Startup Sunflower Labs' Autonomous Drone Security System

Author: Dan Gelinas, Published on Dec 11, 2018

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

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***** ** *** ********* **** *** ** *** *******'* **-******** we *******:

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Company **********

******** ****** ********************* **** *** **-******* ** ****** ******* *********** ******** *****.

********* ******* ** ****-**** ********* *** ~* *********** *** *** offices ** ****** *** *** *********.

****** *** ***** * ***** ** *********, *************** $*.* ******* ** **** *********** ********* **** ************** ********,******* ********,**** *******—** ***** ******** *** *** ************* ******* **** ***** ********* **** ***** ********, ****, *** products ** *****, ******* *****—*** *** **-******* ***** ********* ** ******* ******.

How ** *****

*** ****** **** '*********' ********* ******* (***** **** *** ** navigation ******* *** ********* ******) ****, **** *********, **** ** alert ** ***** *** ******** *** ********** '***' ******.

*** *****, *****-******* ********** *** ******** **** ****** *** ********* detection ******* ** ******** ******. ********* **** **** ***** ** powered ** *****, *** **** *** ********** ******, *** ***** drain ** *** ****. ******** ***** ** * ********* **** landscape ***** *********:

*******, ********* **** **** *** *********** * ***** ******* **** no ****** ** *** ******.

*** *** ****** * ***** ******, ~*.*" ****-*** ********** ** decrease ***** *** ******** ******.

********* **** *** * ***** *** **** **** *** ~* feet ****** **** *** ******* ***** ** * *****, ********* under ** ****. ********* **** ** *** ***** ****** ** drift ******* *** ********, ** **** ** ** ********* ********** descent *** **** ****.

*******, *** *****'* **** *******/******** *******/****** *** ** ****** *** Hive. ** ******** *** ********* ********* **-***** *********, ******* ** an ********** ****** ***.

*** **** ******** ** *** ******** (**** * ***** ******** or **** **********) *** ********** **** *** ****** (*.**** ***-****) and *** ****** ******* (****** ****). ** **** *** *** (****-**** *********) ***, ***** ** ****** **** *** ****** *** **********.

*** ***** ***** *********** *** *** ****** *****:

Roll *** ********

******** **** ********* **** *** * *** ****-**-*** **** ** rollout ******* **** ***** *** *** ******* ***** ******** ** those *** ***** **** ********* *** *******, *******-***** ********** *****. Other ********* **** ******. **** ** *** ******** **** *** dealer ******* ** *** *** **** ** *** **** ***** of *** **, ***** ** *************'* ****** ******** *** *** *******'* ******* ***** ** *** East.

*******

*** ******* *** *** ********* ******* *** *** **** ** would ** ** **** **** **** ****** ** ******. ******** said **** *** *** ******—*****, ****-*** ***********—*** ******** ***** ** competitively ****** **** *** **** *** ***** ** ****** ****** needed ** ***** **** * ********.

********* **** *** ******* **** ** **** ** * ************ model **** ****** *********, ********* ************, ********, *** ******* ********.

******** **** **** *********'* ******** ******'* ** * **** *** for ********:

** ***’** ***** ** **** **** * ***** **** **** a **** *** *** * **** **** **** * **** cam, **** **** ***** ** *** *** ** **. *** if *** **** ** *********** ** *** *** * ***** property, **** **** ***** ** ******. *********** ******* *** ********** and **** *** *** **** ** * *********. * ***** flying *** *** ********* *** ****** ** **** **** ** a *********.

Market ********

******** **** **** **** *** * ****** ******** ****** ** market. **** ***** **** ******** ** ***** ********* *** **** interested *** ****** ** *** ** *** ******* *** ****** themselves **** ** *** ** *** *** ****. *******, **** were **** ******** ********** ************ ********:

*** **** ** *** ****** ** **** ** *** ** yourself *** ******* ** ******** ** ***’** ** ********. *******, any *** **** ***** ** **** ** ************ *******, **’** have * ******** ** *** **** ***** *** *** ***** your ******* *** **’** ******** * **** ** ************ ******** in **** ****.

***********, ******** **** **** ***** ******* *** ********** ** *** Homeland ******** **** ** *** ****, **** **** *** **** interested ******* ******* ***** ******** ********* ** ******* *** *** up *** ******.

**’** ******** ********** **** ***. **’** *** ** **** ** these ********** ******* **** ******* *** ****. ****’* **** ** formalized *** *** **** ** *** **** ******** *** ******* to **** *** *** *** ******* ** ********* *****.

******** ********* ***** **** ** * ************* ******* ** ***** for ********** ******* *** **** *********** ** ** ****.

Potential *** *** ***** ***** **********

*** ********* ******** **** ******* ** *********** **** * ********'* existing ***** ******* *** ******** ***** ***********, ********* ** ********.

*******, ******** **** *** *******—*** *** ********** ** ******* **** Stanley ******** ******** *******—*** ******* ****** *** * **** **** Stanley's ********** ****** ******** ** ******* *** ***** **** *** customers *** ****** **** ***** ********** ** *** ***'* ******.

Potential ********** ** ********

***** *** * *** ********* ********** ** ******** **** ** can ***:

***** *********

***** ** * ****** *********** **** * ****** *****'* ****-***-************ neighbors ***** *** **** ** ***** * ***** ***** **** incessantly ***** *** ******** **** **** *****. *******, ******** **** that *** ******** ***** *** ** ** ***** *** **** know ****** *** **** ******* ** ** ***** *** *** kids *** **** ***** *** *****. ******** **** ******* *** that *** ***'* ******** ******* **** *** *** ****** * minutes, ** *** ***** *** *** ******** *** **** ** a ****.

********* ** ****

******** **** **** ****'* ****** ********** ********* ********* ** **** (think **** ******* *** ***** ****** *** **** ******* ***********), but **** *** **** **** **** ***** ****** ***** * customer's *** ****** *** *** **** **** *** *** ***** to ***** *********, ********, *** ******* **** *** ***. *****, he *****, **** ******* **** *** *** **** ****, ** any *********** ***** ** *******.

*******

********* **** ** *** **** ******-******* *** *** ** ******* weather ********** **** ********** ***** **** *** **** *** **** they ******** ********* *** *******:

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********, ******** **** *** ****** *** * *-****** ****** ***** that ******** *** ***'* ******* ** ***. ******-******** ******* ******* the ******* *** **** ******* ******.

***** *** **** ** **, ****** *** ******* *******, *** Red ******* *** *** ***'* ***.

***** ***** *** *** **** *** *** ********* ** *** snow, ******** *******:

*** *********** ****** ** ** ******, ***********. ** **** ***** snow. **'** ********** ****. *** **** ** ******** ****** *** to *** ********* ****** ****** *** *** **** ** *******. We *****'* *** *** ******** **** **** ******** ** ***.

*******, ******** **** **** ** *** **** ** *** **** ever *** *** *** ******* ***** **** **** *** *** Hive **** *** *** **** ** ****, *** ****** ***** send ** ***** ** *** *****'* *** ** **** ***** clear *** ****.

******* ******

******** **** *** *** **** *** ************ ******** ** ***** to **** ****** **** ***** ***** *** ****** ** *** losing ************* **** *** **** ** *** **********. **** ******** included *** ******** ** *** ****** ***** ******* *** **** acceleration, ************ *** ****** **********, *** *** ** **** *** Bee *** *** ****, ***** ******* *** ******* *********

******* ********

******** ****** **** *** *** *** ******** **** ********** ** privacy **** ******** ***** ************:

**’** ******** **** ******* ********* **** **** ******** ******** *******. They're ******* ** *** ******* ** **** **** ****** ******* where **** ******* ********* *** *********. **** *** *** ********* and **** ******.

Ramping ** ** **** **********

******** **** **** ******** **** **** ************ **** ** ***** system's ********** ****** *********** **-*****, **** *** ****** * ******** company **** *** **** ****** ** *********** ********* ** *** its *****. ******** ***** ** * ***-********** **-******* **** ******* of *** *******'* ********** *****, *** ***:

********* ** ** ***** **** *** ***** ************ ** **** over *** **** **** **** ** ** ******, ******** *********:

** *** ****** * ******** *******. **’** ** *** *********** situation **** ** **** ** ***** *** *** ********. *****’* nothing ** *** ****** **** ***** *** **** *****. *********, all *** ********** *** **** ** *********, *** ** *** in ********** **** ******* ************* ********.

Vote / ****

Comments (12)

Undisclosed End User #1

12/11/18 06:36pm

********* ** ****

**** ***** **** ******* *** *** ********* *******?

**** ******, * *** *** * ********** ****** *** **** type ** ******.

Avatar

Dan Gelinas

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed End User #1 | 12/11/18 06:57pm

* ***** **** **** **** ** ********* ****. *** ********* is ******** **** *** ******* **** *** ** ********. **** is **** ** **** **** * ***** *** ** ***** were ********** **** ***** ** *** ** ****** *** ********:

*** **** *** ****** **** ** ** ******* ** *** how *****.

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Dan Gelinas | 12/11/18 07:19pm

*** **** *** ****** **** ** ** ******* ** *** how *****.

**** ***** *** ****** ******* ****.

Avatar

Dan Gelinas

IPVM | 12/11/18 06:51pm

***** *********** #*. ***** *** *** *** ********! * *** unable ** **** *** *********** ** ***** **** **: *** immunity. *'** ******* *** ** **** ** ********* ** *** the ******** *** **** ****** **** * **** ****.

Avatar

Mark Palka

IPVMU Certified | 12/11/18 06:59pm

* ***** **** ****** **** ** ****** ****** *** ********** hanger ** * ********** ** ***** $*** ***, ***** *** some *********** ******** *** ***** *** ****. ** *** *** snow ***** **** ***** *** ** * **** ******* *** freezing **** ***** ** * *****. ** ** **** ** a ****** **** ***** **** ** ** **** **** ** wholesale. *** ********** ***** **** ** ****** **** ***** ** service ******** ***. *** ** * *** ** **** ** a ****** **** ******** **** ******* **** *** ***********. ********* homes ***** *** * ***** *** **** ******* *** ** SMP ***** ** * ***** **** ***** ** *** **** thing ** * ****** *****. *** ***** **** ** **** traditional *** *** ******* **** ***** ***** *** ****** ********, tied **** ****** ******* *** ***** **** ** * ***** cost. **** ***** ** ***** *** * **** *** *** has *** **** ***** *** *** *** ***** ********* ** not * ****** *********** *** * ** **** **** **** success

Undisclosed #2

12/11/18 07:18pm

** ******* ** *** *********** ** ****? *** *** *** stopped ********* **** ** ***** *********, ***** **** *******, *** lightened *** *********** ****** ********** ***?

Avatar

Dan Gelinas

IPVM | 12/11/18 08:10pm

***** *********** #*. * ***** **** ***** *** *********** *** here ** **** ** ****:

********* *** *********** **** ***** **** ** *** **, ********** with ****** ** ***** [****** ****** **** ** *****]. *** now ** **** ** ***** *** *******, *** *** ***** to ** **** ********* ** ***** ****, ********** ***** *** drone ** **** *****, ***** ********** ***, *** ***-****** ** just **** ********.

***** *** **** **-**** ********** **** ** *** ***** ***. One ******* ** ****:
** *** **** ** **** ****** ***** *** *** ** those, ** ** ****** (*** ** **** ******* ** ******* this ** ** *** *****) *** *********** ** ****** ** allow ********** *** ****** ** *** *****.

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Dan Gelinas | 12/12/18 01:36am

******. ****** ****** **-*******-*** ** **.

Undisclosed #3

12/11/18 08:13pm

*******: *** **** ****** *****, *** *********. ****.

Undisclosed #4

12/12/18 03:37am

****’* **** **** *** * ***** ****?

* **** ** ****** ********* ************ ** *** ***** **** of *******.

* **** ********** ***** *****.

* **** ****************.

Avatar

Michael Gonzalez

12/13/18 12:31am

*'* ********** ********** ** ******* ****. ** ******* *** ** FAA ********* ** ******* ****** *** **** *** ****.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #5

12/13/18 12:46pm

****, *** ******* **** ****, *** *** ******. *** ****** is ***** *********** ** ****** ******, *** **** *** ****** around *** ***** ** **********. ********** *** ******* *********** *** "robot **********" ***** ** ***** ********** ******** ********.

****** *** **** *** ***** **** ****. ** **** ******** the ***** ****** ** "*******", **** **** ** ****** *** free ********* ****. *****? *** ******** *********** ******* **** ******* in ***** **** ****. ** **** **** ******* **** *** early ******* *******, **** *** ** **** ********** ** * supplier ** *** ******** ******** **** ** **** *** ** someday *********.

******* ** *** ******** ******* **** ** **** ** *** picture ******* ** ** ****.

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