Rob Cammack, CEO of SmartDrone, became involved in the tech startup ecosystem in 2015, starting as an angel investor. One of his early investments was in a drone robotics startup, which exposed him to the drone industry’s potential and challenges. In January 2020, he decided to form a company to capitalize on these opportunities.
In February 2020, the founding team of Rob Cammack, Taylor Dixon, Al Thead, Drew Whitehurst, and Chris McKulsky moved into an office in downtown Tyler, Texas, and SmartDrone was born.
Rob noticed the drone industry was dominated by tech enthusiasts with strong engineering skills but weak business plans, leading to quick burnouts. He saw an opportunity to leverage his business experience to address this shortcoming.
Problem |
Solution |
Lack of solid business plans among tech-driven drone startups |
Leveraged Rob’s business expertise to create sustainable business models |
Steep learning curve and high costs for commercial users |
Designed user-friendly drones with low adoption costs and high-value returns |
Heavy reliance on Chinese-made drones and components |
Developed American-made drones to reduce dependency on foreign supply chains |
Overly broad market ambitions of many drone startups |
Focused on the high-value land surveying industry as a strategic beachhead |
Rob identified several critical issues in the industry. The steep learning curve and high costs of existing drone technology made it unappealing to potential commercial users. He envisioned a user-friendly drone platform with low adoption costs and high-value returns.
Another problem was the heavy reliance on Chinese-made drones and components, which posed security risks and potential regulatory backlash. Rob aimed to create an American-made drone to compete with Chinese giants and reduce dependency on foreign supply chains.
With these goals, SmartDrone launched its first product, the Discovery Lidar drone, focusing on technical innovations and reducing dependence on foreign components. Through strategic sourcing, SmartDrone made the Discovery drone as American-made as possible, partnering with emerging US companies.
SmartDrone's journey from inception to its current status has been marked by key milestones and strategic developments:
Timeline and Milestones
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