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French drone manufacturer Parrot has taken an interesting sideways step into the commercial market this week. The company has announced that two of its latest consumer drones are being repurposed to meet the needs of professionals in agriculture, mapping and inspection, for industries ranging from construction to real estate.
Parrot announced that more than a third of its drone division was being laid off at the start of the year as part of a reorganization. Although its consumer drones have remained popular despite fierce competition from American and Asian competitors, CEO Henri Seydoux has decided to shift – like many operators in the drone industry have been doing – towards commercial products and services.
But Parrot is in a stronger position than most to make the pivot. Since 2012 the company has been steadily acquiring commercial drone startups and stakes in the likes of AIRINOV, MicaSense, Pix4D and senseFly.
Now is the time for its easy-to-use consumer drones and its leading commercial technology to come together.