Parrot plans to slash its drone division workforce

Parrot plans to restructure its drone division in such a way that will see approximately 290 jobs cut and about 150 positions 'being made redundant.' The workforce cuts will affect both international and France-based employees, and will take place as part of a 'cost reduction phase.' The company detailed its plan and reasoning behind it in its recently published preliminary financial report.

According to the report, Parrot has noted 'the changes in market' for consumer-level drones, the company's chief product, and made reorganization decisions based on these changes. The company will be reorganizing in an effort to cut its costs, adapting 'the level of resources deployed' to match 'the level of business achieved in 2016.'

The company plans on focusing its innovation efforts on a smaller array of products, which were unspecified, saying it has committed to 'taking a significant technological step forward.' It also has some vague plan to redeploy its product, and tweak both its marketing and sales resources to cover its more profitable distribution channels and 'promising markets.'

The company also says it will be adjusting company support teams. As it stands, Parrot's drone division employs a total of 840 workers, of which that number will be reduced by 290. The company anticipates this reorganization will cost it about 45 million Euros.

SOURCE: Parrot