Seeking Partners in new UAV business

[keithskye]

Looking for one or more partners to participate with me in the launch of a new line of UAVs, to be designed and tested in Lake Havasu, Arizona. I am open to discussion regarding alternative locations for the business, although there are many very good reasons for locating the business here. Partners should be ready to devote money or hardware, skill and a lot of time in developing and bringing to market a highly competitive small UAV system. If you have thought that you have a better idea or could improve on many of the small UAV systems currently in use in the field by military forces and government agencies, but were not sure how best to go about making it a reality, then please get in touch. Partners with knowledge/experience/skill in the following areas are highly desired:

Designing/building electric power systems
Composite airframe structures (especially hollow-molded wings, etc.)
Small turbojet and turboprop engines
Long range telemetry and datalinks
Micro autopilot systems

This is a serious business (for profit) venture, not just another R/C hobby project.

Again, if you are a qualified (have time/money/hardware/skill) and interested candidate for partnership, please get in touch with me to discuss our options.

Keith McLellan
CEO
Global Air Link, LLC
www.globalairlink.biz
928-412-9995 (in the USA)
+44 (0)7506 736 028 (in Europe)
1st2fly@msn.com

[Tuner]

I take it one of your customer demographics are military?

[keithskye]

Absolutely, though of course CBP and others are good candidates as well.

Keith

[fly_boy99]

Not to shoot down your idea but how much biz do you already do with the military?

There are tons of folks who drum up UAV ideas every day. The latest one being a 17k wing which to my best estimate would only cost no more than $400.

Sad,
B

[keithskye]

Not to shoot down your idea but how much biz do you already do with the military?

There are tons of folks who drum up UAV ideas every day. The latest one being a 17k wing which to my best estimate would only cost no more than $400.

Sad,
B

B,

First of all, you are correct in your statement that there are lots of folks who think up "cool" or "new" ideas for UAVs every day. I am not at liberty to say anything about what connections I may or may not have, nor what business I may or may not do with any branch of the military or government. Only the partners in this business will know, and that's the bottom line: this is a business I am starting, not a hobby project, not playing with an "idea". Also, the cost of any product also has to include the cost of doing business: facility overhead, labor costs, inventory, tooling, licensing, insurance and taxes, just to name a few. I invite you to create a business to do limited production runs of anything, and then tell me what it "really costs".

Many of the existing, planned or advertised small UAVs that are out there try to execute the same basic missions. Our project goal is to provide a more capable, elegant (and at the same time more robust), very cost effective and user-friendly line of products that can be deployed and used with greater ease than anything we've seen out there so far. The airframe and propulsion system design concepts have been mapped out and are driven by performance standards requested by certain individuals within or connected with various branches of the US military establishment, as well as several government agencies within a couple of States that I have spoken with.

I am taking the same approach to this that I have done with other successful businesses: analyze the market, look at what everyone else is doing, and then come up with a better, more effective way of doing it, and that includes how it is marketed. Quality and value must be at least a factor above the competition. I've been watching and researching the development of UAVs for the past 10 years, and I am just now confident that a better line of products can be brought to market in certain niches of the UAV industry. I know that the design concepts our team has in pocket are very good ones. It all comes down to how you develop, produce and then market your product. Sound technical and business practices will be utilized in the development and marketing of our product line, and the number of highly qualified people that have responded to me directly proves to me without a doubt that there are a lot of good people out there ready to do something special, and make a good profit while we're at it.

It takes a lot of time, effort and yes, a lot of money, to successfuly launch a business of this type. Hopefully, you'll be reading about some high-performance small UAVs being purchased by various branches of the military and other government agencies next year, and hopefully, they will be ours.

Keith McLellan
CEO
Global Air Link
www.globalairlink.biz

[Tuner]

Keith,
This is why I'm back in school, not only has it been a passion of mine since I was a kid but now it is a booming industry... for military and municipalities.

I asked because my interests are more the area of high-tech mass-produced systems for commercial/retail. Now it almost always comes down to software...

Good Luck!

Scott

[Myron]

Keith,

Are you aware of what is going on with the regulation of UA's in the NAS here in the States? Maybe different in the UK, but the FAA basically has us grounded.

Myron
RP Flight Systems

[DaveAtDigital]

Hello all,

I’m glad Keith posted this thread.

After trolling these forums for a while, it is evident that no one person has the total solution; the idea of gathering a team is excellent. I see many UAV enthusiasts who can fabricate anything, yet struggle with the simplest of programming. On the other side of the coin, I and my associate design software, yet have difficulty with fabrication.

I would be interested to see if a team can be put together from these forums to develop a practical/viable product…and equally as important as someone who can build is, is someone who can sell it.

-Dave

[Gary Mortimer]

Well maybe Keith will be part of unlocking the USA system!!

[patrickegan]

Maybe he's got a magic wand :)

[keithskye]

Dave,

Your comments are right on target. After attending several UAV symposiums and simply sitting back and listening to and observing what everyone else is doing, I came to the same basic conclusion. That is why I think it's a good time for me to put together a first rate team of individuals (or even companies) to pool skills, resources and experience to develop a line of products that really work in a way that no existing systems work right now, at least on the small end of the spectrum, which is where I want to start. As the company grows and is profitable, then larger and more sophisticated platforms can be developed and brought to market. While I have some very sound ideas and a well-developed concept of my own, I am smart enough to know that a concerted team effort is much more likely to succeed against the effort of even the most talented single individual.


Please get in touch with me at your earliest convenience to talk about being part of the team. I am not only intersted in partners with technical expertise, but also with common sense and business acumen.

Keith

[keithskye]

Keith,

Are you aware of what is going on with the regulation of UA's in the NAS here in the States? Maybe different in the UK, but the FAA basically has us grounded.

Myron
RP Flight Systems

Myron,

I have sat in on some debates on what will be required to operate a UAV within the NAS (National Airspace System) here and in other countries, and although I do not know specifically what regulatory requirements are being drafted at present, as an operator, manager and pilot of business jet aircraft at one end of the spectrum, and also as an ultralight and light aircraft enthusiast at the other end of the spectrum, I can easily predict what kind of equipment and capabilities will be required of UAVs and the regulatory compliance procedures that will go along with all of that. I invite you to call to talk about joining the team, and how as part of the team we can address those issues and take proactive steps to meet those requirements before they are even in place, thus insuring our competitive edge in the market.

~ Keith

[Pack AE]

Keith -- unfortunately, the term "small UAV" means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. IMO, if I were looking to help start a UAV company, the specifics on what you mean by that term would be hugely important. Can you elaborate on what size class you're thinking of targeting? WASP-sized? Raven-sized? Scan Eagle-sized? Bigger? Smaller?

[keithskye]

Keith -- unfortunately, the term "small UAV" means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. IMO, if I were looking to help start a UAV company, the specifics on what you mean by that term would be hugely important. Can you elaborate on what size class you're thinking of targeting? WASP-sized? Raven-sized? Scan Eagle-sized? Bigger? Smaller?

The Scan Eagle would be our primary competition initially, as this is the general size and performance capability range we will be targeting in our entry into this industry. Larger and more capable platforms would follow on once our initial system is being produced.

Keith

[mlbco]

Keith,

Getting Scan Eagle duration (17 hours) out of a turbine propulsion system will be very difficult, it isn't suited to the low speed and altitude Scan Eagle operates at. An important operational niche for Scan Eagle is its Skyhook recovery system which allows shipboard operation. Any serious competitor to Scan Eagle should have shipboard operational capability that meets or exceeds their performance. Boeing felt confident enough with Insitu's Scan Eagle and Integrator UAV products to pay $400 million for the company last year. To me that says Boeing's confidence of the military commitment to the Insitu product line is very strong and not easily shaken. Insitu has approximately 100K combat flight hours with Scan Eagle and this track record makes it less likely for any non-defense company to challenge their market supremacy. It sounds like your best bet is to patent your design and see if one of the big companies will license it from you.

What I've heard from the industry folks is that UAV's will be in high demand for some time to come, but not many new UAV programs will be started by the DOD. This means more units from existing customers but not much interest in new designs unless they evolve from proven ones. It's a tough market to start from scratch in, because the current competitors are very good at providing what the military wants and have very strong relationships with the various government agencies.

Steve Morris

[Pack AE]

Keith -- are you planning on developing your own autopilot or using an off-the-shelf solution?

[keithskye]

Steve,

You only asked me what size UAV our group is planning to produce, and mentioned the Scan Eagle as representative of a particular type of UAV. The Scan Eagle is only one of several our group plan to challenge with designs that approach certain objectives in new ways, especially with regard to propulsion systems and enhanced aerodynamic design, and most importantly, ease of deployment, use and cost. There are several things about the Scan Eagle system (and others) that I and my partners believe can be improved upon and can be executed at a much more competitive price index.

I cannot say anything else about our project because again, this is a highly competitive business and it is too easy to extrapolate technical details and ideas from even the most vague of descriptions (at least in my opinion).

I grew up around the US Military establishment. My father was deeply involved in special projects, many of which were/are the forerunners of today's UAV concepts. I was always fascinated by what he was doing, and what was possible, and how various products and systems were thought up, developed, and then marketed to the various branches of the military and government. My father was one of those involved in the decision making process, and in fact managed several weapons ranges with more than one branch of the miltary. To put it mildly, I learned a lot about what it takes to bring a new system to market, and win that military contract.

While much of what you say is true about the DOD tending to stay with "proven" designs and OEMs, they are also very open to anyone who can prove that they can match or exceed a competitors offer, especially if they can do so at a more attractive cost, and if they can prove that they can support their systems for the long term. I would point out that so many great companies and products in our country were brought to market successfully in the face of huge resistance or discouragement, and thankfully, the founders of those products didn't listen, but instead pressed on and pursued their dreams, and the realities they created surround us every day, in every facet of our lives. We're not trying to do anything like that (yet), but we are definitely planning on thinking at least a bit outside the box! I am not putting a team together to just succeed on a small scale. I'm looking a lot further down the road, with the goal of growing this company into one of the "big" OEMs. The people who have responded with an interest in joining the group come from diverse and impressive backgrounds. The skill sets and business capabilities they bring to the table give me great confidence in the future of this new endeavor.

Keith

[keithskye]

Keith -- are you planning on developing your own autopilot or using an off-the-shelf solution?

Using an off-the-shelf solution has obvious advantages, and there are several very capable systems available right now. However, if we cannot get the functionality we need from any particular system, then we will look at producing our own, or more likely, working with an OEM to customize an existing system. Regarding the use of autopilots, I have some ideas that may be a bit unusual, in the way that they would be employed in a given design, but again, I cannot say any more on the subject without giving away too much information. I can't very well compete against the existing and would-be OEMs if I let everyone here know what I'm doing and how I'm doing it. You'll have to become part of the team to find out what we are doing.

Keith McLellan
CEO
Global Air Link
www.globalairlink.biz

[Pack AE]

You'll have to become part of the team to find out what we are doing.
Can't say that I'm interested in joining the team, unfortunately. But I do get very curious when I hear that someone is starting a new UAV company, particularly in this market. I mean no offense but, as others have alluded to, you're taking a big risk to try and break into a military-only UAV market, regardless of your connections or your past experience. UAVs are simply a brutal market right now for anyone who's not already a "Program of Record." And the commercial market doesn't appear to be anywhere on the horizon, particularly for Scan Eagle sized airframes...

But I applaud you for taking the risk. As you've stated, there are many examples of those who have succeeded in the face of huge obstacles. Ultimately, that's what everyone in the UAV industry is trying to do (unless they're an enormous defense contractor or their name is Aerovironment).

[otlski]

Using an off-the-shelf solution has obvious advantages, and there are several very capable systems available right now. However, if we cannot get the functionality we need from any particular system, then we will look at producing our own, or more likely, working with an OEM to customize an existing system. Regarding the use of autopilots, I have some ideas that may be a bit unusual, in the way that they would be employed in a given design, but again, I cannot say any more on the subject without giving away too much information. I can't very well compete against the existing and would-be OEMs if I let everyone here know what I'm doing and how I'm doing it. You'll have to become part of the team to find out what we are doing.

Keith McLellan
CEO
Global Air Link
www.globalairlink.biz

Hi Keith,

Here's a link to my company.

www.space-electronics.com
I'm an EVP there.

You might be interested in our CG and MOI machines and services. Physical measurement always aids in rapid prototyping. We've worked with almost all gov aerospace contractors. UAV services is a target market for us. Perhaps we could find common ground?

Regards,
Dan

[keithskye]

I am more than pleasantly surprised and very happy to say that a good number of extremely talented and highly educated individuals have responded to my call for participation in the formation of this new business, some of whom are already very experienced within the UAV industry. After speaking with several of you, it has been agreed that a face-to-face meeting should be the first step toward making this a reality.

On the 19th and 20th of this month, I will be hosting a round of open meetings in San Marcos, California for any and all parties interested in becoming involved. The first meeting will begin at 9am on Thursday, the 19th. I will chair the initial meeting to get things started. All who attend will be expected to actively participate. Topics of discussion will include or touch on at least the following:
• The current status of and the future potential of the UAV market
• The current and would-be competitors in the market
• The known or suspected strengths and weaknesses of their various products and systems
• The basic design criteria (size, performance, capabilities and cost) of one or more UAV systems that are most likely to succeed as part of our entry into the market
• Airframe, Propulsion, Control, Navigation and Sensor technology - options and alternatives
• Weather and Environmental factors relative to performance and equipment requirements
• Safety and Regulatory compliance issues
• Trade laws and restrictions
• Development and Production resources (requirements, restrictions, logistics, costs)
• Business operations - company formation, locations, division of responsibilities, logistics, marketing, funding, short and long-term goals, etc.
• Potential industry alliances, relationships, partnerships and funding resources

As you can see, there is a lot of ground to cover, but at the end of it all, I hope that there will be a core group of individuals who will have made the decision to go forward, become part of the team, and have taken the steps necessary to kick it off. In order to protect the information which will undoubtedly be shared by some or all, I will have copies of a Mutual Confidentiality Agreement to be signed by all parties who attend. This will be enforced to the best of my ability. With this in place, I hope that some, if not all, will make the effort to give some kind of presentation to those assembled.

Anyone, whether I've spoken with you or not, who is seriously interested and is making the commitment to be there, please take the time to RSVP. Please communicate to me via email your intentions and travel itinerary so that I can better negotiate the number of hotel rooms (at a good rate) needed over the two days of meetings. Some of you have already responded (one gentleman has already made the commitment to travel halfway around the world at great expense in time and money just to make these meetings, and he will be arriving on the 18th). I need to know who and how many are going to attend in order to organize an adequately sized and comfortable conference room, with provisions for any presentations that anyone may care to give or share. I will pay for this expense. In order to keep costs in line for everyone, I may be able to pick up or provide transportation to anyone who might be flying into one of the following cities: Las Vegas, Ontario (Los Angeles area) and San Diego. Las Vegas is one of the easiest and most inexpensive places to fly into from anywhere, and I plan to be there on the 18th and then drive down to San Marcos from there, passing by the Ontario, California airport along the way. Let me know if you would like some help in making travel plans. The planned venue for the meetings is the Lake San Marcos Resort. If you choose to stay at the resort itself, I think the rate will be somewhere in the $80 to $110 per night range, for a deluxe or executive room. There are several other hotels in the immediate area such as the Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express as alternatives.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Keith McLellan
CEO
Global Air Link
+1 928 412 9995
email: 1st2fly@msn.com
www.globalairlink.biz

[Tuner]

You've got balls Keith. Goodluck I've seen big military contractors fight mighty dirty to kill a new and obviously better product that is competing. The only nice thing about the UAV market is that it has yet to develop long term relationships so it is easier to compete in my opinion.

Scott

[patrickegan]

I don’t know, Boeing made the move on Insitu to the tune of $400 million. So someone thinks something is happening. Not saying it’d be a cakewalk by any stretch of the imagination, but there could be room for the right competition. :)

[fly_boy99]

Having just finished up another software startup with limited funding and a deadline of 6 months I'm glad to say that we hit our targets. So I know what things "really cost" from a "soft side" perspective as well as hardware related as I have been doing this for 15+ years now.

I applaud your tenacity to move forward and take risk in this market. I am very familiar with risk and embrace it as I know the folks that do actually make the big money.

I'd enjoy hearing more about your business ideas and San Marcos is only a short drive down for me but I'll be at a Pacific Paradise on your meeting day.

Bryan

B,

I invite you to create a business to do limited production runs of anything, and then tell me what it "really costs".

Many of the existing, planned or advertised small UAVs that are out there try to execute the same basic missions. Our project goal is to provide a more capable, elegant (and at the same time more robust), very cost effective and user-friendly line of products that can be deployed and used with greater ease than anything we've seen out there so far. The airframe and propulsion system design concepts have been mapped out and are driven by performance standards requested by certain individuals within or connected with various branches of the US military establishment, as well as several government agencies within a couple of States that I have spoken with.

It takes a lot of time, effort and yes, a lot of money, to successfuly launch a business of this type. Hopefully, you'll be reading about some high-performance small UAVs being purchased by various branches of the military and other government agencies next year, and hopefully, they will be ours.

Keith McLellan
CEO
Global Air Link
www.globalairlink.biz

[keithskye]

Bryan,

The more diverse the group, the greater the number of people just like you that come to the table to see what we can do and what resources we jointly represent, the more likely we are to find that we have a real chance of being a very successful business, regardless of what point in the market or industry we choose to enter. If you knew all of the parties who have expressed an interest and could have sat in on the conversations I've had with those that are going to try to make it to these meetings, I think you'd be very, very impressed. I grow more sure of the validity and potential success of this endeavor with each day and each person I get to speak with. I know that we're really onto something here. I invite you to join in. Wouldn't you hate to see this become a reality and watch it grow into something really big and know that you could have been a part of it from the beginning?
Call me.

Keith
928-412-9995

[fly_boy99]

Keith

If I get a chance I will call beforehand, otherwise it will have to wait until after my maui trip.

Bryan

[keithskye]

The group meeting to form the new company is set and the response has been very, very good! It's also apparent that I will have to have another round of meetings in Europe to help accomodate those based there that have shown a real interest in becoming part of the team, so look for that to be organized sometime in March, either in the UK, or in France.

There are more than a dozen people who have confirmed attendance for this first group meeting, and its an impressive group to be sure! The group definitely has all the skill sets necessary to successfully develop and bring to market a sophisticated and highly capable UAS product line.

Time for us to submerge below radar detection and get to work. Anyone seriously interested in participating should contact me directly via email from this point forward, as this thread will probably be closed after next week.

Good luck to all in their individual efforts and projects!

Regards,

Keith McLellan
CEO
Global Air Link
www.globalairlink.biz
email: 1st2fly@msn.com

[keithskye]

Bryan,

Be sure to get in touch when you get back!

Keith

Keith

If I get a chance I will call beforehand, otherwise it will have to wait until after my maui trip.

Bryan

[Gary Mortimer]

Well let me know when the meeting is in March Keith, Id be interested in attending one in UK, dont mind if you fly us to France for one in a bizjet either.

G

[patrickegan]

http://www.paris-air-show.com/

anyone else going? :)

[Gary Mortimer]

Well I've booked a Biz jet trip Patrick

[keithskye]

Gary,

email me so I can start a contact list for the March meetings.

As for the Paris Airshow? You bet I'll be there! Purely for personal enjoyment if not also for professional reasons. I may have a booth there for one of my companies, but not sure yet. Maybe we'll be there to kick off a new UAS product!

Keith McLellan
1st2fly@msn.com

[fly_boy99]

Will do, leave bright and early....

I'll be dreaming of all those drinks..... :D

B


Bryan,

Be sure to get in touch when you get back!

Keith

[keithskye]

Will do, leave bright and early....

I'll be dreaming of all those drinks..... :D

B

My wife and I had planned to go to Maui next week, but then this whole UAS/UAV thing just sort of took over, and she actually agreed that rather than spend a few grand on a week in Maui, that I should go ahead and invest the time and money in the new venture. After all, when it pays off, we'll be able to do Hawaii any time!

Have fun and get in touch when you get back. If you see any of the MISO guys while you are there (local R/C soaring group), tell 'em I said Aloha!

Keith

[dag214]

Funny story, I got 3 e-mail's now from friends that asked if I have saw this thread, I said sure I have, and I am attending. There is a lot of interest in the UVA market, just not sure my small plane designs count ;) .

I have seen some people that think this might be a big waste of time, but when you get a room full of really great people that love aviation and other cool high tech stuff, it could never be a waste of time.

Thanks,
Damon

[pthompson24]

Damon,

That model is huge! Are you planning on flying it RC or will you train your daughter to get in and fly it?

:)
-Paul

[Pack AE]

but when you get a room full of really great people that love aviation and other cool high tech stuff, it could never be a waste of time.

This assumes that there's a market for your product... I just wonder if your collective resources might be better spent in lobbying the government to allow a market.

[keithskye]

This assumes that there's a market for your product... I just wonder if your collective resources might be better spent in lobbying the government to allow a market.

Hmmm... was there a market for airplanes and aviation in general first, or did the invention of the airplane create the market? Was there a market for personal computers first, or did Steve Job and Bill Gates develop their idea and products first, and then created the incredibly huge market that today includes more than just home computing devices?

The market already exists, and it is only growing larger every day. Working to bring a successful product online that works within the existing regulatory parameters is the challenge, and in doing so, one directly affects the shape and scope of those very same regulations, especially at this early stage of the game. Anyone smart enough to see this and act on it in an organized, effective and ethical way will succeed and will help drive where the market goes. That is simple business reality.

But hey, all of you would-be UAS designers/builders and OEMs, please ignore what I just said. I'm foolish and wasting my time thinking that I might actually be able to do something here and compete with any of the established companies in this industry. ;)

[Pack AE]

I don't think anyone on this thread is foolish in any way. I do think you need to be very educated on the current market before jumping in. Of course manned aircraft and computers succeeded... in those cases, the government hadn't already set up regulations that made it a difficult environment to succeed in!

If you end up starting your company, I hope with all of my heart that you succeed - we all want to see a viable UAV market. Just don't get caught up in "what things should be" and do your due diligence on "what things actually are." If you can still make a business case based on that analysis, more power to you and I hope to see great successes!

[dag214]

This assumes that there's a market for your product... I just wonder if your collective resources might be better spent in lobbying the government to allow a market.

I guess I would like to give my 2 cents, and it is only IMHO.

This may be one of those crazy idea's that someone might be able to create a market, or a market with in a market, but I have now seen in my life 5 projects (that just looked like there was zero chance of success) started that ended up creating a working company to support the product and then manufacturing was developed to deliver it.

Just keep in mind, if you invent something that is really cutting edge, something like no other, then you might have enough people want it that they become a driving force in getting laws changed for the better good of all.

I know it might sound like BS to some, but people like me that have seen products invented, and sold that most people would have said "there is no way they will ever sell any of those 20k gadgets", but one of the companies I support I sold over 11 million of those gadgets last year. That might not be big $$$ in Boeing's terms, but for a product that has been invented and put in to a market in under 4 years were anything over 8k was considerer expensive is great.

Anything is possible if you get off you seat and just try.

We may fail, but at the least, we tried.

Thanks, Damon

[Gary Mortimer]

There has to be room for all out there.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/teal-group-predicts-worldwide-uav,718782.shtml

[f104nick]

I have to ask a question.

Why would you reach out to a RC forum wanting to start a UAV company? Don't get me wrong, but with all of the lay-offs in the tech industry, aerospace industry, and the avionics industry having such a hard time, why would you not get a aerospace/technologies head hunter and go get engineers that already have worked in the industry that you say you have contacts with, or that your dad has contacts with.

Just seems very strange that you come to this forum looking for aerospace, avionics, and technology experts when there is already a ton out there.

I hope I don't offend everyone here, I know we love the RC world, but lets be real, what start up company has a chance when the group you are getting together has no experience in the UAV industry or market. And I know you said your dad has been involved with the military, why not use his connections.

And just about every aeronautical engineering program at any of the big universities have programs and contest to help develop what the military needs. Have you posted to any of them.

Just my observations being a avid RC guy (and part time engineer ;) ).

Nick

[keithskye]

Don't mean to be short or sound annoyed, but the fact of the matter is that I'm not looking for EMPLOYEES. I'm looking for team mates, partners, in a lucrative venture that has tremendous potential. As an employer with two other businesses, I can tell you with reasonable authority that there are basically two kinds of people when it comes to attitudes regarding work, challenges and risk. Most are the type that are not willing to step out of their comfort zones and take a risk or pursue a dream or idea in the face of adversity, and are willing to put up with less than satisfactory working conditions or do a job that they are not passionate about, in exchange for a semblance of stability and job security. Then there is the other type, and that type is the kind of person I want as my partner, my team mate. Someone passionate about what we are going to try to do.

This is EXACTLY the place I am more likely to find the kind of people who would have the personality and mindset to take on the challenge, take the risk and ultimately succeed in an endeavor like this. Many people here in RC Groups are passionate modelers, from every walk of life. Many of us became involved in the careers we have because of our early interest in modeling, especially those who fly model airplanes. Nearly every big technology company you ever heard of started with one individual or small group of people who were passionate about an idea or a particular type of technology, etc. and decided to try to make a business of it in bringing it to market. Disney, Apple and Microsoft are some of the better known modern examples.

The funny thing is that you don't seem to be aware of the extremely diverse backgrounds and professions of the people that frequent this and other areas of RC Groups. Just from reading my original post here, there are people coming to our little get together with the full range of technical skills I was seeking. For example, attending our group meeting is a software engineer, a programmer, a communications specialist, and several folks who are either aeronautical engineers, electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, or more than one of the above, as well as security specialists (government background is all I can say here) and aviation specialists (myself being one of them). Some of those attending are already working in the UAS industry, and some have very good connections (myself included).

I'm not going to reveal any more. My post generated EXACTLY what I hoped it would, and the future of this group is great indeed.

'nuff said!

[keithskye]

There has to be room for all out there.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/teal-group-predicts-worldwide-uav,718782.shtml

I don't want anyone to see things like this! Then they might get the idea that they can do this, too! Gotta keep the competition down to say, just Boeing, Northrop, General Atomics..... ;)