TMX VettaFi's head of business development for EMEA & Asia, Axel Belorde, spoke with Proactive's Stephen Gunnion about the structural drivers fuelling demand for drones and autonomous systems across defence, government and commercial markets.
Belorde pointed to military modernisation as a key driver, with decision-makers weighing whether to replace ageing equipment or adopt technology offering an asymmetric edge. He also flagged civil applications - policing, border security, disaster response - plus a growing range of commercial uses.
Smaller and medium-sized drones, he said, can deliver outsized results relative to their cost, with lighter material and energy demands easing pressure on supply chains versus traditional equipment.
Belorde emphasised drones' role as data-gathering platforms, with fleet data combined with satellite and IoT inputs to sharpen decision-making and power operational AI: "Data wins wars and data also wins in terms of deploying operational AI and having good outcomes."
On the commercial side, he cited delivery, warehouse management and predictive maintenance — including drones running continuous inventory checks to cut stockouts and free up working capital, and autonomous systems surveying critical infrastructure.
His summary: "You don't have to have a human shape for an autonomous system to work" - a drone just needs to be fit for purpose, nimble and cost-efficient to deliver outsized impact.
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