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CustomNo standard drone fits your mission? Get a custom UAV
Off-the-shelf drones are built for common needs, so unusual payloads, ranges and conditions can leave you stuck.
When do you need a custom drone?
If you keep working around what a drone can't do, the drone may be the wrong one. A custom or adapted UAV starts from your mission, not a catalogue.
Consider custom when your payload, range, endurance or environment rules out standard products, or when you need features a supplier won’t add.
Custom doesn’t always mean starting from zero. Adapting an existing platform is often quicker and lower risk, so ask about that first.
Signs you have this problem
- Your sensor won’t physically fit or connect to available drones
- No product meets your range and endurance together
- You keep adding workarounds in the field
- Your supplier can’t make the changes you need
What to look for
- Honest feasibility advice early on
- In-house design and prototyping
- Experience with your kind of payload
- Clear testing before delivery
The main causes
Unusual payloads
Sensors can need custom mounts, power and data.
Specific missions
Range, endurance and environment may fall outside standard specs.
Closed products
Many suppliers won’t change their design for one customer.
Before and after
How to solve it, step by step
- 1
Brief
Share the mission, payload, range and environment.
- 2
Design
Check feasibility, then design in CAD.
- 3
Prototype
Build with 3D printing and CNC, and integrate.
- 4
Test
Test on the bench and in the field, then deliver.
Common questions
How much does a custom drone cost?
It depends on the requirement, so we scope it after understanding your mission. Contact us with rough figures and we’ll discuss next steps.
How long does custom UAV development take?
It depends on how new the design is. Adapting an existing platform is usually faster than a new design.
What should I include in my brief?
Your mission, payload weight and size, range, endurance, environment, timeline and quantity.
Related problems
Relying on imported drones
When spares, support and design decisions sit overseas, a grounded drone can stay grounded.
Read moreBuying drones for government
Government buyers must follow procurement rules and also find a drone that meets the actual mission.
Read moreCostly crashes while learning
New operators need hours in the air, but mission-grade aircraft are not the place to make beginner mistakes.
Read moreFacing this problem?
Tell us about your mission and our engineers will suggest the right platform or configuration.