seeding, crop spraying and hydration, and other precision farming activities.
- Spray wash buildings, solar panels, houses, roofs and gutters.
- Fumigation of mosquitoes, insects and other pests around houses and buildings.
- Wildlife tracking, beach patrol and other natural environments.
- Sanitation of stadiums, concert halls and other outdoor and extended public facilities
- Aerial photography and videography for weddings, real estate and marketing purposes
“It’s really the tip of the iceberg as more B2B, B2C and even Business to Industry (B2I) activities are being done,” Alexander said. “In fact, we plan to use the application to know what is the demand for certain drone activities and where these requests come from so that we can identify and mobilize our technical and human resources, i.e. specialist drone service providers, to carry out the particular missions.
As such, Alexander notes that one of the main functions of the ADoD app is to aggregate job applications, which then drives the drone job market where people can get into the services of drones as a career. “Essentially, we are creating both a demand for emerging drone services, as well as a supply of drone operators to meet them, thus fostering a powerful cycle of workforce development,” adds Alexander.
In fact, the sole property of AD Flight to the future program (F2F) was launched during the pandemic as a job opportunity for those wishing to become certified drone pilots and sole proprietorship owners. Over six months, students in the interactive online program learn how to use drone and cloud technology safely and effectively – integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) in daily missions. In addition to earning their FAA Part 107 commercial drone pilot certification, F2F program participants are immersed in cloud computing, AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and other technologies transforming the drone industry. unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Instructor-guided one-on-one flight training and industry specialization complete the course.
Alexander notes that the current pool of approximately 1,500 F2F students can easily transition to become DSPs for tasks commissioned by ADoD application customers. For more information on the F2F program, visit: www.flighttothefuture.com. If you are a current drone pilot looking to become part of the ADoD Supplier Network, simply email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
In addition to offering a streamlined drone service ordering system and a comprehensive drone pilot training course, AD also provides drone insurance for all missions. “At their core, drones are miniature flying planes and therefore safety is always our #1 concern,” adds Alexander. “One wrong move and an amateur pilot could be faced with hundreds or thousands of dollars in damage, or a complete drone replacement.”
Additionally, AD provides three of its own advanced drone models – the Spartacus Hercules, Spartacus MAX and Spartacus Hurricane for operators and business owners looking to build their equipment and asset inventory. The company offers aggressive and flexible financing with the best terms in the industry, as well as maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for ongoing maintenance and safety protocols. »
“The ADoD app is really the entry point into our company’s entire ecosystem of drone products, offerings and services,” adds Alexander. “We envision a world in which the full value of commercial drone applications can be brought into society to help save lives, increase efficiency, reduce costs and drive sustainability. We believe it is It is important to achieve these goals in an ethical and responsible manner. AD is delighted to help make this vision a reality in our country.”
Future versions of the ADoD app will be released based on the overall drone industry, especially as the use of autonomous drones grows. The plans include voice commands, live interfaces between the user and the drone during flight, and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted object recognition. Download the ADoD app today.
About Aquilin Drones
Aquiline Drones Corporation (AD) is an American drone solutions company and private charter airline service. Based in the financial district of Hartford, Connecticut, AD’s unique portfolio of products and services provides the commercial drone industry with end-to-end solutions to meet the growing demand for commercial drones, drone service providers (DSP) and drone-related services. . As such, AD offers drone pilot training and certification, drone production and maintenance, Internet of Things (IoT) based solutions for enterprise customers, on-demand drone services based on applications, private air transport for passengers and sensitive goods, and finally, commercial drone insurance for DSP operations. These offerings are centrally managed through AD Cloud, a bespoke unmanned systems platform that provides DSPs with an easy-to-use operations tool to facilitate and streamline customer services. AD’s full range of solutions apply to a wide range of industries and environments and include cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) capabilities for real-time data processing and insights . Founded by veteran aviator and entrepreneur, CEO Barry Alexander, AD’s core leadership includes highly experienced aviators, systems engineers, information systems and technology specialists, military personnel (including veterans) and shrewd business strategists. Visit www.AquilineDrones.com for more information.
PHOTO: Aquiline Drones’ new Drone on Demand (ADoD) platform promises to revolutionize the drone services industry for consumers and businesses by putting the power of drone technology at your fingertips. The ADoD app is now downloadable on all mobile devices including smartphones and tablets through Google Play Store and Apple IOS.
Photo courtesy of: Aquiline Drones Corporation
