Caterpillar Offers Product Demos Via Periscope, Drones Words: Dan KamysTo demonstrate its products, large-equipment manufacturer Caterpillar is experimenting with drone and Periscope technologies. Peoria. Ill.-based Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) started the initiative recently with multiple videos streaming from its facilities. In one video, Caterpillar representatives explained that these demonstrations are generally given for customers and dealers. Another video showed the company’s heavy machinery from above, shot from a drone. Caterpillar is exposing new audiences to its products. While a good deal of the audience for these online demonstrations might be people who download the Periscope app specifically to watch Caterpillar, the company is hoping to reach new audiences. The company found Periscope attractive because it includes opportunities for audience interaction through its chat feature, which, in turn, fits with the product demonstrations, including question-and-answer segments. This article first appeared at www.bizjournals.com/chicago.