Highdra commercial drone Starcopter – DRONELIFE

With a Modular Design and Unmatched Battery Life, the Highdra Offers Cost-Effective Flexibility for Surveying, Filming, and Mapping Projects

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian J. McNabb
German drone developer Starcopter recently unveiled the Highdra, a 6-rotor commercial-focused UAV sold via an innovative flight-hours pricing model that makes it one of the most cost-effective, powerful solutions available on the market. DroneLife got up close and personal with the Starcopter at INTERGEO, where the Braunschweig-based company described the Highdra and gave DroneLife some insights into what makes them different from their competitors.

With a unique, automotive-inspired 6-battery array system and architecture, Starcopter advertises its unrivaled charge lifetime, keeping the Highdra airloft even after many competitors would turn their batteries into e-waste. Add in fully tool-less dis-and-re-assembly and a compact design that can fit into the trunk of a car, and the Highdra seems perfectly designed for a wide range of applications, especially considering its flexible, mission-driven modular payload system. 
While they’re still a little cagey on technical specifications, including weight and flight time, DroneLife was told the Highdra is capable of a wide range of surveying, filming, and mapping applications.
According to their website, “We don’t only develop the latest drone technology, but also offer a selection of state-of-the-art sensors as the payload. Whether the latest lidar from CHCNAV or a 150MP camera from PhaseOne or an infrared camera from Workswell – your application defines the sensor.”

Instead of making the German-made Highdra available as a standalone product, Starcopter has honed in on a drone-as-a-service model, pricing per-project. With their own pilots, drones, and sensor pods, instead of purchasing an (extremely) expensive commercial drone for a company, Starcopter took inspiration from airplane engines, which aren’t priced per-unit, instead being priced by flight hour. This makes the Highdra a great solution for companies that don’t always need a drone, but could use one for certain projects. 
According to the employees DroneLife talked to in Stuttgart, they put their minimum pricing down to around €100 per flight hour (around $110), putting a powerful UAV into the hands of customers at an unrivaled price point. More specific project pricing is available upon request.
For more information on Starcopter and the Highdra, click here.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry.  Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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