Henri Seydoux founded Parrot in 1994. But the company has changed dramatically over time and has managed to remain relevant more than 20 years later. Less than a decade ago, Parrot started working on mainstream drones. And now, the company is in the midst of another change as it now focuses more than ever on the cases of commercial UAV use. That is why we are delighted to announce that Parrot's founder and CEO, Henri Seydoux, will be joining us on TechCrunch Disrupt Berlin on December 4 and 5, 2017.
The last time I interviewed Seydoux, he looked at the original history of the first UAVs. He realized that he could reuse the same sensors and processors that you can find in a smartphone.
But instead of building phones, you can take advantage of accelerometers, gyroscopes, wireless chips, and energy-efficient processors to power tiny quadcopters. Since then drones have become a big industry. It's hard to find a reality show without drone plans now.
Things worked well for a moment. Parrot managed to sell a ton of consumer drones and it quickly became an excellent gift for the holiday season. But increased competition and reduced margins have led to difficult decisions.
It has not always been an easy ride for Parrot. In January, the company fired 35% of its drone team to focus on commercial drones. The company has made some acquisitions to become a key player in this space. SenseFly, Airinov, MicaSense and Pix4D are now all owned by Parrot.
And now, Parrot sells integrated software and hardware solutions for very special use cases. Just two weeks ago, Parrot launched drones for firefighters and farmers. You can also imagine using drones for 3D modeling, inspection, deliveries and more.
These products can be expensive because Parrot controls the software platform. But there is still the impression that high-tech companies are scratching the surface as far as commercial drones are concerned. Let's see if Parrot can decipher the space code of the commercial UAV.
Get your tickets now Disrupt to save 30% of your tickets and see Henri Seydoux and other drone companies – prices will increase in a few weeks. You will also see the Startup Battlefield Contest, in which a handful of startups are pitching our judges with the hope of winning the coveted Disrupt Cup and a cash prize.
You will have the opportunity to chat with many promising start-ups in Startup Alley, to see incredible discussions on the main stage and to relax after a long day at the salon with a cocktail and new friends during the show. After Disrupt evening
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