China's DJI is the world's largest consumer drone manufacturer | The Wall Street Journal
In 2013, China's DJI (headquartered in Shenzhen) had sales of $130 million. DJI sales tripled to $400 million for 2014 (see WSJ article:
GoPro Developing Line of Consumer Drones - WSJ ).
According to The Wall Street Journal, China's DJI is the world's largest consumer drone manufacturer. To understand why, we have to look at DJI innovations.
First Generation - DJI Phantom UAV
1. Motion-stabilized camera (e.g. photographic camera or video camera).
2. 4K camera has a distance of 1.5km or one mile. You can zoom in at a distance without losing picture quality.
3. Enables single-person control of both flight system and camera OR dual-person separate control of flight system and camera direction.
DJI Phantom 2
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Second Generation - DJI Spreading Wings S1000
1. Counter-rotating rotors provide aerodynamic stability.
2. Eight separate rotors provide double redundancy. You only need four working rotors for full control.
3. After lift-off, landing gear retracts to enable unobstructed 360-degree panoramic view for the camera.
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Third Generation - DJI The Inspire 1
1. Fuselage is slim, compact, aerodynamic, and looks badass.
2. Can fly at 45 miles per hour.
"The world's biggest consumer drone manufacturer unveils its newest model, The Inspire 1, which features high-def video streaming, simultaneous dual control and 18 minutes of flight time on a single charge. The new drone from DJI will cost between $2,899 and $3,399."