By decking out the ANAFI drone with a FLIR thermal camera, Parrot is wading slowly into the commercial drone space. Even so, the company still has nothing that compares to DJI’s higher-end offerings.

Check out ANAFI drone on Amazon

In the rush to get drones over Notre Dame, DJI displayed another advantage it might have over the competition: Tech support.

Since drones are not allowed to fly in Paris by law, DJI geofenced its drones to keep them on the ground when within the city limits. But the company cooperated with authorities to unlock those geofencing restrictions so they could be deployed over the cathedral.

Customer service isn’t traditionally thought of as an area in which Chinese companies excel. But staying competitive in the commercial sector requires more attentiveness, and China’s tech companies are learning to meet the needs of their biggest clients.

As the drone industry leader, DJI doesn’t always have to compete on price. But the company has deep pockets, so smaller competitors like Parrot may struggle to keep up with the kind of service that DJI can offer.

Even if you’re not putting out fires, though, if you’re in the market for a drone, you’re likely to wind up with one from DJI. It goes beyond market share -- the company is so dominant that their drones are likely what you picture when you think “drone.” (Like this DJI Phantom in South Park, for instance.)

It’s no wonder DJI is the default option for emergency services. If Parrot continues to focus on the commercial sector, though, maybe France can eventually reclaim its skies.