Startup Sunflower Labs' Autonomous Drone Security System
Startup Sunflower Labs is claiming a unique design on a home security system, combining autonomous drones and 'Sunflower' sensors. Imagine an intruder tries to break into your home and your automated security drone suddenly appears above them and starts following them and scares them away. That is Sunflower's aim. They are planning a mid- to late- 2019 rollout specifically targeting high-end residential.
Based on our interview with one of the company's co-founders we examine:
- Company background
- Ramping up to full production
- How it works
- Roll out strategy
- Pricing
- Market strategy
- Potential for 3rd party video monitoring
- Potential roadblocks to adoption
Company **********
******** ****** ********************* **** *** **-******* ** ****** *** **** ******** [**** ** longer *********] *** *** ***** ***** [link ** ****** *********].
********* ******* ** ****-**** ********* *** ~8 *********** *** *** ******* ** Zurich *** *** *********.
****** *** ***** * ***** ** operation, *************** $*.* ******* ** **** *********** ********* **** ************** ********,******* ********, **** ******* [**** ** ****** available]—an ***** ******** *** *** ************* ******* **** ***** ********* **** their ********, ****, *** ******** ** Japan, *** **** ***** [**** ** longer *********]—*** *** **-******* ***** ********* ** ******* ******.
How ** *****
*** ****** **** '*********' ********* ******* (which **** *** ** ********** ******* and ********* ******) ****, **** *********, send ** ***** ** ***** *** dispatch *** ********** '***' ******.
*** *****, *****-******* ********** *** ******** with ****** *** ********* ********* ******* to ******** ******. ********* **** **** could ** ******* ** *****, *** with *** ********** ******, *** ***** drain ** *** ****. ******** ***** is * ********* **** ********* ***** activated:
*******, ********* **** **** *** *********** a ***** ******* **** ** ****** in *** ******.
*** *** ****** * ***** ******, ~3.5" ****-*** ********** ** ******** ***** and ******** ******.
********* **** *** * ***** *** will **** *** ~* **** ****** than *** ******* ***** ** * house, ********* ***** ** ****. ********* said ** *** ***** ****** ** drift ******* *** ********, ** **** do ** ********* ********** ******* *** shut ****.
*******, *** *****'* **** *******/******** *******/****** hub ** ****** *** ****. ** performs *** ********* ********* **-***** *********, powered ** ** ********** ****** ***.
*** **** ******** ** *** ******** (with * ***** ******** ** **** connection) *** ********** **** *** ****** (2.4GHz ***-****) *** *** ****** ******* (900MHz ****). ** **** *** *** (****-**** *********) ***, ***** ** ****** **** the ****** *** **********.
*** ***** ***** *********** *** *** system *****:
Roll *** ********
******** **** ********* **** *** * zip ****-**-*** **** ** ******* ******* that ***** *** *** ******* ***** marketed ** ***** *** ***** **** contained *** *******, *******-***** ********** *****. Other ********* **** ******. **** ** the ******** **** *** ****** ******* so *** *** **** ** *** east ***** ** *** **, ***** to *************'* ****** ******** *** *** *******'* crowded ***** ** *** ****.
*******
*** ******* *** *** ********* ******* yet *** **** ** ***** ** so **** **** **** ****** ** launch. ******** **** **** *** *** market—large, ****-*** ***********—*** ******** ***** ** competitively ****** **** *** **** *** scope ** ****** ****** ****** ** cover **** * ********.
********* **** *** ******* **** ** sold ** * ************ ***** **** covers *********, ********* ************, ********, *** updated ********.
******** **** **** *********'* ******** ******'* be * **** *** *** ********:
** ***’** ***** ** **** **** a ***** **** **** * **** cam *** * **** **** **** a **** ***, **** **** ***** be *** *** ** **. *** if *** **** ** *********** ** two *** * ***** ********, **** this ***** ** ******. *********** ******* are ********** *** **** *** *** much ** * *********. * ***** flying *** *** ********* *** ****** is **** **** ** * *********.
Market ********
******** **** **** **** *** * hybrid ******** ****** ** ******. **** would **** ******** ** ***** ********* who **** ********** *** ****** ** set ** *** ******* *** ****** themselves **** ** *** ** *** own ****. *******, **** **** **** actively ********** ************ ********:
*** **** ** *** ****** ** able ** *** ** ******** *** install ** ******** ** ***’** ** inclined. *******, *** *** **** ***** we **** ** ************ *******, **’** have * ******** ** *** **** where *** *** ***** **** ******* and **’** ******** * **** ** installation ******** ** **** ****.
***********, ******** **** **** ***** ******* the ********** ** *** ******** ******** Expo ** *** ****, **** **** had **** ********** ******* ******* ***** becoming ********* ** ******* *** *** up *** ******.
**’** ******** ********** **** ***. **’** had ** **** ** ***** ********** dealers **** ******* *** ****. ****’* when ** ********** *** *** **** by *** **** ******** *** ******* to **** *** *** *** ******* in ********* *****.
******** ********* ***** **** ** * certification ******* ** ***** *** ********** dealers *** **** *********** ** ** area.
Potential *** *** ***** ***** **********
*** ********* ******** **** ******* ** integrating **** * ********'* ******** ***** systems *** ******** ***** ***********, ********* to ********.
*******, ******** **** *** *******—*** *** connection ** ******* **** ******* ******** provided *******—*** ******* ****** *** * deal **** *******'* ********** ****** ******** to ******* *** ***** **** *** customers *** ****** **** ***** ********** of *** ***'* ******.
Potential ********** ** ********
***** *** * *** ********* ********** to ******** **** ** *** ***:
***** *********
***** ** * ****** *********** **** a ****** *****'* ****-***-************ ********* ***** not **** ** ***** * ***** doing **** *********** ***** *** ******** line **** *****. *******, ******** **** that *** ******** ***** *** ** he ***** *** **** **** ****** the **** ******* ** ** ***** get *** **** *** **** ***** all *****. ******** **** ******* *** that *** ***'* ******** ******* **** did *** ****** * *******, ** the ***** *** *** ******** *** long ** * ****.
********* ** ****
******** **** **** ****'* ****** ********** potential ********* ** **** (***** **** chasing *** ***** ****** *** **** barking ***********), *** **** *** **** dogs **** ***** ****** ***** * customer's *** ****** *** *** **** dogs *** *** ***** ** ***** squirrels, ********, *** ******* **** *** day. *****, ** *****, **** ******* time *** *** **** ****, ** any *********** ***** ** *******.
*******
********* **** ** *** **** ******-******* the *** ** ******* ******* ********** like ********** ***** **** *** **** and **** **** ******** ********* *** weather:
** ******* * ********* ******* ******** simultaneously *** ** **** *** ****** very ****** **** ** **** ****** rain. ** **** ****, ** **** the ****. ** **** ****** *** it ***** **** *** ****** * wind ** ****, ** **** **** refuse ** **** ***. *** *** is ** *********** **% ** *** time. *****'* ***** * **** * year **'** **** *******. ** **** an **** ***** *** ** *******.
********, ******** **** *** ****** *** a *-****** ****** ***** **** ******** the ***'* ******* ** ***. ******-******** factors ******* *** ******* *** **** battery ******.
***** *** **** ** **, ****** for ******* *******, *** *** ******* the *** ***'* ***.
***** ***** *** *** **** *** Bee ********* ** *** ****, ******** laughed:
*** *********** ****** ** ** ******, Switzerland. ** **** ***** ****. **'** considered ****. *** **** ** ******** heated *** ** *** ********* ****** inside *** *** **** ** *******. We *****'* *** *** ******** **** snow ******** ** ***.
*******, ******** **** **** ** *** roof ** *** **** **** *** get *** ******* ***** **** **** and *** **** **** *** *** able ** ****, *** ****** ***** send ** ***** ** *** *****'* app ** **** ***** ***** *** roof.
******* ******
******** **** *** *** **** *** prophylactic ******** ** ***** ** **** things **** ***** ***** *** ****** or *** ****** ************* **** *** Hive ** *** **********. **** ******** included *** ******** ** *** ****** which ******* *** **** ************, ************ and ****** **********, *** *** ** both *** *** *** *** ****, which ******* *** ******* *********
******* ********
******** ****** **** *** *** *** actually **** ********** ** ******* **** standard ***** ************:
**’** ******** **** ******* ********* **** most ******** ******** *******. ****'** ******* on *** ******* ** **** **** facing ******* ***** **** ******* ********* and *********. **** *** *** ********* and **** ******.
Ramping ** ** **** **********
******** **** **** ******** **** **** manufactured **** ** ***** ******'* ********** during *********** **-*****, **** *** ****** a ******** ******* **** *** **** forced ** *********** ********* ** *** its *****. ******** ***** ** * pre-production **-******* **** ******* ** *** company's ********** *****, *** ***:
********* ** ** ***** **** *** party ************ ** **** **** *** help **** **** ** ** ******, Pachikov *********:
** *** ****** * ******** *******. We’re ** *** *********** ********* **** we **** ** ***** *** *** hardware. *****’* ******* ** *** ****** that ***** *** **** *****. *********, all *** ********** *** **** ** ourselves, *** ** *** ** ********** with ******* ************* ********.
Vote / ****
* ***** **** **** **** ** Sunflower ****. *** ********* ** ******** with *** ******* **** *** ** adjusted. **** ** **** ** **** when * ***** *** ** ***** were ********** **** ***** ** *** to ****** *** ********:
*** **** *** ****** **** ** be ******* ** *** *** *****.
*** **** *** ****** **** ** be ******* ** *** *** *****.
**** ***** *** ****** ******* ****.
***** *********** #*. ***** *** *** the ********! * *** ****** ** find *** *********** ** ***** **** re: *** ********. *'** ******* *** to **** ** ********* ** *** the ******** *** **** ****** **** I **** ****.
* ***** **** ****** **** ** fairly ****** *** ********** ****** ** I ********** ** ***** $*** ***, there *** **** *********** ******** *** still *** ****. ** *** *** snow ***** **** ***** *** ** a **** ******* *** ******** **** would ** * *****. ** ** this ** * ****** **** ***** need ** ** **** **** ** wholesale. *** ********** ***** **** ** invest **** ***** ** ******* ******** etc. *** ** * *** ** this ** * ****** **** ******** **** service **** *** ***********. ********* ***** ***** get * ***** *** **** ******* out ** *** ***** ** * LOOMO **** ***** ** *** **** thing ** * ****** *****. *** could **** ** **** *********** *** *** cameras **** ***** ***** *** ****** property, tied **** ****** ******* *** ***** down ** * ***** ****. **** would ** ***** *** * **** guy *** *** *** **** ***** the *** *** ***** ********* ** not * ****** *********** *** * do **** **** **** *******
** ******* ** *** *********** ** this? *** *** *** ******* ********* line ** ***** *********, ***** **** waivers, *** ********* *** *********** ****** commercial ***?
***** *********** #*. * ***** **** ***** FAA *********** *** **** ** **** he ****:
********* *** *********** **** ***** **** we *** **, ********** **** ****** to ***** [****** ****** **** ** Sight]. *** *** ** **** ** apply *** *******, *** *** ***** to ** **** ********* ** ***** that, ********** ***** *** ***** ** very *****, ***** ********** ***, *** geo-fences ** **** **** ********.
***** *** **** **-**** ********** **** we *** ***** ***. *** ******* is ****:** *** **** ** **** ****** apply *** *** ** *****, ** we ****** (*** ** **** ******* to ******* **** ** ** *** works) *** *********** ** ****** ** allow ********** *** ****** ** *** class.
*******: *** **** ****** *****, *** efficient. ****.
****’* **** **** *** * ***** crap?
* **** ** ****** ********* ************ at *** ***** **** ** *******.
* **** ********** ***** *****.
* **** ****************.
*'* ********** ********** ** ******* ****. My ******* *** ** *** ********* to ******* ****** *** **** *** tech.
****, *** ******* **** ****, *** the ******. *** ****** ** ***** conditioned ** ****** ******, *** **** see ****** ****** *** ***** ** inevitable. ********** *** ******* *********** *** "robot **********" ***** ** ***** ********** planning ********.
****** *** **** *** ***** **** step. ** **** ******** *** ***** system ** "*******", **** **** ** riding *** **** ********* ****. *****? All ******** *********** ******* **** ******* in ***** **** ****. ** **** find ******* **** *** ***** ******* segment, **** *** ** **** ********** as * ******** ** *** ******** robotics **** ** **** *** ** someday *********.
******* ** *** ******** ******* **** be **** ** *** ******* ******* to ** ****.
******: ****** ************ **** **** *** company:
****** **** ** ********** ****, ****** statements **** ******* ******** **** *** either *** ** *** **, ** using *** ****** ** ********* ** FAA ***********.
* ***** **** ***** **** *** system *** ***** ** **** *** promotional ********, *** *** **** ***. Also ***** ** ** * ***** in *** ********** ******* ******* ***** that **** ***** **** ***** ******** drone ******** * ******** ** *** time.
*** ***** ***** *** ***** **** like * **** *** *** ******* people ** ******* ** ***** *******, not * ********* ******** ******.
...********* ***** *** **** ** ***** a ***** ***** **** *********** ***** the ******** **** **** *****. *******, Pachikov **** **** *** ******** ***** him ** ** ***** *** **** know ****** *** **** ******* ** he ***** *** *** **** *** they ***** *** *****.
********* ***-******! ***** ** **** ** “refute” ****** *** *******:
*******
“********, ** ********’* **** ** * meteorologist; *** **** **** ******* *** hives **********, **...”
*******, **** ********* ********* **** ****, though ****** ****:
**** *** * **** ***** ***** and **** ** *********** *** ****'* happening? *** **** ****** **** *** is **** ** ****. **** *******, lightweight, ************ ****** ****** ****** ***** even ******* ********** **** ***’** *** home. ***** ****:**** **** *** ******* ************* | Ring[** ****]***.*******.***/**********
— **** (@****)********* **, ****
*** *** ********** **** ****'* ********:**** ****** **** *** ****** ******
**** ***** **** ******* *** *** Sunflower *******?
**** ******, * *** *** * successful ****** *** **** **** ** system.