What's the ONE drone AI capability you can't live without? Mine is autonomous obstacle avoidance!

"If your drone can’t think for itself, is it really 'smart'—or just an expensive crash waiting to happen?"

Apr 13, 2025

Hey SkyBrew Crew !! ☀️,

We're back with another dose of insight. The drone industry has spoken, and it’s clear: change is in the air. Together, we hold the knowledge that can reshape the future of drones, and it's time to share it with the world.

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Autonomous Obstacle Avoidance

Are you serious about making noise in the drone industry? For the future of flight, autonomy, and operational edge, you're in the right place. Obstacle avoidance is where I have laid the groundwork to explore for you in this week's issue.

Here's what you'll find inside every issue:

🚀 Emerging AI capabilities changing how drones are used in the field
🔍 Insights from operators, builders, and thinkers pushing the limits
🧠 Forward-thinking ideas to stay sharp in a fast-evolving industry
💡 Real-world use cases from the frontlines — no fluff, just value

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AI Capability I Can't Live Without If there's one AI feature I absolutely can't do without, it's obstacle avoidance.

Remote Pilot operations especially across Asia-Pacific regions where terrain can get tight and tough is critical. Especially when surveying, filming and inspecting infrastructure, obstacle avoidance tech ensures your drone doesn't end up in a tree, wall or power line.

Operating confidently in areas where manual controls alone would be risky and downright impossible, especially when it comes to controlling your drone near buildings, indoors and dense vegetation become far more manageable when your unmanned aerial vehicle can detect and avoid threats on its own.

For example; recently I flew a survey mission in dense bushland. The area was filled with tall skyscraper trees and dense bushland. I needed the drone to follow a predetermined route that would fly with precision.

With the drone topped up with battery power, obstacle sensors active and ready for flight, it completed the mission flawlessly. Not a single collision or warning - that's critical when flying in the Australian Outback, especially when out on the mines.

DJI's Enterprise drones are leading the industry forward into economic diversity & strength, equipping new drones with multiple sensors: front, rear, top, bottom and side. This has led to forming a near 360° safety bubble around the aircraft. This opens up tighter flight zones and lets pilots focus on getting the shot instead of worrying about every single branch or pole.

Several other drone brands such as Parrot, Autel Robotics offer alternatives to its big daddy competitor DJI. Though obstacle avoidance technology is still ahead of the curve particularly in their enterprise lineup built for high-risk environments like construction sites and industrial inspection jobs.

Just like any technology, no system is 100% perfect. Most sensor systems are still in developing mode, especially because technology is ramping up due to global tension. Most sensors today detect large objects obstructing the drone's views but not the fine obstacles that cannot be seen by the drone in high detail.

That is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) has a long way to go. In future models, we expect more intelligent systems that combine visual sensors, LiDAR, and even sound-based mapping to identify smaller or dynamic obstacles in real time.

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❤️ My Favourite Things this Week

News Article - I opened up an article written by DroneDJ, one of the most interesting sites I love reading each week, and some good news is coming your way this week. DJI is teasing a new product release on April 16. The tech giant has created an event called "Light Up The Night" and "Reach Loud and Clear," suggesting that the industry is getting ready to add speaker payloads for industrial drones such as the Matrice RTK.
YouTube Video - I was watching a new release from the DJI Enterprise YouTube Channel, seeing how DJI markets its new drones built for surveying, police operations, search & rescue, mining, etc. It's been interesting to see DJI fast-tracking products to market over the last couple of years and coming out with new remote controllers and workhorses.

🕵🏼 Closing Thoughts

Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to evolve. We'll see drones capable of flying in tighter spaces—just metres off the ground, in dense jungle and urban corridors without too much risk. Drones should become more adaptable as technology gets better and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles become more sophisticated to fly critical missions for anyone doing professional work. The more intelligent they become, the more powerful your drone operations will be in the future.

There has never been a better time to get into the drone industry and learn in detail from the internet exactly what is needed in the industry. With rapid advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), there is more opportunity to strike it big, not just flying drones but also creating relatable content within your niche to spread your business worldwide.

Ready to fly where others crash and burn? The drone revolution won't wait for permission—and neither should you. While lawmakers scramble to understand what we're building, the true pioneers are already redefining what's possible in our skies.

Question for you: If regulations were completely rewritten tomorrow, what controversial drone application would you immediately pursue that's currently in the grey zone?

Hit reply with your most audacious idea. I'll feature the most thought-provoking responses in our next issue—and connect you directly with others pushing the same boundaries.