If there’s one thing we enjoy, it’s meeting the people who are driving the drone industry forward! One of these people is David Dilling, from Leading Edge Aerial Technology.
We got to talk with him and ask some questions on where he sees the drone industry going. Check it out!
Who’s David?
David:
I went to business school, but always had a passion for radio control cars. Back then, battery tech wasn’t there. Most batteries back then would swell up!
Then, I transitioned to radio helicopters around the age of 15 to 16. I thought, “how can I use my passion of tinkering with things to make a career?”
What makes Leading Edge Aerial Technologies special?
David:
We not only manufacture UAS/UAV, we do a lot of application work. We have extensive knowledge in the application side of it. We actually know how to drop a spectrum for instance, like liquid, herbicides, or lake aquatics and how to deliver the proper droplet to the target.
We stand out with lots of experience and integrity in the industry!
The technological world is rapidly evolving every day, where do you see the UAS/UAV industry in the next 10 years?
David:
Oh boy! I see larger drones, everyone in this industry wants larger drones and heavier payload. Can it carry the product further? Is heavier weight and longer distances possible?
I think in the next 10 years, we will see a more integrated aerospace for everyone. Beyond line of sight will be more available, and the entire system will be safer and more developed with tech advances.
You have been using MaxAmps Lithium Batteries to power your applications since 2019. What keeps you coming back?
David:
Actually, I was using MaxAmps at my previous job. I was in robotic drones for a different company from 2012-2014, and we were using MaxAmps back then!
When I started with this company from the ground up with the owner, I immediately started using MaxAmps, that was our battery of choice.
I had experience with you before, and knew the quality. But not just the quality, we needed the customized packs. We don’t buy off the shelf, we customize to fit our specific drones! That’s one of the best things about Maxamps, it's the flexibility to be able to put different cells together with different capacity, voltage…everything!
Are there any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
David:
One of the big things we’re working on is AI for plant and weed detection. When we treat a 500 or 1000 acre plot, 99% of the time we’re broadcasting the whole place, which becomes expensive. When you have invasive weeds, instead of broadcasting the whole thing, the drone could be detecting each one.
Our goal is for AI to identify these ahead of the drone, so while the drone is flying it’s spotting them and spraying them individually. No more wasted product!
Final thoughts from David!
David:
I love working with Clint, and the team at Maxamps. The customer support is great! The battery is the biggest part of the drone, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Maxamps is going to do in the next couple of years!
