Dronamics

Abstract

This case reveals the story of Dronamics, a young and ambitious startup that has developed an unmanned cargo aircraft. The company was founded in 2014 by two brothers whose educational backgrounds combined advanced technical capabilities with solid business training. The ambition of Dronamics is to design a highly fuel-efficient, unmanned cargo aircraft that is capable of reaching remote areas such as difficult-to-access mountains or island areas. It would offer an alternative to expensive currently used forms of transportation at a fraction of their cost. This case reveals the challenges of attracting the right talent and expertise, and the importance of connecting with relevant industry networks. An interesting aspect in the Dronamics story is the networking power of the diaspora that ends up compensating for the fact that the company was started in a market without traditions in the aircraft industry. Interviews with one of the founders and with one of the key investors in the company offer deeper insights about the factors that determined success of the company and its ability to overcome some of the challenges it faced early on.