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Next drone wave is coming: Aiseed flies autonomous drones with AI
“In 2030, the world will be filled with exceptionally smart, elegant, and powerful flying robots,” predicted Aiseed, a startup that provides end-to-end drone solutions with AI technology. Offered drones to ranches and coasts in the United States, this three-year-old startup is now dealing with the overwhelming demand for multi-purpose professional drones.
Combing drones with AI, Aiseed distinguishes its products with solid technology
“What we want to build, is different from what you can now find at the market,” said Monica Lee, co-founder and COO of Aiseed. DJI, one of the leading providers of drones, has now taken up 70% of the market share in drone production. But the market for recreational drones is close to saturation, as more and more people adopt drones for photography or for fun. In the field of commercial drones, they still require significant advancements in hardware and software technology to fully realize their capabilities.
That’s what Aiseed goes after. Addressing the hardware challenges, Aiseed Tech has adopted a model that combines both vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) with wings. The wing design significantly enhances the drone's ascent power and also allows it to glide, reducing the power needed during flight. This significantly increases stability and endurance, resulting in a substantial performance boost compared to drones that solely rely on propellers for flight.
With no need for human control, Aiseed Tech has implemented an automatic flight mode: once a flight route is preselected on the map, the drone can automatically complete the task. The company also aspires to achieve truly unmanned operations in the future. Aiseed is aggressively transforming commercial drones, aiming to make those capable of handling any scenario.
Aiseed doesn’t stop at building the hardware. "Hardware can be easily copied, our real advantage lies in our software," said Lee. To meet real-time analysis needs, Aiseed Tech has built AI into aircraft using edge computing. Maintaining computational accuracy as its priority, Aiseed Tech takes environmental factors, light sources, and flight altitude all into account, in order to generate the right image judgment.
Coming from Designing background, Aiseed co-founder Monica once built a department store in Taipei’s busiest area
Monica Lee, who studied at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, is highly proficient in design thinking - a solution-focused, problem-solving approach where user perspective takes center stage. Her education has been instrumental in equipping her with a nuanced understanding of design thinking, which she applies effectively to address complex business challenges and to design transformative user experiences.
Upon returning to Taiwan, she initially sought opportunities in foreign corporations but eventually chose to join the Far Eastern Group, positioned under the headquarters. Here, she was empowered with the ability to innovate. In a retail sector where the margin hovers around 4-5%, she deftly applied her skills in service and experience design.
Lee made her mark within the Far Eastern Group by spearheading internal startups, with the A13 Far Eastern Department Store being her most significant achievement. In 2019, the Far Eastern Department Store, a brand steeped in Taiwan's history, collaborated with Gensler, an international design and architecture firm, to overhaul its store design concept at the new A13 Department Store located in the most expansive commercial district of Taipei. Lee didn’t stop at this bold attempt, instead, she partnered with Joe Wang to launch a startup. Wang, who once worked in tech giants like Google and Motorola, is a perfect match for Lee’s design talents. Aiseed was thus founded.
Aiseed flys its drones overseas
According to statistics from Aiseed, 40% of the demand for drones is from the United States, while around 30% is from Europe and 10% from Japan. Not only above countries are trying to purchase commercial drones, but other countries are also catching up. The global commercial drone market growth is projected to grow from $10.98 billion in 2023 to $54.81 billion by 2030.
Now, more than 50 Aiseed drones are being used by customers. The hardware is sold outright, while the software is charged on a subscription basis. Their biggest client is the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense, which reflects the strength of Aiseed's hardware and software requirements in various aspects.
Aiseed Tech's reach is not confined to the local market: they are making impressive strides on the global stage as well. Beyond the Taiwanese military, Aiseed Tech is actively expanding its business opportunities abroad, with partners in Japan and potential collaborators in Brazil. In Hawaii, they have been involved in an inspection case where their drone technology is used to measure fish sizes, assisting in the apprehension of illegal fishing activities. This proof of concept showcases the wide-ranging application of drone technology with AI in environmental protection and law enforcement.
In another instance, Aiseed Tech's drone technology was deployed on a cattle ranch in the United States to track livestock inventory. This was particularly useful in monitoring areas up to 20 miles away from water sources, which were often targeted by cattle rustlers.
Whether it's border protection or factory inspection, drones are taking over traditional labor-intensive jobs. From coastal patrols keeping an eye on smugglers to monitoring hard-to-reach mountainous regions in Switzerland, drone technology is revolutionizing the way people work.
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