Years from now, when historians list major events that are trigger points for creating new industries, what happened on August 29, 2016 may be on that list. This date may be viewed with the same significance as other important dates such as: May 10, 1869 – the opening of the U.S. intercontinental railroad making possible coast-to-coast shipping; October 4, 1957 – the launch of Sputnik satellite, which opened space to travel, exploration and research; and October 29, 1969 – when communication between one computer in Los Angeles and another in Menlo Park, CA started the Internet.
So what important industry will historians look back and say was triggered on August 29, 2016? Drone Commerce. Yes, today is the day drones are being permitted to operate as a business in the U.S. That is, the U.S. Government has announced rules and guidelines for companies that want to use drone technology to make money. As with most new technologies that may require government approval before being commercially viable, it may take some time before we see drones flying overhead to deliver packages, take pictures, pull aerial banner advertisements or hundreds of others uses that have yet to be imagined.
Along with the evolution of autonomous motor vehicles (i.e., driverless cars/trucks), we are on the cusp of an economy where non-human operated machines for used for transportation functions. While much of what has happened so far with drones, and other technologies, has been done by R&D and technical people, it will be the marketer’s job to figure out how to get customers to buy. And, for many younger marketers, learning now about such technologies may give you a leg up once marketing jobs are available.