How to address the challenges of commercial drone photography and boost your business
Introduction
Drones are reshaping the world of aerial photography, and the opportunities for manufacturers continue to accelerate. From a global market value of $3.4 billion in 2020, drone services are projected to achieve $126.1 billion by 2027. In the UK alone, by 2030 there will be 628,000 people working in the drone economy.
What’s more, the aerial photography and remote sensing segment are leading the way, and on track to achieve a 74.1% CAGR to reach $54.9 billion worldwide by 2027.
There’s no doubt that drones reduce the costs and turnaround times associated with capturing images from the sky. They eliminate administrative barriers, diminish risk, and enable missions that are dangerous or impossible using conventional manned aircraft. But they can also present challenges around image quality, with problems that include motion blur, poor focusing, or image vignetting.
In an increasingly mature and segmented industry, manufacturers need to work hard to maintain the relevance and competitiveness of their offerings. This is becoming increasingly important, as a wide range of players battle for significant market share.
Many manufacturers are spending heavily on technology and introducing new features. And with changes in drone regulations made by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) supporting the deployment of drones, the opportunities are vast. Yet without addressing the high-quality photography needs of end users, some manufacturers could get left behind.
However, picture quality must be viewed as part of an overall balancing act. Given the technical constraints of drone flight, manufacturers must also consider camera size and weight, low light performance, battery capacity, and SDK integration.
And in the battle for market relevance and leadership, there are three main application fields that need to be satisfied:
- Mapping and Surveying
- Inspection
- Surveillance, and Security
In this paper, we will explore the overall challenges and opportunities for drone manufacturers and OEM equipment providers. We will also drill down into the specific pain points encountered within mapping and surveying, inspection, surveillance, and security, as well as the requirements of the target audiences and the solutions that are available.
We will also examine Sony camera solutions in more detail, focusing on the products within the Sony Alpha range. The compact size and low weight of Sony’s Alpha cameras make them easy to integrate into a drone airframe, while Sony’s SDK seamlessly pairs the cameras with electronic systems for communication and control. This combination preserves the vehicle’s maneuverability while also maximizing camera control and minimizing demand on the main battery, extending flight time. Depending on the drone usage requirements, different Sony Alpha cameras will be recommended, alleviate the pain points of the end user.
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