When you hear the word drone, you might think of the military uses, the proposed Amazon.com delivery drones, or those jokers who shut down airports by flying drones around runways.

But drones are serious business, says Gretchen West of Hogan Lovells in Silicon Valley.

There are little-known commercial uses of drones that save time, money, and lives that will only expand in the near future… as long as government regulations can keep pace with development of new technology.

The industry is maturing quickly, as is M&A activity in this space. We talk about that, as well as…

• The many layers of technology integrated into drones… and how that creates opportunity for other companies
• The growing list of unexpected industries that can benefit from drones
• More than pictures and video – the ways drones collect data you’ve never heard about
• Where the FAA and other government agencies stand on drones – and how it’s changing
• And more