The future of DJI in the USA

[lookout]

Any 107 pilot that works in film production that chooses to leave their equipment on a grip or camera truck shouldn’t be working in that industry.

 

[ericole]

There's such an anti China paranoia in the US it's unbelievable. Just watch FOX and CNN, and someone's always bashing China. I have a Huawei phone I bought in 2018, and it still works great, but the new ones don't have android. Huawei and DJI and Tiktok are all harmless, but the politicians can't bash them enough. I'm glad I live in the Philippines!

There is serious reason for the anti-China sentiment. They are a totalitarian govt that oppresses and even tortures their own people. They can undercut ANY market they decide to go after because the govt can set the labor rates or fund the industry to make them beat anyone else in terms of price. They have stolen most of the tech they have from the US and European countries then built from there. They have even infiltrated some US schools with a program that seeks to promote China in positive ways, ignoring the realities of their repressive regime. China is literally the #1 enemy of the US today, so much so that Russia is a distant second. They are the pacing threat, and through technology they have made great strides in undercutting the advantage of the west in many areas.

 

[Spartan Drones]

If they were so worried about security, then give up your iphones and androids. They go everywhere a drone cant. Besides, with all the spying going on every side already has all the information already.

 

[netfolks2000]

One of them is Skydio. I’m actually working with one of their birds on a project.

After Skydio and Autel there aren't many except a few for agriculture. And if you look at the label on all those many other consumer drones carefully you'll see "Made in China."

 

[Meta4]

After Skydio and Autel there aren't many

Autel's head office is just down the road from DJI in Shenzen (China).
Autel is as Chinese as DJI.

 

[Solsearcher]

One of them is Skydio. I’m actually working with one of their birds on a project.

Well, that's one...shouldn't there be at least I dunno...10 more or so to justify the word "many"? lol

 

[Droning on and on...]

One of them is Skydio. I’m actually working with one of their birds on a project.

Yes, and Skydio has failed. Exiting consumer market.

Why?

Speaking for myself, but I suspect there are a lot of other people like me... I almost bought one. But I didn't. I made the decision after attending a Skydio event and flying the Skydio 2.

It sucked as a hobby drone. It was awkward to fly. Features were weak.The RC experience was horrible. The app is amateur.

Skydio, for whatever reason, did not take any lessons from the most successful drone offering out there. They instead poured everything into their niche – obstacle avoidance and autonomous cinematic flying – to produce the champion Sports Action follower camera in the world.

And a piece of crap for flying for the sake of flying, or taking your own pictures and video.

Skydio had a shot. They were in the big stores. DJI only had anything to do with their failure by simply producing a much better product.

If Skydio had, instead, produced a functional Air 2 clone but with Skydio 360 OA cameras and Skydio tracking abilities, I would have bought one. I don't think I'm alone.

 

[Droning on and on...]

You must have a very small truck.

I always have a backup drone, sometimes 3, chairs, canopy, tables, cooler, etc...

...BBQ, smoker, portable fire pit, inflatable kidde pool, mini-fridge, 2 Bocci Ball sets, volley ball net, inflatable fishing boat, compressor, table saw, gas leaf blower, 50lbs of two-penny nails, 2x4's of various lengths.

Ya gotta be prepared at a remote job site...

 

[mavic3usa]

Yes, and Skydio has failed. Exiting consumer market.

Why?

Speaking for myself, but I suspect there are a lot of other people like me... I almost bought one. But I didn't. I made the decision after attending a Skydio event and flying the Skydio 2.

It sucked as a hobby drone. It was awkward to fly. Features were weak.The RC experience was horrible. The app is amateur.

Skydio, for whatever reason, did not take any lessons from the most successful drone offering out there. They instead poured everything into their niche – obstacle avoidance and autonomous cinematic flying – to produce the champion Sports Action follower camera in the world.

And a piece of crap for flying for the sake of flying, or taking your own pictures and video.

Skydio had a shot. They were in the big stores. DJI only had anything to do with their failure by simply producing a much better product.

If Skydio had, instead, produced a functional Air 2 clone but with Skydio 360 OA cameras and Skydio tracking abilities, I would have bought one. I don't think I'm alone.

Nothing wrong with Skydio when it comes to taking cinematic video (first 3 videos). Few years ago when the Skydio was doing this (last videos), no DJI was capable, not even close:

 

[Droning on and on...]

Capable of shooting cinematic video to rival the Skydio? In full control of the pilot, not tracking? I disagree. The Mavic 2 Pro was more than capable. I (and others) would say the M2P a superior solution over the Skydio 2 for everything but fully automated, dramatic cinematic tracking.

On the latter, nothing compares to the Skydio 2. So if the best cinematic tracking footage is what I needed, I would have bought a Skydio 2 years ago.

I spent those $$ on an M2P instead. I'm not alone.

 

[lookout]

Just where did the Chinese get their technological advancements?

 

[mavic3usa]

Just where did the Chinese get their technological advancements?

If you are talking about the tech advancement they use in their factories, I don't think they are copying US factories.

Are you saying Taiwan semi-conductor successes are not their own?

 

[lookout]

If you are talking about the tech advancement they use in their factories, I don't think they are copying US factories.

Are you saying Taiwan semi-conductor successes are not their own?

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Droning on and on...]

Sigh...Can't you at least reference a reputable newspaper?

 

[lookout]

I'm having trouble understanding if you're just stubborn, or just disillusioned. Perhaps a combination of both. I'm not saying this to be insulting, rather more of a commentary/observation. You have ideas and thoughts and share them here as though they are facts. They are not. They are what you "think" is reality, or perhaps what you believe to be true. Walmart absolutely decides what goes on their shelves, no one else does! Most product manufacturers with enough margin built into their products would kill to have them on Walmart shelves. But the caveat here is "with enough margin", because Walmart beats up ALL distributors and manufacturers on their pricing and many distributors and manufacturers just can't afford to sell to Walmart at the prices Walmart dictates. Read that again..."at the prices WALMART DICTATES".

Does marketing influence us? Absolutely! But "influence" is a far cry from making any of us decide whether we want a DJI drone, or some other of "the many US drone manufacturers" you think exist.

Droning on and on is exactly correct...retailers stock their shelves with what they believe will sell. Sure, sometimes new products have some trouble getting a foot in the door, but the moment a retailer knows what is selling, it's game on.

Lastly, your example of video games with MS and PlayStation is yet another poor example. First, it's Sony, not PlayStation. PlayStation is just a Sony product. Secondly, while MS (16 billion $ - USA) and Sony (28 billion $ - Japan) are the top two biggest video game companies, there are also TenCent Holdings (14 billion $ - China), Nintendo (almost 14 billion $ - Japan), Activision / Blizzard almost 8 billion $ - USA), Electronic Arts (7 billion $ - USA), Epic Games (6 billion $ - USA) and the list goes on....

Isn't price fixing illegal?

 

[mavic3usa]

Isn't price fixing illegal?

Is this what you are referring to?

Price fixing is an agreement (written, verbal, or inferred from conduct) among competitors to raise, lower, maintain, or stabilize prices or price levels.

 

[Solsearcher]

Isn't price fixing illegal?

Yes, but where do you see price fixing in what I said?
Price Fixing - "Illegal price fixing occurs whenever two or more competitors agree to take actions to raise, lower, maintain, or stabilize the price of any product or service."

 

[lookout]

Yes, but where do you see price fixing in what I said?
Price Fixing - "Illegal price fixing occurs whenever two or more competitors agree to take actions to raise, lower, maintain, or stabilize the price of any product or service."

The prices Walmart dictates.

 

[Droning on and on...]

The prices Walmart dictates.

What competitor is Walmart colluding with to fix prices?

There's nothing illegal (or unethical, IMO) about either a retailer, or supplier dictating prices. Either party can refuse, and not sell the product through that retailer.

Either party will – wisely – use whatever leverage they have to influence that agreement. Walmart has a lot. So does DJI.

What this boils down to really is simply juvenile whining on your part because you have little leverage.

You could change that, but it's far more work than most people are willing to do.

 

[Solsearcher]

The prices Walmart dictates.

Um, can you please read the description of what exactly "price fixing" is, and revise your answer? To further elaborate, the example I gave is the price Walmart dictates with respect to Walmart's PURCHASE price of products...not the price they sell at.

Many manufacturers have what's called MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) which means no retailers can advertise that product for less than the MAP. They CAN sell for less than MAP, but can't advertise it.

That's why you'll often see products listed everywhere for the exact same price. That is NOT price fixing.