Aerodyne Group’s worldwide drone services head must have been wondering what was going on at the rapidly rising Southeast Asian firm. The rate at which it was closing M&A agreements seems to have slowed this year.
They were working on a number of mergers and acquisitions at the same time, which required some time to complete. Today, however, Kamarul Muhamad, the founder and CEO of Aerodyne, announced a major deal in which Aerodyne Group will acquire a controlling interest in Grupo DR1, one of the leading professional drone operators and service providers in Brazil, which claims a 90% market share in offshore drone inspections in Brazil, with national oil company, Petrobras, as a major customer.
“It’s an all-cash arrangement,” Kamarul tells DNA, with the possibility of expanding Aerodyne’s worldwide reach to Latin America via Grupo DR1, which is already present in Brazil.
According to Drone Industry Insights, the drone industry in Brazil is the largest in Latin America, valued at US$373 million (RM1.65 billion) in 2022 and expected to grow to US$582 million (RM2.57 billion) by 2030, with an 8.1% CAGR from 2022 to 2030.
While having a market presence in the world’s ninth largest economy with a nominal GDP of US$1.9 trillion is thrilling, Kamarul teases that more M&A is on the way. “Stay tuned, we have three more M&A announcements in the near future. “I’m overjoyed!”
Grupo DR1, headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, has a good track record of servicing large clients in a variety of industries, including oil and gas and mining. The current management team of Grupo DR1, led by CEO Mateus Santos and COO Ricardo Santos, will continue to oversee the firm and remain co-shareholders.
Mateus was enthusiastic about using Aerodyne’s worldwide reach and experience in data technology and digital transformation. “We are delighted to welcome this investment and to be an Aerodyne Group strategic partner. This collaboration will enable us to provide the most creative and distinctive value proposition for our clients, allowing Grupo DR1 to develop not only into new sectors but also deepen its technological solutions with existing clients.”
The founders of Grupo DR1 were not persuaded by Kamrul’s description of the drone market as solidifying. “It’s in everyone’s best interests. Size and unity provide strength. The synergy we may achieve by working together generates value that is larger than the sum of its parts.”
Aerodyne carefully picks its MA& partners based on their strong leadership and control of the local market in which they operate, he says.
The acquisition also serves as a regional launch pad for Aerodyne’s innovative precision agriculture, advanced air transportation, and remote and autonomous drone-based solutions.
“This collaboration capitalises on both sides’ capabilities and generates a synergy toward the progress of the industry in Latin America,” Kamarul remarked.
For the past five years, the DR1 Group has been integrating technological advancements in its clients’ day-to-day operations, aiming for and delivering an exponential improvement in safety and operational efficiency. With a diverse portfolio of important companies in the mining and oil & gas industries, the Group is steadily expanding its market position.
DR1 Soluçes satisfies all market standards, specifications, and needs, being one of the few firms in Brazil and the world with ABS Classifier accreditation of External Inspection Specialist with RPAS/drones and SHELL operating clearance (the only one in America Latin).
DR1 has vast expertise in novel solutions for planialtimetric survey, visual and thermographic inspection, Non-Destructive Testing, Confined Space Inspection, and inventory measurement, with a primary focus on the Oil and Gas, Mining, and Port businesses.
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