From Aerospace Engineer to Drone Dealer: Mehdi’s Path with Talos Drones | The DroneOn Show Ep 57

In this DroneOn Show episode, Mike talks with Mehdi from Talos Drones about his path into the industry. Mehdi shares his background as a mechanical engineer with a master’s in composite materials for aerospace from West Virginia University, followed by work at a California chemical company developing pheromone applicators for orchards. There he built custom drone systems for high-viscosity products, modified early DJI MG-1 platforms, and secured USDA grants. He later used his savings to launch his own engineering and drone business around 2019, trained at DJI in China, and made his first sale to customers who drove up from Mexico. The conversation covers the realities of heavy after-sales support, staying technical as a dealer, honest feedback on T100 performance and swath widths, connectivity in tough areas, and why the spray drone industry attracts a younger crowd. Practical insights from someone who learned the technology from the inside out. Chapters (00:00:00) - Drone on Air: Is the Industry Young?(00:01:20) - DJI's Remotely Controlled Insects(00:05:24) - How I learned to fly drones by accident(00:09:00) - How To Sell Your First Drone(00:11:42) - English speaker speaks fluently in the US(00:13:58) - Exporting DJI drones to sprayers(00:18:10) - DJI 14,000 Generator(00:21:09) - Custom Trailers(00:21:33) - Do You Need a T100 Drone? vs. T60X(00:27:15) - T100 vs T50: Is It Worth It?(00:30:39) - DJI Drone: If It's Not Reliable, Then Why(00:33:27) - BUSINESS CONVERSATIONS: Challenges(00:34:41) - Farm Drone Sales: Challenges(00:38:34) - Do You Think Your T40s Are obsolete?(00:40:24) - DJI T100 Relay connectivity(00:41:52) - DJI Drone: Should You Use Rtk or Not?(00:44:40) - Do You Need a Drone to Spray Your Crops?(00:48:17) - T6X can't fly under 17 feet on T100(00:49:53) - DJI's commitment to its drone users(00:51:25) - DJI's Thank You Letter to Feedback(00:52:12) - Drone On-Air