The Builders Damon Darnall – Building Opportunity in a $30B Civilian Drone Industry on the Rise
In this episode of The Builders, Matt talks with Damon Darnall, a lifelong flyer and the founder of Sky Eye Network. Damon has been building and flying drones since the 1970s, long before the industry existed. What began as a childhood obsession turned into a career shaped by persistence, skill, and a fascination with what flight can unlock.
Damon shares how the long path of building shaped his entrepreneurial mindset. From spending 13 months assembling his first drone kit, to destroying it in seven seconds and rebuilding it over and over, to competing at high levels and setting world records, every chapter pushed him toward new possibilities. His first commercial break came with a 32-foot advertising blimp that led him into arenas, promotions, and eventually a career as the go-to drone guy for a wide mix of industries.
Today the civilian drone industry has crossed $30B in annual revenue, and projections show it could reach $1.5 trillion within eight years. Damon explains why this moment is a rare window for builders. The tech is easier to adopt, the demand is rising fast, and many industries still have major gaps that drones can fill.
Key Takeaways
- How Damon turned a lifelong passion into a career built on experimentation and resilience
- What the 32-foot blimp project taught him about pitching, rejection, and finding the right market
- How drones transformed inspections, safety, cinematography, advertising, and search and rescue
- The shift in drone technology that lowered the barrier from thousands of flight hours to fast adoption
- Why the drone industry is moving from $30B toward $1.5T and where builders can create opportunity
- A preview of Part 2 that dives into Sky Eye Network, dronepreneur training, and real-world businesses