Recently we got the opportunity to ask Oliver Küpper of DroneCases a few questions. He is a specialist in packaging for drones. We asked him how he chooses the right drone case.
Oliver Küpper has a rich history in the world of cases. In a previous life he sold plastic and aluminum cases for the Defence and Military world. Now he is following his dreams and started his own company in packaging solutions – www.dronecases.de in Germany. “The people I work with rely on their equipment. Every drone specialist, photographer or military operator has to be sure that his equipment doesn’t fail on him. He has to know that his equipment arrives safely and is immediately operational,” Küpper explains. “That’s my job. I ensure them that their transport will be perfect, and realized at a reasonable price.”
Analyze the customers’ needs
The drone, or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), originated mostly in military applications, although their use is expanding in commercial, scientific, recreational, agricultural, and other applications, such as policing and surveillance, product deliveries, aerial photography, agriculture and drone racing. That large application area is why Küpper asks a lot of questions before he sells a case. “When a customer contacts me, I carefully analyze their request. I want to know the kind of drone they use and the frequency, but also to where it needs to be transported and how they will transport it. Only when I combine the answers, I can exactly tell them what they need. It is common that a case is used for transport or storage, but many of my customers also use their case as a landing platform.”
SKB case for professional drone users
“The main part of my customers are situated in the ‘Commercial High End’-segment. This means that they use their drones professionally on a daily basis. Examples are agriculture, police, fire departments, …. The drones they use easily cost 15.000 € and upwards.” If the drone has a certain prize and it is frequently used, Küpper recommends a SKB case almost every time. “An SKB is very well constructed. For instance, take the latches, they are just perfect! When I use other cases I am only focused on not breaking my fingers. Another big advantage is the weight; they are very lightweight compared to other brands. And they are IP67-certified and fulfill various Military standards. This means that the SKB cases can survive a lot of circumstances. Think of the exceptional ones such as water ingress, dust, UV, … And all that for very reasonable prices, given the fact that they come with a lifetime warranty.”
Good team work
Finally we also asked him how he collaborates with the team of SKB Europe. Küpper: "Personally, I really like to work with the SKB team. They always put the customer first. Whenever a problem occurs, which is very rarely, I just have to call them. Since DroneCases serves the drone packaging market in Germany for SKB, mutual trust in both firm´s capabilities is essential and I believe in the future, we will grow this market segment together even more.”
The secret to a good case for your drone?
"Make a list of all your needs, big and small. Compare those needs to what a case supplier offers you. If you make a decision, don’t base it only on the price aspect, but keep the quality in mind. Price and quality are often related. And if you still hesitate, contact a packaging specialist. They are always prepared to advise and assist you."
