Drones and Smart Cities: the Disruptive Forces to Watch in 2017?
One of the individuals I was fortunate enough to interview for my 20.17 Big Ideas for 2017 series, where I asked leading experts for their advice on the year ahead, was Greg McNeal, CEO of AirMap. The hot startup ($15 million Series A funding round in 2016) has created a low-altitude airspace management system that’s been already adopted by 125 US airports and counting. Moreover, thanks to partnerships with manufacturers like DJI and Intel, AirMap’s system has been baked into 80% of today’s drones.
McNeal, an an expert on drone regulation and policy, believes that understanding the rise of the “Smart City” of tomorrow will give you a leg up in 2017. Here’s some of our conversation:
Fascinating topic. Why should the rise of the Smart City matter to the typical businessperson?
Demographic shifts show us that people are moving to cities in droves. We’re becoming an increasingly urban nation: the city is the backdrop for all of the economic, commercial and social activities of our lives. And as cities become denser and more urban, they are relying on technology to help them accommodate the influx of new residents and improve quality of life for all.
Today, that takes the form of ridesharing and platforms for civic tech and data sharing. Tomorrow, cities will be the first use cases of mobility solutions that seem like science fiction. You’ll hail a flying Uber for your daily commute – and much sooner than you think.
Cities have become some of the most vibrant and progressive places for technological development. They have dense cellular networks to facilitate connectivity and information sharing. They’ve become hubs for Internet of Things sensors that can help us describe our world. And they bring together bright, creative people in close proximity to each other, catalyzing innovation.
What technologies in particular are you paying close attention to, with respect to smart cities?
Top of mind for me in the smart cities space: platforms for autonomous navigation, connectivity (cellular and GPS), civic tech, and of course, drones.
Smart city technology often starts with the need to deliver services more rapidly and more efficiently to residents. Drones have a tremendous amount of potential to help cities better serve the people who live in them.
