5G Flies Drones Into New Business Models

Learn how InDro Robotics' drones-as-a-service model leverages 5G connectivity to address challenges across agricultural, mining, and health care, and other sectors.

Table of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. Challenge
  3. Solution
  4. Process/Approach
  5. Result
  6. Lessons Learned

1. Summary

5G is creating a new service economy. From its headquarters in Victoria, Canada, InDro Robotics has created a drones-as-a-service business model. 5G connectivity means that InDro Robotics can deliver drone-managed services to remote areas and islands, and the sectors that operate in these regions, including agriculture, mining, and healthcare services.

InDro Robotics, a drone and robots research and development (R&D) firm that manufactures its own drones and land-based robots, has created this drone-managed services business model through a partnership with 5G router maker Cradlepoint. As a result, drones have become moving cameras and sensors within the Internet of Things (IoT) expansion. Sectors such as mining, agriculture, clean energy, emergency services, and logistics now benefit from 5G and drone-managed services.

InDro Robotics built six drone and unpiloted vehicle products. These provide business and public sector clients with managed services, technical, or pay-as-you-go support. By partnering with Cradlepoint, InDro Robotics has overcome one of the largest obstacles drones suffer—poor network coverage. This is particularly an issue for agriculture, mining, and remote communities.

InDro Robotics founded the partnerships to provide customers with both drone services and high-capacity 5G networking This allows the customer to focus on their business, not worry about connectivity, and benefit from access to drone technology. In addition, it ensures the latest generation of drones deliver a wide range of cost-saving and business-critical services—ranging from safety inspections to transportation of urgent medical supplies such as fire and rescue, cargo delivery, and data analytics.

In summary, the organization achieved the following benefits from its 5G networking partnership:

  • Development and delivery of managed drone and robot services
  • 5G-enabled drones that can better meet the needs of customers
  • Pop-up 5G connectivity via mobile network stations that increase capacity for a task
  • Reduction in backhaul and latency
  • Ability to fly and provide drone services remotely—even from across the country
  • Data collection and delivery to edge computing solutions