The drone industry in China has reached unprecedented levels, mirroring the rapid growth of the country’s low-altitude economy. By the end of 2023, the number of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in China exceeded a staggering 1.26 million, marking a remarkable 32 percent year-on-year increase. These drones collectively logged over 23 million flight hours, underlining their integral role in various sectors, from agriculture to entertainment.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology underscores the significance of the general aviation industry, positioning it as a cornerstone of China’s low-altitude economy. Support measures, including innovation initiatives and technology upgrades, are underway to foster a new development model tailored to Chinese characteristics.

Furthermore, China’s prowess in drone manufacturing is unparalleled, with the capability to produce nearly every type of drone. This manufacturing strength fuels the rapid growth of the industry, enabling diverse applications across sectors.

In response to the exponential growth, China has established 17 civil unmanned aviation test zones and three test bases, spanning cities, islands, and other application areas. These initiatives aim to advance drone technology and applications, further propelling China’s dominance in the global drone market.

The government’s emphasis on developing new growth engines, particularly in the low-altitude economy, underscores the strategic importance of the drone industry. Forecasts predict sustained rapid growth, with expectations of further segmentation of drone types and expanded usage across industries.

China says it is committed to global security as it has stringent regulations on drone exports. Measures have been implemented to prevent civilian drones from being repurposed for military use, addressing concerns raised by Western countries regarding military drone capabilities.

Meanwhile, China’s military drone capabilities continue to advance, with significant progress demonstrated in surveillance and attack UAVs. Also, the strategic importance of drone warfare is recognized by the government, driving investments in military modernization efforts.

Overall, China’s drone industry’s exponential growth signals not only economic prosperity but also strategic advancements in technology and security. As the nation continues to lead in drone innovation and deployment, its influence in shaping the global drone landscape remains undeniable.

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DJI, the Chinese company which is the leading manufacturer of drones, has launched the cheapest offering from the brand so far — DJI Mini SE. It was first launched in the select overseas market but now the company has launched the same in its home market China.

The DJI Mini SE is priced at 1,999 yuan which roughly converts to $309. The pricing is for the stand-alone model, making it suitable for new users. It also supports various accessories, backpacks, and extended use methods.

This new drone seems to be a specialized one that is tailored to suit the needs of entry-level users. It provides some basic functionalities and is quite affordable. Despite its name, the product is not a low-cost edition of the DJI Mini 2 but a less-expensive model of the first-generation DJI Mavic Mini which was launched in the year 2019.

As for the specifications, it comes with support for the 2.7K-resolution camera (as opposed to the 4K) and 2.5-mile wireless range. The camera can shoot 2.7K video at 30 frames per second, with a 4x digital zoom when shooting in 1080p. It also captures 12-megapixel photos in jpeg format and has a 3-axis gimble setup.

The Mini SE doesn’t have support for Ocusync, which is the company’s own transmission technology, allowing the product to use 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz bands, giving it more flexibility when there is a lot of interference in transmission. Instead, it relies on a Wi-Fi connection.

There’s also an omnidirectional protective cover that can improve flight safety. GPS and down-looking sensors allow the drone to hover steadily. Coming to the weight, the DJI Mini SE weighs 249 grams which is quite lightweight. It is claimed to offer a battery life of 30 minutes on a single charge.

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The use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in various applications has increased in recent years. Companies and individuals are deploying drones in growing numbers for drone shows and several other activities, deploying thousands of drones for product publicity or showcase of one thing or the other.

Carmaker Genesis chose a drone show to mark its entrance into the Chinese auto market while also smashing the Guinness World Record for the most unmanned aerial vehicles in the sky at the same time. The Genesis brand, owned by Hyundai, entered the China market with a bang, as it used a total of 3,281 drones to make a visual display of its logo over the Shanghai skyline on March 29, 2021. Genesis broke a six-month-old record by Shenzhen Damoda Intelligent Control Technology, who had set the record with 3,051 drones in September 2020. Chipmaker Intel held the record with 2066 drones until 2020.

The beautiful display over Shanghai was a clear statement by Genesis that it intends to approach the Chinese market with energy, color, and innovation, as it moves to have a market share in the world’s biggest automobile market. Such publicity stunts are the outcomes of well-choreographed and synchronized drone systems deployed and controlled via choreography software that forms the shape without drones crashing into themselves.

Unmanned aerial vehicles, especially drones, are presently being used in several applications, including agriculture, security surveillance, photography, and the publicity angle is also growing with drone shows featuring thousands of drones. We expect to see more companies aiming for the current record of the most drones in the sky held by Genesis. The coming months will reveal the depth of the drone record by Genesis. 

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• DJI releases the T30 & T10 Plant Protection drones with dual FPV cam, obstacle detection

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Huawei is a technology giant with a presence in several different categories, from consumer electronics to telecom equipment. The company is also exploring new categories, including Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAVs) or Drones.

The company has been authorized to apply for drone-related patents and its new patent has been published with number CN110737212B named UAV Control System and Method. Although the patent was published this month, the company applied for it in July 2018.

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As the title itself suggests, the patent is related to the control system and method for managing the drone. The system suggested in this patent include a task unit, a first action module, a sensor unit, a first function module, a collaborative computing module, and a first response module, among others.

The task unit splits the task after obtaining it into target actions and the information is sent to the first function module and first response module by the first action module. After getting data through the sensor units and performing several actions, the data is processed for the system using an AI chip.

A few weeks ago, we reported about another patent from Huawei related to drones which is named Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Identification Module and Storage Method. It details how the physical identifier and storage method works to read and track information of a drone during its whole life-cycle.

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DJI Agriculture yesterday held a new product launch conference in Shenzhen and released two new products in one breath. The products are dubbed DJI T30 and T10 Plant protection drone (UAV).

The two new products, T30 and T10, will bring intuitive efficiency improvements to the field of plant protection, and will also inevitably bring new impacts to industry development. The new flagship DJI T30 Plant Protection Drone is the most powerful plant protection machine on the market, with an operating efficiency of up to 240 acres per hour. Its exclusive deformable wing design can effectively improve the flight control effect of fruit trees and is equipped with a more reliable spreading system. , It can effectively improve the efficiency of spreading. The T10, which is aimed at small plots and small and medium-sized farmers in the south, is mainly cost-effective, lightweight, and can be operated by a single person.

The maximum load of T30 is increased to 30 kg, and the drug-liquid load ratio reaches 46%. it is equipped with a new plunger pump, which can provide a large flow rate of 8L/min. The new 16 nozzle layout ensures the uniformity of spraying drops, and the effective spray range can reach 9 meters. There are 8 groups of solenoid valves that can achieve independent frequency conversion control for each group of nozzles. The real-time flight speed and spraying volume are linked.

The DJI T30 Plant Protection Drone is also equipped with a new branch-to-target technology, which adjusts the spray elevation angle of the front and rear arms to allow the droplets to penetrate the canopy along the oblique angle of the branches, ensuring that the liquid medicine adheres evenly from top to bottom. Test data show that T30 branch-to-target technology can double the adhesion rate of liquid medicine on the back of the bottom leaves of fruit trees.

In order to cope with the complex operating scenarios of fruit trees, the route planning function has also been upgraded. For orchards with flat terrain, T30 can directly imitate the ground with the help of radar; for orchards with complex terrain, with the help of smart cloud platform, cloud mapping and route planning can be used to easily manage your digital orchard.

Previously, fertilizer spreading in farmland was mainly done manually or ground machinery. Compared with manual and ground machinery, drone sowing can not only greatly increase the efficiency, without suppressing the seedlings, but also achieve higher uniformity. The spreading flow rate is as high as 40-50 kg/min, the spreading width is 7 meters and so, 1 ton of fertilizer can be spread in 1 hour.

As we all know, fertilizers are highly corrosive. The new spreading system adopts multi-layer oil seal protection to improve corrosion resistance and can be directly washed with water.

During the operation, pilots are most concerned about flight safety issues. T30 is equipped with the industry’s first spherical radar system, which can detect obstacles in all directions and all-weather, without being affected by light, water mist, and dust, and can bypass or avoid obstacles autonomously, making flying safer.

The T30 is also equipped with dual FPV cameras, so the pilot can easily grasp the scene of the aircraft from the screen during flight, making flying more secure. At the same time, the area of ​​the camera head is increased by 3 times, combined with the bright searchlight, night work is more assured.

The T30 uses a truss-type fuselage made of carbon fiber composite materials and a one-key locking folding arm design to achieve a strong and reliable high folding ratio, and the volume is reduced by 80% after folding. Independent cavity protection of the core module, plus triple structure guarantee design, circuit board potting and other treatments, the protection level of the whole machine reaches IP67, so that the T30 is not afraid of liquid medicine, dust, fertilizer, dust, water and corrosion.

On the other hand, the T10 is equipped with a 10L working box, standard with 4 pressure nozzles, and the spray width can reach 5.5 meters. In the main structure, the truss-type fuselage made of carbon fiber composite materials is lightweight and ensures the strength of the whole machine. The new folding structure reduces the volume by 70% after folding. It supports quick insertion and removal of the operation box, simple transportation, and easier transfer operations. The measured field operation efficiency can reach 100 mu per hour.

Compared with other crop protection drones of the same level on the market, the T10 is not only lighter in size, but also leading in safety configuration and reliability. It inherits the “high specifications” of the T30, comes standard with RTK, front and rear dual FPV, spherical radar system, and IP67 protection. In terms of battery chargers, T10’s smart battery also has up to 1,000 safe cycles. When used with a smart charging station, two power sources can be operated continuously.

With the spreading system, the T10 can also implement variable fertilization operations, helping farmland management to reduce costs and increase efficiency and income.

The DJI T30 carries a price tag of 29,999 yuan (~$4526) for only the drone while the all-round kit is priced at 54,999 yuan (~$8298). While the T10 is priced at 19,999 Yuan (~$3017) for the drone only but the all-around set is priced at 34,999 Yuan (~$5280).

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Xiaomi first announced its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) dubbed Mi Drone in May last year and just as we reported, the Mi Drone comes in two versions, one with 1080p camera and another version with a 4K camera.  The 1080p version of the Mi Drone immediately went up for sale that same month, clutching a 2,499 Yuan ($380) price tag. On the other hand, the 4K version of the Mi Done was only made available for testing via an open beta programme which began in June last year.

Nine months after its announcement, the Xiaomi 4K Drone has now gotten a release date. According to reports, the device is scheduled for launch on March 3. The price is still set at 2,999 Yuan ($460) while the battery costs 499 Yuan. Okay, in case you don’t know much about the Mi Drone, it packs a 5,100mAh battery that can last up to 26 minutes of flight time. So, you’ll definitely be needing more than one battery.

The Mi Drone 4K version only differs from the 1080p version in some aspects. The most important one is the 4K 360-degree camera that it packs which should provide better image quality. The device uses the same processor as the 1080p version, thus it is likely the run-time of the Xiaomi UAV would be less than 26 minutes, more reason why you’ll need to get a spare battery. It retains all the cool features the Mi Drone 1080p version launched with like the remote control pad which uses a smartphone as display and more.

Related: Here’s The Xiaomi Mi Drone In Pictures!

The Xiaomi 4k Drone will be available from March 3 on Xiaomi Mall, Mi Home, Xiaomi official flagship store on Lynx, Jingdong, and Suning.

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In the past few months, OPPO has increased its market share by a considerable extent, all thanks to the efforts put in by its smartphone department. However, we know companies like to diversify its product portfolio and what better example than Xiaomi, who has products in lots of different segments. Now, OPPO’s Camera Phone account on Weibo has released a brand new teaser, and from the hashtags and the image on the teaser, it looks like the company is planning its entry into the UAV (drone) industry.

Well, we don’t think that OPPO is going to release its own drone, however, what it could do, is license the top-notch technology that it has developed for its phones. This is a possibility because the teaser comes with words like flash charging and we know that OPPO’s Super VOOC low voltage fast charging tech is one of the best in the world. No harm in using VOOC tech in drones right? After all, they also need regular charging and if the time as well as its life is improved with the help of Super VOOC fast charging, we could see much more powerful drones in the market soon.

In case you remember, OPPO also revealed its SmartSensor Image Stabilization tech back at MWC, which possibly could also be used inside products such as drones. And we can see that the drone in the teaser comes with a camera. Plus, given that OPPO’s Camera Phone account released this teaser, it’s possible that OPPO has licensed its technology to drone makers.

August 24 is the date given in the teaser, which is just a couple of days away. So, we expect more details, possibly the first such product launch on that day. Stay tuned for more details.

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Xiaomi is all set to unveil its first drone tomorrow at 7PM in Beijing. The company has been teasing the new device for the past few days, revealing some features as well. Now, the latest teaser for the Xiaomi drone reveals another important feature of the device — portability.

The teaser shows that the Xiaomi drone can be carried around inside a regular backpack, which means the product’s form factor would be compact. This is definitely good news since carrying around a large drone can be a hassle and it is always better if you can fit it inside your everyday backpack while travelling.

In case you remember, the earlier teasers had confirmed that the new drone will come with a four-rotor design and a rotating camera. The drone is said to support 4K video capture at 30 fps. As for the pricing, it is said that the new drone will be priced at around 3999 Yuan ($610) which will be great considering that this will be a high-end drone comparable with market leaders.

RELATED: Xiaomi’s New Drone Could Be Controlled Via Mi Wearable

Xiaomi has a tradition of disrupting the existing market leaders and looks like it is all set to do this in the UAV market as well. At present, the popular DJI is known for its Phantom and Inspire series drones, but these are costly products and out of the reach of many everyday drone lovers. Xiaomi’s new offering could be a potential solution to such buyers, who want to get the best out of their new drone without having to empty their pockets.

It is said that Xiaomi won’t be manufacturing the new drone, instead has given this to a third party manufacturer. We will get more details during the launch tomorrow, so stay tuned for more details.

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We have been hearing rumors about a new Xiaomi drone for the past few months. However, up till now, there haven’t been any concrete leak regarding this product. Now, new patent documents reveal a few details about the company’s drone in development. The patent was filed by the company back in August.

According to the recently published patent documents from the Chinese Intellectual Property Office, the Xiaomi drone in development could be controlled via a wearable. For example, in the images revealed by the office, it looks like the user is able to make gestures to control the various functions of the drone.

The Xiaomi drone could be connected to Xiaomi’s own Mi Band wearable. Once connected, the user can perform simple gestures like a flick of a wrist to control the UAV. For instance, in one of the images, we see that a user riding a bike is performing some gestures to send some command to the drone above. Our guess is that the gesture could be a signal for the drone to hover above the user on the bike and start shooting a video.

It looks like such gestures could really come in handy for adventure enthusiasts. Shooting from a drone opens up new angles and opportunity for such users.

Earlier rumors have said that the drone could be priced at around 999 Yuan ($154). If the Xiaomi drone does feature such gestures, would you be willing to shell out $154 for such a UAV?

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On the 15th of September 2015 ProDrone officially announced the ProDrone BYRD, featuring advancements in UAV technology.

The new ProDrone BYRD is aiming to be the most powerful and portable consumer drone currently offered by any major drone manufacturer, by focusing on power and portability they have managed to give the ProDrone BYRD a maximum payload of 3.8kg, or to put it another way my Canon 6D weighs in at 770g and my 24-105L lens a substantial  667g or 1.44kg this is a far cry from the carrying abilities of other drones and could result in extremely high quality photographic or Cinematography results.

Most people should be able to get around 30 minutes of flight time, this will be effected by heavy winds and flying style, as well as by the weight of load that is being carried.

An interesting option on the ProDrone BYRD is its ability to be operated by dual controllers, this could be very usefull if you are still mastering the drone and need the confidence another pair of hands can bring, it could also allow for inflight handovers when filming further than standard operating transmissions allow.

With flight times of up to 30 minutes, the ProDrone Byrd allows more than one user to operate the drone at once due to it’s dual controller capability and as the ProDrone BYRD features a modular payload system users can quickly swap out gimbal/camera combinations, saving valuable time and allowing them to capture and share those spectacular moments without missing a beat. 

Best of all the ProDrone BYRD packs up to a convenient and backpack friendly size (around the same as an iPad but obviously thicker).

The ProDrone BYRD will be launching later in 2015 and will cost between $800-3,000 (£516- £1935) depending upon package chosen.  Full pricing will be announced at official launch in Q4.

It would be great to review the ProDrone BYRD on its release, this looks like strong competition to the industry leading DJI drones.

Please leave comments below

Regards Shane

Originally posted on gadgetz.tv

Product Features:

• First fully collapsible package
• Absolute reliability
• Longer flight time
• Modular gimbal/camera options provide easily swappable combinations
• Camera options include 4K, 1080, infrared and GoPro
• Multi-controller option allows for easy teaching and sharing of a single UAV
• Screen sharing on up to three devices
• Follow me technology
• Advanced interior positioning
• HD Transmission
• Comprehensive safety features

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DJI is without any doubt the world leader in camera drones and quadcopters. We have seen many great drones from this Chinese giant, which are much more precise and advanced than competitors.

Recently, DJI decided to gift a brand new DJI Inspire One to a great director, James Cameron. He is one of the best directors in Hollywood right now, having directed popular movies such as the Terminator, the Titanic and Avatar.

DJI posted a picture on their Weibo page, which showed James Cameron with the new DJI Inspire One. The post said that the company was looking forward to the director’s new work.

Camera equipped drones are increasingly becoming a part of the movie industry, as they can take aerial shots from angles that’s not even possible with helicopters. Before the advent of quadcopters, the only option for shooting an aerial action shot was with the help of an helicopter, but that brought a lot of issues such as safety, angle limitations etc.

Directors are increasingly relying on drones for such shots, as it brings down the cost and makes the movie set safer. In fact, many of the aerial action shots in the movie Expendables were filmed using drones.

While we have yet to see the widespread use of drones in film making mainly due to the legal limitations, UAVs such as the DJI Inspire One clearly shows that such drones can be powerful enough for professional shoots.

But drones such as the Inspire One are costly, and their price can easily go up to $3500. In fact, on banggood, the 4K equipped DJI Inspire One is listed for a whopping $3300.

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