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Going on a road trip is often synonymous with adventure, freedom, and discovery. While India offers a plethora of scenic routes and diverse landscapes, sometimes the wanderlust extends beyond borders. <keyword id="15530433" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="International-road-trips-from-India" source="Orion">International road trips from India</keyword> open up a world of possibilities, allowing travellers to witness different cultures, cuisines, and landscapes. From neighbouring countries reachable by road to far-flung destinations accessible via overland routes, here's a detailed guide to <keyword id="21293965" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-road-trips" source="keywords">international road trips</keyword> you can take from India. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Nepal: The Himalayan Odyssey" comment="subhead" text="Nepal: The Himalayan Odyssey">Nepal: The Himalayan Odyssey</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="1" msid="110247304" hostid="261" sizebytes="1754543" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Traverse the winding roads of the Himalayas on a road trip from India to Nepal.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Distance from India: Varies depending on the starting point. Visa Requirement: Indian citizens do not require a visa to enter Nepal. Nepal, home to the majestic Himalayas, offers an exhilarating road trip experience. From the bustling streets of Kathmandu to the serene lakes of Pokhara, every mile is a revelation. The journey typically begins from the bordering Indian states of Uttar Pradesh or Bihar. The scenic drive through the Terai plains gradually ascends into the foothills of the Himalayas, providing breathtaking views of terraced fields, lush forests, and snow-capped peaks. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Bhutan: The Land of the Thunder Dragon" comment="subhead" text="Bhutan: The Land of the Thunder Dragon">Bhutan: The Land of the Thunder Dragon</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="2" msid="110247310" hostid="261" sizebytes="2128757" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Discover the mystical charm of Bhutan on an unforgettable road journey from India.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Distance from India: Approx. 500-700 km from bordering Indian states. Visa Requirement: Indian citizens require a permit to enter Bhutan. A kingdom situated in the Eastern Himalayas. The journey offers a blend of spirituality, culture, and natural beauty. Starting from Indian states like West Bengal or Assam, travellers cross the border into Bhutan, where pristine landscapes, ancient monasteries, and traditional Bhutanese architecture await. The winding roads offer panoramic views of verdant valleys, cascading waterfalls, and Himalayan peaks, providing a soul-stirring experience. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Myanmar: The Road Less Travelled" comment="subhead" text="Myanmar: The Road Less Travelled">Myanmar: The Road Less Travelled</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="3" msid="110247330" hostid="261" sizebytes="1615519" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Go on an offbeat adventure to Myanmar from India&amp;#39;s northeastern states.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Distance from India: Approx. 1,400-1,800 km from northeastern Indian states. Visa Requirement: Indian citizens require a visa to enter Myanmar. Embarking on a road trip to Myanmar from northeastern India is an offbeat yet rewarding journey. Travellers can start from states like Manipur or Mizoram, traversing through lush landscapes and remote villages. The route passes through the Moreh-Tamu border crossing, offering a glimpse into Myanmar's rich cultural heritage, ancient temples, and bustling markets. From the ancient city of Mandalay to the serene shores of Inle Lake, each stop along the way unveils a new facet of Myanmar's beauty. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Thailand: Land of Smiles" comment="subhead" text="Thailand: Land of Smiles">Thailand: Land of Smiles</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="4" msid="110247345" hostid="261" sizebytes="1953038" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Experience the Land of Smiles on a road trip from India to Thailand&amp;#39;s vibrant landscapes.&amp;quot;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Distance from India: Approx. 3,000-3,500 km from northeastern Indian states. Visa Requirement: Indian citizens require a visa to enter Thailand. Take on an epic road trip from India to Thailand, traversing through diverse landscapes and vibrant cultures. The journey begins from northeastern states like Assam or Manipur, with travellers crossing into Myanmar before entering Thailand. The route passes through scenic regions of northern Thailand, including the cultural hub of Chiang Mai and the historic city of Ayutthaya. From bustling markets to tranquil beaches, Thailand offers a sensory overload of experiences for road trippers. Also read - <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="The Silk Route: A Historic Expedition" comment="subhead" text="The Silk Route: A Historic Expedition">The Silk Route: A Historic Expedition</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="5" msid="110247353" hostid="261" sizebytes="1773243" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Explore the historic Silk Route, connecting civilizations from India to Europe.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Distance from India: Varies depending on the route taken. Visa Requirement: Multiple visas are required depending on the countries traversed. For the adventurous at heart, the Silk Route presents an opportunity to go on a historic expedition spanning multiple countries. Starting from India's northeastern states, travellers can follow the ancient trade route that once connected Asia to Europe. The journey passes through countries like Myanmar, China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and beyond, offering a glimpse into diverse cultures, landscapes, and civilisations along the way. From the rugged terrain of the Pamir Mountains to the ancient cities of Samarkand and Bukhara, the Silk Route road trip is a voyage through time. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="London: The Transcontinental Adventure" comment="subhead" text="London: The Transcontinental Adventure">London: The Transcontinental Adventure</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="6" msid="110247373" hostid="261" sizebytes="1717988" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Dream of distant horizons as you plan a transcontinental road trip from India to London.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Visa Requirements: Travellers going on a road trip to London from India will require a Schengen visa or a UK visa, depending on the route chosen and the countries traversed. Distance from India: Approx.11,000 to 12,000 kilometres Taking on a road trip from India to London is a transcontinental odyssey that captivates the imagination of intrepid explorers. While the allure of traversing diverse landscapes is undeniable, it necessitates meticulous planning, including obtaining visas and permits. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="China: Exploring the Middle Kingdom" comment="subhead" text="China: Exploring the Middle Kingdom">China: Exploring the Middle Kingdom</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="7" msid="110247380" hostid="261" sizebytes="1813636" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Unravel the mysteries of the Middle Kingdom on a road journey to China from India.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>Visa Requirements: Travellers embarking on a road trip to China from India will require a Chinese tourist visa. Distance from India: The distance from India to China via road varies depending on the chosen route and starting point. While direct road access between India and China is not feasible due to geographical and political constraints, overland routes through neighbouring countries offer adventurous travellers a glimpse into China's diverse landscapes and ancient civilisations. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Preparation and Tips:" comment="subhead" text="Preparation and Tips:">Preparation and Tips:</cmsannotation> <ul><li>Ensure your vehicle is well-maintained and equipped for long-distance travel.</li><li>Obtain necessary permits and visas well in advance.</li><li>Research border crossing procedures and entry requirements for each country.</li><li>Pack essentials such as navigation devices, spare tyres, first-aid kits, and sufficient supplies.</li><li>Familiarise yourself with local traffic rules, customs, and driving conditions.</li><li>Embrace spontaneity but plan your route and accommodations in advance.</li><li>Respect local cultures, traditions, and environments along the way.</li></ul>Going on an international road trip from India is not just about reaching a destination; it's about immersing yourself in the journey, forging connections, and creating memories that last a lifetime. So, fuel up your adventurous spirit, buckle up, and hit the road to explore the world beyond borders. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Frequently asked questions" comment="subhead" text="Frequently asked questions">Frequently asked questions</cmsannotation> 1. Is it safe to go on an international road trip from India? While international <keyword id="1600077" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Road-trips" source="Orion">road trips</keyword> offer incredible experiences, safety should always be a priority. Research your route thoroughly, including potential risks, road conditions, and travel advisories. Ensure your vehicle is well-maintained and equipped with necessary safety features. Additionally, carry essential documents, emergency supplies, and travel insurance for added security. 2. What documents do I need for an international road trip from India? The required documents vary depending on the destination(s) you plan to visit. Typically, you'll need a valid passport, appropriate visas or permits for each country you'll be crossing, vehicle registration, international driving permit (IDP), and vehicle insurance. Research and obtain all necessary paperwork well in advance to avoid any last-minute complications. 3. How do I plan accommodations for an international road trip? Planning accommodations for an international road trip involves researching and booking hotels, guesthouses, or campsites along your route. Utilise online booking platforms or travel apps to find accommodations that suit your preferences and budget. Consider factors such as location, amenities, and availability, especially during peak travel seasons. 4. What should I pack for an international road trip from India? Packing essentials for an international road trip includes clothing suitable for varied climates, travel documents, personal hygiene items, medications, first-aid kit, navigation devices (maps or GPS), roadside emergency kit (spare tyre, jumper cables, flashlight, etc.), snacks, water, and entertainment (books, music, etc.). Tailor your packing list based on the duration of your trip and the destinations you'll be visiting. 5. How do I navigate border crossings during an international road trip? Navigating border crossings requires careful planning and adherence to the immigration and customs regulations of each country you'll be entering. Research border crossing procedures, opening hours, required documents, and any applicable fees or permits. Arrive prepared with all necessary paperwork, maintain patience during border formalities, and be respectful of local authorities. Stay informed about any recent changes or restrictions that may affect your journey. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travel/india/article/10-ultimate-road-trip-routes-in-india/articleshow/109620234.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">10 Ultimate road trip routes in India for 2024</a>

Exploring the world on wheels: International road trips from India

<ul class="summary-list"><li>My husband and I started to take turns going on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solo-travel-things-to-know-before-first-trip">solo international trips</a> without our kids.</li><li>We love the arrangement and I came back from my trip feeling refreshed and like a better mom.</li></ul>When I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/first-time-mom-older-age-benefits-2024-8">became a mother</a> nine years ago, my entire world changed.I felt like I had to become totally selfless in an instant. Suddenly my life revolved around this tiny human I'd grown and was dictated by feeds and day sleeps, nighttime routines and midnight lullabies. The feeling of being completely responsible for another person was both rewarding and absolutely exhausting.As the years passed, I felt more parts of my former identity fall away. I started dressing differently, donning practical mom outfits and basic activewear instead of my usual flamboyant boots and scarves. I stopped doing some of the things I loved, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-challenges-for-female-solo-traveler-safety-tips">traveling solo</a>. I felt like I had to direct all my energy into being the best mom I could be.But travel had been an enormous part of my life from as far back as I could remember. Growing up, my mom would work really hard, save money, and then take me with her on trips around the globe. By the time I was 15, I'd been to six continents. As I grew into a young woman, I followed her lead, working and saving for a year and then escaping on an epic adventure to somewhere exotic.Late last year, I felt like I'd reached my capacity to give to my family. I was completely depleted and needed to make a change, for my own well-being and for everyone else's too. So, I did. When my husband asked if I minded if he went to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-american-wishes-she-knew-before-visiting-japan-mistakes-2024-9">Japan</a> with his mates in February, I said to go for it as long as I could have a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kid-free-vacation-husband-change-fatherhood-2024-10">kid-free holiday</a> with my girlfriends, too. He was down. In May, I headed to Bhutan and Nepal for two weeks of hiking, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/mountain-biking-clothing">mountain biking</a>, whitewater rafting, and adventuring with my university friends. It was a game changer.<h2 id="e9f22acf-7d04-47c6-9ca7-61547b5c29b1">This new chapter of solo adventuring helped me feel like my old self </h2><div type="image" title="Marshyangdi river flowing in the Himalayas covered in trees in Nepal" height="3840" width="5760" msid="114354287" hostid="261" sizebytes="4648150"></div>At first, I was a little nervous about leaving my three kids and husband — but I was amazed at how quickly I began to feel like my old self when I traveled.For the first time in a long time, I could eat what I liked, do what I wanted, snd sleep for however long I wished. I could connect with people from other cultures on a deeper level without being distracted by having to feed kids or get them to bed.In short, I could be completely selfish, without guilt.The trip also helped me deal with nagging worries I'd been harboring, particularly about what life would be like once my kids grew up and moved out. My mom <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worried-about-marriage-kids-left-cruises-saved-relationship-empty-nesters-2024-10">struggled with being an empty nester</a> and I'd always had a fear that I'd walk the same road, feeling adrift and lost without my children to give my life meaning.But after two weeks without my kids, I realized that this may not actually be the case. As long as I know they're happy and doing something that fulfills them, I think I'll be able to let go when the time comes.<h2 id="d0b81aac-44ec-43b8-979e-8b2a326d08c3">I felt like a refreshed, better parent once I came home</h2>When I returned from my trip and saw my children's three little faces light up, my heart felt so full and grateful to have them in my life. I felt recharged and ready to dive back into parenting — something I hadn't felt for a while. It took a certain amount of courage to leave my family and go into the big, bad world alone again, but I'm so glad I did.Many of my mom friends couldn't believe I'd done it. "You went on a holiday by yourself?" a colleague asked me incredulously. "Without your husband and kids?" she said. "That's right," I replied, trying to suppress a laugh. "I left them at home and they survived!"My husband and I are already planning our next <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-plan-trips-husband-watches-kid-on-plane-2024-8">overseas trips</a> in 2025. He'll be heading to Asia again, and I'll probably do another hike, this time in Patagonia.I love that we can have the best of both worlds — making memories as a family at home in Australia while occasionally jet-setting on a solo adventure, too.

My husband and I take turns going on solo international trips without our kids. The arrangement works for us both.

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="6356662" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="singapore">Singapore</keyword>'s borders have been closed since March 2020, and it has virtually no domestic <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword>.</li><li>We spoke to three local tour operators to see how they survived the <keyword id="43587" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="pandemic">pandemic</keyword>.</li><li>One company said they pivoted to local experiences, but they only pull in 50% of their pre-pandemic revenue.</li></ul>When Singapore closed its borders in March 2020, the number of visitors to the island plunged 99% from what it was the previous year. Then came the cancelation requests."Around 70% of our bookings were cancelled, and 30% were postponed," said Krystal Tan, director of Blue Sky Escapes, a local travel company known for crafting off-the-beaten-path experiences in destinations like Bhutan and Peru.She wasn't alone."Overnight, bookings came to a standstill," said Jess Yap, one of the founders of travel agency Intriq Journey, which launched in Singapore last January.Thanks to the border closures brought on by the pandemic, travel operators around the world were forced to find new revenue streams. This was especially true for those in the business of planning overseas travel - and, by extension, for travel operators in Singapore. The city-state, which is the size of New York City, has virtually no domestic travel. Insider spoke with three Singapore travel companies to find out how they stayed afloat when their core business offering disappeared.<h2>New ways to discover Singapore</h2>Pre-pandemic, bespoke luxury travel specialist <a href="http://quotienttravel.com/">Quotient Travel</a> was known for long-haul, multi-country holidays that could include a visit to the Sahara Desert or a meal at three-Michelin-starred Sukiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo.Javiny Lim, the cofounder and managing director of Quotient Travel, said the travel company usually sells 150 holidays a year. In Q2 last year, it had zero bookings.Quotient Travel has since designed eight new tours. Some of those, like the "Eat, Pray, Love at Balestier" ($71 per person), take you to iconic landmarks and hidden finds alike, such as one of the last remaining traditional bakeries and coffee roasters in Singapore.Others, like The Great Singapore Road Trip, draw inspiration from iconic holidays in places like New Zealand and Japan. The Singapore road trip is a two-day, self-drive itinerary at $5 per person encompassing local "national parks" (Singapore does not have designated national parks), a former Grand Prix street circuit, and a seaside lunch in a neoclassical home built in 1910.Blue Sky Escapes, too, offers new ways of exploring Singapore. One popular option is a tour through Singapore's last kampung (village) in Lorong Buangkok ($315 for up to five persons), a quaint hodgepodge of zinc-roofed homes - complete with kitchen gardens and strolling chickens - that defy time."It's home to 29 families - most of the residents don't speak English or even own a mobile phone," said Tan. "It's a wonderful chance to step back in time and understand what 'kampung spirit' is truly about."Blue Sky Escapes has also found a niche with its wellness retreats, which debuted in January. Among these is a three-day, two-night retreat from $2,590 per person that claims to help guests "find themselves" through stillness and meditation. Held at Villa Samadhi, a restored century-old mansion in Labrador nature reserve, each retreat includes embodied movement and sound healing.<h2>New audiences and shorter experiences</h2>When Singapore's travel bubble with Hong Kong was called off for the first time in November, Yap of Intriq Journey realized she needed to "do more than just [sell] staycations and cruises-to-nowhere."She also found herself having to re-examine her target client: The industry veteran works with clients who typically spend $10,000-$12,000 per person, per trip.Last year, she changed her approach and launched virtual trips from $80 per person. One of those, a two-day "trip" to Beijing and Chengdu for a local college, allowed the students to see the Great Wall of China and explore Chengdu's vibrant street food scene."It's not a pre-recorded presentation. There's an actual guide, a host," said Yap, who added that guests can interact with guides and meet new people in real time. "It's real life, straight from the location."Lim said Quotient Travel's usual budget guidance for a European holiday for a couple is $750 per person, per day. That number is significantly lower now, she added."The main change across all tours for us would be a broader client segment," said Lim.<h2>A blow to an already-struggling industry</h2>The pandemic is a further blow to an industry that was already under pressure.In a Q3 2019 GlobalData survey, only 17% of global respondents said they booked with an in-store travel agent. Despite this, travel agencies in Singapore have remained relatively resilient throughout the pandemic. According to TTG Asia, only 38 of the 137 travel agents that closed in the city-state between February 2020 and May 2021 cited the pandemic as a reason for ceasing operations.This is largely thanks to the Singapore government's efforts to support the local tourism industry. These include wage subsidies, waiving license fees, and allocating $320 million in vouchers for citizens to spend on local hotels and attractions.All three Singapore-based agencies Insider spoke with said they did not downsize their teams, although pay cuts were part of all their business continuity plans.Lim said Quotient Travel implemented a three-day workweek and pay cuts of up to 25% over the last 15 months. Tan and her husband (who is also her business partner) stopped drawing salaries for a year. At one point, Tan's sales team pivoted into events programming and content marketing, while Lim said her company branched out into an online luxury jewellery store."It was especially challenging to have to show up each day without fail - through the bad times - ready to lead and prop up team morale and navigate such a precarious, uncertain environment. We were in full beta mode with no clarity on what might stick," said Tan.Still, the new experiences are a far cry from the revenue the companies usually rake in.Tan said new experiences cover about 50% of Blue Sky Escapes' typical revenue. Lim said Quotient Travel's local tours account for less than 1% of its typical revenue.Yap said the next six months will be particularly challenging as the government's wage support scheme ends in September. She remains hopeful that some form of leisure travel will resume by the last quarter of this year, as at least three quarters of Singapore's population is slated to be vaccinated by then.

How 3 Singapore travel companies stayed afloat when their entire business model disappeared overnight

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sarah Groen is a <keyword id="427866" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Luxury-travel">luxury travel</keyword> advisor and business owner based in Houston, Texas.</li><li>After working in finance and tech, in 2018 she launched a company to help busy execs plan luxury vacations.</li><li>Groen's fees usually start at $500 per week of <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword>, and most of her clients spend over $1,000 a day on their trips.</li></ul>My love of travel started young - now as an adult, I've been to 100 countries. But back then, I never believed I could turn my passion into a business. Instead, I built a solid career in finance as an investment banker. Then I pivoted to tech and cofounded Houston's <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/print-edition/2012/10/05/ambitious-surge-accelerator-aims-to.html">first startup accelerator program</a>, and later launched and managed two early markets for UberEATS in Houston and Phoenix. But the more time I spent in the executive world, I just knew it wasn't meant for me. Meanwhile, my friends (other execs, <keyword id="53533" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="entrepreneurs">entrepreneurs</keyword>, and investors) and I loved traveling in our very limited free time, but we didn't have a true advisor to help make the most of those trips. We paid wealth managers, lawyers, accountants, and personal trainers, but didn't have an expert at our side to plan for what's most important: leisure time with our family and friends. I knew so many executives at companies who would take the same trip each year, even though it was repetitive, because they didn't have the time to plan something new or they feared disappointment.<h2>I started planning travel for my friends as a side hustle.</h2><div type="image" title="Sarah Groen" height="2274" width="3024" msid="82261836" hostid="261"></div>I quoted my first two friends a rate of $1,000 per trip, and to my surprise they jumped at it. Slowly, more and more people were interested, it became more and more fun, and I realized the business might have legs. After a year, in late 2018 I officially launched <a href="https://bellandblytravel.com/">Bell &amp; Bly Travel Design</a>. As a travel planner, I look at everything my clients have coming up for the next five years before planning trips. Even if it feels far away, we begin mapping out trips based on future important dates. Do you have a milestone anniversary coming up? A trip you want to take with your kids before they go to college? A bucket list trip that you're ready to cross off? We help busy executives and entrepreneurs turn those dreams into realities.One of my favorite trips I planned that first year was for a family traveling to the Arctic Circle just before Christmas. I was determined to make the experience absolutely magical. Before they left we found a calligrapher to write a letter to the kids from Santa, sneakily referencing their teachers and friends. Then on the trip, we arranged for elves to take the family into a forest to read bedtime stories, and then planned a personalized meeting with Santa in a specially built "command center" covered in snow in the forest! The parents were over the moon, and the kids convinced all their friends that Santa was, in fact, real.<h2>I finally realized the business had legs when we hit $1 million in revenue in our first year of business.</h2><div type="image" title="Sarah Groen" height="2822" width="3763" msid="82261839" hostid="261"></div>In that year we planned all types of trips, from ultra-luxury safaris, to treks in Patagonia, from classic Italian itineraries, to off-the-beaten-path jaunts in Bhutan. Generally we're working with clients who spend $1,000 per day and up, depending on the destination. For our traveler, "luxury" means a lot of things - some stay in the finest hotels in the top suites, while others like small family-run establishments where they can meet the owners and have guides who feel like friends. Just like other professional services, we charge fees to clients based on the number of weeks of travel and number of travelers. Generally it comes in at $500 per week of travel.This covers all the nuts and bolts of a complete trip, including on-the-ground support and changes as needed. The other big chunk of business revenue comes through commission - hotels for example, pay commission to travel advisors out of their sales/marketing budgets (meaning the client doesn't pay any more than they'd find online). With planning all these trips, of course, came a need for support. I hired my first employee in July 2019 to help with trip planning and research. I now have two full-time employees and a team of freelancers helping with marketing and the production of my podcast, <a href="http://www.luxtravelinsider.com">Luxury Travel Insider</a>. <h2>When the pandemic hit, I wasn't sure if the business would survive. </h2><div type="image" title="Sarah Groen" height="2880" width="3840" msid="82261842" hostid="261"></div>We were stressed, facing the extreme disappointment of cancelling trips we worked so hard to plan, and putting in extreme hours to manage everything and negotiate better outcomes for our clients. When the dust settled, I'm proud to say that none of our clients lost money. Luckily, we were able to plan some incredible, socially-distanced, international trips, including a $125,000 trip to Norway for a family of six that included a full buyout of a manor in the fjords, a private chef, and a scenic helicopter transfer from hotel to airport.<h2>Amazingly, we still grew our revenue in 2020. </h2>We planned about 55 trips in 2020, with a mix of old and new clients. Once people could travel safely, we began to plan more trips, like a private yacht charter to the Bahamas for a family over winter holidays. For another client, we planned a road trip through the western US stopping in Zion, Santa Fe, and Sedona.I feel very lucky to be a luxury travel advisor who grew revenue through a global pandemic. But I feel even luckier knowing that I'll never again take this business and how much I love it for granted. <h2>I typically work Monday through Friday, eight to 10 hours a day, and am on call over the weekend if clients are traveling. </h2><div type="image" title="Sarah Groen" height="2274" width="3024" msid="82261844" hostid="261"></div>No two days are alike, but typically I start the morning by checking in on my team, getting status updates, and designing new itineraries. Then, for clients traveling within the next month, I'll also check if any destination COVID-19 guidelines have changed. Later, I might have some discovery calls with new clients, where we find out their likes, dislikes, favorite past trips, and anything else that'll help us plan a memorable travel experience for them. The day usually ends with me doing some work for my podcast, <a href="http://www.luxtravelinsider.com/">Luxury Travel Insider</a>. Through my travels, I've gotten to know so many of the top visionaries in the industry, and the podcast helps me share their unique stories and what I like to call "un-Google-able" experiences. We're currently releasing two episodes a week, so I'm usually recording or chatting with our guests at some point during the day.<h2>For anyone interested in turning a side hustle into a full-time business, focus on something you're passionate about. </h2><div type="image" title="Maldives Sting Rays Sarah Groen" height="2835" width="3780" msid="82261847" hostid="261"></div>When you're an entrepreneur, being enthusiastic about what you do keeps you going through the longer and harder days. Whether in luxury travel or any industry, starting something on the side to test the market and feel comfortable before diving in head first is always smart. Start first with friends and colleagues, and do your very best work. They're your friends after all, but they'll also be your best source of referrals. Every day I learn about a new facet of a destination, learn about a new trend in travel, or plan a new adventure for a client. And while the pandemic was challenging for us all in 2020, in 2021 I think it makes the need for a quality travel advisor more helpful than ever.

After being an investment banker and an Uber exec, I knew the corporate world wasn't for me. I launched a private luxury travel business and have never been happier.

Conversations go a long way in building a brand, but the biggest challenge that every brand faces is: how do they start the right conversation with their consumers? <keyword id="31174" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="brands">Brands</keyword>, which overcome this challenge, not only win over consumers’ hearts but also a bigger market share. So, what is the value that brands must add to their conversations to ensure an engaging and long-lasting relationship with today’s digitally hyperactive consumers? 
 Marketing heads of India’s leading brands and agencies answered this complex question at the <keyword id="2774690" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="adtech-Delhi-2015">ad:tech Delhi 2015</keyword>’s keynote panel discussions on day 1. The secret mantra they revealed was simple: to add value brands shouldn’t just focus on starting their own conversations, but fit into the conversations that their target audience is interested in. “Create relevant content to win over their (consumers’) mind share, become a part of their conversation, and sustain the momentum through various digital channels that the world of Internet has opened up today,” is what all of them said in unison. 
 Deepak Jolly, vice-president, Public Affairs &amp; Communication, <keyword id="6369745" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Coca-Cola">Coca Cola</keyword> India and South West Asia, shared an interesting lesson (which he picked up from Coke Studio) with the audiences and said, “When brands start focusing on consumers’ expressions and not impression, that is when they are adding value to brand conversations.” 
 
​He also stressed on the importance of having social media conversations and the impact they can have in a poetic style. About conversations, he said, “Baat nikelgi to dur talak jayegi...so the conversations will go on. What is important for the brands is to look at the kind of conversations that are happening, analyze how they fit in to it, engage with the consumers, and then think of ways to surprise them.” 
 
Vikas Mehta, CMO, Lowe Lintas &amp; Partners and ED, LinInteractive also echoed the same thoughts. To explain his viewpoint he said, “The fundamental change we have observed over past half a decade almost on steroids is brands no longer have the authority to engineer the conversation...because now the conversations are happening with or without the brands. This fundamental shift has changed the way of brand building. So, now the onus is on us as brand builders to have the ability to see where we can, as a brand, fit into people’s lives, rather than tell them a story and want them to come in our lives.” 
 
But is this all that brands can do when it comes to adding value to their conversations? “The answer is: no, brands can do a lot more only if they pick up an insight which is relevant for their brand, and start conversations around them, they will realize they are being able to create more value for themselves as well as the consumers,” said Vivek Nayer, CMO, Mahindra &amp; Mahindra Ltd. 
 
He further shared an interesting example, “Five years back, we saw that people’s lifestyle were changing and they were getting more interested in weekend trips, off-roading, road trips etc.— and that is when we started Mahindra Adventure and conversations around our off-roading adventures, expeditions to India to Nepal and Bhutan, Leh Ladakh...We invited people who participated in our events to come and share their experiences, and then amplified these conversations to reach out to the masses. It did work for us.” 
 
But not every brand can follow Mahindra &amp; Mahindra’s suite. Each brand needs to find a relevant topic where they can fit into the conversations. They shouldn’t force fit themselves into a conversation just because it is trending at that point of time. Join a conversation, which fits well into your brand’s ideology or else steer clear of this route. 
 
Or as Jolly puts it, “When you talk about something, then ensure that it is something that your consumers would like to talk about. For building conversations: it is important to know, that conversations have to be around your product and the relevance they add to the consumers life. The theme you choose for your brand conversation should be in line with your brand’s ideology.” 
 When session moderator <keyword id="177768" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anita-Nayyar">Anita Nayyar</keyword>, CEO India &amp; South Asia, Havas Media, asked <keyword id="2774687" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="George-Kovoor">George Kovoor</keyword>, Senior Creative Director, OgilvyOne to share his view point, he said, “...you are either creating content or your either joining conversations. People join only those conversations, where brands are telling a story which is real and touches their heart...Coke is doing it brilliantly; they turned their own vending machine into a complete conversation starter. Another brand that does it better is Red Bull...One of the brilliant examples from the recent times that I could think of is the campaign that British Airways ran around Valentines’ Day last year—they gave an everyday Mumbai couple a chance to rekindle their romance—their story struck a chord with the audiences because it wasn’t just one couple’s story but many of the them (audiences).” 
 
George surely has a valid point. Content is really important for everything that brands do. When brands create content that is real, engaging and relevant, then conversations start pouring in from everywhere—you get amazing user generated content, which becomes an interesting story to share with people. The onus is not just with the brand for content creation but with users, who are actually consuming the content. 
 
Anita beautifully summed up the entire conversation in just one line, “Baat niklegi to dur tak jayegi...as long as you are saying the right baat.” 
 
(Image: www.elifestyleworld.com)

Here is how brands can add value to conversations

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Matternet" title_caption="People try to dislodge a truck stuck in the mud in Papa New Guinea " class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/545904426bb3f7141c6ccb3f-960/am1_0985.jpg"></a>MatternetPeople try to dislodge a truck stuck in the mud in Papa New Guinea </div></div></div>When Andreas Raptopoulos and his team got stuck in a 20-truck convoy completely marooned in mud while navigating between villages in Papua New Guinea, it was incredibly frustrating. It was also a validation of his work. 
Raptopoulos is the cofounder and CEO of <a href="http://matternet.us/" target="_blank">a startup called Matternet</a>, which makes drones, though he refuses to use that word. He prefers to call them small unmanned aerial delivery vehicles, or UAVs.
He started the company after having a "eureka moment" three years ago. He realized one billion people around the world live in areas lacking reliable road systems and that drones could provide a more reliable way to deliver critical supplies, like medicine. 
That's why Raptopoulos was in tuberculosis-ravaged Papua New Guinea in September, entrenched in mud. Matternet had connected with the <a href="https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/monthly.cfm?source=AZD140001D51&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=ppc&amp;gclid=CLmfh_2358ECFaIF7AodsHYAIg" target="_blank">international aid organization Doctors Without Borders</a> to test whether its aerial vehicles could provide a good way to transfer TB diagnostics between villages. During the two weeks Matternet conducted its trials, multiple trucks got trapped.
"We had to do that trip four times and every time there was an element of fear," Raptopoulos tells Business Insider. "We thought, 'Will we make it?' We talk a lot about the problem, but it became very real for us. What it really means, and all the emotions that go with it." 
Matternet's trucks may have gotten lodged in mud between launch sites, but its drones navigated their routes without a hitch. Controlled completely via an app, a UAV bearing a spittle sample would take off, fly through the air, and land at a hospital as far as 25 kilometers away. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Matternet" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/545903586bb3f786196ccb3e-960/am2_3531.jpg"></a>Matternet</div></div></div>For Raptopoulos, it felt like a series of "pinch me" moments. Every time the team prepped a drone for a take-off, anywhere from 50 to 70 people would surround them. These were often people who live without running water or reliable electricity in their homes, and yet the drones seemed to make sense to them almost immediately. 
"Most of these people have never seen one of these things, at least in the flesh," Raptopoulos says, "But it's amazing, the amount of joy it generates. It basically breaks with all your assumptions." 
That's one of the underlying principles that Matternet builds upon: that its drones be so dead-simple to operate, that someone without significant technological training could instinctively figure out how to send one on a flight. That someone who had even the most minimal knowledge of how to operate a smartphone could direct the drone to deliver medicine, food, or other supplies from one location to another. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Matternet" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54590358ecad0418168b4568-960/am1_0014.jpg"></a>Matternet</div></div></div>
For that reason, Raptopoulos likes to describe Matternet's UAVs as the Apple products of the drone space. 
"We want this company to be at the intersection of the best technology and excellence in design," he says. "We want to sell a vehicle to you that you can operate with an unprecedented ease of use."
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="Matternet" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/545cd5b86bb3f7bc1e5e46f6-960/matternet.png"></a>Matternet</div></div></div>Right now, drones - and delivery drones in particular - are a buzzy topic, but when Matternet first got started, people mainly thought of them in terms of the military or security. 
Today, they're being <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dhl-using-drone-delivery-in-germany-2014-9" target="_blank">used to deliver medicine in Germany</a> and the Federal Aviation Administration recently approved them for use in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-more-us-drone-use-coming-but-no-package-delivery-yet-2014-9" target="_blank">shooting movie and TV scenes</a> in the US. 
 "Things are changing fast in this space," Raptopoulos says. "A year ago, there was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-drones-2014-7" target="_blank">no Amazon drone announcement</a>. A month ago there was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-testing-delivery-drones-2013-12" target="_blank">no Google drone</a> coming out."
Matternet's early start combined with its powerhouse-team has it poised to take the drone space by storm and become one of "the next billion-dollar businesses," according to Matternet investor Ravi Belani, managing director of <a href="http://www.alchemistaccelerator.com" target="_blank">Alchemist, the startup accelerator Matternet graduated from</a>. 
Raptopoulos' vision for Matternet first hit him when he was attending <a href="http://singularityu.org/" target="_blank">Singularity University</a>, a non-traditional, future-focused school that aims to empower its students to apply "exponential technologies to address humanity's grand challenges."
Working as part of a larger team, Raptopoulos got hung up on the fact that one-seventh of the Earth's population lacked access to all-seasons roads and that developing a traditional, reliable transportation infrastructure in those places would take crazy amounts of money and upwards of 50 years.
He took a map of Africa and overlaid an internet-like network onto it. If he could build machines that could carry cargo short distances, each trip would be small, but the scale could be incredible. He says he got chills: 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Matternet" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/545ce2916bb3f792445e46f6-960/matternetafrica.png"></a>Matternet</div></div></div>
Raptopoulos says when he and co-founder Paola Santana, previously a lawyer in the Dominican Republic, first started pitching the idea around, he got a lot of polite but confused responses. A lot of people thought they was crazy, Raptopoulos says. But the founders of Singularity University - futurist Ray Kurzweil and entrepreneur Peter Diamandis - loved the idea. After graduating from the University, they accepted Matternet into<a href="http://singularityu.org/labs/" target="_blank"> SU Labs</a>, the school's innovation accelerator. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Since then, Raptopoulos and Santana have built a lean team of 10 people who specialize in skills ranging from rocket science and engineering to law and regulation. The company has raised $2 million to date from the likes of Andreessen Horowitz, Alchemist Accelerator, and even the rapper Nas, but is eyeing a more significant Series A round in the near future. 
Matternet's plan is to create a full stack product, handling both the hardware and the software themselves, while simultaneously making sure to stay abreast of every new legal hurdle in the drone space.
Right now, the FAA bans the use of commercial drones, but it is supposed to release rules for small drones under 55 pounds later this year, in line with its complete plan for "safe integration" of commercial drones by September 2015. Meanwhile, a team at NASA led by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-drone-traffic-management-system-2014-9" target="_blank">Dr. Parimal Kopardekar is developing a drone traffic management program</a> of its own to advise the FAA.
Matternet is one of the many UAV-focused companies that has met with Kopardekar's NexGen technology team to discuss different ways to provide a structure to drone traffic.
The startup plans to announce its first product in the first quarter of 2015, and start shipping a few months later. The goal is to have concrete agreements with the likes of Doctors Without Borders and the <a href="http://qz.com/245961/a-revolutionary-drone-based-delivery-network-is-being-tested-in-bhutan/" target="_blank">World Health Organization, which it tested with in Bhutan</a>, by the time Matternet's UAVs get launched. Raptopolous couldn't name a concrete price point, but guesses that the Matternet system will go for between $2,000 and $5,000. 
By launching in areas like Papua New Guinea and Bhutan - where its drones are sometimes flying over swaths of jungle or sparsely populated desert and where there isn't a strict existing aerial infrastructure - Matternet has fewer barriers to entry.
"The risk needs to be low if the UAV falls," NASA's Kopardekar tells Business Insider, noting that low-density areas make the most sense for drone testing and operations. "You need to be able to demonstrate the risk is very low and the benefits are high: That's where you will see implementation happening."
Although Raptopoulos landed upon the idea for Matternet because of a motivation to provide a transportation solution to parts of the world that lack access to all-season roads, the company has its sights set beyond humanitarian causes. After all, Matternet isn't a service company; it's a product company. 
"We are pioneering this technology by helping partners find ways to put it in the field now, but our vision is that we should be putting this type of technology into everybody's hands," he says, "Whether their purpose is in Papua New Guinea or Rio or Istanbul or Mexico City or in Palo Alto, San Francisco, and LA."
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div> 
"Sometimes mission-driven entrepreneurs get so hung up on their mission that they're missing the commercial opportunity, which they probably don't emotionally care that much about," Pascal Finette, who heads SU Labs, explains. "I think this duality - the dance between these two worlds - is something social entrepreneurs sometimes get wrong. But Andreas is just perfect. He's phenomenal because he understands, 'Hey, if we get this at scale and we can do this in the US and we become a big company, we can use all this as a force of good to do even more in the world.'"
Raptopoulos sees Walgreens using Matternet's drones to deliver prescriptions, or grocery stores using them to deliver milk. Because the startup is small, lean, and fast-moving, he thinks it has a leg up on giants like Google or Amazon. 
"I think Andreas is a beautiful, bi-focal CEO," says Belani from Alchemist. "He is a true visionary who is always motivated by fundamentally changing the world. But he's very practical in the near term what's required to get things done. He's not a head-in-the-clouds type of visionary. He's incredibly practical with a strong street sense of business."
Finette agrees: Raptopoulos and Santana dream big, but know how to actually move steadily forward. He laughs recalling how nonchalantly the team will talk about passing amazing, major milestones. 
"They talk about it as if it's nothing," he says. That speaks to their capacity as entrepreneurs, he says, because they understand that every achievement is just a small stepping stone towards the big idea. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Right now, Matternet's drones weigh well under 5 kilograms, can carry cargo over 0.5 kilograms, and fly over 25 kilometers on a battery charge. Their geo-fenced routes take into consideration weather data and terrain. They are equipped with cameras to help them navigate onto landing pads at their destinations. The entire system gets controlled by a smartphone app. 
Raptopoulos calls it the "Apple II" of the drone industry: the "most easy to use, desirable, and safest personal flying vehicle" out there. 
Not that Matternet is the only company trying to achieve that. Besides giants like Amazon and Google, there are other delivery drone companies out there, like <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/bizzby-trials-peer-drone-delivery-service/34636/" target="_blank">Bizzby</a> and <a href="http://aria-logistics.com/" target="_blank">Aria</a>. 
"A drone delivery network will be the most disruptive thing to hit the delivery space," says Brody Buhler, partner at consulting firm Accenture, who focuses on postal issues. "If you don't have drones on your five-year roadmap, you're probably too far out."
Talking to Raptopoulos, that future feels even closer. He gets almost electrically bright-eyed when he talks about the moments he's had on trials in the Himalayas or Papua New Guinea. But his passion really radiates off him when he talks about what's yet to come.
"I'm going to keep on having these 'pinch me' moments," he says. "When we see our first big deployment in a city. When I'm able to see 20-30 crafts doing routine missions. When I'm able to actually see our drones in the sky and nobody will be paying attention, because they're just an establishment. And we can't wait."

Meet The Startup Building Drones That Could Save Lives 

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/tech-360"></a><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Matternet" title_caption="People try to dislodge a truck stuck in the mud in Papa New Guinea " class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/545904426bb3f7141c6ccb3f-960/am1_0985.jpg"></a>MatternetPeople try to dislodge a truck stuck in the mud in Papa New Guinea </div></div></div>When Andreas Raptopoulos and his team got stuck in a 20-truck convoy completely marooned in mud while navigating between villages in Papua New Guinea, it was incredibly frustrating. It was also a validation of his work. 
Raptopoulos is the cofounder and CEO of <a href="http://matternet.us/" target="_blank">a startup called Matternet</a>, which makes drones, though he refuses to use that word. He prefers to call them small unmanned aerial delivery vehicles, or UAVs.
He started the company after having a "eureka moment" three years ago. He realized one billion people around the world live in areas lacking reliable road systems and that drones could provide a more reliable way to deliver critical supplies, like medicine. 
That's why Raptopoulos was in tuberculosis-ravaged Papua New Guinea in September, entrenched in mud. Matternet had connected with the <a href="https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org/monthly.cfm?source=AZD140001D51&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_medium=ppc&amp;gclid=CLmfh_2358ECFaIF7AodsHYAIg" target="_blank">international aid organization Doctors Without Borders</a> to test whether its aerial vehicles could provide a good way to transfer TB diagnostics between villages. During the two weeks Matternet conducted its trials, multiple trucks got trapped.
"We had to do that trip four times and every time there was an element of fear," Raptopoulos tells Business Insider. "We thought, 'Will we make it?' We talk a lot about the problem, but it became very real for us. What it really means, and all the emotions that go with it." 
Matternet's trucks may have gotten lodged in mud between launch sites, but its drones navigated their routes without a hitch. Controlled completely via an app, a UAV bearing a spittle sample would take off, fly through the air, and land at a hospital as far as 25 kilometers away. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Matternet" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/545903586bb3f786196ccb3e-960/am2_3531.jpg"></a>Matternet</div></div></div>For Raptopoulos, it felt like a series of "pinch me" moments. Every time the team prepped a drone for a take-off, anywhere from 50 to 70 people would surround them. These were often people who live without running water or reliable electricity in their homes, and yet the drones seemed to make sense to them almost immediately. 
"Most of these people have never seen one of these things, at least in the flesh," Raptopoulos says, "But it's amazing, the amount of joy it generates. It basically breaks with all your assumptions." 
That's one of the underlying principles that Matternet builds upon: that its drones be so dead-simple to operate, that someone without significant technological training could instinctively figure out how to send one on a flight. That someone who had even the most minimal knowledge of how to operate a smartphone could direct the drone to deliver medicine, food, or other supplies from one location to another. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Matternet" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/54590358ecad0418168b4568-960/am1_0014.jpg"></a>Matternet</div></div></div>
For that reason, Raptopoulos likes to describe Matternet's UAVs as the Apple products of the drone space. 
"We want this company to be at the intersection of the best technology and excellence in design," he says. "We want to sell a vehicle to you that you can operate with an unprecedented ease of use."
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image"><a title_source="Matternet" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/545cd5b86bb3f7bc1e5e46f6-960/matternet.png"></a>Matternet</div></div></div>Right now, drones - and delivery drones in particular - are a buzzy topic, but when Matternet first got started, people mainly thought of them in terms of the military or security. 
Today, they're being <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dhl-using-drone-delivery-in-germany-2014-9" target="_blank">used to deliver medicine in Germany</a> and the Federal Aviation Administration recently approved them for use in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-more-us-drone-use-coming-but-no-package-delivery-yet-2014-9" target="_blank">shooting movie and TV scenes</a> in the US. 
 "Things are changing fast in this space," Raptopoulos says. "A year ago, there was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-drones-2014-7" target="_blank">no Amazon drone announcement</a>. A month ago there was <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/google-testing-delivery-drones-2013-12" target="_blank">no Google drone</a> coming out."
Matternet's early start combined with its powerhouse-team has it poised to take the drone space by storm and become one of "the next billion-dollar businesses," according to Matternet investor Ravi Belani, managing director of Alchemist, the startup accelerator Matternet graduated from. 
Raptopoulos' vision for Matternet first hit him when he was attending <a href="http://singularityu.org/" target="_blank">Singularity University</a>, a non-traditional, future-focused school that aims to empower its students to apply "exponential technologies to address humanity's grand challenges."
Working as part of a larger team, Raptopoulos got hung up on the fact that one-seventh of the Earth's population lacked access to all-seasons roads and that developing a traditional, reliable transportation infrastructure in those places would take crazy amounts of money and upwards of 50 years.
He took a map of Africa and overlaid an internet-like network onto it. If he could build machines that could carry cargo short distances, each trip would be small, but the scale could be incredible. He says he got chills: 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Matternet" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/545ce2916bb3f792445e46f6-960/matternetafrica.png"></a>Matternet</div></div></div>
Raptopoulos says when he and co-founder Paola Santana, previously a lawyer in the Dominican Republic, first started pitching the idea around, he got a lot of polite but confused responses. A lot of people thought they was crazy, Raptopoulos says. But the founders of Singularity University - futurist Ray Kurzweil and entrepreneur Peter Diamandis - loved the idea. After graduating from the University, they accepted Matternet into<a href="http://singularityu.org/labs/" target="_blank"> SU Labs</a>, the school's innovation accelerator. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Since then, Raptopoulos and Santana have built a lean team of 10 people who specialize in skills ranging from rocket science and engineering to law and regulation. The company has raised $2 million to date from the likes of Andreessen Horowitz, Alchemist Accelerator, and even the rapper Nas, but is eyeing a more significant Series A round in the near future. 
Matternet's plan is to create a full stack product, handling both the hardware and the software themselves, while simultaneously making sure to stay abreast of every new legal hurdle in the drone space.
Right now, the FAA bans the use of commercial drones, but it is supposed to release rules for small drones under 55 pounds later this year, in line with its complete plan for "safe integration" of commercial drones by September 2015. Meanwhile, a team at NASA led by <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nasa-drone-traffic-management-system-2014-9" target="_blank">Dr. Parimal Kopardekar is developing a drone traffic management program</a> of its own to advise the FAA.
Matternet is one of the many UAV-focused companies that has met with Kopardekar's NexGen technology team to discuss different ways to provide a structure to drone traffic.
The startup plans to announce its first product in the first quarter of 2015, and start shipping a few months later. The goal is to have concrete agreements with the likes of Doctors Without Borders and the <a href="http://qz.com/245961/a-revolutionary-drone-based-delivery-network-is-being-tested-in-bhutan/" target="_blank">World Health Organization, which it tested with in Bhutan</a>, by the time Matternet's UAVs get launched. Raptopolous couldn't name a concrete price point, but guesses that the Matternet system will go for between $2,000 and $5,000. 
By launching in areas like Papua New Guinea and Bhutan - where its drones are sometimes flying over swaths of jungle or sparsely populated desert and where there isn't a strict existing aerial infrastructure - Matternet has fewer barriers to entry.
"The risk needs to be low if the UAV falls," NASA's Kopardekar tells Business Insider, noting that low-density areas make the most sense for drone testing and operations. "You need to be able to demonstrate the risk is very low and the benefits are high: That's where you will see implementation happening."
Although Raptopoulos landed upon the idea for Matternet because of a motivation to provide a transportation solution to parts of the world that lack access to all-season roads, the company has its sights set beyond humanitarian causes. After all, Matternet isn't a service company; it's a product company. 
"We are pioneering this technology by helping partners find ways to put it in the field now, but our vision is that we should be putting this type of technology into everybody's hands," he says, "Whether their purpose is in Papua New Guinea or Rio or Istanbul or Mexico City or in Palo Alto, San Francisco, and LA."
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div> 
"Sometimes mission-driven entrepreneurs get so hung up on their mission that they're missing the commercial opportunity, which they probably don't emotionally care that much about," Pascal Finette, who heads SU Labs, explains. "I think this duality - the dance between these two worlds - is something social entrepreneurs sometimes get wrong. But Andreas is just perfect. He's phenomenal because he understands, 'Hey, if we get this at scale and we can do this in the US and we become a big company, we can use all this as a force of good to do even more in the world.'"
Raptopoulos sees Walgreens using Matternet's drones to deliver prescriptions, or grocery stores using them to deliver milk. Because the startup is small, lean, and fast-moving, he thinks it has a leg up on giants like Google or Amazon. 
"I think Andreas is a beautiful, bi-focal CEO," says Belani from Alchemist. "He is a true visionary who is always motivated by fundamentally changing the world. But he's very practical in the near term what's required to get things done. He's not a head-in-the-clouds type of visionary. He's incredibly practical with a strong street sense of business."
Finette agrees: Raptopoulos and Santana dream big, but know how to actually move steadily forward. He laughs recalling how nonchalantly the team will talk about passing amazing, major milestones. 
"They talk about it as if it's nothing," he says. That speaks to their capacity as entrepreneurs, he says, because they understand that every achievement is just a small stepping stone towards the big idea. 
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Right now, Matternet's drones weigh well under 5 kilograms, can carry cargo over 0.5 kilograms, and fly over 25 kilometers on a battery charge. Their geo-fenced routes take into consideration weather data and terrain. They are equipped with cameras to help them navigate onto landing pads at their destinations. The entire system gets controlled by a smartphone app. 
Raptopoulos calls it the "Apple II" of the drone industry: the "most easy to use, desirable, and safest personal flying vehicle" out there. 
Not that Matternet is the only company trying to achieve that. Besides giants like Amazon and Google, there are other delivery drone companies out there, like <a href="http://www.gizmag.com/bizzby-trials-peer-drone-delivery-service/34636/" target="_blank">Bizzby</a> and <a href="http://aria-logistics.com/" target="_blank">Aria</a>. 
"A drone delivery network will be the most disruptive thing to hit the delivery space," says Brody Buhler, partner at consulting firm Accenture, who focuses on postal issues. "If you don't have drones on your five-year roadmap, you're probably too far out."
Talking to Raptopoulos, that future feels even closer. He gets almost electrically bright-eyed when he talks about the moments he's had on trials in the Himalayas or Papua New Guinea. But his passion really radiates off him when he talks about what's yet to come.
"I'm going to keep on having these 'pinch me' moments," he says. "When we see our first big deployment in a city. When I'm able to see 20-30 crafts doing routine missions. When I'm able to actually see our drones in the sky and nobody will be paying attention, because they're just an establishment. And we can't wait."

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