drone

Services

Drone Strategy Consulting

Uncrewed aerial systems and drone services

Deloitte US Drone Services (UDS) brings the technical capabilities, relationships, and subject-matter expertise to help clients navigate the disruptive and emerging world of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). The team provides support along the advise-implement-operate framework to assist federal and commercial clients with integration of UAS into their business models while maintaining the balance of innovation and risk mitigation.

Our offerings

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Digital data collection

Enabling clients to deploy and scale digital collection technologies (e.g., UAS , static sensors, ground robotics, satellites, etc.) to standardize the collection of high-quality data. Data collection from this capability is the catalyst for holistic life cycle data solutions.

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Robotized logistics

Enabling clients to improve the movement of people and supplies and optimize supply chains through autonomous robotics (e.g. UAS, and ground robotics).

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UAS traffic management (UTM)

Enabling clients to understand and position for the future of UAS Traffic Management, and develop compliant and innovative solutions.

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Counter-uncrewed aircraft systems (C-UAS)

Assisting clients to mitigate against and manage risk to their assets (physical and digital), people, and operations resulting from negligent and criminal C-UAS operations.

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Advanced air mobility market overview

The market for advanced air mobility (AAM) in the United States is estimated to reach $115 billion annually by 2035.1 As of March 2020, the FAA announced that there are more than 1.5 million drones registered, including 442,000 commercial and 1.1 million recreational.2 Companies across industries are optimistic about the use of drones to perform critical activities such as medical delivery, infrastructure inspections, and imaging capabilities.3

Our capabilities

In a rapidly evolving market, our team provides the services that help our clients identify the complex regulatory, technology, and financial impacts when evaluating the implementation of a UAS program.

Identifying, assessing, and managing vendor and alliance relationships in line with market demands and program strategy to enhance offerings and delivery. Deloitte is continually creating new partnerships and exploring new opportunities which is critical with an industry that is continually evolving.

Data management life cycle playbook, capabilities, and expertise to support all of our UDS capability verticals. By identifying the data management needs for our clients, they can make data driven decisions which provide actionable outputs.

Systems integration playbook, capabilities, and expertise to support all of our UDS capability verticals. From go to market strategy, to ROI analysis, or transitioning from implementation to operation, Deloitte has experience meeting these demands.

Foundry for frameworks, quals, and expertise to drive novel strategy delivery (e.g., program standup, market segmentation, business model definition, product strategy). The program strategy does not end with feasibility studies or market analysis, we can help guide the program from the early advise stage, all the way through implementation and continued operation.

Regulatory and policy expertise and experience to help clients with UAS and aviation-related policy and regulatory challenges. Deloitte works closely with the regulators to assure that we are apprised of current changes and are prepared to align strategy with both current and emerging regulations.

Data analytics playbook, assets, and capabilities to support all our UDS capability verticals. Deloitte not only has the capabilities to perform data collection but also the tools for analysis.

Expertise enabling the program to stay ahead of the robotics hardware market and inform team members and clients on the pros and cons of leveraging such technology. Examples include UAS platforms, ground robots, communications, payload, and sensor packages. Deloitte maintains relationships with hardware manufacturers to best support your needs.

Our approach

Our team provides support along the advise-implement-operate framework. While each use case presents unique factors to consider, we evaluate each client’s individual needs using our standard approach to drive impactful results.

Our definition: Provide services to clients when approaching the UAS market to determine how best to integrate UAS into their mission.

Services include:

  • Strategy workshops
  • Policy navigation
  • Market and impact analysis
  • Business case analysis
  • Risk and threat analysis
  • Technology scouting
  • Industry ecosystem analysis

Project delivery highlights:

UAS Center of Excellence
NUAIR

Our team supported the development of an UAS Center of Excellence for New York. In collaboration with the NUAIR team, Deloitte provided a strategic plan to advance the region’s UAS industrial base and continued growing the economy.

UAM ConOps
NASA

Our team worked with many stakeholders to develop a concept of operations for Urban Air Mobility (UAM), a transformative concept to move people, data, and cargo in the airspace over metropolitan areas using autonomous aircraft.

Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) Horizon Scanning

Deloitte conducted high-level technology scouting and horizon scanning, levering Deloitte’s SensingBridge platform, to provide AFRL with an understanding of cutting-edge technology and the global Research and Development (R&D) market. These scans identified major technological, industrial, and international trends in R&D, allowing AFRL to gain critical insights into the future direction of technology as well as near peer competitor capabilities, and make informed decisions on partnerships and resource allocation.

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Elevating West Virginia: A Vision for Advanced Air Mobility
January 2024
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) is a step-change in aviation that is revolutionizing the transportation of people, goods, and services throughout the United States and transforming the economy. This report aims to introduce AAM capabilities, highlight and benchmark West Virginia’s current assets and accelerators, identify high-priority AAM application for the state, and outline potential next steps for West Virginia.
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Legal and regulatory considerations for implementing drone threat security solutions
November 2021
Regulatory considerations are becoming ever more important to government and private enterprises alike. Here we explain some of the key trends and considerations for organizations considering drone security solutions.
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Saving lives from the sky with humanitarian drones in Africa
Considerations for the development of medical drone programs
Deloitte examines key medical applications of drone technologies at the forefront of this modern transportation system and identifies challenges and opportunities that these technologies can help to address.
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Assessing the risks of drones and unmanned aerial systems
The uses and applications of UAS are increasing and diversifying.
Drones, also referred to as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), encompass both the unmanned vehicle itself along with the ground-based controller and the system connecting the two. Today the uses and applications of UAS are increasing and diversifying. This expansion is enabled by technological advances, policy changes, and significant cost reduction in parts and manufacturing.
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Urban Air Mobility
What will it take to elevate consumer perception?
By 2050, about 70 percent of the world population is expected to live in urban areas, and mobility within these cities will likely require new solutions. That’s where urban air mobility (UAM) can make a significant impact. UAM—air taxis hovering in and around cities—could transform how people travel.
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Using cargo drones in last-mile delivery
Technology won’t be the biggest challenge
The discussion about the future of mobility should not be about futuristic scenarios with flying cars and passenger drones; it should be about solving real problems.
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InFocus
Insurance industry drone use is flying higher and farther.
Insurance is among the industries already deploying and expanding the potential of commercial drones, eyeing two strategic objectives: better risk management through improved data collection and reduced operational costs through improved efficiency and effectiveness related to claims.
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The elevated future of mobility
What’s next on the horizon?
Breakthroughs in self-driving cars are only the beginning: The entire way we travel from point A to point B is changing, creating a new ecosystem of personal mobility. The shift will likely affect far more than automakers—industries from insurance and health care to energy and media should reconsider how they create value in this emerging environment.
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Guiding the IoT to safety
The Internet of Things and the role of government as both user and regulator.
Regulations should do more than tell companies what they can’t do—rules should help guide corporate players through minefields of uncertainty. It’s a lot of responsibility, especially when it comes to still-developing IoT technology that holds great promise—and real risks.
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Insurance in the new mobility ecosystem
Quantifying an uncertain future.
As surely as the auto industry is headed for fundamental transformation, insurers should be prepping for change across the board, from customers to claims.
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Finding the right innovation
How the military can tap into the power of architectural innovation.
Military innovation cannot rest solely on technological advances. It is the architecture, or how technologies are used, that helps create lasting advantage.
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Drones mean business
Advanced software applications are driving commercial drone adoption.
Does your firm routinely need to count, measure, or inspect things, perhaps in locations that are sprawling or hard to access? Then you’re probably already using drones. As software expands their capabilities, we’ll see more drones scrutinizing farms, forests, oil rigs, pipelines, mines, construction sites, and warehouses.
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How COVID-19 is challenging orthodoxies in airport customer experience
COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on the aviation industry
Airports have already made major operational changes like limiting concessions hours, consolidating terminals and security screening operations, implementing new health and safety measures, and increasing cleaning schedules, among others. Passengers are placing greater emphasis on airport cleanliness and expressing a reluctance to engage in processes that require physical touch.

1 Aerospace Industries Association, “AIA, Deloitte Study: US Advanced Air Mobility Market Could Reach $115B by 2035,” January 26, 2021.
2 Federal Aviation Administration, “UAS by the Numbers,” last modified January 3, 2022.
3 Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems, “8 Major Companies Using Drone Technology,” October 27, 2018.

Key contact

Matt Metcalfe

Matt Metcalfe

Managing Director | Future of Aviation

Matt is a managing director in Deloitte Consulting LLP’s Future of Mobility and Aviation practice. He specializes in helping public sector organizations recognize, assess, and introduce emerging and s... More

Jason Bowers

Jason Bowers

Managing Director

Jason leads the Emerging Infrastructure Platforms Market Offering in Deloitte’s Core Business Operations practice who has 25 years at Deloitte focused on bringing innovation and discipline to all of h... More

Jared Salazar

Jared Salazar

Managing Director | Deloitte Consulting LLP

Jared is a senior executive with decades of experience across DOD, Intel Community, and FED/CIV organizations. Strategic and technical UAS/C-UAS/EW expert whose ability to transform operations, lead t... More