Summary
As a Product Manager at Swisscom, I led the strategic entry into the drone market, building a new business vertical from scratch. By addressing critical safety challenges and collaborating with key stakeholders, we developed and launched a suite of innovative drone solutions, achieving significant market traction and recognition.
Challenge
Swisscom, seeking new growth opportunities, identified the drone market as a promising avenue. However, existing drone technology lacked reliable mobile network integration, posing safety risks and hindering widespread adoption.
My Role
As Product Manager, New Verticals, I held full accountability for this initiative. My responsibilities included:
- Market research and ecosystem analysis: I led the team in identifying market needs and opportunities, laying the foundation for product development.
- Team building and training: I assembled a core team with diverse expertise and ensured their training to effectively navigate the complexities of the drone industry.
- Product development and testing: I spearheaded the ideation, prototyping, and testing of drone solutions, collaborating with stakeholders like pilots, airports, and police organizations to gather valuable feedback and refine our offerings.
- Rollout and iteration: I oversaw the product launch, built strategic partnerships,and continuously championed the vision to key stakeholders, ensuring successful market adoption.
Solution
We addressed the core challenge of network integration by leveraging Swisscom’s robust mobile network infrastructure. This enabled us to develop a comprehensive drone portfolio, including:
- Airspace Connectivity: Offering reliable long-distance control and real-time data exchange, ensuring safe and efficient drone operations.
- Drone Spotter: A detection and surveillance solution safeguarding infrastructure and events from unauthorized drone activity.
- Drone Traffic Management: Facilitating seamless integration of drone applications into the airspace through the Swiss U-Space platform.
Results
The initiative yielded significant achievements:
- Established strong market positioning: Swisscom became a recognized leader in the Swiss drone industry.
- Revenue growth: Pilot projects with early adopters generated direct and indirect revenue streams.
- Strategic partnerships: Secured collaborations with key players like Skyguide, Switzerland’s Air Navigation Service Provider.
- Integration and recognition: The drone portfolio became a dedicated department within Swisscom Broadcast, further solidifying its commitment to the market.
- Industry recognition: Won the University of St. Gallen Smart IoT Award 2021, highlighting the project’s innovation and impact.
Conclusion
This case study exemplifies my ability to build and foster relationships, lead cross-functional teams, conduct market research, translate insights into actionable solutions, and navigate complex industry challenges. The success of Swisscom’s drone business demonstrates my strategic thinking, collaborative leadership, and commitment to driving innovation that delivers tangible value.