The Dronamics INspirer who made 1,200 kg of carbon and steel fly without a human on board
Konstantin Rangelov takes the ALL IN stage to raise the audience on the wings of INnovative ideas and INspire them with his story of taking the off-beaten paths
MEET The INSIDERS: Konstantin Rangelov, CTO of Dronamics
Konstantin Rangelov, CTO of Dronamics
Photo: Dronamics
~ 3 min read
Economic.bg Konstantin Rangelov will be one of the INspirers at the Economic.bg business forum – ALL IN – taking place on September 19. Together with his brother, Svilen, he is a co-founder of the Bulgarian company Dronamics, which developed the first unmanned cargo drone, "Black Swan", which is expected to start performing commercial flights very soon.
Konstantin Rangelov leads the R&D department of Dronamics, comprised of over 100 engineers, and is the main driver behind one of the most INspiring and INnovative Bulgarian projects - "Black Swan". He also works on sustainability technologies at Dronamics with a specific focus on alternative fuels and hydrogen technology development.
He studied aerospace engineering at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
Mr. Rangelov, imagine that Elon Musk has made distant space travel a reality and you are going on a year-long trip to Mars. Which three celebrities (living or dead) would you like to travel with?
- Richard Feynman – so we can study and explore space together.
- Roald Amundsen - to be our guide and make sure there’s discipline on board.
- J. R. R. Tolkien - to record and tell the story of our journey.
You are entitled to spend one working day with a company executive (living or dead). Who would you choose and why?
Kelly Johnson - because that means I'd have a hand in the development of the F-117, SR-71 Blackbird, and the like.
Imagine you are shipwrecked on a lonely island with all your basic human needs (food, water, shelter) met. What two things would you like to have with you and why?
Towel and sunscreen. Chances are they'll find me sooner or later; I can at least enjoy my vacation (I'm totally serious).
If you could give just one book as a gift for the rest of your life, which one would it be?
The Odyssey by Homer - just like The Little Prince, it can be read over and over again while staying interesting. It’s quite diverse and adequate regardless of the era in which the reader is living.
You are a time traveler. You have the option of moving forward into the future or going back into the past. Where would you like to go and why?
I would never go forward in time - let it remain a surprise. I wouldn't go too far back either because I don't have the immune system for that. So, I pick 17 December 1903, Kitty Hawk Beach, the site of the Wright Brothers’ first flight. I’ll be just watching from the sidelines.
You can get a superpower (any skill you can think of), but only for a day. What will you choose and why?
Being able to rob a bank without being caught because... money?!
Can you identify the biggest threat or challenge to your company in the next five years?
The rapid growth of Dronamics will be our biggest challenge as we are still creating a new market and laying the groundwork for the future not only for us but for others to follow. This is an extremely big responsibility.
In which area Bulgaria has the greatest potential to become a leader in Europe?
The aerospace sector – we have all the prerequisites to attract the best talents and encourage them to develop.
AI is a hot topic, but what is the most neglected issue about it that is important to discuss?
Education. We are still learning and training according to obsolete methods that do not prepare us for the real world nor how to solve its problems.
What work task of yours would you never want to outsource to a robot?
Firing someone - the most unpleasant part of my job is having to fire someone. No matter how emotionally difficult it is for me, I would never give it to a robot because it would be endlessly humiliating and insulting to the person on the other side. If we choose to lose our humanity in our worst moments, we are doomed as a species.
Which is more important: talent or hard work?
Hard work – always!
Which is more important: education or experience?
Experience - but not always.
What are the three things without which success is impossible?
Insomnia, pain, and stress - everyone talks about the good things, but nobody talks about these...
What fascinates you nowadays?
Witnessing a gratuitous act of kindness or seeing a BMW driver use a turn signal – it’s a tough choice...
What's the best advice you've ever received?
Don't expect anyone to appreciate your work.
What is the hardest lesson you’ve learned?
Same as the above.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?
Making 1200 kg of carbon and steel fly without a person on board.
When was the last time you said to yourself: “This is my best day at work”? What was the occasion?
17 August 2024. Still classified information though.
What is your biggest passion – something you are ALL IN?
Preserving the child that lives in me – keeping my dreams, games, laughter and admiration for the world.
Translated by Tzvetozar Vincent Iolov
