Effectively Incorporating Drone Operations into Corporate Workflow

Drones are today supporting a wide range of enterprise activities at lower costs and reduced risks. The devices offer a wide range of financial and environmental benefits while opening up other opportunities. From detailed insights and enhanced safety to cost-cutting and a faster way of performing tasks, drones enable organizations to optimize their operations and improve efficiency. Today, more and more companies are using drones to perform low-cost aerial photography and video shooting, monitor construction sites, and inspect buildings, oil and gas infrastructure, and other facilities. Fortunately, drone technology is very customizable and flexible to integrate into workflows hence improving overall efficiency.

As more companies implement drone programs, they should develop strategies to integrate them into their workflows. However, there are several challenges that organizations need to address. Some of these include scalability, public safety, skills gaps, incompatibilities, and more. That said, the improved efficiencies and revenues justify the use the UAV technology for most businesses. However, the CEO and senior management need to see or understand the processes or areas the drones will optimize, potential cost savings, the services that the technology will change, and improvements to expect.

Despite the many benefits the drones offer, some challenges such as technology gaps, lack of understanding of their capabilities, and potential impact may hinder their deployment. Some organizations that are already using drones for their operations may not be taking full advantage of the technology due to various challenges, and poor strategies. Other issues include a lack of collaboration and support from the stakeholders such as the executive, managers, department heads, legal, and more.

Before implementing a drone services program, it is necessary to assess how the technology will support the overall business strategy. Involving all the other departments and external technology providers is critical in ensuring proper implementation, organizational buyer-in, and support. Typically, the internal stakeholders will play a role in planning, implementing, and supporting the integration.

A wide range of applications allows organizations to integrate the data into existing workflows. However, creating value requires smooth integration, which may not be possible unless all stakeholders are on the same page and ready to support one another. In most cases, companies will implement their drone programs differently from others depending on the scope, size, geography, and other factors. That said, below are some issues that each company, regardless of how they choose to implement the program, will need to consider.

The drone services team should decide whether to go for an in-house, outsourced, or hybrid program. During this period, it is necessary to consider the benefits and cons of each system. When outsourcing, define the provider's scope in terms of services to offer your business.

The drone services department should consult and establish good working relationships with internal and external teams to enable easy implementation, integration into the corporate workflows, and management. Within the organization, it is necessary to encourage cross-functional collaboration to reduce implementation time and ease some processes, such as bidding, purchasing, authorizations, and other internal procedures. Because of the various technical skills requirements for integration, the company must work closely with drone service providers. The DSP and other third-party experts can provide the necessary skills that could be lacking within the organization, hence enabling a smooth integration and operation of the drone services.