Guilhem de Marliave, CEO & Co-Founder at Elistair: Over €8 Million Raised to Build the Future of Aerial Surveillance and Security

In today's episode of Category Visionaries, we speak with Guilhem de Marliave, Co-Founder & CEO of Elistair, a tethered drone manufacturer that's raised over €8 Million in funding, about why a new generation of tethered drones fills a critical niche in the contemporary information economy. By eliminating the restrictions of short battery life and broadening the compliance with certain regulations against flying, Elistair is developing a unique niche in the rapidly-maturing drone market, where specific tools for specific tasks looks set to be the future. We also speak about Guilhem’s first-hand experiences dealing with the limitations of free-flying drones, the inspiration for the ‘tethered drone’ concept, the strategic and practical benefits of tethered drones for certain critical tasks, and why Elistair’s offering is a supplement, not a replacement, for the free-flying models most of us associate with drone technology. Topics Discussed: Guilhem’s experiences in the nascent drone sector, and his inspiration for developing tethered models The limitations of free-flying drones, and how the tethered system helps overcome many of them The critical spaces in which tethered drones have a clear advantage over free-flying drones, but why they’re not a replacement for every function The slow pace of regulations compared to the development of technology, and why tech firms need to work with regulators to build a system that works for everyone The current state of the drone sector, and the handful of companies really leading the process of innovation How the drone market is maturing into one where specific models for specific tasks looks set to be the future   Favorite book:  The Roots of Evil: A Postmodern Exploration of the Unintended Consequences of Civilization