Today marks a significant day for all of us here at DroneBase. FLIR Systems has made a strategic investment in DroneBase, which establishes FLIR as the exclusive provider of thermal technology for DroneBase’s inspection services and training partner for our Pilot Network.
This strategic investment will allow FLIR and DroneBase to develop specialized training for DroneBase pilots through the FLIR Infrared Training Center (ITC), creating an exclusive group of thermal trained pilots within DroneBase’s Pilot Network. For customers, DroneBase will be able to offer thermal imagery and data at national (and global) scale, standard pricing, and reliable capture via the DroneBase API and cloud dashboard.
We’re thrilled to tell you about what we’ve been working on with FLIR!
Pilots - Get Ready for Thermal Training
Together with FLIR, we will provide training for our Pilot Network through the FLIR ITC all over the country. We’re aiming to train hundreds of pilots through regional centers across the United States starting in the second half of 2019.
You will be trained by the professional thermographers of FLIR’s ITC staff, which will expand your skills and open the door for specialized flights. If you’re interested in learning more, indicate your interest by emailing us here (flir@dronebase.com) or visit our dedicated landing page with dates and locations.
Like myself, many of you relied on FLIR products when you served in the military and this partnership will offer you a chance to continue leveraging FLIR technology again in your civilian career. We will be giving military veterans special priority and discounted pricing for ITC training (availability is limited). If you are a veteran, please indicate your interest and look for details in the following weeks.
Partners - Thermal Will Enhance Your Data
Today, thermal drone data is incredibly valuable but has been very hard to scale. Pilots are rarely trained in thermography, prices are highly custom and variable, initial investment is high, and local experts can't scale regionally or nationally. This partnership enables FLIR and DroneBase to bring thermal drone data to your enterprise in at national (and global) scale, standard pricing, and reliable capture.
By democratizing drone flights with thermal sensors, FLIR and DroneBase’s partnership will significantly expand the market: more solar energy companies can detect hot spots in solar panels to find defects before devastating breakdowns; utilities can find wear and tear on degrading power grids to allow for preventative maintenance while crews focus on immediate repairs; and property management firms can uncover hidden damage to roofs and HVAC units.
We look forward to a future where thermal drone flights will expand use cases and make drones a regular mix of the decision making process. If you are interested in exploring the possibilities in thermal drone flights, please reach out to your DroneBase contact.
We hope you’re as excited about this strategic investment as we are. At DroneBase, we believe that we’ve just scratched the surface of how drones can serve companies in buildings, solar, and utilities. Thermal imagery will provide a new layer of data for companies to make better decisions about their most critical assets, and we can’t wait to get started with FLIR.
