3D Robotics concentrates on commercial use of drones in market segments that do not require FFA approval. The company reports that it “utilizes the software of today to build the hardware of tomorrow”. 3DR’s strategic position in the drone industry is creating a platform company, not just a product company. Its drones can be used for data analysis, surveying, mapping, 3D modeling, surveillance, and personal purposes. The company uses a community-centered approach to run their business; all of the paid software developers were hired because of their skills and dedication to the industry. 3D Robotics describe their business model as perceiving open hardware, drones, and the future of robotics as the part of the community and the company.
DJI, the China-based company creating drones, is the largest competitor of 3DR. The 3D Robotic’s primary disadvantage is that the organization had underestimated the competitiveness of Chinese developers and did not have the technologies DJI utilized while launching the Phantom. The company seems to lack the knowledge about available innovations in robotics and implements outdated techniques. The drones 3DR produce can serve multiple purposes but are not innovative, which makes them not as attractive to the users as the ones created by DJI. The company’s most significant advantage is the approach to business, where the community developers have a chance to be involved in the process of creation and receive rewards for it. 3D Robotics strives to stay close to its customers while being one of the largest manufacturers in the industry. Such an approach establishes trust-based relationships between the organization, its employees, and the people who buy its products.