drone-mobile-advertising

Advertisements on street vehicles are a common form of marketing. They are cost-effective and on display twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Many businesses rely on vehicle advertisements as a way to promote their products. Other types of advertising take to the sky, such as skywriting and blimps.

However, a new form of mobile advertising may become prevalent that sounds very futuristic: drone advertising. Drones are being used to fly around during peak hours with advertiser messaging. This unique form of advertising has gained traction, to the point where even a startup is offering this form of marketing.

What Is A Drone?

A drone is an aerial vehicle that doesn’t have a human pilot. The word drone is associated with a mindless entity who only does what other people order. Previously used mainly by the military, drones are becoming popular as a way to release mobile advertisements to the public. The startup DroneCast helps companies get set up with their own drone advertising.

Drone Advertising Is Currently Unregulated

Currently this new form of advertisement is unregulated and businesses are free to engage in drone advertising. Eventually, it is believed that the federal government will impose regulations, but currently an eclectic variety of businesses are using drone advertising.

Real estate agents, colleges, and other small business have used advertising on drones to reach their audience. However, despite the growth of drone advertising, there are safety issues that will inevitably lead to regulations being imposed.

Dangers Of Drone Advertising

The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has been concerned because the drones are sometimes flown over very low altitudes, endangering people and buildings. Since the advertising is unregulated, the concern is over the safety of civilians.

Anything Goes

While the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has been wanting to impose stricter regulations on the use of drone advertising, they will have to wait until September 2015 before any regulations can be imposed, as ordered by a judge. Until then, small businesses in particular seem keen on using drones for mobile advertisements. Particularly during peak hours, mobile advertisements have the ability to reach a large audience on a continual basis that is unmatched by any other form of advertising. So until September 2015 businesses have free reign to use drones in their marketing plans.

DroneCast Is A Successful Startup

If advertising on Drones is the future of mobile advertisements, DroneCast is leading the way. Based in Philadelphia, and run by a 19-year old, DroneCast puts messaging on drones. The company has already received a fair amount of mainstream press, and seems to be paving the way for robotic and mobile forms of advertisement. Drone advertising has many benefits, such as:

• Affordable cost
• Easily availability
• Ability to reach large groups of people
• Ability to be controlled through an iPad

Currently, drones can be controlled through an iPad or other mobile device.

The Future Of Mobile Advertisements

Depending on the ROI, drone advertising seems to be a steadily growing form of advertisement. The founder of DroneCast, GauravJit Singh, says he receives inquiries from companies everyday about investing in drone advertising. However, he says that he is also very concerned about the safety of using the drones. If someone were to get hurt because of drone advertising, it would be its death knell. However, if the Federal Aviation Administration is able to set safety regulations on drone advertising, then it could be the next major form of mobile advertisements.

When someone thinks of drones, they mainly think of aerial vehicles used for war. But perhaps in the future instead of being associated with the military, drones will be associated as a common form of mobile advertising. It has been labeled weirdly effective and adds a sense of fun to marketing as a new and innovative channel. Only time will tell if drone advertising is a gimmick or the next form of mobile advertisements.

photo credit: Gabriel GM via photopin cc