On November 9th, the drone community gathered at the Workhorse Aero Facility in Mason, Ohio for the first Drone Demopalooza, hosted by Workhorse. This event featured live outdoor flying demonstrations from drone manufacturers along with educational presentations inside the facility. The participating organizations included Flyability, Drone Nerds, ideaForge, and Valqari.
“The Drone Demopalooza had representation from government officials, public safety, construction, universities and technical colleges,” said Randall Warnas, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Workhorse. “One of the most exciting groups was that of high school seniors.”
The Demopalooza created a space for the drone community to come together in order to network, share best practices, and of course show off their technology. While this was an event that showcased specific technologies and innovations, it also reinforced the notion that there is still room for incredible growth on multiple levels. It highlighted how crucial it is for people in the industry to help educate one another in order to propel this growth.
“We are in such a nascent stage for how drone technology will look in the future,” Warnas told Commercial UAV News. “The organizations that presented are still somewhat early adopters in their respective fields. Because of this, those interested in seeing more proliferation of drone technology should collaborate. Leveraging one another for resources should be a common practice.”
Attendees and participating organizations agreed with this sentiment. As the event progressed, it was clear that everyone there had one common goal, to gain valuable insights from their peers who might be using the technology in ways they haven’t. It’s something that ideaForge showcased in a big way with a new addition to their NETRA series, the NETRA V4 Pro.
“Our biggest focus at this point is education and feedback,” said Colby Duke, who oversees Business Development and Customer Support at ideaForge. “Teaching the community about the journey of Ideaforge and the impact we've made with the solutions we offer has played a big role in that effort.”
The importance of collaboration across the drone industry is something that multiple attendees commented on, noting the value in acknowledging every win, no matter their size, focus or crossover.
“Our journey is a shared commitment to advance the entire industry, not just our individual accomplishments,” said Jerry Quandt, President of Valqari. “While we work together to create the future, let us celebrate every accomplishment, no matter how small.”
The first Drone Demopalooza proved to be just that, as attendees were able to experience how far things have come with the technology. It also allowed them to meet the people and companies that are pushing these boundaries, hinting at how much more can be achieved.
A full list of participating organizations the first Drone Demopalooza is below:
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