Competition in drone market threatens innovators, as DJI releases sensor-laden product
Avoiding collisions one new feature of top-selling quadcopter, but who’s nipping at DJI’s heels?
The global market for commercial unmanned aerial vehicles, more widely known as drones, may be going the way of the smartphone industry as competition between Chinese suppliers intensifies.
Shenzhen-based DJI, the world’s largest supplier of civilian drones, is looking to keep a step ahead of its Chinese rivals with the release of more advanced and consumer-friendly products.
“We are entering an era where beginners can fly with confidence,” DJI chief executive Frank Wang Tao said on Tuesday in the United States at the launch of the company’s latest drone.
Designed for hobbyists, DJI’s new Phantom 4 quadcopter features highly advanced software and sensors that enable users to scan for obstacles and automatically direct the drone around the impediment when possible, while ensuring flight direction remains constant.
READ MORE: Tale of two Guangdong cities: the reinvention of Shenzhen
The Phantom 4 also breaks new ground with its ActiveTrack function that allows users to run the DJI Go app on their Apple iOS and Android devices to follow and keep the drone’s camera centred on the subject as it moves simply by tapping the subject on their smartphone or tablet.