On Finding Your Frequency with Brian Sexton, Bob Dahlstrom, CEO of Apellix, brings a practical and forward-looking perspective to one of the most important shifts happening in industrial maintenance: the rise of working drones.
Apellix, based in Jacksonville, Florida, designs and manufactures autonomous drones for power washing, spray painting, inspection, and building maintenance. Founded in 2014, the company is focused on aerial robotic systems that can help remove people from dangerous work at heights while improving how large-scale infrastructure is maintained and inspected.
Apellix and the Rise of Working Drones
When many people think of drones, they picture cameras in the sky. Apellix is working in a different category: software-driven aerial robotic platforms built to perform industrial tasks.
These systems are commonly known as “working drones” because they are designed to do more than observe. Apellix develops drone systems for applications such as power washing, spray painting, coating, cleaning, inspection, and non-destructive testing.
According to the company, Apellix’s Power Wash Drone is the most widely deployed commercial cleaning drone worldwide, with active operators in 21 countries and 5 continents as of 2026. The company also has National Defense Authorization Act compliant systems, employs disabled veterans, and is flown by the U.S. Army.
A Mission Built Around Safety
At the center of Apellix’s work is a clear mission: removing humans from dangerous work at heights.
Industrial maintenance often involves tasks performed on tall buildings, tanks, bridges, ships, and other large structures. These environments can expose workers to serious risk. By developing aerial robotics that can perform hazardous work, Apellix is helping advance a safer approach to maintenance and inspection.
Why This Matters for Industry
For businesses that manage facilities, infrastructure, or industrial assets, safety is not just a compliance issue. It is a leadership responsibility. Technologies like working drones can help companies rethink how they approach repetitive, elevated, or hazardous work.
The value is not only in the drone itself. Dahlstrom’s view is that drones are “flying computers,” and with the right sensors, data, and software, they can be made to do far more than traditional drone systems.
The Challenge of Building Beyond Conventional Drone Capabilities
Apellix operates in a technically demanding space. Dahlstrom identifies one of the company’s biggest challenges as the extreme complexity of developing aerial robotic systems that go beyond conventional drone capabilities.
That challenge is paired with another: disrupting entrenched industrial practices. Even when better tools exist, many industries are slow to change. Introducing advanced aerial robotics requires not only engineering innovation, but also market education, trust-building, and persistence.
The Marketing Challenge: Expanding Awareness and Adoption
Apellix’s marketing challenge is expanding awareness and adoption of its advanced drone solutions in broader industrial and commercial markets. For emerging industrial technologies, this is a common hurdle. Buyers need to understand not only what the technology does, but why it matters and how it fits into their operations.
For companies introducing complex technology, the lesson is clear: education is part of the product experience. The more unfamiliar the solution, the more important it is to communicate practical value in simple, credible terms.
Leadership Lessons from Bob Dahlstrom
Dahlstrom’s journey offers valuable lessons for entrepreneurs, manufacturers, and technology leaders working to bring transformative products to market.
Persistence Is Essential
When asked for a tip for success in the same industry, Dahlstrom’s advice is direct: “Be persistent, be persistent, be persistent.”
That message fits the reality of industrial innovation. Breakthrough products often require years of development, testing, refinement, and market education. Persistence becomes a competitive advantage when the mission is meaningful and the technology is difficult to build.
Surround Yourself with the Right People
Dahlstrom also points to one of the biggest obstacles to success: surrounding yourself with the right people. For leaders, this is a reminder that innovation is rarely an individual effort. Strong teams, trusted advisors, and aligned partners are critical to turning a vision into a sustainable company.
Learn from the Roadmap Trap
One of Dahlstrom’s most practical business lessons came from a customer development experience. He recalls a time when a prospective customer drove the product roadmap with repeated requests: “If you just add this, we’ll buy.”
After building feature after feature, the goalposts kept moving. Eventually, it became clear the customer was never going to purchase.
For business owners and product leaders, this is a valuable warning. Customer feedback matters, but a company must be careful not to let one uncertain prospect dictate the entire product direction. A strong roadmap balances market input with long-term strategy, technical feasibility, and the needs of the broader customer base.
The Future of Aerial Robotics
Dahlstrom sees the next 3 to 5 years as a period when aerial robotics will move from specialized tools to mainstream industrial solutions. He expects greater autonomy, endurance, and practical use across numerous sectors.
This shift could reshape how companies approach maintenance, inspection, cleaning, and protective coatings. As systems become more capable, organizations may increasingly look to aerial robotics to reduce risk, improve access, and modernize legacy processes.
Software as the Differentiator
Dahlstrom views companies that integrate advanced software control systems as true innovators in the drone space. That perspective highlights an important trend: the future of aerial robotics is not only about hardware. It is about the software, sensors, data, and control systems that allow drones to perform real work safely and effectively.
Practical Takeaways for Business and Industrial Leaders
Apellix’s story offers several useful takeaways for leaders evaluating new technology or building innovative products:
- Prioritize safety: Look for tools that reduce exposure to dangerous work, especially at heights.
- Evaluate practical applications: Focus on whether a technology solves real operational problems, not just whether it is new.
- Ask about software capability: In aerial robotics, software and control systems are central to performance.
- Stay persistent: Complex innovation takes time, discipline, and resilience.
- Protect your product roadmap: Listen to customers, but avoid building only for prospects who may never buy.
- Build the right team: Technical breakthroughs require people who can execute, adapt, and stay aligned with the mission.
A Leadership Story Rooted in Purpose
Dahlstrom describes his “why” simply: love for people. That purpose shows up in Apellix’s mission to design technology that saves lives and reduces dangerous human exposure in industrial work.
He also notes that one of his proudest leadership moments was when his daughter, a Wall Street lawyer, joined the company full time as chief of staff. It is a personal milestone that reflects the family and leadership dimensions behind the business.
Conclusion
Bob Dahlstrom’s conversation on Finding Your Frequency with Brian Sexton highlights the promise and complexity of working drones, aerial robotics, and the future of industrial maintenance. Apellix is operating at the intersection of safety, software, manufacturing, and practical innovation, with a mission to remove people from dangerous work at heights.
For industrial leaders, entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in the future of maintenance technology, Apellix’s story is a reminder that meaningful innovation requires persistence, purpose, strong teams, and a willingness to challenge outdated ways of working.
Learn more about Bob Dahlstrom’s interview and visit Apellix to explore its aerial robotic systems.
