Elizabeth Leigh
Jay McConville, director of business development for unmanned solutions at Lockheed Martin, said the contractor is studying several avenues toward marketing its small unmanned aerial vehicles to civil and commercial clients, the National Defense Magazine reported Monday.
Yasmin Tadjdeh writes that the executive, speaking to reporters earlier in the week, highlighted the demand small drones have generated in the commercial space, including agriculture, first response and disaster relief, law enforcement and oil exploration.
“These are new markets that have seized on this capability,†McConville told media in Arlington, Virginia.
The small UAV’s modular design, coupled with offerings of reliability and safety features, eases any transition from military to commercial applications, he added.
McConville noted that Lockheed currently awaits federal guidance on commercial drone use, and added that it will continue to look at opportunities in the military market, where he said demand remains strong.
“We see market growth coming in civil and commercial, as well as a continued robust military environment, both U.S. and international,†McConville was quoted as saying.
“Requirements still need to be filled [for both large and small UAVs],†he added.
