DragonFly UAS Co (翔隆航太), a provider of uncrewed aircraft systems, yesterday said that revenue in the second half of this year is expected to grow two to threefold from the first half on the back of new orders for its self-developed vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) drones.
DragonFly’s drone systems are mainly used in photogrammetry, 3D modeling, construction and disaster prevention. VTOL drones can take off, hover and land vertically, without requiring a runway.
Revenue growth in the second half of this year would be driven by overseas orders of 10 to 20 units of VTOL drones after completing verification, DragonFly chief executive officer Arvin Li (李奕儒) said on the sidelines of the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition in Taipei.
Photo: Meryl Kao, Taipei Times
The company’s VTOL drones are mainly for its US and European customers, including public safety agencies, military users and emergency response sectors, Li said, adding that he also sees strong domestic interest for the company’s VTOL drones for public safety and energy inspections.
With such a strong demand outlook, company revenue this year is likely to reach NT$150 million (US$4.98 million), he said, without providing the figure for last year.
DragonFly also sees strong order momentum extending into next year, with major customers in the US, Europe and Asia, after securing agency rights from US drone maker Skydio Inc in 2023, Li said.
Skydio’s products mainly target public-sector needs, such as for the police, firefighting and coast guards, as well as private-sector demand for large-scale asset management and facility inspection, he said.
About 70 percent of Skydio’s product components come from Taiwan, making it easier for the company to promote projects in the nation’s public sector, he said.
Most of the research, development and verification of its VTOL drones and Skydio products are conducted in Taiwan, with mass production supported by LCD and projector maker Qisda Corp (佳世達), one of its largest shareholders, he said.
Li said the company is working with partners to expand its business in the US and plans to set up an operations in Phoenix, Arizona, or San Francisco, California, to support after-sales services.
The company aims to adopt a “drone-as-a-service” business model to offer full solutions to customers, he added.
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