Global Leadership in Drone Technology Explored in Hartford; Local Company Shares Progress, Potential with Blumenthal

The problem is revealed in a startling statistic: 1,782,479 drones are registered in America; China-based DJI makes 77% of them.  The solution may be closer to home: Aquiline Drones, a commercial drone manufacturing and technology company based in Hartford, with a state-of-the-art, drone manufacturing and assembly lab.

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Barry Alexander, Founder and CEO of Aquiline Drones, met recently to discuss ways to strengthen American drone manufacturing augmented with Artificial Intelligence (AI), and bolstering domestic supply chain.

"It's no secret that U.S. Senator Blumenthal has been a huge proponent by introducing and supporting federal legislation to enhance American-based technology, manufacturing, AI, R&D and the Internet of Things (IoT)," said Alexander. "By seeing firsthand how we're developing and building the next generation of drones right here in his home state, we hope to arm him with more ammunition to continue his fight in Washington by creating laws that protect our nation and produce much-needed, high-paying jobs."

Blumenthal recently voted for the Endless Frontier Act, a landmark $110B bill in Congress aimed at outcompeting China in critical emerging technology areas vital to national security.  IT calls for the establishment of regional centers of technological excellence in the U.S. The recent data reported in CompuCare, a leading resource of product reviews and comparisons, highlighting the disparity between “Made in America” and “Made in China” in the emerging industry provided a stark backdrop for the legislative effort. 

Connecticut’s senior Senator was also instrumental in the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) decision to ban the use of DOJ funds to purchase or operate drones from 'covered foreign' countries, such as China. The bipartisan American Security Drone Act, which Senator Blumenthal co-authored, paves the way for U.S.-based drone manufacturers - such as Aquiline Drones - to enter the burgeoning billion-dollar industry. According to the FAA, drones represent the fastest-growing segment in the entire transportation sector.

"Our goal is to become more competitive by strengthening U.S. leadership and businesses in critical technologies through investment in innovation,” Blumenthal said. “These include artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, cloud technology, IoT and advanced manufacturing.”

Aquiline delivers a vertically integrated blend of products and services. AD's core management includes highly experienced aviators, systems engineers, IT gurus, military personnel (including veterans), and business strategists.  The business provides an aviation cloud for commercial drones, US-based drone manufacturing, drone "maintenance-repair-overhaul" (MRO) services, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) solutions for large enterprises and governments, a superior line of Spartacus drone products, a robust UAS training academy, and the country's first 'drone-on-demand' service enabling customers to order drone services through a proprietary mobile app.

Meeting with Blumenthal at the company’s headquarters - 15,000 square feet in the Stark Building, a historic architectural landmark located on Main Street - Alexander highlighted several initiatives launched by the company: 

• Aquiline Drones' Flight to the Future drone pilot training and business ownership initiative.  Students of this online course become full-fledged, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-certified commercial drone pilots.

• The Aquiline Agile Manufacturing Pod (AMP) - an advanced modular workstation designed for deployment to homes and businesses. AMP decentralizes manufacturing and gives individuals an opportunity to work remotely – and for themselves, producing drones, which Aquiline later buys from them.  This novel concept – announced in May with MakerspaceCT, a Hartford non-profit tech incubator for entrepreneurs, businesses, schools and the community - addresses the growing demand for drones and drone services nationwide, while offering a revenue stream for its owners and operators.

• The pending roll-out of the nation's first drone-on-demand (DoD) app – described as an Uber-esque application that will enable individuals to request drone services at any time.

Possible new and groundbreaking industry applications for drone technology were also highlighted during the meeting, including smart farming, drone delivery services for life-saving human tissues and organs, asset inspection including Energy & Utilities (E&U), bridges, tunnels, wind turbines, cellphone towers, as well as their utilization in multiple areas by first responders.

Earlier this year, as the company announced the opening the first drone manufacturing and assembly plant in Connecticut and exclusive production agreements with a French company, Alexander said “Our goal is to not only position our country as a leader in the multi-billion-dollar global drone industry, but also, to reestablish America's manufacturing dominance. This is in perfect harmony with our company’s powerful strategic vision of making Connecticut the drone capital of the nation.”

"It was truly an eye-opening experience talking with the Aquiline Drones team and touring its impressive Made-in-the-USA drone facility," Blumenthal observed. "I look forward to bringing this knowledge and story back to the Capitol and seeing what can be done collaboratively in achieving the goals of the company, as well as the Federal government. I am excited to see what the company comes up with next."

PHOTOS: (top) U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, Barry Alexander, Founder and CEO of Aquiline Drones and Lt. General Brooks Bash, Military Advisor at Aquiline Drones in front of the HEF-32, an industrial-grade drone designed for lengthy missions across all terrains.  (bottom) Stephanie Hernandez of East Hartford; one of 25 production technicians hired this year, assembling American-made drones at Aquiline Drones in Hartford.