This March, the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA's) first approved autonomous commercial drone delivery to an urban residence took place in Nevada. The successful test was a sign of things to come, highlighting the exciting opportunities that unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can present.

It was inconceivable just a few years ago, but today drones are coveted by hobbyists and businesses alike—steadily flying off the shelves and into people’s homes and offices. They are being used more and more for commercial purposes as thousands are entering our skies. This industry growth has inevitably resulted in growing safety concerns.

Last month, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) hosted the largest trade show for the systems and robotics industry in New Orleans. XPONENTIAL 2016 hosted more than 8,000 leaders and professionals in robotics and unmanned systems who came together to discuss the latest advancements and innovations in the unmanned systems market.

The commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry has seen a rise in activity within the past year, with commercial drone registrations growing from around 500 in 2015 to more than 5,000 in 2016. While this spike is great for the industry, it’s highlighting the need for safe flight regulations to ensure that UASs and manned aircraft can coexist in shared airspace.

While unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technology is best known for military and intelligence applications, plenty of surprising commercial uses have emerged. Maps built from UAS images are transforming industries from government research to agriculture to wildlife preservation.

As drones become more and more mainstream, they’re being used for initiatives other than military operations and the global defense industry—and now drones are forging a new frontier in cinematography.

The news is full of stories of crises around the globe, and getting much-needed aid and materials to affected areas – whether in times of natural disasters or ongoing humanitarian issues – can often be a challenge. Natural and manmade disasters often take out critical infrastructures, from roads to railways to means of communication, leaving first responders scrambling in times when they’re needed most.

With GoPro developing a drone and universities offering degrees in unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), the technology is making the move from military to mainstream applications. Already a multi-billion dollar global defense industry, the civilian drone market is expected to grow 19 percent annually from 2015 to 2020, driven primarily by commercial industries.

As the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) begins granting permits for unmanned aircraft system (UAS) flight across a number of commercial industries, the technology is poised to join GPS-guided tractors and wireless solar-powered sensors as everyday technologies enabling farmers to be more proactive about their crop management. In fact, Bank of America Merrill Lynch estimates that over the next 10 years, UAS technology has the potential to generate $82 billion in economic activity in the agricultural industry alone.

As the commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry is poised for massive growth — it’s to reach $80 billion by 2025, according to some estimates — we’re excited to officially announce the launch of Mission Insight™ and, along with it, our expansion to the commercial UAS market.