Milan Domazet
Episode · #606
PAMETNA HRVATSKA Milan Domazet; powered by Janaf
Guest Milan DomazetHosted by Boris ŽivkovićMay 3, 2026
Milan Domazet
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation
Milan Domazet and his co-founders at AIR-RMLD spotted an opportunity not just to automate a tedious task, but to rethink how critical infrastructure is monitored. For decades, inspecting gas pipelines for methane leaks meant sending people into challenging terrain, often with handheld sniffers. Domazet's team replaced that with autonomous drones, equipped with laser detectors that scan for methane from up to 50 meters away. As CEO and co-founder, Domazet recounts how a casual conversation years ago about 'drones as toys' evolved into a sophisticated system now used by major gas transporters across Europe. His story reveals that the most impactful innovations often emerge from combining existing technologies in novel ways, solving problems people no longer want to do themselves.
Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
The initial meeting of Davor Sladović (pipeline expert), Milan Domazet (drones), and Ivan Vidaković (drone pioneer) six or seven years ago, when drones were still considered 'toys,' was the spark. The businesses that redefine an industry often start not with a formal plan, but with a casual conversation between experts from disparate fields, long before the technology is mature.
02
Early clients didn't just express interest in AIR-RMLD's 'proof of concept' tested on fields; they quickly told the team to treat it as a serious 'business opportunity, not a toy.' The most useful feedback for a nascent technology isn't just about technical feasibility; it's about validating its commercial viability and pushing you to professionalize.
03
The fundamental difference between AIR-RMLD's laser-based system and traditional 'sniffers' is that the laser measures methane concentration at a distance, up to 50 meters, rather than drawing air in. True innovation in data collection often comes from changing *how* the measurement is taken, enabling speed and safety improvements impossible with previous methods.
04
Domazet notes that the manual inspection of pipelines isn't necessarily difficult, but 'nobody wants to do it anymore,' especially in places like Germany and Croatia, where climbing mountains with handheld detectors is a hard sell. When pitching automation to established industries, the most compelling argument isn't always cost savings or speed; it's solving a critical labor shortage for undesirable tasks.
05
With German clients, AIR-RMLD is negotiating to offer both their full service (drone operators) and to sell/license their equipment and software, including training and support. Don't restrict your business model to a single offering; let market demand dictate whether clients prefer a full service or to acquire the capability themselves.
06
The drone itself is an 'off-the-shelf' model, but AIR-RMLD 'disassembled and adapted it' to their specific needs, integrating a methane-measuring laser and proprietary software. Complex solutions don't always require inventing every component; often, the true value lies in intelligently combining and adapting existing technologies into a cohesive system.
07
Plinacro, Croatia's main gas transporter, is legally required to inspect 'every kilometer' of its pipelines annually, a problem AIR-RMLD solves by reviewing hundreds of kilometers. When regulatory compliance creates an enormous, recurring manual workload, automation isn't just an efficiency gain; it becomes the only scalable solution for meeting legal obligations.
08
Domazet gauges client satisfaction not through formal surveys, but by the 'yearly increase in kilometers inspected' for existing clients like Plinacro. The most reliable indicator of ongoing client satisfaction and product value isn't a stated metric, but the continuous expansion of the scope of work they entrust to you.
09
Domazet views Croatia, despite its smaller market, as 'a perfect testing ground' or 'proving ground' for their technology before expanding internationally. A domestic market with familiar challenges can serve as an ideal environment for refining a new solution, allowing for rapid iteration and validation before a wider international rollout.