Company Performance Metrics
DPI is the industry leader in small rotary wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in the U.S. DPI UAV have successfully flown thousands of hours, are military proven, and are now available for industry. Their UAV are ideal for critical missions where stable precision flight, self launch/land, high payload capability are key. DPI is recognized for
robust low-cost UAV, world-class innovative rotorcraft design, extensive testing, and successful UAV deployment.
This recognition is part of a long heritage with rotorcraft that dates back over 70 years to 1942, when Frank N. Piasecki flew the second successful helicopter in the U.S. With U.S. Coast Guard sponsorship, Frank Piasecki’s team was soon flying the first military tandem helicopter in the U.S. — and the largest helicopter at the time.
Fifty years later, in 1992, his son, Michael W. Piasecki, started Dragonfly Pictures, Inc. (DPI). With a background in both helicopters and camera stabilization techniques, Piasecki focused DPI on designing and building small, cost-effective autonomous UAV that deliver precision photography, advanced data acquisition, and multi-mission capabilities. DPI UAV are designed for tactical applications in near-earth environments, complex terrain, and restricted environments, such as urban, jungle and mountainous areas where the oblique perspective is required.
DPI tandem and multi-rotor UAV designs are ideal for agriculture, forestry, wildfire life & safety, fisheries, geochemical discovery, precision photography, precision mapping, search and rescue (SAR), infrastructure assessment, and other industries where precision flight; self launch/land in unprepared terrain; and simple, one-person, fully autonomous operation are key capabilities.
