Aegis Flow, Drone Focus 2018 and Leadership Opportunities: Anthony Molzahn, CEO Project Phoenix

What can we expect at this year’s Drone Focus 2018 in Fargo North Dakota?

Anthony Molzahn is co-founder of Project Phoenix, a Fargo based software company developing the world’s first universal business web service and toolset that every developer will use.  At the 2017 Drone Focus conference in Fargo, Anthony announced the company was working on Aegis Flow, an aerial/drone pilot for-hire application. The function of Aegis Flow connects pilots to posted jobs from companies and individuals who will pay for images or videos of specific locations. The application will be revealed at this year’s Drone Focus event on May 3031. While preparing for the conference, Anthony was asked to be a member of the Host Committee and to lend his leadership in developing the content and speakers for the event. In this edition of the Drone Radio Show, Anthony talks about Aegis Flow and what makes it different from other drone marketplaces. We’ll also talk about Drone Focus and how Anthony went from an attendee at last year’s event to becoming a member of the 2018 Drone Focus Host Committee.

In this Episode

• Introduction. Anthony Molzahn is co-founder of Project Phoenix, a Fargo based software company and member of the 2018 Drone Focus Host Committee.
• Aegis Flow. In 2017, Project Phoenix announced it was working on Aegis Flow, an aerial/drone pilot for-hire application. On May 31 (National Autonomous Vehicle Day), the company will announce Beta testing of the service. Aegis Flow connects buyers directly to the pilots so they can manage the contract and other requests directly. This reduces the costs of facilitation fees substantially (15%). The service starts at $25.00 per month and users received one quarter terabyte storage. Aegis Flow is built from the same technology behind Project Phoenix’s core technology, which is designed to seamlessly interact and securely share.
• Drone Focus Host Committee. Anthony was asked by the organizers of Drone Focus 2018 to join this year’s Host Committee. In that role, Anthony (and others) lends his expertise and contacts to help frame the conference agenda, select speakers and provide feedback. Where previous Drone Focus events tried to highlight the high profile nature of drones, this year’s event will focus primarily on how people who are actually making the day-to-day decisions and doing things to make the industry stronger. Anthony shares his first experience of attending Drone Focus (2017) and the realization that there is so much to learn about the industry.
• The Format (Drone Focus). The format of Drone Focus is modeled after the TED and TEDx sessions, where several speakers give a short talk (generally 4, 8 or 12 minutes) on a broad topic, followed by a 15-25 minute networking break. There are small group lunch sessions and larger evening social/networking events. The idea is give attendees maximum opportunities to learn, connect with other industry professionals and expand their mindset on what is actually possible.
• Drone Focus Dates / Registration. Drone Focus 2018 will be held in Fargo, North Dakota on May 30-31. Use the promo code – DRONERADIO for a $50.00 the registration cost.
• About Anthony Molzahn. About 10 years ago, Anthony (and his girlfriend) was headed to San Diego to pursue a career as a professional golfer. They stopped in Fargo to visit his girlfriend’s family and decided to stay. They were married and Anthony took a job at a Red Lobster, where he met the CEO of SatShot, an aerial imagery company. He was offered a position in the graphics and marketing department, and eventually became the Director of Design and Technology. While at SatShot, he met _____, and together they formulated and launched Project Phoenix. One of their first applications is Aegis Flow, a marketplace platform to connect people to pilots. The recognized the potential growth in this sector and felt they could become a leader in that space as well as a driving force in database computing management.
• Lessons Learned. Anthony’s advice to other entrepreneurs is if they have an idea, they should go for it. Recognize that if they feel they are employable, then they have nothing to lose. If the idea pans out, they can always get a job. Visit Fargo and spend time soaking up the pro-business environment. If they can’t make it to Fargo, find a group of nurturing business professionals in your own community for direction, advice and support. And find successful people who will hold you accountable to your goals and who will challenge you to stay focused on reaching your dreams.
• Perspective. It’s only been a year since Anthony attended his first Drone Focus, but what he says has most changed in that time, is the public mindset around UAVs. He hears a lot less negative comments and more proponents for the use of the technology. Autonomy, machine learning and other emerging technologies are all advancing, and would not be possible on a mass scale a few years ago. More and more of the applications are being accepted in the minds of the public and this will support and encourage more innovation in the future.
• Drone Radio Show Patron. Anthony shares why he became a monthly supporter of the Drone Radio Show Podcast. After hearing me speak at the 2017 Drone Focus event, he started listening to the podcast and found that the company and personal profiles provide insights into the industry that he and his found valuable. They were able to become aware of potential partners and stay abreast of certain trends that might affect their mission and services.
• Closing. Anthony hopes anyone attending Drone Focus 2018 will learn something that they will be able to put into action quickly. He also hopes they will establish strong connections with other professionals and find ways to collaborate on new ventures and begin to put those ideas into action.

Mentioned Links

• Project Phoenix (www.pxdbphoenix.com)
• Aegis Flow (www.aegisflow.com)
• Drone Focus 2018 (www.dronefocuscon.com)