How is the Drone Industry Expected to Behave in 2019?

Drones have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Both commercial and domestic drones have become a popular investment, largely due to technological developments within the industry.

Today’s drones have far more capabilities than ever before, so how is the drone industry expected to behave throughout 2019?

Here, we’ll take a look at some of the leading trends to watch out for in the drone sector this year.

Commercial drones set to dominate industry

There has been a lot of development within both commercial and domestic drones in recent years. However, throughout 2019, it’s commercial drones which are set to dominate the industry. In particular, there will be a large focus on developing and incorporating drone technology into the agricultural, telecommunications and first responder industries.

It’s also thought that there will be some collaboration between commercial businesses. A collaboration would allow a few companies to come together to dominate the sector. Commercial businesses using drones will also be investing more into insurance to protect themselves against the risks.

Drone hardware will become more affordable

As well as improvements within AI technology, sensors and drone technology, the cost of drone hardware is set to become more affordable this year. While drones are readily available, they are known to be fairly expensive. This is especially true when it comes to developing drones within the commercial sector. So, the fact that drone hardware from companies such as RS, will become more affordable, means that more companies will be able to get in on drone development.

The development of autonomous drones

We’ve heard of autonomous vehicles, but did you know there is work being made to develop autonomous drones too? Manufacturers are looking into developing prescriptive or predictive autonomous flight drones, meaning they would no longer require remote pilots. This would make them even more accessible within the commercial sector. It’s been predicted that over 12,000 autonomous drones will be delivered by 2022.

So, while autonomous drones won’t be hitting the market in 2019, manufacturers will be hard at work, developing the technology.

New regulations could be introduced

Some experts are predicting that new regulations could be introduced in 2019. In particular, it is expected that the FAA will implement a new requirement that all drones flying within the US will need remote identification.

However, while these new regulations are likely to be proposed, it’s unsure whether or not they will be implemented this year.

These are just some of the key trends expected to take place in the drone industry this year. Drone technology is consistently being updated, so it’s also likely we’ll start to see more sophisticated drones entering the market.