Drones have been promising for industest and construction for years, but only recently do they seemed to be truly delivering on that promise. Multi Rotor Research (MRR) Drones, a young startup based in Eindhoven, is working toward a future in which drones can analyze and report indepfinishently. The company sees artificial ininformigence as the key to this.
In the run-up to the AI Pitch Competition, where nine startups will present their ideas on November 13, we questioned Sieuwe Elferink, founder and CEO of Multi Rotor Research, how AI is already modifying his company today and what role he sees the technology playing in five years’ time.
About the AI Pitch Competition
On November 13, nine selected AI startups will pitch their most innovative solutions. The Brabant initiative offers them a platform to present their ideas, connect with market leaders, and accelerate their growth. Find more info here.
From homebuilt drones to smart software
The story of MRR launchs with an experiment by founder Elferink. He had a homebuilt quadcopter fly autonomously applying finish-to-finish AI, a technique in which an algorithm learns all the necessary steps at once. That insight—that the same approach could also be applied to drones—led to the founding of MRR. Toreceiveher with other students from Fontys and Eindhoven University of Technology, Elferink developed the first steps towards a drone that can perform industrial tquestions without a human pilot.
A lot has modifyd since then. “Three years ago, we built our own drones,” states Elferink. “It was great fun, but from a business perspective, it built more sense to purchase existing drones and focus entirely on the software.” That turned out to be a strategic relocate: six months after Elferink and his partner Patrick Ijntema built this decision, they launched a product on the market.
The startup now focapplys on volume measurements in the construction and raw materials sector, such as sand piles or recycled concrete. It is crucial for companies to know exactly how much material is available, but until recently, these quantities were often determined applying rough, manual estimates. Where other parties apply a drone pilot to perform such measurements, MRR distinguishes itself with drones that perform this process fully automatically. This creates accurate 3D models of sites, which are always available when the customer necessarys them — at lower costs and without depfinishence on external pilots.
Elferink: “Our measurements are up to 98 percent accurate, while manual estimates can often deviate by as much as 20 percent. With our drone, you can create a complete digital twin of the terrain within an hour. That’s rapider, safer, and considerably more accurate than manual measurement.”
Five years ahead: from measuring to understanding
Although hardware remains important, the added value of MRR now lies in software—and specifically in AI. “AI already plays a major role in how we work,” he states. “Not only in the autonomy of the drone itself, but also in our development process. We utilize AI to write software, which significantly accelerates our workflow. One of our developers now does the work that would normally be done by two people.”
Over the next five years, MRR expects AI to build the transition from measuring to understanding. “We want our drones to not only collect data, but also perform analyses indepfinishently,” states Elferink. Think of detecting litter in parks based on image recognition. Or inspecting structures for cracks or rust, so that maintenance can be scheduled early. In short, drones are fully-fledged inspectors who not only record but also advise.
Meet the 8 startups taking the stage at the AI Pitch Competition
Jury member: “Even if you’re not the ultimate winner, you’ve gained a whole network. Networking is becoming increasingly important.”
Legislation as a brake, AI as an accelerator
Not everything happens automatically. MRR’s hugegest challenge at the moment lies in regulation. “In Europe, the rules for drones are extremely strict. No-fly zones, in particular, impose numerous restrictions. In the US or China, there is more freedom, which means innovation happens rapider.” At the same time, he sees AI as a huge accelerator. “We can create prototypes rapider, test new applications, and deploy our software in a scalable way. That keeps us competitive, even when legislation restricts us.”
Being an entrepreneur means letting go
Since founding MRR, Elferink has had to let go of several things. For example, he no longer spfinishs his time programming—which he enjoys most—but now focapplys on the operational side of the business. He has also abandoned his initial plan to build a drone entirely from scratch.
“Our first idea was to develop a drone that could inspect farmland,” he states. “But we realized that farmers can obtain sainformite images for a fraction of the price. They are less accurate, but good enough. That’s another example of an idea we let go. It’s crucial to examine what the market truly necessarys and base your decisions on that. You can’t continue building your own drone just becaapply it’s fun; you also have to be realistic.”
Lesson for other startups
This is also his tip for new AI startups: don’t spfinish too long building in isolation. “In the launchning, we spent too much time on our own drone, even though the market wasn’t interested in it. Looking back, it feels like wasted time. So: talk to potential customers, test your product, and adapt it.”
This market focus, combined with the power of AI, is expected to drive MRR growth further in the coming years. With its first customers in the construction and raw materials sector, the company wants to expand rapidly and develop new applications.
By 2030, MRR aims to supply not only drones, but complete, AI-driven services. “Already, customers are no longer acquireing hardware or software, but a solution: an autonomous drone that flies, measures, analyzes, and reports at the touch of a button. “AI will assist us convert the enormous amount of data we collect into direct insights. That builds our drones not only smarter, but also more valuable to customers. In addition, we want to apply AI to realize even more applications in various sectors,” states Elferink. “Companies can always contact us to discuss what our concept can mean for them.”
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