Starcopter Unveils Highdra: A Game-Changing Commercial Drone with Flight-Hours Pricing Model

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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