Drones Mature, Yet Companies Struggle to Implement Programs

The commercial drone industry is experiencing a significant shift in focus. While the technology has advanced rapidly, many organizations still face challenges in developing robust drone programs. Mohammad Hamid, a consultant based in Detroit, Michigan, highlights this gap, arguing that although drones have matured into reliable tools, many companies struggle to integrate them into their operations effectively.

Hamid, often referred to as Mo, emphasizes that the issue is not merely about flying drones but rather about establishing a sustainable operational model. “Most teams can fly a drone,” he states. “Very few teams can run drones like a program.” This distinction is crucial as it highlights the need for organizations to transition from viewing drones as a temporary solution to treating them as integral components of their operational framework.

Advancements in Drone Technology

Recent developments in drone technology have focused less on flashy designs and more on enhancing functionality. Improvements in autonomy have reduced pilot workload, while advances in payload capacity have kept pace with aircraft improvements. New drone-in-a-box systems are emerging, allowing drones to function more like infrastructure rather than mere tools. Alongside these advancements, the industry is standardizing essential elements, including compliance with Remote ID regulations, safety documentation, and operational checklists—key components necessary for scaling drone programs.

Mo’s perspective is straightforward: “If the only time you fly is when the drone expert is available, you have a hobby. If you can fly every week with a standard workflow and clean audit trail, you are building capability.” This capability is evident as businesses in various sectors, such as manufacturing and public safety, increasingly harness drones for practical applications. Drones are being utilized for inspections, enhancing situational awareness in emergencies, and improving efficiency in inventory management.

The Challenge of BVLOS Operations

A significant distinction in the drone industry is between operations conducted under visual line of sight (VLOS) and those beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). While many organizations operate comfortably within VLOS, which allows a pilot to maintain direct visual contact with the aircraft, BVLOS presents opportunities for large-scale applications. BVLOS enables continuous coverage for tasks such as pipeline inspections and emergency response, transforming drones from tools into essential components of infrastructure.

The transition to BVLOS operations is hindered primarily by the need for credible safety protocols concerning separation, detect-and-avoid technologies, and command-and-control systems. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has indicated a willingness to support BVLOS normalization, with proposed rule changes aimed at facilitating routine operations by August 2025.

“BVLOS is where drones stop being a tool and start being a network,” Hamid asserts. “That is also where governance stops being paperwork and starts being operational design.” This evolution suggests that regulatory frameworks should be integrated into the operational design of drone programs rather than treated as afterthoughts.

Regulatory compliance is increasingly seen as part of the design system rather than a mere checklist. Remote ID compliance, for example, is essential for most operations, with the FAA’s enforcement deadline set for March 16, 2024. For drone delivery and advanced operations, adherence to Part 135 regulations is crucial for ensuring safety and operational integrity.

Understanding the Procurement Landscape

In the competitive drone market, incumbency is not solely defined by who manufactures the drones. It encompasses various factors, including procurement practices, integration with existing systems, and customer trust in regulated environments. DJI remains a dominant player, but U.S. policy and security concerns are influencing procurement decisions. Meanwhile, Skydio has expanded its presence in public safety and government sectors, forming partnerships to enhance Drone as First Responder programs.

For successful enterprise deployments, it is essential that drones seamlessly integrate with existing operational workflows. Established platforms, such as Esri’s Drone2Map, facilitate this integration, allowing organizations to incorporate drones into their standardized operations.

“People talk about drones like they are buying a device,” Mo explains. “In practice, you are buying an ecosystem and an operating rhythm.” This perspective underscores the need for organizations to recognize the broader implications of incorporating drones into their operations.

Battery Management as a Critical Component

While flight time often garners attention, the reliability of energy sources remains a fundamental concern. Factors such as cold weather, strong winds, and frequent redeployments can impact operational efficiency. The FAA has issued warnings regarding lithium battery safety, emphasizing the potential risks associated with thermal runaway due to various factors, including overheating and overcharging.

Effective battery management systems (BMS) are essential for organizations using drones as industrial tools. These systems should include state-of-health tracking, thermal monitoring, and standardized charging protocols. Hamid stresses the importance of treating batteries as critical assets: “Battery is not a component. Battery is the mission clock. If you do not manage it like an asset, it will manage your program for you.”

Building a Framework for Success

To transition from experimental drone use to structured programs, Hamid suggests a sequenced approach for organizations aiming to implement drone technology effectively. This includes:

1. Identifying specific scenarios where drones outperform traditional alternatives in speed, safety, or cost.
2. Writing a mission specification akin to a product requirement, outlining the environment, payload, and data expectations.
3. Designing a regulatory path alongside operational workflows.
4. Managing energy systems with rules for battery lifecycle and maintenance.
5. Demonstrating repeatability over a defined period before scaling up.

Mo concludes, “Drones do not scale because you proved one flight. They scale when you can predict performance, explain risk, and deliver clean data into the systems that actually run the business.”

As the drone industry moves into a more structured phase, with tighter standards and maturing ecosystems, the successful integration of drones will depend on their governance, safety, and operational reliability. Hamid’s insight encapsulates this evolution: “Once drone programs feel boring, they will be everywhere. Boring is what scale looks like.”