In China, drones, not jets, are the stars

Founded in 2006, DJI has grown to account for more than 70% of the global market, according to Skylogic Research

Need more evidence that China is a global force in technology? Just listen for the low whine of tiny propellers.And look up.

At the World Fly-In Expo, an air show held in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last month, jets, hot air balloons, autogiros and ultralight planes were upstaged by Chinese-made drones.

Remote-controlled flying machines drew crowds at exhibition booths and performed in tight formation, high above the ground. Teams in brightly coloured jackets raced industrial drones and competed in events like delivering parcels and spraying plumes of mock pesticide.

Special drones even helped clear the skies of birds before performances by manned aircraft, using loud blasts of noise. China is the world leader in drones thanks largely to a single company, DJI. Founded in 2006, DJI has grown to account for more than 70 percent of the global market, according to Skylogic Research, a drone research firm.

The privately owned company used cheap prices to cement its market share and is frequently lauded as an example of China’s ability to compete toe to toe with global rivals in the technology sphere. While it does not disclose financial results, it enjoys financial backing from Silicon Valley investors and has access to suppliers and talent in China’s southern manufacturing belt. DJI’s easy-to-fly machines, which can buzz over beaches and hover above scenic mountainscapes, are used by hobbyists and professional photographers alike.

China’s drone economy is not just about selfies and aerial video, however.Drones in China inspect power lines, survey fires and disaster zones, spray crops, and monitor air pollution around factories. In some remote areas, they have delivered packages. Online retailers and logistics companies are aiming to expand drone deliveries by signing more agreements with local governments.

But as DJI courts more industrial customers such as utilities and developers, the company’s drones — and the vast quantities of footage taken by their cameras — have come under scrutiny.

United States customs officials said in a memo this year that D.J.I.’s drones were sending sensitive information about American infrastructure back to China. The report, from the Los Angeles office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau, cited an unnamed source in the drone industry.

DJI — formally named Da Jiang Innovations Science and Technology Company — denied the allegations, saying the memo was “based on clearly false and misleading claims.”

©2017 The New York Times News Service