How much does it cost to make a prototype? That is the most common question I hear. The answer is straightforward: “It depends.” Every project differs. The complexity level for products range from simple to complex. We can create a prototype for a simple product in a relatively short amount of time. The prototype for a complex project may take a great deal of time to develop. The cost of development is directly proportionate to the time required for development. The number of steps involved in designing, engineering, and prototyping a product surprises many people. Each step requires time, skill, tools, software, and machinery, not to mention talent and knowledge that take years to acquire and refine.

All the possible steps required to develop an unspecified product defies description, so the Creative Mechanisms team recorded a video that shows the development process for making a drone. The video provides a quick glimpse of the many processes involved in developing a product from an idea into a functioning prototype. Please watch it and let me know your thoughts.