Can the drone industry please stop using buzzwords?

I’ve been covering the drone industry for more than 10 years, and I’ve heard enough buzzwords to fill a small novel. “Disrupt,” “revolutionize,” “game-changer,” “cutting-edge,” “innovative,” “paradigm-shift” – these words seem to be as ubiquitous in the drone industry as drones themselves.

With the rise of AI, the problem has only gotten worse. I get pitches about companies that use “a stacked agent architecture, generative AI and AI-on-the-edge to enable true drone autonomy operations.” I’ve had public relations professionals gloat about how their clients “leverage AI technology to manage end-to-end drone operations, ensuring mission success in dynamic environments.”

The problem? I have no idea what they actually do and why it’s helpful. I’m guessing you, dear reader, don’t either.

1. Buzzwords suggest your product isn’t all that interesting

If you need a buzzword to explain what you do, it’s probably not worth explaining. Let me illustrate this very thing. I asked ChatGPT to describe my job in as many buzzwords as possible. The only information I offered it? That I was a “a blogger who writes about and reviews drones.

Here’s what ChatGPT spit out:

As “The Drone Girl,” you’re an influential content creator in the fast-evolving UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) ecosystem, providing cutting-edge insights and in-depth analyses of drone technology. You deliver high-impact, data-driven reviews, elevating user engagement with immersive multimedia content, all while harnessing the latest in aerial innovation. Your platform synergizes with emerging trends like AI-driven flight automation, drone swarms, and regulatory compliance, establishing yourself as a thought leader and trusted voice in the drone enthusiast community. You empower both recreational and professional drone users with actionable intelligence, fostering a dynamic, future-forward conversation in the drone space.

It’s terrible.

Had I told you what I actually do, it would be far more interesting than what ChatGPT wrote in buzzword form. (Hey, at least I think my life is interesting).

I might hook you with my three attempts to see the Disneyland Paris drone show. I’d share what it’s like flying drones in the Arctic Circle (and crossing from the melting sea ice to the Arctic tundra on a fat bike). You’d learn about the hundreds of interesting people I’ve worked with, like Preston Ward (drone light show chief pilot at Sky Elements) and America’s Got Talent finalist or FPV star Lexie Janson.

My numerous accolades — including Women and Drones Hall of Fame inductee and Fortune Magazine’s “4 top women shaping the drone industry” — better tell you I’m a thought leader than me using the word “thought leader.”

You get the point. Tell me what you actually do, rather than disguise it in buzzwords.

2. Buzzwords suggest you don’t know what you’re talking about

Maybe your product is actually interesting. Alas, buzzwords suggest that even you can’t explain what you actually do all day, or why your product is worthwhile. If you can’t articulate your work in plain language, how can you expect anyone else to understand it?

Maybe your product actually is interesting. Your buzzwords have done you a disservice in muddying the story.

I’ve hosted masterclasses on how to better describe your product or service, including for DJI AirWorks, which is one of the top professional drone conferences in the world. One workshop, done virtually for the 2020 NYC Drone Film Festival, still lives online. Access that webinar version of how to pitch your product here.

3. Buzzwords contribute to public misunderstandings

Perhaps worst of all? Buzzwords create confusion and — potentially worse — distrust. The drone industry has long struggled with negative public opinion, largely because people just don’t get it. They see a camera and assume it’s spying on them, purely because they don’t actually know what the drone is doing or what data that camera is gathering. Lack of transparency around your drone project just adds to such misunderstanding — and negative public opinion.

So, ditch the buzzwords and start talking real talk. Explain your work in a way that everyone can understand. Be clear about the benefits and the risks. And stop pretending that every drone project is the next big thing.

To truly make an impact, focus on solving real problems (big or small!). Demonstrate the tangible benefits of drone technology. Be transparent about our operations, data collection practices, and ethical considerations. And most of all, build trust with the public.

Looking for custom help in pitching your drone business to press? Need some 1:1 support on your marketing campaign? Book an appointment with me on Intro. We’ll work through your marketing language and help tell the version of your story that’s actually interesting — not just a mess of buzzwords.