At INTERGEO, attention has shifted from individual platforms to complete geospatial workflows.
One of the clearest drone industry trends at INTERGEO 2026 is not a new aircraft or sensor. It is how fully drones have entered the wider geospatial workflow.
In earlier years, drones occupied their own category and their own space on the show floor. That made sense – drones often required dedicated teams, specialized software and separate processes. The aircraft itself was often the main attraction.
This year’s show floor tells a different story. Drones remain visible, but they now sit alongside crewed aircraft, satellites and ground systems as another way to collect data.
Sensor manufacturers offer drone-ready versions of established technologies. Mapping platforms accept data from multiple sources, while AI tools help process and analyze it. The focus has shifted from the aircraft to the result.
“Drones are a way to accelerate data collection and provide additional inputs for downstream products,” said Eric Bogard, Vice President of Marketing at Blue Marble Geographics,an exhibitor and provider of advanced GIS mapping software. “It’s about the job to be done. Drones are one of many tools in the toolbox.”
From Drone Operations to Integrated Workflows
A drone may suit a smaller site, frequent inspections or difficult terrain. Aircraft and satellites may work better across larger areas. Ground systems can add more detail.
Surveyors and photogrammetrists can select the right collection method and bring the results into a common workflow.
Blue Marble Geographics says the evidence is in what they’re hearing from customers on the floor. After combining with Avenza Systems earlier this year, Blue Marble brought desktop geospatial analysis and mobile field tools under one brand. At INTERGEO, customers are responding less to individual technologies than to how they work together.
“For us, this is really the first wider presentation of our brands coming together from a practical standpoint,” Bogard said. “We’re getting a lot of positive feedback. People are focused on workflows. This is our environment, it’s the sandbox we play in – so it’s valuable to get feedback from the wider industry and validation of the direction we’re taking.”
Drone mapping has matured. There’s no need for a special section. The question is no longer whether drones can collect useful geospatial data: it’s just whether a drone is the right tool for the job, and how easily its data fits into the broader process.
At INTERGEO, drones are no longer an industry operating alongside surveying and mapping. They have become part of how the work gets done.
Read more:
- Blue Marble Geographics and Avenza Systems Combine to Create Unified Geospatial Platform
- SimActive Adds Interactive Mode to Correlator3D for Faster Photogrammetry Workflows
- FlytBase and Esri Partner to Streamline Drone Data into GIS Workflows
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
TWITTER:@spaldingbarker
Subscribe to DroneLife here.
Leave a Reply