In the not-too-distant future, it may not be uncommon to see drones skirting across the sky, not just to deliver packages, but providing a number of services to myriad industries.
With a new partnership with Korean drone solutions company Doosan Mobility Innovation (DMI), Plano-based drone services company Fortress UAV, along with its newly-created subsidiary ReadyH2, are looking to keep drones in the sky longer while taking the industry to new heights.
“It’s an opportunity for a major player to enter the market and also to provide an opportunity and use-case for this extended mission-time, and it just furthers the drone technology and marketplace in general,” said Brendon Mills, CEO of Fortress UAV and ReadyH2.
Fortress was recently named as the repair and services provider for DMI in the U.S. Under the partnership, Fortress will also provide technical support for all of DMI’s U.S. customers. ReadyH2 was formed in December to help with innovation. The newly-formed subsidiary has developed hydrogen fuel cells capable of keeping drones in the air longer.
During a recent test conducted by the companies and the U.S Department of Health in the U.S. Virgin Islands, DMI’s DS30 drone was able to deliver blood samples across the island, while flying 43 miles and staying in the air for nearly three hours. Fortress UAV, ReadyH2, along with their parent company Fortress Solutions, which is also headed by Mills, will be presenting the technology and DMI will be unveiling the drone to the public at the upcoming CES event in Las Vegas.
Doosan was recently awarded the 2020 Best of Innovation Award in Drones and Unmanned Systems by the Consumer Technology Association, which puts on the annual CES tradeshow.
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“Drones are advancing, we’ve got more time in the air, more sophistication… all this is evolving and moving forward,” Mills said. “I think 20 years from now… you’re going to look out the window of your office and there’s going to be drones flying around, delivering your packages. The sky is going to be streaked with drones flying here and there performing tasks.”
Beyond package delivery, Mills said the technology could have impacts on a number of industries. However, two most likely to benefit would be commercial surveillance and first responders.
Mills said the partnership with Doosan made a lot of sense, as the North Texas area is centrally located in the country to help provide repair and technical service to customers. In addition, he said the Metroplex is a major hub for the drone industry, both because companies like Toyota and Uber are working in the region to develop new technologies, and also because governmental regulatory agencies like the FAA are working closely with companies, as well as state and local government agencies to determine useful regulations and guidelines for drone use.
“It shows our ability to kind of move with the technology as telecoms are definitely changing and evolving themselves, we need to look at other markets that have some really interesting growth opportunities,” Mills said.
Fortress Solutions was founded in 2002, and was acquired by local firms Galatyn Private Equity and Vspeed Capital in 2012. The telecom company launched its drone-focused Fortress UAV subsidiary in 2017.
