{"id":107631,"date":"2024-10-22T16:59:04","date_gmt":"2024-10-22T20:59:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/\/?p=107631"},"modified":"2024-10-22T16:59:04","modified_gmt":"2024-10-22T20:59:04","slug":"dont-get-forced-into-buying-the-wrong-drone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/\/2024\/10\/dont-get-forced-into-buying-the-wrong-drone\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Get Forced into Buying the Wrong Drone"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Takeaway:<\/strong> If your software provider forces you to buy a specific drone, you could end up overpaying, not getting the features that you need, and have to deal with more expensive repairs. The better option is to work with a drone-agnostic platform that lets you buy the drone that works best for your business.<\/p>\n

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In solar, drones are a powerful measurement and data collection tool.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, those measurements are highly nuanced, such as using thermal drones for O&M use cases<\/a>. Other times, you just need beautiful imagery for marketing purposes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re also forced to buy a specific drone, especially from your software provider, there\u2019s a chance you\u2019re not always getting the optimal outcome.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not that any one drone model is necessarily bad. Instead, it\u2019s about empowering you to decide what works for your use cases, your team, and your wallet.<\/p>\n

1. You could be overcharged in two different ways<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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When you\u2019re forced into a specific drone, you end up paying more in one of two ways:<\/p>\n

1. A marked-up premium:<\/strong> Companies that force you to choose a specific drone often add a markup, which they explain by saying they\u2019ve customized the drone to work with their software.<\/p>\n

This means potentially higher upfront and higher maintenance costs\u2014plus the problems that can happen if a software company tampers with the hardware or sensors (more on that below).<\/p>\n

2. More drone than you need:<\/strong> Some platforms force you to buy drones that cost up to $4,000, which only make sense in more sophisticated use cases. Anything else\u2014such as conducting regular site surveys or collecting marketing imagery\u2014and you\u2019re overpaying.<\/p>\n

You could also end up with a double whammy: being forced to buy more drone than you need and paying a marked-up premium for the privilege.<\/p>\n

2. You may not get the features you need<\/h3>\n

A platform that forces you to use a specific drone means you\u2019re also stuck using the features they want to provide:<\/p>\n