Everyday, people around the world put themselves in dangerous situations to get jobs done.  

Whether it’s guarding our country as a member of the armed forces or seeking out a lost hiker with search and rescue, many professions are full of diverse risks.  

Drone technology can help to protect those who protect us. 

Although the drone industry is growing, there are scores of exciting and innovative uses for drones that haven’t been explored yet.  

That’s where Mirragin steps in – we help organisations solve pressing problems by realising the power and versatility of drone technology.  

Where the drone industry is headed 

In recent years we’ve seen tons of growth in the drone hobby market. Hobbyist drones are more affordable than ever and people of all ages are embracing this fun pastime.  

Along with the growth in the hobbyist sector there’s been a lot of progress on the professional front. Today drones are used frequently in the military, law enforcement, search and rescue, emergency management, agriculture and other industries. The drone ecosystem is growing to meet the needs of emerging markets.  

Some of the biggest challenges that drone manufacturers, operators and governments are tackling now include drone flight beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and operations with manned aircraft.

All kinds of questions and concerns arise when operators are flying drones without being able to see them – how do we handle privacy and safety?  How do we prevent operators from losing their drones (and potentially losing expensive or sensitive payloads)? What can we do to keep people on the ground and other aircraft safe?  

As the industry grows it will be exciting to see innovative solutions for our biggest challenges.  

Problems facing the drone industry (and how we can help) 

A couple of challenges facing the drone industry today include: 

  • Not realising all the possibilities: There are countless applications for drones across all industries. Everyone benefits when we can deploy drones to solve problems and protect human lives – employees are kept safe, companies deal with less liability and the job still gets done quickly and correctly. We’re just scratching the surface of this exciting technology.  At Mirragin, we are aiming to educate the market about these possibilities, to unlock demand for the whole drone industry.
  • Not focussing on the problem: At Mirragin we always say that it isn’t about the air vehicle. Yes, that is the most fun and visible component of the system, but the problem that needs to be solved is the most important component. Organisations stand to lose time, money and resources if they don’t get their drone programs right from the start. In addition to the air vehicle, there are also a number of physical and enabling components which need to be considered. Learn more about creating a successful drone program here.  

The faces of Mirragin 

Mirragin was founded by Robert Sutton, an aviation engineer and project manager. As a member of the Australian Army, he learned the ins and outs of drone technology while serving as the senior maintenance manager over the army’s drone unit. In that role, Robert saw the incredible potential of drones to keep people safe from harm and founded Mirragin to help to bring the power of this technology to other service organisations. 

Our Business Development and Projects Director, Andrew Crowe, is another experienced member of the Mirragin team. Also a member of the army, Andrew was one of the first unmanned air vehicle (UAV) troop commanders. He helped oversee the Australian Army’s UAVs while deployed in Afghanistan and went on to become a consultant in the industry.  

Conclusion 

At Mirragin we love applying our expertise and knowledge in the UAV industry to help our clients solve problems.  

The drone programs we design for clients are built to stand the test of time – even in an ever-changing industry like unmanned systems. Our focus is always on solving our client’s problems in an efficient and effective way and our creative solutions draw from years of UAV experience and industry knowledge. To learn more about what we have to offer, view our services here.  

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