Founders Feature: Chris Chua, Co-Founder of Operva AI

What is your role at Operva AI?

I'm one of the co-founders of Operva.AI. I handle the operations and piloting of the drone.

What are the key values of Operva AI, and how does it align with your personal values?

Safer, faster, smarter are the 3 key values of Operva AI. I’m an engineer by training, so I have always had an eye for better and more efficient ways to accomplish things. Solving problems for others using proprietary technology that can have a game-changing impact in terms of safety and efficiency gets me out of bed every morning.?

What is your usual day like?

Meeting the software team to discuss the development and roadblocks that they are facing. Plan and prepare flight, permits and conduct drone operations.?

And there are always customers to look after. Nothing quite beats the satisfaction you get from making a customer happy.?

What do you enjoy most about your work?

Get to work with a strong and dynamic team. Constantly pushing our boundaries to innovate.

Describe the team dynamics/members in a few words.

Independent, willingness to learn, open to take up new responsibilities, competent.

Have you always been interested/involved in the drone industry?

Yes. I started my career in the drone industry. In my younger days, I used to build my own hobby aircraft with autopilot controller using off-the-shelf parts. My passion is to realise a future in which drones and drone technology of various functions and capabilities can ease our lives.?

What are you most excited about when it comes to the industry? In the immediate future or coming year?

We recently made Airpland live, our flagship software that allows the users to manage the drone flights and data in one platform.? So I am super excited about making the product live in more sites and seeing how Airpland can evolve to help the industry.

In the longer term, we are looking at augmenting the current process with robotics that can reduce laborious work and save time.?

Why the construction and facility management industry? Any plans for other industries?

When we first started, we explored a few different industries because of the diverse background the founding team came from. Construction and facility management was one of them. The industry started seeing a real regulatory push to improve safety and efficiency, with a growing appetite for new technologies to achieve these goals.??

We saw an opportunity there and went with it.?

That said, nothing is stopping us from going into other spaces if we see the right timing.?

Which markets are you focused on at the moment? Any plan for future expansions??

We are currently operating out of Southeast Asia, with a home base in Singapore. The team is working hard with partners and customers to bring the best possible experience to these markets. There is a grander vision to really go global, and we are always excited to be talking to potential partners to make that happen.?

How would you sell the idea to someone completely unfamiliar with the industry, in 1 sentence?

Operva AI helps companies monitor construction sites or inspect mega buildings, in mere hours and with only a handful of manpower, significantly saving costs and safeguarding lives.?