PwC established the global centre of excellence, named Drone Powered Solutions, to focus on the use of drone technology and data analytics in business. According to a study by the firm, the emerging global market for business services using drones is valued at over $127bn. This is the value of current business services and labour that are likely to be replaced in the very near future by drone-powered solutions, according to PwC predictions. With drones set to have an impact on the business operations of companies in a broad range of industry sectors, from infrastructure and agriculture to insurance, the Big Four firm says it is harnessing the opportunities drones can offer its clients. The team at PwC’s drone HQ has already carried out a number of commercial projects for clients in Poland, which in 2013 became the first country in the world to introduce a complete legal framework and institutions regulating the commercial use of drones, according to the firm. While the team sub-contracts the actual piloting of the drones, all the other drone powered technologies have been developed within PwC, such as a geospatial data imaging app that allows the team to present clients with data gathered by drones in a simple and intuitive way on mobile devices, the firm said in a statement. Michal Mazur, partner and head of Drone Powered Solutions at PwC for Central and Eastern Europe, said, “We are currently in discussion with several major companies from a wide range of industries about how they can use drones to improve their business processes. This got us thinking about the potential value of the global drone-powered solutions market. With an estimated market value of over $127bn in commercial applications, drones are making the transition from novelty item to indispensable business tool.” According to PwC, the application of drone technologies in existing business processes is allowing companies from those industries to create new business and operating models. Worldwide, drones equipped with cameras and sensors provide companies with more comprehensive data. They are also involved in transport and precise operational activities, exerting an increasing influence on business strategies of enterprises, the firm said. Each industry has different and diverse needs, and therefore requires different types of drone-powered solutions and various drone functionalities, the firm added. According to the study, drone-powered solutions are best suited to sectors that require both mobility and a high quality of data. Specifically, businesses that manage assets dispersed over large areas have a long history of issues that new drone powered solutions can address. Large-scale capital projects, infrastructure maintenance and agriculture can all benefit greatly from the integration of drones into day-to-day business, PwC said. One of the primary uses of drones is supervising the ongoing investments and maintenance of existing infrastructure, according to PwC’s report. The firm predicts insurance and mining will find potential process improvements as they gain new levels of data quality and accessibility through the use of drone technology. The firm also expects that the transport industry will change its concept of last-mile delivery. Piotr Romanowski, business advisory leader at PwC in Central and Eastern Europe, said, “At PwC, we are expanding our business advisory capabilities to help clients across the full life cycle of their business projects, from strategy through execution. The implementation of business projects now involves a strong technology component. "That is why we are investing in becoming more technology enabled, through acquisitions of specialised technology companies such as Outbox and through the development of our own technology services, such as our Drone Powered Solutions team.” Olga Grygier-Siddons, chief executive of PwC in Central and Eastern Europe, added, “I am very proud that we have developed a global centre of excellence right here in Central and Eastern Europe that uses drones and geospatial data analytics to help clients. This is the first PwC team of its kind anywhere in the world. “For a long time, business success in our region has been based on cost competitiveness, but now there is a real desire on the part of our clients and colleagues to compete instead on value, created through innovation.”