senseFly Partners with Insurance Firm in Effort to Grow Drone Business in U.S.

Increasingly companies in the drone space are establishing partnerships and alliances in an effort to gain market share and become more competitive. Most of these to date have been around technology. But earlier this week we saw the marriage of a tech firm with one in the service sector. senseFly, a manufacturer of aerial imaging drones (and company owned by Parrot), announced a partnership with  Ascentium Capital and Transport Risk Management to offer new drone insurance, finance and leasing packages in the United States.

senseFly’s goal here is to streamline the process of getting U.S. drone operators up and running. Businesses exploring the advantages of drone technology, say a construction firm, can feel overwhelmed. The costs, risks, not to mention regulations, can be daunting. But the benefits of drones are also compelling. senseFly seeks to reduce barriers to adoption with finance and insurance (available now) that enable customers to finance or lease a professional drone—such as an eBee or albris. The package includes extended limited warranty coverage, including scheduled maintenance, for the full term of their lease or finance agreement (up to 36 months). At the end of the lease customers have the option to own the equipment.

In a press release principals from senseFly and Ascentium had this to say:

“What we are announcing today is a simplified, first-of-its-kind way for operators to get up and running with senseFly’s aerial imaging drones,” said Jean-Christophe Zufferey, senseFly CEO. “By choosing a joint financing and insurance package, operators can benefit from full cost transparency—knowing all their monthly costs up front, with no additional expensive surprises, and feel safe in the knowledge that their aircraft is fully covered against all eventualities. For example, for mapping and agricultural professionals like surveyors and agronomists, a monthly premium of under $1,000 enables them to immediately start flying the most trusted and reliable fixed-wing drone on the market—the senseFly eBee. The monthly premium includes insurance, an extended warranty and maintenance for the leasing period.”

“Our senseFly package rates are significantly lower than industry norms, offering senseFly buyers a highly cost-effective option to professional drone ownership,” said Greg Peterson, Senior Vice President of Sales at Ascentium Capital. “We are delighted to be associated with a real drone success story and look forward to helping more and more operators reap the benefits of senseFly’s cutting-edge tools.”

This is the latest in what may be a series of future partnerships in technology, distribution, and services as manufacturers look to become a leader in the U.S. commercial drone market.