Da Jiang Innovations (DJI): Galaxy of DRONES

[AndrewJin]

DJI takes to skies again, with launch of new Spark drone
By DONG LESHUO in Washington | China Daily | Updated: 2017-05-26

Michael Perry, director of strategic partnerships of DJI, demonstrates the palm-sized drone Spark during an event in New York. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY

Shenzhen-based group SZ DJI Technology Co, the world's biggest consumer drone maker, launched its new product, Spark, in New York on Wednesday, with key innovations it hopes will see the device take off in the burgeoning market.

DJI said Spark is an easy-to-use camera drone that can lift off from the palm of a hand.

It is also the first drone that users can control with hand gestures alone, removing the barriers between the user and the camera in the sky.

Michael Perry, director of strategic partnerships at DJI, introduced Spark to around 200 people at a launch event at Grand Central Station.

"Controlling a camera drone with hand movements alone is a major step toward making aerial technology an intuitive part of everyone's daily life, from work and adventure to moments with friends and family," said Paul Pan, senior product manager at DJI.

"Spark's revolutionary new interface lets you effortlessly extend your point of view to the air, making it easier than ever to capture and share the world from new perspectives," Pan added.

Aside from being user-friendly, DJI's drones are also known for being small and lightweight.

Wired magazine wrote on Wednesday: "Isn't DJI's new drone just the cutest little thing? A one-pound drone just seven or eight inches across is something you can toss into your backpack without a second thought."

"By far the coolest Spark feature is its gesture-controlled flight mode, allowing you to send the drone overhead to take an aerial photo of you and your buds with just simple hand movements."

DJI claims to account for 70 percent of the global consumer drone market.

According to The Economist, the company is at the forefront of the civilian-drone industry. "A Chinese firm has taken the lead in a promising market," it wrote in 2015, comparing DJI to what Boeing Co did with commercial airliners in the 1930s.

"DJI is today leading the charge in transforming civilian-drone manufacturing from something for hobbyists into a proper business," the magazine wrote.

The founder of DJI, Wang Tao created the world's leading drone company from his hobby, launching DJI from his dorm at Hong Kong University of Science & Technology in 2006 when he was 26.

Aside from its success in the global consumer drone market, DJI is also devoting attention to industry-level drones, according to an earlier report in China Daily.

In November 2016, DJI launched an upgraded agricultural drone, the MG-1S, which is equipped with an advanced flight control system, radar and sensors.

Last month, DJI and Qianxun Spatial Intelligence Inc, a company that uses China's homegrown Beidou navigation satellite system for location and data analysis, announced a strategic partnership to promote the application of the navigation system in the drone industry.

***

DJI is coming to kill the remaining competition.

DJI used to only dominate in $ 1000+ range, that's why there are lots of non-DJI drones less than $1000 survived.
Now, RIP!
The surviving range has diminished into $0-400

 

[TaiShang]

China-developed drones at Silk Road expo in Xi'an
By Yang Yang | chinadaily.com.cn | 2017-06-06 09:45

He Feng, vice president of the Beijing Viga UAV Technology Corp Ltd, shows an unmanned aerial vehicle at the 2017 Silk Road International Exposition and the 21st Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, on June 3. [Photo by Yang Yang/chinadaily.com.cn]

He Feng, vice president of Beijing Viga UAV Technology Corp Ltd, shows an unmanned aerial vehicle to a potential customer at the 2017 Silk Road International Exposition and the 21st Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, on June 3. [Photo by Yang Yang/chinadaily.com.cn]

A representative of the Beijing Viga UAV Technology Corp Ltd shows an unmanned aerial vehicle to a potential customer at the 2017 Silk Road International Exposition and the 21st Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, on June 3. [Photo by Yang Yang/chinadaily.com.cn]

A representative of the Beijing Viga UAV Technology Corp Ltd shows visitors an unmanned aerial vehicle at the 2017 Silk Road International Exposition and the 21st Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi province, on June 3. [Photo by Yang Yang/chinadaily.com.cn]

 

[Shotgunner51]

Jerusalem Post
WATCH: The new drone every IDF officer wants in the battlefield
Soon every company will have two re-purposed civilian drones to provide them with a bird's-eye view of battlefield.
June 4, 2017 12:35 By Anna Ahronheim

Drones in the IDF (credit: IDF)

In less than two months, every IDF company commander in the ground forces will be the proud owner of a new collapsible drone to assist in intelligence gathering.

Hundreds of the Mavic and Matrice drones will be used by the army’s infantry brigades stationed in the West Bank and in the mixed-gender combat battalions in the Border Defense Corps.

The drones, which will be distributed in August, are part of a multi-million shekel project to give fighters better capabilities against the enemy. They will be operated by a team of three soldiers who will act as a controller, spotter and back up who, along with the company commanders, already have undergone weeks of training at the Combat Intelligence Collection Corps’ school, Sayarim, in the South.

The Mavic, which weighs less than 2 pounds and has a single battery life of up to 20 minutes at a speed of 65 km./hour can fold up and fit into a pouch. It comes with two flight modes, including “sport,” which allows it to fly at top speed, bank and turn sharply to avoid danger with the help of two front-facing sensors.

It is made by Chinese drone giant DJI, which has partnered with Israel’s augmented reality start-up Edgybees on “Drone Prix,” which lets pilots work on their skills by navigating an obstacle course and compete with pilots around the world.

Other combat intelligence battalions in the IDF also will receive the larger Matrice four-bladed quadcopter, which has double the battery life of the Mavic; can fly at night; and, at just over five pounds, is considered more robust, which allows it to fly in bad weather.

“The drones will give the fighters better capabilities against the enemy. They will be able to get intelligence and surprise the enemy in ways that we haven’t been able to before,” a senior IDF officer told The Jerusalem Post.​

Both models are not considered combat drones and the Mavic will only be used during the day to help gather intelligence the company commander otherwise would have had only binoculars to rely upon.

While the drones are not military- grade and are not encrypted, “they are an interim solution and worth the risk until we have a military drone,” the senior officer said.

The IDF already uses dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles such as the Skylark, the IDF’s smallest drone operated by the artillery corps. Built by Elbit, it measures in 7.5 feet and operates on all fronts for tactical surveillance.

It can be launched by one or two soldiers and operated on the roof of buildings or in the back of armored personnel carriers, providing live video to operators once airborne.

While it is considered a credible, effective and sought-after drone by every battalion and brigade commander, there have been several crashes in enemy territory since Skylark was delivered to the ground forces in 2010, most recently in May when one crashed in Lebanon.

The IDF is currently developing the “Tzur” combat drone with an approximate weight of 22-33 pounds and blades that span 1.5 meters. The Tzur is expected to have a wide range of capabilities including a high-quality visual surveillance camera allowing it to function both during the day and night, as well as fly hundreds of meters in the air while carrying several kilograms of cargo such as combat supplies or ammunition.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/WA...y-IDF-officer-wants-in-the-battlefield-494759

 

[TaiShang]

Jerusalem Post
WATCH: The new drone every IDF officer wants in the battlefield
Soon every company will have two re-purposed civilian drones to provide them with a bird's-eye view of battlefield.
June 4, 2017 12:35 By Anna Ahronheim

Drones in the IDF (credit: IDF)

In less than two months, every IDF company commander in the ground forces will be the proud owner of a new collapsible drone to assist in intelligence gathering.

Hundreds of the Mavic and Matrice drones will be used by the army’s infantry brigades stationed in the West Bank and in the mixed-gender combat battalions in the Border Defense Corps.

The drones, which will be distributed in August, are part of a multi-million shekel project to give fighters better capabilities against the enemy. They will be operated by a team of three soldiers who will act as a controller, spotter and back up who, along with the company commanders, already have undergone weeks of training at the Combat Intelligence Collection Corps’ school, Sayarim, in the South.

The Mavic, which weighs less than 2 pounds and has a single battery life of up to 20 minutes at a speed of 65 km./hour can fold up and fit into a pouch. It comes with two flight modes, including “sport,” which allows it to fly at top speed, bank and turn sharply to avoid danger with the help of two front-facing sensors.

It is made by Chinese drone giant DJI, which has partnered with Israel’s augmented reality start-up Edgybees on “Drone Prix,” which lets pilots work on their skills by navigating an obstacle course and compete with pilots around the world.

Other combat intelligence battalions in the IDF also will receive the larger Matrice four-bladed quadcopter, which has double the battery life of the Mavic; can fly at night; and, at just over five pounds, is considered more robust, which allows it to fly in bad weather.

“The drones will give the fighters better capabilities against the enemy. They will be able to get intelligence and surprise the enemy in ways that we haven’t been able to before,” a senior IDF officer told The Jerusalem Post.​

Both models are not considered combat drones and the Mavic will only be used during the day to help gather intelligence the company commander otherwise would have had only binoculars to rely upon.

While the drones are not military- grade and are not encrypted, “they are an interim solution and worth the risk until we have a military drone,” the senior officer said.

The IDF already uses dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles such as the Skylark, the IDF’s smallest drone operated by the artillery corps. Built by Elbit, it measures in 7.5 feet and operates on all fronts for tactical surveillance.

It can be launched by one or two soldiers and operated on the roof of buildings or in the back of armored personnel carriers, providing live video to operators once airborne.

While it is considered a credible, effective and sought-after drone by every battalion and brigade commander, there have been several crashes in enemy territory since Skylark was delivered to the ground forces in 2010, most recently in May when one crashed in Lebanon.

The IDF is currently developing the “Tzur” combat drone with an approximate weight of 22-33 pounds and blades that span 1.5 meters. The Tzur is expected to have a wide range of capabilities including a high-quality visual surveillance camera allowing it to function both during the day and night, as well as fly hundreds of meters in the air while carrying several kilograms of cargo such as combat supplies or ammunition.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/WA...y-IDF-officer-wants-in-the-battlefield-494759

Amazing growth opportunity for DJI. As I said in another thread, DJI may think of launching a defense systems department for drones for military purposes.

 

[TaiShang]

Next-gen drones take flight in Zhongguancun

( chinadaily.com.cn )
Updated: 2017-06-19

A series of groundbreaking new drones created a buzz at a new products exhibition in China's leading start-up hub, Zhongguancun National Demonstration Zone, in Beijing on June 14.

The latest unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) products from five companies from Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan and Shenyang were showcased at the event, which was held in Zhongguancun's exhibition and technology transfer center.

The UAV Show China 2017 took place alongside the event on the other side of the exhibition hall, and was attended by a large number of researchers, government officials and experts.

Many of the new products on display attracted great attention, particularly the tilt-rotor UAV developed by Shenyang-based Woozoo Technology, which is capable of reaching top speeds of 120 kilometers per hour and can travel up to 90 kilometers on a single charge.

Visitors learn how to manipulate the UAV controller at the UAV Show China 2017 at Zhongguancun National Demonstration Zone. [Photo/bjhd.gov.cn]

Woozoo's next-gen drone can also be controlled by wireless controller from distances of up to 20 kilometers, making the device useful for search and rescue missions, firefighting, military intelligence, geological examinations and many other applications.

Zhongguancun has emerged as China's main platform for promoting innovation in the country's rapidly growing UAV industry in recent years.

The hub has now hosted the UAV Show China 2017, China's largest drone industry event, twice, and it is expected to become the permanent home of the event in the future, according to Zhongguancun's management committee.

The center has also become an important window for displaying Chinese innovation to the world since it was named a national platform in 2011.

Business representatives hear of the introduction of the latest UAVs. [Photo/bjhd.gov.cn]

It has showcased nearly 1,000 new products by some 300 companies in the intervening years, and has received more than 250,000 visitors, including several foreign heads of state, officials and international delegations.

President Xi Jinping noted that Zhongguancun has become the flagship of China's innovative development during a visit organized by the Political Bureau of the Central Committee in 2013.

Xi expected that Zhongguancun would enhance the implementation of the innovation-driven development strategy to develop into a globally influential technological innovative center in the near future.

http://en.zhongguancun.gov.cn/2017-06/19/content_29803243.htm

 

[TaiShang]

DJI eyes agriculture industry
By Rich Zhu | 00:01 UTC+8 June 28, 2017 |

PRINT EDITION

DJI plans to expand in the agriculture industry in China with a new partnership with Dow Agrosciences to improve training and logistics services in the industrial drone sector, the world’s biggest drone vendor said yesterday.

The use of drones for services such as crop dusting represents transformation in the traditional industry, said DJI and Dow Agrosciences, a subsidiary of Dow Chemical.

DJI, which has sold more than 6,000 crop duster drones nationwide, has explored markets in agriculture, security, mapping and electricity.

It aims to take 70 percent of the agriculture market, mirroring its share of the consumer drone market, said Charles Cao, marketing director of DJI’s agriculture business.

China has tightened regulations on consumer drones.

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/business/it/DJI-eyes-agriculture-industry/shdaily.shtml

 

[TaiShang]

Drone 'pilots' reach dizzy heights
China Daily, October 26, 2017

Trainees learn to fly drones at DJI Innovation's unmanned aerial systems training center. [Photo/China Daily]

Li decided to go back to school so he could nearly triple his salary as a drone operator.

The 24-year-old engineer at a security monitoring company now earns about 200,000 yuan ($30,200) annually by taking photographs from unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs.

"After the training, I joined a local culture creativity company as an aerial photographer on a part-time basis," said Xu, who lives in Hubei province.

"I now take advertising photos for real estate companies," he added after graduating from DJI Innovation Technology Co's unmanned aerial systems training center or UTC.

Xu's passion for aerial photography comes at a time when China's authorities have tightened regulations regarding the use of commercial drones.

In May, the Civil Aviation Administration of China announced that commercial UAVs weighing more than 250 grams had to be registered under the owner's real name from June 1.

Tightening regulations were part of a move to improve civil aviation safety after a series of incidents involving low-flying drones in restricted areas around major Chinese airports this year.

Since 2015, the civil UAV industry has taken off and is expected to grow to 11 billion yuan in 2018, a report released by Analysys International, a consultancy in Beijing, revealed.

Up to 390,000 commercial drones were in operation last year in a range of sectors, including mineral exploration, traffic administration, disaster surveillance and agriculture.

Licensing UAV operators, or pilots, has become a priority, fueling demand for training schools with a variety of organizations springing up.

Last year, DJI established its UTC program in Shenzhen, Beijing and Shanghai, as well as another 60 cities.

The country's largest commercial drone manufacturer accounts for almost 70 percent of market share worldwide with Europe and North America its biggest customers.

Founded in 2006, Shenzhen-based DJI has been a remarkable success story.

"In the past 10 years we were always thinking about how to optimize the operational experience of drones and never stopped updating the products in either their appearance or function," said Frank Wang, founder and CEO of the company.

"We hope users can tell an aerial photography story in an unprecedented way."

At its UTC centers, budding "pilots" undergo customized flight education and training for various industries, with safety procedures a crucial part of the program.

"We have more than 200 professional instructors across the country," said Zhu Linrui, deputy general manager of UTC.

"Seventy-four branch schools have been built and 6,500 drone operators were trained during the past year, which contributes greatly to the industrial application of UAVs," he added.

Training courses include aerial photography and filmmaking, agriculture, security, and surveying and mapping.

Each program consists of theoretical knowledge, flight operations and industrial applications, while costs range from 1,980 yuan to about 10,000 yuan.

Prices tend to vary depending on drone types and the length of individual courses, which are usually between four to 10 days.

UTC also operates with two independent partners, the General Aviation Committee of the China Air Transportation Association and the Aviation Service Education and Training Committee of China Adult Education Association.

They conduct tests and certify trainees following graduation.

"After that, graduates can work in various industries such as agriculture, aerial photography, filmmaking or security work," Zhu said.

"With the rapid development of drone technologies, training has become a vital part of the industrial chain," he added.

Data from research firm International Data Corp, or IDC, showed camera UAV shipments in China are expected to rise to three million units by 2019, compared to around 390,000 last year.

Naturally, salary packages for drone operators are rising. They can reach 30,000 yuan a month, according to media reports, while specialized operators of sophisticated, industry-level UAVs can pull in up to 15,000 yuan a day.

"The drone industry is an emerging sector," Zhu said. "We need the right teachers to improve operational standards. We must bring them along."

Graduate Xu admitted the program changed his life.

Now, he can earn 5,000 yuan for one shoot. "I have been invited to photograph many events, such as marathons," he said.

In response to the rapid development of the UAV industry, universities have rolled out departments and courses related to the sector.

Beihang University, previously known as Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, has already established an unmanned aircraft systems and engineering department, with an emphasis on scientific research and management.

Other educational institutions, such as Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) and Northwestern Polytechnical University, have set up similar departments or courses.

Indeed, NUAA has devoted millions of dollars to support drone research and encourage students to participate in UAV-related competitions.

"The majority of training schools focus on industry-level drones, which have a higher demand when it comes to technology," said Pan Xuefei, a senior analyst at IDC.

But then establishing specialized training schools will be beneficial in developing the industry, she added, pointing out that the sector has a bright future.

http://china.org.cn/business/2017-10/26/content_41795816.htm

 

[TaiShang]

Dec 22, 2017 07:04 PM

Drone-Maker DJI Irks Rivals With Low-Price Models
By Li Liuqian and Coco Feng

DJI leads the world in consumer drone sales, with a global market share of 70%. But the company was a latecomer to agricultural devices, with its first launch in March 2016. Photo: Visual China

The world’s top seller of consumer unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has released updated versions of its agricultural drone, with price tags low enough to draw the ire of competitors for “disturbing the industry.”

Shenzhen-based DJI Technology Co. Ltd. launched two new versions of a drone used for agricultural purposes, such as spraying pesticides on crops — which the firm will market at a 12% lower cost compared to the previous model, released in November last year.

Rivals argued that resultant price wars could weaken the ability of companies in the industry to provide post-sales services — such as instructing customers on the use of the devices.

A representative from an agricultural drone maker in Wuxi, in East China’s Jiangsu province, told Caixin that DJI has made a huge impact on the sector. The representative said that some customers have said that the money they spent on one of the Wuxi company’s products could be used to purchase three to four DJI drones.

But the company makes oil-fueled drones, which are typically more expensive than electric UVAs such as the DJI ones.

“Drones for agricultural care are not only about the devices and their prices,” said Zhou Guoqiang, general manager of smaller rival Anyang Quanfeng Aviation Plant Protection Technology Co. Ltd. “The future of the industry will focus on the performance and efficiency of drones.”

DJI leads the world in consumer drone sales, with a global market share of 70%. But the company was a latecomer to agricultural devices, with its first launch in March 2016. It has adopted a price-reduction strategy for its newer versions, with the cost of the latest model dropping to 29,999 yuan ($4,500) from the initial cost of 52,999 yuan.

In the agricultural drone sector, the company had a market share of nearly 70% in China by November, according to DJI. But the company hasn’t yet turned a profit, Chen Tao, who is in charge of DJI agriculture UAV sales in China, told Caixin.

 

[TaiShang]

Chinese drone manufacturer DJI opens retail shop in Budapest, Hungary
Xinhua | Updated: 2018-04-08 10:49

Customers queue outside the first authorized retail shop of Chinese drone manufacturer DJI on its opening day in Budapest, Hungary, on April 7, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

Customers are seen in the first authorized retail shop of Chinese drone manufacturer DJI on its opening day in Budapest, Hungary, on April 7, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201804/08/WS5ac98326a3105cdcf6516ab7_2.html

 

[TaiShang]

Drone Guinness record broken above Chinese ancient city wall

By Guo Meiping
2018-05-02

A record-breaking fleet of 1,374 drones danced over the City Wall of Xi’an, in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, during the May Day Festival, making a new Guinness World Record.

Launched by the City Wall of Xi’an, the drones taking part in the challenge were provided by EHANG Egret, a drone manufacturer in China. The show was awarded the Guinness World Record title for “Most Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) airborne simultaneously,” breaking Intel’s previous record of 1,218 drones at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

During the 13 minute show, the drones took off from the narrow and long city wall, created a huge curtain of lights measuring over 1,200 meters in length and 100 meters in width. The display could be seen 260 meters above the wall.

Xi’an’s city flower, formed by the drone fleet /EHANG Egret Photo

Sixteen patterns and Chinese traditional icons such as the Xi’an City Wall, the Silk Road, and the number 1374 were created by the fleet during the light show.

A challenging task

Differing from traditional manually controlled drones, EHANG Egret’s intelligent drone formation command cloud system enables independent planning and real-time monitoring, as well as smart dispatching of the UAVs flight task and light effects.

“We have 1,374 drones for the show, each additional drone adds more difficulty,” Shi Zheyuan, CEO of EHANG Egret, told CGTN before the show.

“Precise localization is crucial to the show, if one drone went off its route and collapsed with those around it, the show would be ruined,” Shi said. “Signal interference from mobile devices of over 100,000 live audience members also adds difficulty to the challenge.”

Guinness World Records notary Wu Xiaohong weights drones before the challenge. /EHANG Egret Photo

According to Guinness World Records notary Wu Xiaohong, the record is based on the number of drones airborne simultaneously. All drones must be standard, fixed wings are not accepted. The maximum weight of each drone is 20 kilograms.

“All the drones must be in the air simultaneously for more than one minute,” said Wu. “During that minute, if any drone can't perform the job, that drone will be deducted from the total number.”

A mixture of technology and culture

The 1,374 drones represent the lengths of the 13.74-kilometer City Wall of Xi’an, which is the largest and best preserved ancient city wall in the country.

The drone light show will be performed regularly above the City Wall of Xi’an. /EHANG Egret Photo

The fleet also symbolizes the 74 countries joining China’s Belt and Road Initiative, with Xi’an historically being the starting point via its Silk Road to the western world.

According to Shi, the drone light show will be performed regularly above the City Wall of Xi’an. “Besides embracing the rich history and culture of Xi’an, visitors can also experience the charm of technology,” said Shi.

**

I share this to make DJI jealous.

@GS Zhou , @qwerrty , @cirr , @AndrewJin

 

[qwerrty]

Drone Guinness record broken above Chinese ancient city wall

By Guo Meiping
2018-05-02

A record-breaking fleet of 1,374 drones danced over the City Wall of Xi’an, in northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, during the May Day Festival, making a new Guinness World Record.

Launched by the City Wall of Xi’an, the drones taking part in the challenge were provided by EHANG Egret, a drone manufacturer in China. The show was awarded the Guinness World Record title for “Most Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) airborne simultaneously,” breaking Intel’s previous record of 1,218 drones at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

During the 13 minute show, the drones took off from the narrow and long city wall, created a huge curtain of lights measuring over 1,200 meters in length and 100 meters in width. The display could be seen 260 meters above the wall.

Xi’an’s city flower, formed by the drone fleet /EHANG Egret Photo

Sixteen patterns and Chinese traditional icons such as the Xi’an City Wall, the Silk Road, and the number 1374 were created by the fleet during the light show.

A challenging task

Differing from traditional manually controlled drones, EHANG Egret’s intelligent drone formation command cloud system enables independent planning and real-time monitoring, as well as smart dispatching of the UAVs flight task and light effects.

“We have 1,374 drones for the show, each additional drone adds more difficulty,” Shi Zheyuan, CEO of EHANG Egret, told CGTN before the show.

“Precise localization is crucial to the show, if one drone went off its route and collapsed with those around it, the show would be ruined,” Shi said. “Signal interference from mobile devices of over 100,000 live audience members also adds difficulty to the challenge.”

Guinness World Records notary Wu Xiaohong weights drones before the challenge. /EHANG Egret Photo

According to Guinness World Records notary Wu Xiaohong, the record is based on the number of drones airborne simultaneously. All drones must be standard, fixed wings are not accepted. The maximum weight of each drone is 20 kilograms.

“All the drones must be in the air simultaneously for more than one minute,” said Wu. “During that minute, if any drone can't perform the job, that drone will be deducted from the total number.”

A mixture of technology and culture

The 1,374 drones represent the lengths of the 13.74-kilometer City Wall of Xi’an, which is the largest and best preserved ancient city wall in the country.

The drone light show will be performed regularly above the City Wall of Xi’an. /EHANG Egret Photo

The fleet also symbolizes the 74 countries joining China’s Belt and Road Initiative, with Xi’an historically being the starting point via its Silk Road to the western world.

According to Shi, the drone light show will be performed regularly above the City Wall of Xi’an. “Besides embracing the rich history and culture of Xi’an, visitors can also experience the charm of technology,” said Shi.

**

I share this to make DJI jealous.

@GS Zhou , @qwerrty , @cirr , @AndrewJin

the software is the real sh1t there. those drones are junk

 

[TaiShang]

May 14, 2018 06:40 PM

Quick Take: Drone-Maker DJI Makes Pact With Chemical Giant DowDuPont

By Li Liuxi and Mo Yelin

Photo: VCG

DJI Technology Co. Ltd., the world’s largest drone-maker, has partnered with U.S. chemical giant DowDuPont Inc. to set standards for agricultural drones.

This tie-up marks the latest case of global players forming alliances with DJI, the dominant player in the country’s booming agricultural drone market.

The standards were unveiled at a media event on Friday in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. They are the product of collaboration between the agricultural business departments of DJI and DowDuPont. DowDuPont was created through a merger of Dow and DuPont in August and is the world's largest chemical company in terms of sales.

https://www.caixinglobal.com/2018-0...-with-chemical-giant-dowdupont-101249438.html

 

[cirr]

Postal business soars with help of drones

Source: Xinhua| 2018-05-15 20:07:41|Editor: ZX

GUIYANG, May 15 (Xinhua) -- Yang Daxue gets up early and goes to the post office in town to watch the drone take off.

"I have only seen it on television, and I never expected that we would use drones to deliver mail here," said Yang, a shop owner in Weicheng Township, in Qingzhen City of southwest China's Guizhou Province. "It flies and delivers mail really quickly."

Weicheng in Guizhou is surrounded by lush green mountains making transport in the area very difficult.

To make mail delivery easier, local postal authorties have resorted to drones to help with mail delivery for Yingyan, Yinqiao, Maixiang, Xingguang and Lianhuasi, five of the most remote villages of the town, as part of the pilot program.

The multi-rotor drone, more than a meter in diameter, consists of six propellers. A green box, bearing the China Post logo is lodged underneath the aircraft.

Taking off every Monday and Thursday, the drone is capable of transporting newspapers, letters and packages up to a total of 4.4 kilograms with a single battery charge.

Many residents in the township have never seen a drone, and every flight draws a big crowd.

The unmanned aircraft's takeoff and landing spot is located on the rooftop of the China Post branch in Weicheng, operated by Wang Hua, a postman at the branch.

"In the past, sending letters to these five villages could take a whole day," Wang said.

Although the villages is not very far away from the branch in terms of distance, Wang said his deliveries on motorcycle were often delayed by dangerous traffic conditions such as steep paths and sharp bends in the road.

"Not to mention getting covered with ice during the winter and getting muddy on rainy days," he said.

"Such deliveries have been shortened to less than two hours thanks to the drone, which follows designed routes and is operated via a smartphone application," Wang said.

Wang now lays a red-and-blue parking apron on the ground, loads the drone with mail and parcels, scans the QR code on the drones battery and on the aircraft with his smartphone, and taps the "launch" button before the drone takes off.

According to Wang, technicians with the drone's manufacturer in the eastern province of Zhejiang monitor and measure the real-time wind speed at the back-end. In the case of weather disruption, the drone will deviate from the route, land at a pre-arranged place and return automatically.

At a maximum speed of 12 meters per second, the drone is capable of flying up to 100 meters above the ground within 10 seconds, and takes slightly more than one hour to finish its route.

To finish the set route with the 10-minute flight distance from one village to another, the battery needs to be replaced with a fully charged one when the drone arrives in each village, "like a relay," Wang said.

A WeChat group has been established so that the drone's caretakers from the five villages can inform each other about its whereabouts.

Wen Bing is one of the drone's caretakers in Yingyan Village. Upon receiving the takeoff notice, she checks the real-time flight position on her smartphone, and lays out the parking apron on the village square.

After the aircraft lands, she quickly takes out the mail and parcels, loads the drone with a fully charged battery, and scans the QR codes before the drone flies to its next destination.

The drone usually delivers newspapers and letters to Wen, but pairs of shoes are occasionally sent by villagers working in other provinces. "It would take two hours to walk to the township and fetch them if it were not for the drone," she said.

The branch post office offers postal services to more than 80,000 people living in 30 villages in the townships of Weicheng and Anliu with only three postmen, said Chen Zhongxiang, postmaster of the branch.

Chen, whose father was also a postman of the township, is glad to see that the drone guarantees the safety of both the postmen and mail, while reducing the postmen's workload.

"I remember as a kid, my father would often go out to deliver mail for days, whether it was rainy or windy," Chen said. "At that time, postmen like my father walked or rode on horses to send mail."

Chen was a postman for seven years himself, so he can relate to the postmen.

"We might add more flights if the pilot program goes well, but the traditional ways of postal delivery have not yet been replaced due to the drone's payload limitation," Chen said.

"My biggest wish is that the drone can deliver heavier packages," said Wen Bing, the drone caretaker. "I hope that with the drone, online shopping will be much more convenient for the villagers."

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-05/15/c_137181039.htm

 

[TaiShang]

Beyond hovering camera: Chinese drone makers explore new business battleground


By Jiang Jie (People's Daily Online) 15:56, June 15, 2018


With its propellers churning the spring air, a drone hums through the hustle and bustle of a once earthquake-stricken Beichuan county in southwest China’s Sichuan province, scanning newly-erected buildings with a tilted camera. Nobody stops to look at it, but the white genie is guarding the region, preventing the disaster that took thousands of lives ten years ago from hitting again.

With its collected images, a 3D city model was built to undergo earthquake simulation, so as to pinpoint the region’s most vulnerable areas in the new earthquake prevention system, jointly set up by several institutes including China Earthquake Administration, Tsinghua University and Chengdu JOUAV Dapeng Tech Co, whose CW-30 “Dapeng” UAV platform served as the white genie in the air this March.

(Photo courtesy of Chengdu JOUAV Dapeng Tech Co)

Like CW-30 “Dapeng,” industrial drones are taking off in China to stun the world with new functions beyond the age-old skills of plane surveying and pesticide sprinkling. Together with the commercial and military drones epitomized by DJI and CASC “rainbow” series, Chinese drone industry has witnessed skyrocketing growth.

According to IDC estimation, the civilian market for drones in China is expected to reach 60 billion yuan ($9.3 billion) by 2019, while the global market is projected at $25.9 billion by 2020, news.qq.com reported.

All the prosperity brings ecstasy as well as concerns for drone makers to contemplate on the long-existing question: who else needs drones and how to serve them?

The newer, the merrier

To Huang Guoqin, a marketing manager with the JOUAV Dapeng, the question has become more pressing after the company pioneered the nation’s first drone-based dropsonde meteorological observations this May in east China’s Anhui province, which China Meteorological Administration hailed as a landmark achievement to launch a new era of technology.

In addition to the March experiment, the company is also leading the nation’s pilot trial to use drones for highway network patrol, which was already tested in Shanghai, she revealed in an interview with People’s Daily at the opening of 9th UAV Show China 2018 on June 13.

(Photo courtesy of Chengdu JOUAV Dapeng Tech Co)

The three-day event was jointly organized by the China Center for Aerospace Science Technology International Communications and the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems of China.

“Unlike commercial and military drones whose markets have provided them with a clear demand, the industrial-level drones are left in void. Both we and our customers are groping our way to find each other,” Huang said.

Su Yuran, a project manager with Beijing-based Efly Technology, enjoys his long and sometimes clueless contemplation over the who-is-next question, looking to expand the company’s leading position beyond oil pipeline patrol business.

“The more we think and the more people join the discussion of who is next, the more open companies and industries become. When more business want to try drones, we receive easier access to test our aircraft and technology,” Su told People’s Daily.

What came amid the welcoming businesses was ineligible drone companies, seeking to make profits in the disturbance, as the bulky industry did not have an access mechanism until recently.

The nation’s regulation on drone flight for commercial purpose only began to take effect on June 1. The same day, an online management system on drone operation permit was also launched to recognize drone makers with national certifications for the first time. Both measures are expected to help cleanse the industry for healthier development.

(Visitors look at drones on exhibition at UAV Show 2018 in Beijing on June 13. Photo: Jiang Jie/People's Daily Online)

From the world, to the world

“Chinese companies are creative and have strong executive power. Like ‘Dapeng,’ it may look crude but it is very durable. Each load change for different missions is a new test on the drone and all the tests under different occasions have proven our reliability. This is where we hold our advantage in international market,” Huang said.

Chinese companies no doubt prevail in drone manufacturing and application, whose products are exceptionally popular in developing countries where drone application rate remains low, but fall short in research and development for new function and loads, Su observed.

However, with the advancement of Chinese technology in other fields such as AI and 5G communication, Chinese drone makers are expected to catch up in new design to surprise the world.

Su, specifically, looks to develop tonnage-level freight drones, which will be beneficial to delivery industry. He also mulls to use the new technologies in the drone loads. “A drone can be more than a hovering camera. It will be exceptionally popular if it can also identify objects in its images and automatically track them down,” Su said with anticipation.

 

[TaiShang]

DJI releases portable handheld camera

(Xinhua) 13:58, November 30, 2018

BEIJING, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese commercial drone manufacturer DJI released a new portable handheld camera built in its smallest three-axis gimbal, reported the China Daily Friday.

Dubbed Osmo Pocket, the 116-gram gadget is priced at 349 U.S. dollars and capable of 4K video shooting, with features such as intelligent shooting and object tracking similar to DJI's latest drone series, the China Daily said.

"Innovation is at the heart of every product we create and we hope the camera can help capture creative videos and photographs," said Luo Zhenhua, president of DJI, a Shenzhen-based consumer drone giant claiming nearly 70 percent of the world's consumer drone market.

Confronted with a relatively slow growth in Chinese consumer drone market, DJI is now targeting the booming market of photography and video industry, the company said.

http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/1130/c90000-9523885.html

@qwerrty , @AndrewJin