Macatawa
Custom Developers of Unmanned System Solutions

In the last decade, the use of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) has grown manifolds with theirinnovative and critical use cases for business across industries. Started as a sophisticated military technology, sUAS, colloquially known as drones, have become an integral component of several firms in sectors, including agriculture, construction, architecture, delivery, emergency services, environmental preservation, media, wireless internet services, and many others. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also relaxed some of its initial restrictions that required permits and imposed restrictions such as banning flights that go beyond-line-of-sight or at night, which has added fuel to the industrial usage of unmanned systems. However, being a relatively new technology, there are several apprehensions regarding the applicability of the sUAS for specific business use cases. Many times, businesses do not even know if drone technology can be a better fit for their particular business requirements. Also, handling drones poses significant challenges with many back-end requirements and risks involved in operating the drones. This is where a veteran-owned company, Macatawa, comes into the picture with a range of unmanned system solutions that help businesses and government agencies develop unmanned capabilities according to their requirement.

The company's offering includes many unmanned systems, including sUAS sales, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) sales, online and classroom training, Counter-UAS, and technologies that support those systems. Macatawa does not take a one-size-fits-all approach; instead, it analyzes client requirements before proposing an appropriate solution for them. The company boasts an experienced and proficient team of professionals, including sUAS mechanics, system operators, trainers, and integrators. "We are one of the best integrators of drone technology for custom solutions,” states Jeremy Latchaw, CEO at Macatawa.

Any engagement with clients starts by understanding their current protocols, constraints, risk factors, and price points. Subsequently, the Macatawa experts suggest the best solution that can be either an off-the-shelf or custom-made equipment based on the clients’ requirements and price point.

We are one of the best integrators of drone technology for custom solutions

Then, the company trains the clients’ resources on the efficient usage, maintenance of the sUAS, and back-end systems to allow them to get the best out of the equipment. Finally, Macatawa also develops a protocol for data gathering and standard procedures to ensure that the drone operates in compliance with the FAA regulations. “We are true consultants and subject matter experts that guide our clients through the entire process of drone technology acquisition from purchases to training and developing standard procedures,” informs Latchaw.

Several construction sites, internet service providers (ISP), and public safety agencies have used Macatawa sUAS to gather critical data. Latchaw shares a customer success story of an internet service provider that was struggling to find an efficient way for spectrum analysis. They were using bucket trucks with spectrum analyzers to find dead zones between cell towers, which was cost-inefficient and time-consuming. After being onboarded, Macatawa designed a custom spectrum analyzer and mounted it on an off-the-shelf drone along with battery packs and some other equipment to obtain an appropriate spectrum analysis data, which helped the internet service providers save a significant amount of time and money. This successful mission augurs very well for Macatawa’s efficiency as the company was able to deconflict several disruptions such as Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) interference that interrupts data collection. “With our services and solutions, the internet service providers realized a very high return-on-investment (ROI) after only the second drone operation,” extols Latchaw.

Established in 2016, Macatawa has carved a niche for itself in the sUAS arena with its custom solutions and services. The company is now venturing into the unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) to enhance the capabilities of first responders, inspectors, and assessors in gathering data underwater.