Technological Solutions to Overcoming Hurdles in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Systems Market

Over the last decade, unmanned aerial vehicles and systems (UAVs/UASes)—also referred to as drones—have become widely popular and gained significant interest in commercial, consumer, and government markets. What used to be a largely military- focused application now has more than 400 companies worldwide engaged in developing drone technology and enabling use cases for the new era of commercial drones. The premise of having a flying object that can perform mission critical and business critical tasks, without much human involvement, offers a pivotal moment in the realm of smart automation and productivity. Regulations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other agencies, despite their positive intentions, limit the mass application of these drones. Additionally, growing competition is already leading to commoditization before the market has even gained its footing. This article discusses how innovations in RF and microwave technology can provide a technical justification to ease regulatory barriers and help drone manufacturers differentiate their solutions to better succeed in the marketplace.