{"id":72602,"date":"2021-03-22T20:00:09","date_gmt":"2021-03-22T19:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monaco-tribune.com\/2021\/03\/drones-often-get-a-bad-rep-how-erwan-grimaud-is-flying-monaco-to-the-future\/"},"modified":"2021-03-22T20:02:16","modified_gmt":"2021-03-22T19:02:16","slug":"drones-often-get-a-bad-rep-how-erwan-grimaud-is-flying-monaco-to-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monaco-tribune.com\/en\/2021\/03\/drones-often-get-a-bad-rep-how-erwan-grimaud-is-flying-monaco-to-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cDrones often get a bad rep\u201d: how Erwan Grimaud is flying Monaco to the future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For Erwan Grimaud, drones aren\u2019t just about capturing unique snapshots of the Principality. In fact, if there is one thing that the drone engineer and founder of MC Clic wants you to know, it\u2019s that drones can be used for a plethora of purposes – including environmental protection. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It almost didn\u2019t make it through the mist. But fret not, if a little shaken, the drone is doing well. \u201cHumidity and electricity do not go hand in hand,\u201d admits Erwan Grimaud with a smile. \u201cThankfully the drone wasn\u2019t damaged when it came down, but it was soaked in moisture. We had to quickly dry the SD cards and the other hardware to avoid any lasting damage.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> READ ALSO:<\/strong> C\u00e9dric Biscay, a manga and video game fanatic promoting Monaco in Japan<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The day Monaco was swallowed up by a cloud of sea mist, Erwan Grimaud was at the Oceanographic museum, busy filming the cult television program \u201cSecrets d\u2019Histoire\u201d \u2013 or Secrets of History \u2013 hosted by France\u2019s David Attenborough of the humanities, journalist St\u00e9phane Bern. You might have seen the dreamlike pictures of the day on social media or on news outlets: Monaco covered in a thick porous mist blown in by the sea. When he saw the mist overtake the city, Erwan Grimaud did not miss a beat. He launched one of his drones, made it soar to nearly 200 metres and took a snapshot of the unique phenomenon. “I’m now waiting for the printed photo, which I will offer to the Sovereign,” he tells us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MC Clic, a key player in the Principality <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Alongside an interest in photography, Erwan Grimaud has always had a soft spot for model making, especially remote-controlled helicopters, a passion he caught from his grandfather. \u201cWhen I finished university, I had no doubts about what I wanted to do: I was quite set on opening a model store that specialised in drones.\u201d And so, MC Clic was born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> READ ALSO: <\/strong>Erwan Grimaud, founder of MC-Clic: \u201cwe feel real solidarity\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast-forward to a decade later, thanks to the support of private funds, his business has become a key economic player in the Principality. Grimaud admits that the venture was, at the beginning, very much a gamble: \u201cWhen I started out, drones were practically unheard of.\u201d MC Clic has dabbled in all facets of Monegasque life: From snapping the Prince’s Palace, verifying facades for architects and providing drones for public safety, to videography and coverage of world-renowned events such as the Grand Prix or the Monaco Yacht Club… In Monaco, MC Clic is almost everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drones often get a bad rep because of people who don\u2019t know actually how to use them, whether it is because they make them take off unexpectedly or lose them in the middle of a city due to poor piloting<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

“MC Clic holds 80% of the Monaco market,\u201d informs us Erwan Grimaud. \u201cWe offer all kinds of drones, whether they are land drones or underwater drones, and we make them all ourselves.\u201d Committed to his 5-people team, the thirty-year-old Monaco-native says has no intention of turning MC Clic into a big multinational. \u201cMy team feels like family, I don\u2019t want to lose that aspect of the job.\u201d However, this doesn\u2019t mean that Grimaud does not have big plans for his business. To ensure its key role in the world of tomorrow, the shop has expanded to various countries, including Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>> READ ALSO:<\/strong> Marcela de Kern Royer makes waves with her yachting guidebook<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDrones often get a bad rep because of people who don\u2019t know actually how to use them, whether it is because they make them take off unexpectedly or lose them in the middle of a city due to poor piloting,\u201d says Erwan Grimaud, who admits to having a ritual nano drone race with his girlfriend after working hours. \u201cIf you do not follow guideline rules when flying your drone, then yes, drones can be dangerous. For instance, it takes a professional to use them in a city.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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