Back in 2016, there was a catalyst of projects that promised the earth and returned nothing of the sort. Kickstarter campaigns that raised millions, and companies revealing high-quality computer-generated videos that built ‘unrealistic hype’ all setting impractical expectations for products that at the time were completely unfamiliar to mainstream consumers.
This was the time when the industry was at the “PEAK OF INFLATED EXPECTATIONS” where interest and exaggeration can be at its highest
“After their arrival, critics predicted that consumer drones would soon fade away and were merely a fun piece of technology that lacked longevity”
Now… Let’s fast forward to the present day. The drone industry revenue has grown from 1.3bn in 2016 to nearly 15bn in 2022 with more than 620,000 commercial drones being shipped. A six-fold increase from 2016. Drone usage and consumer belief have now passed the trough of disillusionment & slope of enlightenment and are now firmly in the plateau of productivity.
The industry is ever-evolving with the progression to passenger drones seeming inevitable. With clear safety concerns for passengers and pedestrians, the technology is going to have to overcome a mountain of bureaucracy before we see new ideas reach the plateau of productivity. But never say never…