This week the Geoholics crew sits down with Rob Cammack — entrepreneur, builder, and CEO/Founder of SmartDrone — a guy who’s basically been innovating since most of us were trading baseball cards. From launching businesses as a kid to founding and selling multiple companies, Rob brings that rare mix of grit, vision, and “there’s gotta be a better way” thinking that our industry desperately needs.
We dive headfirst into the origin story behind Magellan, the first “No Drone Expert Required” LiDAR drone — and why it’s flipping the script on how survey firms adopt technology. No six-figure science projects. No “drone guy risk.” Just practical robotics that turn everyday crews into productivity machines.
But this episode isn’t just about hardware — it’s about mindset.
Rob talks:
-Building companies (and selling them) without losing your soul
-Removing friction so surveyors can focus on surveying
-Why LiDAR is the great unlock for mapping pros stuck in camera-only workflows
-How robotics can upgrade people, not replace them
-What “world-class talent” really looks like in a tech-driven survey company
-And where the surveying industry is headed in the next 5–10 years
It’s equal parts leadership, innovation, and straight-up field practicality — the kind of conversation that makes you rethink how your team operates Monday morning.
If you care about LiDAR, drones, scaling your survey operations, or building a future-proof business…
this one’s a must-listen.
Because sometimes innovation isn’t about flying higher…it’s about making it simple enough that everyone can fly.
Music by The Killers!
