Drone technology that saves lives
Just before the pandemic hit the world in 2020, Atilla Haugen founded Biodrone in Steinkjer. Drawing on his experience in the drone industry since 2015, he wanted to pursue a new and promising market:
'Drone spraying and mapping for agriculture and forestry were completely new. We were early movers, but the regulations were not ready – and they still are not,' says Haugen.
This forced the company to rethink its approach.
«Biodrone develops pioneering technology that continues to find new applications.»
From services to scalable technology
Biodrone started out by providing drone flights and analysis for forest owners and managers. As its customer base grew, one thing became clear:
- As our customer base grew, we realised that we could only scale up by creating a tool that other drone pilots could use.
Today, they offer a platform that makes it easy to analyse data from drone, aerial and satellite imagery, powered by advanced artificial intelligence.
– Like the advent of the car
Haugen compares developments in the drone industry to the early days of the car:
- When cars first appeared, running a taxi service was good business. But once people realised that cars were useful tools, it became cheaper and easier to own and drive their own as the technology became more affordable and less complex. The same is true of drones.
That is why the company has focused on delivering a tool that is easy to use and makes drones even more efficient. This has opened the door to entirely new applications.
Originally developed for forestry, the platform can be used across a range of sectors. It is easy to use, yet powered by highly advanced technology.
«Finding unexploded ordnance on the ground in Ukraine is very similar to finding small spruce seedlings on the ground in Trøndelag – at least in terms of the method used.»
Earlier this year, they received NOK 14 million from the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and the Ministry of Defence to further develop their technology.
From forests to war zones
Today, the technology is used for far more than forest mapping. Through its partnership with Norwegian People's Aid, Biodrone has expanded into humanitarian mine clearance in Ukraine.
- When we heard how Norwegian People's Aid was using drones in Ukraine to search for drones, and that they were reviewing some of the images manually, we knew we had to get in touch. They showed us the tools they were using and how they worked, as we have extensive experience with geographic information systems. Using artificial intelligence, the system can identify potential mines and explosives in large volumes of images, both faster and more safely than manual review.
Mine clearance is dangerous work. Haugen says they are pleased to help make it safer and more efficient.
Crucial from the start
We have been a key partner throughout the journey.
«We entered a market early that has taken time to mature. Our willingness to share the risk with them has been crucial.»
- Innovation Norway has been with us from day one, providing development grants, innovation loans and now support through the Humanitarian Innovation Programme.
The programme connects companies with humanitarian organisations to develop solutions that can make a difference in crisis-affected areas.
The way forward
Biodrone is continuing to develop its technology and explore new applications, while strengthening its position in markets where it already has a competitive edge.
- Our plan is to find new markets for our technology while strengthening our position in the markets where we already have an advantage: forestry, nature mapping and humanitarian mine clearance.
Our CEO Håkon Haugli believes companies like Biodrone play an important role:
'Companies like this are important because they generate revenue in new markets while their products help strengthen emergency preparedness – in this case by clearing mines in Ukraine,' he says.