While the speed, cost-effectiveness, and safety advantages that drones represent for commercial applications have long been recognized, many of those efficiencies require the technology to be autonomously deployed to be fully realized. Drone-in-a-box solutions allow users to harness that kind of autonomy in a very real way, but how do the capabilities of the multiple systems that are now readily available compare with one another?  

Those specifics were on full display at XPONENTIAL Europe 2025, with multiple exhibitors showcasing solutions that are already being utilized in locations and by professionals across the world. Below is a brief look at some of the drone-in-a-box solutions that dominated discussions on the floor of the event. 

Exabotix

Designed and manufactured in Germany, the Exabotix drone-in-a-box solution can be utilized for inspections of pipelines, solar plants, power lines, railway lines and other critical infrastructure facilities. At XPONENTIAL Europe, attendees were able to interact with the system itself by pressing a button and seeing how the drone rises up and out of the box before launch. Operation, flight planning and maintenance are available as a service package that can augment or change how companies are currently utilizing helicopters for inspections. Exabotix has plans to extend these offerings across the country and beyond. 

“Right now, we can fly BVLOS in Germany so we’re working with companies across the country to show them what the benefits can look like for critical infrastructure inspections,” said Julian Ederleh, Marketing Manager for Exabotix. “We’re looking to expand across Europe very soon, as our solution is approved and ready to go according to EU drone regulations.”

More info about the Exabotix drone-in-a-box solution can be seen in the recent edition of Drones Magazine.

DroneMatrix

Featured in the Nipson Innovation booth, the YETI is a drone-in-a-box solution from DroneMatrix. Consisting of the YETI drone and the YEDO docking station, the solution has a climate-controlled environment that protects the drone from weather and other environmental conditions. The extendible funnel is the most unique feature of the product, which was created to ensure the YETI drone lands autonomously in the correct orientation. Designed to be used in a wide range of applications, the YETI has made a difference to users that is just the beginning of the value the product is set to further enable.  

“We have customers that have quantified a 10x reduction in cost after integrating our product,” said Michael Wanduch from Nipson Innovation. “Our systems are already being used in major industrial and critical security settings like harbors and plants, and we plan to expand those benefits with further improvements to motion detection and AI-powered analysis that already define how the solution work.”

Delta Fluid

In the Airial UAS booth, attendees were able to see the dRack from DELTA-Fluid, which is their individually customizable drone-in-a-box solution that is more "box" than "drone," allowing users to further leverage a drone or fleet that's already operational. Designed to connect and integrate relevant security systems and AI to ensure seamless monitoring, the system is specifically tailored to the challenges of outdoor site security and is as robust as it is adaptable.

“Our solution is wholly plastic, so there are no corrosion issues,” said Torseten Heinrichs from the Delta-Fluid team. “Additional features include an electro-hydraulic opening mechanism with fully automated opening control along with different charging options. We’re focused on security applications, but we can design and customize the specifics depending on what someone wants to do, so it all depends on the use case.”

Autel Robotics

We’ve seen the advancements that Autel Robotics has made to its EVO MAX series along with new capabilities for its Dragonfish VTOL series, but the EVO Nest represents something different. Easily transportable and featuring automatic take-off, storage, and charging capabilites, the EVO Nest was designed to be an end-to-end solution for remote management that is as easy to use as it is practical.

“Our goal with the EVO Nest was to give drone pilots the flexibility and control they need,” said Stacey Gao from Autel Robotics. “Our system is a lot smaller than some of the other ones out there, so it can be set up by a team of just two people. It also has fewer moving parts, which goes back to the concept of this being a drone-in-a-box solution that is easy to setup, maintain and operate.”

Hollyway

One of the more unique-looking drone-in-a-box solutions on the floor isn’t so much of a “box” as it is a “capsule,” but that design is purposeful on every level.

“Our dock was designed to operate in the harshest of conditions, whether that’s extreme heat or severe cold,” said Chris Lee, CEO at Hollyway, which is a new Singaporean company founded in 2024. “The industrial design enhances environmental aesthetics, and that makes a difference for the pipeline, power grid and emergency response applications that we’re focused on supporting.”

The Iron Series Dock from Hollyway is equipped with four sets of drone batteries that can be swapped in under a minute as well as two types of sensors. The Iron Series Drone has onboard AI with significant computing power that supports autonomous operation as well as the capture of data that fuels their 4-dimensional holographic control platform. This solution allows users to define training functions and defect identification algorithms that make sense for their specific needs and workflows.

Airobotics

Last year, one of the world's largest semiconductor manufacturers renewed its contract with Ondas' Airobotics to continue their use of the Optimus drone infrastructure. This drone-in-a-box solution was on display at the Airobotics booth, allowing attendees to see the size and power of a solution that includes docking stations and drones capable of autonomously capturing data of all types. Designed to enable on-demand 24/7 aerial data operations, the box maintains a constant temperature and facilitates the transfer of data as well as the autonomous swapping of batteries. 

Their Iron Drone system, which was also on display, is a much smaller drone-in-a-box solution that has been created for a very different purpose. Designed to defend assets against hostile drones in complex environments, the Iron Drone system is a counter-drone solution that can intercept and disable a hostile target, depending on the situation.  

To learn more about currently available drone-in-a-box solutions, download the Innovation Snapshot: Drone-In-A-Box Solutions report.