What impact have the current global uncertainties had on the company’s R&D and product development in recent months?
With regard to R&D and product development, one of the biggest challenges is centred around the fluctuating costs and availability of components, which are influenced by shifting tariffs and trade conditions. While we don’t have R&D efforts in high-conflict regions, we are always keeping an eye on geopolitical developments to try and measure out the impact it will have on our ability to do business. Also, it’s not easy to maintain strong engineering talent in today’s modern workforce, though we’re fortunate to have an experienced team in house that keeps our projects on track.
What do you foresee as the biggest challenges in R&D and product development/deployment in the coming years?
I would say a key challenge we face is will there be enough business demand to justify an ongoing investment in R&D. It’s always a balancing act to try and stay ahead of the curve with technology while making sure those efforts line up with our customer needs and the realities of the market. Another issue is talent acquisition. We think engineering is what drives innovation and finding the right people with the right skills is important for our development cycles and getting new solutions to the market faster.
Where do you see the most opportune areas for innovation in your area of the market, and what tech/solutions will drive that development?
We see a lot of potential in integrating AI technologies into our systems. One big area is using AI for smart, predictive analysis of transmitter performance, which is about helping us diagnose and resolve issues before they impact service. Internally, we’re using AI to help us with software development so that our teams can be more productive. On the hardware side, we’re keeping close tabs on advancements in power amplifier technologies. If suppliers continue to make strides in efficiency, we’re focused on integrating those innovations quickly to reduce energy consumption for our over-the-air transmission solutions.
What are you working on currently that excites you as a product team, and what can we expect to see at IBC2025?
We’re really excited about our AirWatch365 monitoring platform, which offers 24/7 monitoring for transmission systems. We’re currently enhancing it with AI capabilities for predictive analytics. The early results from our alpha development are promising; they show that we can boost both system performance and the level of proactive customer service we offer. Our goal is to ensure that broadcasters stay on-air without trouble and with low energy costs. You can expect to see this technology in action at IBC2025.
