“In 30 years’ time, we still want to be sitting there shouting at each other.”

Benjamin Wiens is, together with Marius Schröder, the founder and CEO of Third Element Aviation. His enthusiasm for model making led him in a roundabout way to turn his hobby into a profession. In this interview, he talks about his path to his own company and what he would have liked to have given his younger self beforehand.

Benjamin, how did you get into drones?

I started out as a mechatronics engineer, that was my apprenticeship. And I’m actually a bit of a maverick and a person who always likes change. I shortened my training back then and after I took over as workshop manager, I was asked if I would like to retrain as a salesperson and was very successful. Then came the automotive crisis and I looked around the market and then set up a prototype workshop for furniture for the care sector, i.e. nursing homes and hospitals.

At the same time, I had been building models on the side since I was young. I simply had a lot of fun building these models. Especially helicopters with all the mechanical and electronic components and all the configuring and adjusting until it flies perfectly.

I then met someone at the model airfield who had a drone company in Bielefeld and he brought a drone for me to fly. I spent a total of three years doing part-time painting work for this company before he offered me a job as production and development manager. And that’s how my hobby became my profession.

And when it ended there, it was clear that it couldn’t be the end?

We believed in it and Marius and I were already convinced at the time that the mass market had no future, i.e. a simple drone that only has a camera, can do nothing else and is flown manually. And we realized that you can’t compete with “Made in Germany” when it comes to pricing.

But there were already inquiries about automated systems back then and we saw a niche where we could build a decent company.

I remember that we were sitting in my living room with a few others from the team. We talked about whether they would like to join us and after a few meetings it quickly became clear that they all wanted to join us. At some point, Marius and I looked at each other and after a bit of back and forth, we said that together as managing directors we thought it was realistic and we finally started Third Element.

And drones continue to inspire you?

First and foremost, it’s always an ongoing challenge because we’re venturing into areas where there’s no technology that you can simply buy. New things are constantly being created. I also believe that the use of drones has a great future. Drones are a tool for increasing efficiency, for example in logistics, especially when parcels are urgently needed. Nobody waits until the trunk is full and then drives off. So sustainability is also an important aspect and within the bounds of what is feasible.

And we have currently focused on this transport use case, but that is just one of hundreds.

And what has particularly stuck with you from all your time at 3EA?

There are a few things. What was a really great moment for all of us was when we made the first flight with the ConVecDro after a record development time. We really celebrated it with champagne and brought everyone out onto the field.

You could just see: this thing flies! It’s not perfect yet, but the basis is there and we can get started. We can start building the system like this. That was a great moment.

And an exit strategy was never an issue for you?

Definitely not the classic exit thinking. This: we build the thing here and then sell it and the founders go home with two suitcases full of money. That was never my interest because I don’t think that’s sustainable. At the very beginning, we took part in a start-up camp where other founders presented their plan, for example that they wanted to sell their app after three to five years for six million. And Marius and I sat there and listened to it and agreed that we didn’t want that. We still want to be sitting there shouting at each other in 30 years’ time.

And would you start a company again? What advice would you give your younger self today?

Yes, definitely!

I would wish for more experience – but of course you can’t have that beforehand if you suddenly become a founder. So look for advisors who will really challenge you. Not just a nice companion who goes along with you and supports you. But someone who will really put chunks in front of you that you have to get down before you can move on.

And I would definitely say that it’s the team that counts! That’s the most valuable thing you have. That’s something I would really give a founder who wants to become active in the tech industry: make sure you get a good team together and nurture it!

#ThirdElementAviation #3EA #TheFutureIsAirborne #Drone #UAV #UAS