https://www.scmp.com/rss/319335/feed Founded in Shenzhen in 2006, DJI has gone on to become the world's No. 1 drone manufacturer, with a 70 per cent share of the global civilian drone market and a valuation of more than US$10 billion. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area (GBA) is lagging behind China’s national average in basic research, despite showing strong potential in sectors such as semiconductors and smart manufacturing, according to Deloitte. The cluster of cities in southern China, which included Shenzhen, spent about 28.9 billion yuan (US$4.2 billion) on basic research in 2024, accounting for just 5.67 per cent of total spending in research and development (R&D), the consulting firm said in a report... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347992/greater-bay-area-trails-peers-basic-research-despite-strong-tech-potential-deloitte?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3347992/greater-bay-area-trails-peers-basic-research-despite-strong-tech-potential-deloitte?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 23:00:08 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng China’s DJI announced its first 360-degree drone on Thursday, directly challenging domestic rival Insta360 in a nascent market segment that is now at the centre of an escalating patent war. The new product, the DJI Avata 360, marks a significant expansion for the company beyond traditional aerial photography. The drone features a front-mounted omnidirectional camera capable of capturing high dynamic range (HDR) images at 8K resolution and 60 frames per second, according to official... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347983/dji-unveils-its-first-360-degree-drone-amid-patent-dispute-crosstown-rival-insta360?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347983/dji-unveils-its-first-360-degree-drone-amid-patent-dispute-crosstown-rival-insta360?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taipei aims to leverage geopolitics by positioning itself as an Asia-Pacific drone hub built on a supply chain decoupled from mainland China, though challenges relating to scale, politics and timing threaten its ambitious industrial strategy. The push reflects a broader effort by the administration of Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te to position the island as a node in what officials have described as a “democratic supply chain” free of mainland Chinese components amid rising geopolitical... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347745/can-taiwan-fulfil-its-asia-pacific-drone-hub-goal-non-red-supply-chain-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3347745/can-taiwan-fulfil-its-asia-pacific-drone-hub-goal-non-red-supply-chain-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese drone giant DJI has filed a lawsuit against its crosstown rival Insta360 for alleged patent infringement, a move that was made public three days ahead of the launch of DJI’s first 360-degree drone, a niche pioneered by its smaller competitor. The lawsuit, filed recently with the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court in the southern tech hub where both companies are based, involved six patents covering critical technologies including drone flight control, structural design and image... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347580/chinas-dji-sues-rival-insta360-alleged-patent-infringement-ahead-new-drone-launch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347580/chinas-dji-sues-rival-insta360-alleged-patent-infringement-ahead-new-drone-launch?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China leads the world in patent applications for anti-drone technology, which has drawn heightened attention during the wars in Ukraine and Iran and a spate of suspicious sightings in the West, according to intellectual property law firm Mathys & Squire. Patent applications for anti-drone systems rose 27 per cent over the past year, with China submitting 82 compared with 22 from the US, the second-largest filer, the 115-year-old UK-based law firm said on Monday. South Korea ranked third with six... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346874/china-leads-world-anti-drone-patents-us-and-south-korea-far-behind-law-firm-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346874/china-leads-world-anti-drone-patents-us-and-south-korea-far-behind-law-firm-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng A US trade panel investigating a patent dispute between GoPro and Chinese rival Insta360 found a violation involving design applied to outdated cameras of the Chinese firm, effectively allowing it to remain in the US market without any restrictions. The case centred on six patents held by GoPro. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) on Thursday determined violation of one patent relating to camera design, and issued orders “prohibiting the unlicensed importation by Insta360 of certain... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344875/us-trade-panel-rules-insta360-infringed-gopro-design-no-impact-current-offerings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3344875/us-trade-panel-rules-insta360-infringed-gopro-design-no-impact-current-offerings?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 13:30:07 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen has handed in a glowing report card of technological and economic development, surpassing Shanghai and Beijing as the nation’s largest manufacturing and exporting city while solidifying a lead in artificial intelligence and start-up cultivation, its mayor has revealed. Shenzhen’s economy grew from 2.83 trillion yuan in 2020 to 3.87 trillion yuan (US$560 billion) in 2025. The city’s annualised growth rate of 5.5 per cent over that period also... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344481/shenzhen-dethrones-shanghai-beijing-chinas-top-industrial-powerhouse-mayor-boasts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344481/shenzhen-dethrones-shanghai-beijing-chinas-top-industrial-powerhouse-mayor-boasts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Chinese ⁠drone maker DJI said on Tuesday that it had ⁠filed suit challenging the US Federal Communications Commission decision to bar imports of all of its new models and critical components. The ban also includes products from Autel, another China-based drone maker. DJI, the world’s largest drone maker, said in a statement ‌it had challenged the FCC decision in the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. “It carelessly restricts DJI’s business in the US and summarily denies US customers access... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344513/chinese-drone-maker-dji-sues-challenge-us-import-ban-new-models?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344513/chinese-drone-maker-dji-sues-challenge-us-import-ban-new-models?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:07:46 +0000 Nicole Chan Nicole Chan Across social media, a curious phrase has been circulating: “You met me at a very Chinese time in my life.” It appears under videos of hotpot dinners, DHGate hauls, Chinese streetwear fits and users joking about switching their phone interfaces into Chinese “for the aesthetic”. It has even spawned an ecosystem of spin-offs: “Chinamaxxing”, “you will turn Chinese tomorrow” and countless posts where people half-joke about becoming “more Chinese” by the day. But beneath the humour of what looks... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342421/becoming-chinese-memes-reflect-world-shaped-chinas-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342421/becoming-chinese-memes-reflect-world-shaped-chinas-ascent?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng In an intensifying giveaway war among artificial intelligence apps in China, TikTok parent ByteDance’s Doubao chatbot has joined the fray to offer robots and drones, following multibillion-yuan campaigns from Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings to hand out cash and bubble tea. ByteDance said on Tuesday that it planned to give more than 100,000 tech products as gifts, as well as red packets of up to 8,888 yuan (US$1,284), through lucky draws on the Doubao app on the eve of Lunar New... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3343104/bytedance-joins-alibaba-tencent-offer-freebies-bid-acquire-ai-app-users?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3343104/bytedance-joins-alibaba-tencent-offer-freebies-bid-acquire-ai-app-users?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:00:19 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Chinese electronics companies Insta360 and Vivo are preparing aggressive moves into the gimbal-stabilised camera market, setting up a direct challenge to DJI’s dominance, though analysts warn the newcomers may struggle to match the drone maker’s entrenched content ecosystem. Insta360, a key rival to GoPro, is planning a handheld gimbal camera aimed at DJI’s popular Pocket series, currently slated for release in the first half of the year, according to people familiar with the matter. Separately,... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342930/insta360-vivo-challenge-djis-turf-eyeing-slice-gimbal-camera-boom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3342930/insta360-vivo-challenge-djis-turf-eyeing-slice-gimbal-camera-boom?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:00:11 +0000 Ben Jiang,Coco Feng Ben Jiang,Coco Feng DJI, a dominant force in the global drone and camera-stabiliser markets that has come under siege from fierce competition and a protracted trade war, is navigating an unprecedented situation: as it grapples with expanded US tariffs and tightened scrutiny, products bearing striking resemblances to its own designs are emerging in the market under other brands. The next “clone” may be a wearable action camera – the Xtra ATTO – which is expected to enter the US market in the first half of the year.... https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3341027/new-dji-clones-raise-eyebrows-china-tech-giant-battles-us-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3341027/new-dji-clones-raise-eyebrows-china-tech-giant-battles-us-scrutiny?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 14:30:07 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng The municipal government of Shanghai will open “free-to-fly” zones in the city for drones from February 1, as part of streamlined regulations designed to support the country’s development of a low-altitude economy. According to Shanghai’s new guidelines for civil unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), consumer drones will be allowed to fly in certain “suitable airspace” in the city without prior declaration, provided these devices are registered. These include UAVs categorised as micro, light and... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3340696/shanghai-open-free-fly-zones-covering-46-city-consumer-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3340696/shanghai-open-free-fly-zones-covering-46-city-consumer-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 10:15:08 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Aridge, the affiliate of Chinese electric vehicle maker Xpeng formerly known as AeroHT, is likely to spearhead a listing bonanza of flying car businesses in Hong Kong as its share offering plan edges closer to the runway. The Guangzhou-based company, controlled by Xpeng co-founder and CEO He Xiaopeng, confidentially filed an initial public offering (IPO) plan with the Hong Kong stock exchange and hired JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley to underwrite the share sale, according to two people with... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339601/xpengs-flying-car-unit-readies-hong-kong-ipo-take?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339601/xpengs-flying-car-unit-readies-hong-kong-ipo-take?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 09:31:47 +0000 Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan Mark Magnier,Khushboo Razdan The US Commerce Department has revoked a plan to slap restrictions on Chinese drones, originally proposed to address national security concerns, the latest example of the Donald Trump administration avoiding actions that might fuel tensions ahead of a planned summit between Trump and President Xi Jinping this spring. “This decision underscores President Trump’s desire to sustain the trade framework that he and President Xi approved this past October and ensure a cordial meeting between the two... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3339412/us-commerce-department-drops-plan-crack-down-chinese-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3339412/us-commerce-department-drops-plan-crack-down-chinese-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 22:45:18 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng The former autonomous driving unit at DJI, the world’s largest drone maker, is gearing up to serve the heavy vehicle industry in 2026, in the latest example of Chinese innovation spilling over from Big Tech firms to start-ups. Chinese self-driving tech firm ZYT plans to move into heavy-duty lorries and unmanned logistics vehicles, expanding its footprint from city streets to highways, as the race for commercialisation intensifies in the sector. The Shenzhen-based company, known as Zhuoyu, will... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338311/former-dji-self-driving-unit-seeks-edge-adapting-drone-tech-lorries-logistics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338311/former-dji-self-driving-unit-seeks-edge-adapting-drone-tech-lorries-logistics?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:00:14 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Chinese household appliances maker Dreame Technology will present gifts of gold and a trip to Antarctica to employees, on top of their year-end bonuses, as the company boosted its position as one of the world’s leading vendors of robot vacuum cleaners. The additional largesse was revealed over the weekend by Dreame founder and CEO Yu Hao in two WeChat Moments posts. Yu said every employee will receive a one-gram gold bonus in addition to their standard year-end payout. The company also planned... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338029/chinese-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-gives-gifts-gold-and-trip-antarctica-employees?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3338029/chinese-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-gives-gifts-gold-and-trip-antarctica-employees?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 11:00:10 +0000 Eunice Xu Eunice Xu Despite intense competition that has pushed one US company into bankruptcy, the global robotic vacuum cleaner market has plenty of room for growth given low penetration rates, according to Meng Jia, president of Dreame Technology’s robotic vacuum division. Meng anticipates steady growth for robotic vacuum sales over the next few years, noting that market penetration remains low – less than 10 per cent in China and under 20 per cent overseas. “The robotic vacuum category hasn’t fully realised its... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337817/robotic-vacuum-maker-dreame-says-untapped-global-demand-drive-next-phase-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3337817/robotic-vacuum-maker-dreame-says-untapped-global-demand-drive-next-phase-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 23:00:16 +0000 Ji Siqi,Kandy Wong Ji Siqi,Kandy Wong Though it did not come as a surprise, the US’ formal ban on the sale of new drones produced by China marks a “milestone” in the two countries’ strategic competition and technological decoupling, analysts said, with their rivalry continuing across numerous fields despite the temporary trade truce agreed between their leaders in October. Washington’s telecommunications regulator said on Monday that it is adding all foreign producers of drones and critical components – including those made by... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3337500/bad-policy-chinas-drone-makers-shrug-us-ban-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3337500/bad-policy-chinas-drone-makers-shrug-us-ban-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:00:08 +0000 SCMP SCMP Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Second reusable rocket recovery failure in a month puts China 10 years behind US The Long March 12A, China’s first state-owned reusable rocket, made its debut launch on Tuesday morning but the recovery of the first stage was a failure. 2. ‘Urgent’: has mainland China changed tone for Taiwan peaceful reunification? Analysts examine Taiwan-related policy... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3337528/chinas-reusable-rocket-ambitions-suffer-setback-us-blacklists-dji-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3337528/chinas-reusable-rocket-ambitions-suffer-setback-us-blacklists-dji-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 13:15:08 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han The US telecommunications regulator said on Monday that it is adding Shenzhen-based DJI, the world’s largest drone maker, to a list of companies determined to pose “unacceptable risks” to US national security, marking a significant escalation in Washington’s effort to crack down on Chinese drones. Addition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)’s “covered list” means that DJI, which accounts for over half of all US commercial drones, will not be able to obtain approvals to sell new drone... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3337398/us-bars-approvals-new-models-chinas-dji-all-other-foreign-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3337398/us-bars-approvals-new-models-chinas-dji-all-other-foreign-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 21:56:12 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat After drones were flown in China at heights above 8,000 metres (26,247 feet) – approaching that of Mount Everest – the authorities are moving to crack down on illegal flights that threaten the safety of commercial aviation. The controversy highlights the regulatory dilemma China faces as it pushes to develop a low-altitude economy while ensuring aviation safety. Industry insiders say that with technological progress and upgraded oversight, China may eventually allow drones to fly as high as... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337084/chinas-black-flying-drone-dilemma-when-tech-advancement-clashes-aviation-safety?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3337084/chinas-black-flying-drone-dilemma-when-tech-advancement-clashes-aviation-safety?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2025 10:00:16 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Guangdong, China’s largest provincial economy, has vowed to double its economy by 2035 from 2022 levels, in line with the central government’s target of becoming a medium-level developed country by that year. “Looking ahead, from the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party (in 2022) to 2035, Guangdong aims to achieve socialist modernisation and build a modern, new Guangdong within 13 years,” provincial authorities said in their five-year plan proposals released on Monday. “By that time,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335798/chinas-guangdong-targets-doubling-gdp-2035-despite-slowing-growth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335798/chinas-guangdong-targets-doubling-gdp-2035-despite-slowing-growth?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:30:10 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu A seamless airspace is essential for developing Hong Kong’s low-altitude economy and will depend on a collaborative ecosystem, the transport chief has said, citing the city’s strengths in high-value-added services and regulatory expertise, alongside the Greater Bay Area’s industrial and research capabilities. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said on Tuesday that a comprehensive action plan for developing the new industry was under way to integrate manned and unmanned aviation.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3335732/hong-kong-leverages-greater-bay-area-ties-help-low-altitude-economy-take?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3335732/hong-kong-leverages-greater-bay-area-ties-help-low-altitude-economy-take?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 07:33:47 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The southern Chinese megacity of Shenzhen, a symbol of the country’s rapid urbanisation and development, has spent decades transforming urban villages and tenement blocks into dense public housing estates and massive industrial and office parks. Now, in a move that speaks volumes about its scarcity of land, the tech hub is relocating an enormous landfill from the city centre, an act that could allow for the development of floor space totalling more than 1 million square metres (10.76 million sq... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335367/shenzhen-chinas-land-starved-tech-hub-making-space-moving-massive-landfill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335367/shenzhen-chinas-land-starved-tech-hub-making-space-moving-massive-landfill?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 04:00:17 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As China’s regions roll out proposals for their next five-year plans, two trends are emerging: localities are preparing to nurture new, highly technological industries while focusing on those sectors best suited to their strengths. Additionally, some areas pledged to bolster their supply of rare earth elements and soybeans, items which gained greater prominence amid this year’s escalatory trade war with the United States. According to data compiled by the Post, at least 22 provincial-level... https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3335363/chinas-regions-roll-out-5-year-plan-priorities-tech-topping-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3335363/chinas-regions-roll-out-5-year-plan-priorities-tech-topping-list?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 12:00:09 +0000 Yujie Xue,Coco Feng,Mandy Zuo Yujie Xue,Coco Feng,Mandy Zuo Drones, unmanned aircraft and flying cars are taking to the sky in China, as the country taps new technology to pare congestion, speed deliveries and create new opportunities for economic growth. Pilotless drones carry food to tourists on the Great Wall of China and help farmers improve yields among other tasks, while unmanned aircraft fly sightseers around major cities and ferry construction materials to remote mountain sites. China’s first flying-car factory has also opened in recent months,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335152/flying-cars-take-china-extends-drone-market-domination?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335152/flying-cars-take-china-extends-drone-market-domination?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 04:50:58 +0000 Lawrence Chung Lawrence Chung Taiwan’s plan to acquire Israeli “takeover” technology as part of a counter-drone network has set off a debate over its use and the island’s security strategy as it tries to keep pace with rapidly evolving unmanned threats. At a briefing for suppliers on the procurement requirements earlier this month, Taiwan’s homeland security office outlined specifications for a new system to protect the island’s airports, power plants and other critical infrastructure from incursions by small commercial... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334496/taiwans-plan-acquire-drone-takeover-technology-sparks-security-debate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3334496/taiwans-plan-acquire-drone-takeover-technology-sparks-security-debate?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 22:00:23 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng DJI, the world leader in drone technology, plans to launch a “full-view” drone – a new genre that rival Insta360 is also developing – in a sign of fierce hardware competition among China’s gadget makers. The Shenzhen-based company conducted a preview of the product last week to give attendees a first-hand look at its new 360-degree drone, named Avata 360, and to share the company’s views on industry competition and market prospects, the Guangdong financial newspaper 21st Century Business Herald... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3333422/dji-takes-aim-insta360-360-degree-drone-dogfight-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3333422/dji-takes-aim-insta360-360-degree-drone-dogfight-intensifies?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 11:00:18 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Insta360, the Chinese rival of GoPro, said competition triggered by price cuts to its full-degree action cameras was attracting more customers, as it pushes further into the turf of drone giant DJI. The price war with DJI, which moved into the 360-degree action camera field earlier this year, had “expanded the overall market”, and an increasing number of consumers were choosing Insta360 for its “unique strengths”, said Liang Jingkang, founder and chairman of Insta360. “Despite the fierce price... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3331639/chinese-sports-camera-maker-insta360-says-price-war-dji-expanding-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3331639/chinese-sports-camera-maker-insta360-says-price-war-dji-expanding-market?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 13:00:10 +0000 Iris Deng Iris Deng Insta360, the Chinese rival of GoPro, recorded a 90 per cent jump in third-quarter revenue from a year earlier, as China’s leading maker of 360-degree and action cameras prepares to square off against drone giant DJI by the end of 2025. Shenzhen-based Insta360 said its revenue in the September quarter grew 92.64 per cent to 2.94 billion yuan (US$413 million), according to the company’s filing to the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Monday. Net income for the period shrank 15.9 per cent to 271.9... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3330621/chinese-gopro-rival-insta360-posts-90-jump-sales-it-gears-enter-drone-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3330621/chinese-gopro-rival-insta360-posts-90-jump-sales-it-gears-enter-drone-market?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Oct 2025 09:30:12 +0000 Mathias Woo Mathias Woo Hong Kong’s Northern Metropolis is more than a mere zoning plan; it is a crucial part of China’s development strategy and a pivotal step towards elevating the Greater Bay Area’s (GBA) global profile. With development now under way, the conversation must shift to a new realm: soft power. The Northern Metropolis should not be just another new town designed to address Hong Kong’s housing and industrial needs. Rather, it must emerge as a zone of cultural emancipation that takes the GBA’s development... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3329196/more-tech-hub-northern-metropolis-can-be-cradle-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3329196/more-tech-hub-northern-metropolis-can-be-cradle-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Oct 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han Chinese drone maker DJI has appealed a US federal court’s decision that it should remain on the Pentagon’s blacklist of companies allegedly linked to China’s military. The Shenzhen-based company filed the appeal on Monday to the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit. DJI filed a lawsuit last October, arguing that it is not owned or controlled by the Chinese military and does not contribute to China’s defence industrial base. The drone manufacturer, which sells over half of all US commercial... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3329031/china-drone-maker-dji-appeals-inclusion-pentagons-chinese-military-companies-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3329031/china-drone-maker-dji-appeals-inclusion-pentagons-chinese-military-companies-list?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Oct 2025 18:20:57 +0000 Alice Li,Kandy Wong,Ralph Jennings Alice Li,Kandy Wong,Ralph Jennings Washington’s decision to broaden its trade blacklist could put many overseas subsidiaries of Chinese firms under scrutiny, potentially disrupting their “going global” strategies and reigniting trade tensions between the two superpowers, analysts said. The US Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) announced on Monday that any company at least 50 per cent owned by firms already on the US Entity List or the Military End-User List – which target entities Washington deems a security threat – will now... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327401/chinas-going-global-strategy-risk-after-us-widens-its-trade-blacklist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327401/chinas-going-global-strategy-risk-after-us-widens-its-trade-blacklist?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 11:00:08 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han A US federal judge on Friday rejected a push by Shenzhen-based DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer, to be removed from the Pentagon’s blacklist of companies allegedly linked to China’s military. In his opinion, US District Judge Paul Friedman in Washington said the Department of Defence had substantial evidence supporting its finding that DJI, which accounts for over half of all US commercial drones, contributes to the “Chinese defence industrial base”. DJI had filed a suit last October... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3327057/drone-maker-dji-loses-lawsuit-against-pentagon-claim-chinese-military-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3327057/drone-maker-dji-loses-lawsuit-against-pentagon-claim-chinese-military-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Sep 2025 18:02:27 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng The robot vacuum cleaner used to be considered an American success story. It was developed by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who set up a company called iRobot in 1990. Even today, many consumers still use the name of the firm’s breakout product – the Roomba – to refer to all robot vacuums. But fast forward three decades, and the United States has totally lost its grip on a market that it created. As in many industries, Chinese firms now dominate production of robot... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3326150/roomba-revolution-how-china-swallowed-robot-vacuum-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3326150/roomba-revolution-how-china-swallowed-robot-vacuum-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 10:00:12 +0000 Stephen Chen Stephen Chen Chinese naval researchers have detailed plans to construct a multilayered defence architecture designed to protect warships from saturation attacks by up to thousands of low-cost drones, responding to what they call an existential threat amplified by accessible commercial technology. The proposed “counter-swarm system”, likened by some experts to a digital-age Great Wall, would integrate satellites, AI-powered sensors and radical new weapons – including hypersonic missiles, lasers and microwave... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3325299/china-plans-build-naval-great-wall-fend-thousand-drone-swarm-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3325299/china-plans-build-naval-great-wall-fend-thousand-drone-swarm-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 12:00:10 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren AeroHT, an affiliate of Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Xpeng, is preparing to enter European airspace as it edges closer to mass production of its flying cars following more than 5,000 orders. The start-up – controlled by Xpeng co-founder and CEO He Xiaopeng – will also conduct its first overseas test flight of its eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) vehicle in Dubai next month. “We are not sure about the recognition or acceptance of products by the customers yet, but I’m happy... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3325030/aeroht-gears-european-flying-car-debut-xpeng-affiliate-clocks-5000-orders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3325030/aeroht-gears-european-flying-car-debut-xpeng-affiliate-clocks-5000-orders?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:00:19 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Trump’s overhaul of State Department may play into Beijing’s hands for decades The US effort to counter China’s growing global footprint is difficult enough. President Donald Trump’s radical State Department overhaul is not making it any easier and could play into Beijing’s hands for... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3324001/trump-overhaul-may-aid-beijing-bad-news-chinese-texas-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3324001/trump-overhaul-may-aid-beijing-bad-news-chinese-texas-7-us-china-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 15:30:08 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu A cluster of cities comprising Hong Kong and two others from mainland China has been named the world’s top innovation hub, a feat attributed to a new ranking metric that involves venture capital deals, a UN body has said. For the first time in five years, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou cluster surpassed Tokyo-Yokohama in Japan to claim top spot in the 2025 Global Innovation Index released by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO). Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Monday... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3323892/cluster-hong-kong-2-mainland-cities-named-worlds-top-innovation-hub-un-body?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3323892/cluster-hong-kong-2-mainland-cities-named-worlds-top-innovation-hub-un-body?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 07:17:48 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Dreame Technology, a Chinese brand known for its robot vacuum cleaners, is actively recruiting drone experts in what is seen as a move to compete with DJI, the dominant player in the market, amid growing competition from innovative hardware start-ups. The company is advertising at least 10 positions – including drone navigation modelling algorithm engineer, drone test pilot, drone operations sales director and business director for the pan-aviation industry – according to job postings on the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3322510/dji-faces-new-challenger-chinas-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-hires-drone-experts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3322510/dji-faces-new-challenger-chinas-robot-vacuum-maker-dreame-hires-drone-experts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Frank Chen,Ralph Jennings Frank Chen,Ralph Jennings When David Bruntz, vice-president of the US Meat Export Federation, recently began looking for drones to monitor the cattle on his Nebraska ranch, he found that only one brand offered a “reasonably priced” solution: the Chinese tech giant DJI. The Shenzhen-based company already dominates the US drone market, and its products are now rapidly being adopted across the agricultural sector as the firm rolls out specialised solutions for sowing fields, spraying crops and tracking livestock. “It’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322013/hard-switch-why-us-farmers-are-embracing-chinese-drones-despite-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322013/hard-switch-why-us-farmers-are-embracing-chinese-drones-despite-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Aug 2025 12:00:11 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Antigravity, a drone brand incubated by China’s leading full-degree camera manufacturer Insta360, on Thursday unveiled its first product – the Antigravity A1 featuring a built-in 8K 360-degree camera and pilot goggles. The machine is equipped with a dual-lens camera system mounted on both the top and bottom of its fuselage – a design that mirrors the capabilities of Insta360’s popular X series action cameras, providing complete environmental capture without any blind spots, according to... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3321795/insta360s-antigravity-unveils-8k-full-degree-drone-challenging-dji?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3321795/insta360s-antigravity-unveils-8k-full-degree-drone-challenging-dji?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:00:09 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese drone champion DJI has launched its much-awaited vacuum cleaning robot that is equipped with drone-level obstacle avoidance capabilities, in a move that intensifies competition in the country’s crowded robot vacuum market. The new Romo series is a combination vacuum cleaner and mopping robot. Equipped with binocular fish-eye vision sensors and three wide-angle lidars, the machine can avoid thin items like playing cards and cables thicker than 2mm, according to a post on DJI’s WeChat... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3321088/chinas-dji-launches-first-robot-cleaner-drone-level-obstacle-avoidance-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3321088/chinas-dji-launches-first-robot-cleaner-drone-level-obstacle-avoidance-system?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 Aug 2025 09:02:06 +0000 Hannah Wang Hannah Wang DJI, the world’s biggest maker of consumer drones, this week introduced the company’s latest flagship 8K panoramic video camera, the Osmo 360 – its first entry in the 360-degree imaging market. Shenzhen-based DJI’s latest camera, which was on the hot search list of the Chinese social media platform Weibo as of Friday, marks the firm’s major push into the broader photography market, where it competes against vendors like omnidirectional camera specialist Insta360. “The launch of the Osmo 360 is a... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3320462/chinese-drone-giant-dji-launches-its-first-entry-360-degree-camera-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3320462/chinese-drone-giant-dji-launches-its-first-entry-360-degree-camera-market?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Aug 2025 11:30:08 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng The consumer drone industry is facing new competition from China, as Antigravity – a new brand from omnidirectional camera specialist Insta360, is set to unveil its first product. Scheduled to be unveiled in August, the unmanned aerial vehicle weighs less than 249 grams and features a built-in 360-degree camera with 8K resolution, according to the company. That would make it the industry’s first “360 drone”: until now, users have resorted to attaching full-degree cameras to their flying... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3319994/insta360s-antigravity-challenges-dji-8k-360-degree-drone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3319994/insta360s-antigravity-challenges-dji-8k-360-degree-drone?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jul 2025 11:00:18 +0000 Yulu Ao,Coco Feng Yulu Ao,Coco Feng China’s southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region on Saturday launched an artificial intelligence “super league” aimed at nurturing emerging enterprises and talent serving Asean markets. The competition, titled “AI for All”, will run through September and features 17 tracks, including automobile, tourism, cross-border e-commerce, smart agriculture, and market regulation. Hosted by the Guangxi regional government, the kick-off took place simultaneously in eight cities: Guangxi’s capital Nanning,... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3318857/chinas-guangxi-province-launches-ai-super-league-nurture-asean-facing-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3318857/chinas-guangxi-province-launches-ai-super-league-nurture-asean-facing-start-ups?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Jul 2025 10:10:20 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li The United States has launched investigations into imports of drones and polysilicon – two sectors where China holds a global lead – in a move that could pave the way for tariffs and give Washington leverage in trade negotiations between the world’s two largest economies, analysts said. The US Bureau of Industry and Security released a document on Monday, seeking public comments as it moves forward with the investigation, which began on July 1 under “Section 232” of the Trade Expansion... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3318317/double-edged-sword-us-probe-chinas-drone-dominance-risk-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3318317/double-edged-sword-us-probe-chinas-drone-dominance-risk-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 15:00:08 +0000 Leopold Chen,Xiaofei Xu,Ralph Jennings Leopold Chen,Xiaofei Xu,Ralph Jennings US President Donald Trump issues quite a few executive orders. So many, in fact, that one could be forgiven for not keeping up with them all. But amid the rapid-fire policy changes that have come to characterise his administration, one arrived last month that could have drastic implications for the world’s drone market – and China’s role in it. The order, signed June 6, requires government agencies to prioritise using home-grown unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) “to the maximum extent permitted by... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317044/trump-wants-ground-chinas-drones-have-they-flown-too-high-reach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317044/trump-wants-ground-chinas-drones-have-they-flown-too-high-reach?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 22:00:16 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Human waste, empty oxygen cylinders, kitchen leftovers and discarded ladders. Sherpas working on Mount Everest carry all that and more – 20 kilograms (44 pounds) per person – navigating a four-hour hike that traverses crumbling glacial ice and treacherous crevasses to bring trash back to base camp. During the most recent climbing season, they had new help from two giant SZ DJI Technology Co. drones, which can complete the same journey in six minutes, sharing the task of clearing an expanding... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3317091/nepal-uses-drones-clean-mount-everests-trash-covered-slopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3317091/nepal-uses-drones-clean-mount-everests-trash-covered-slopes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 10:31:26 +0000