Consumer drones are creating a buzz

By Wang Wen (China Daily) Updated: 2015-08-03 07:15

"Cost has been the main driver of growth in this area," Hu Qin, chief editor of World Flight magazine, which specializes in the aviation sector, said. "This came about through cheaper smart chip technology, which makes drones easier to handle. It's hard to crash them now."

Aerial photograph is another reason for the rise in consumer UAVs. Even media professionals are using them to get that "special shot".

"By using a drone you can take very exciting photographs from unusual angles," Hu, who also flies drones, said. "It really is pretty cool."

This segment of the industry is developing fast. One new model UAV that will come on the market next year is Lily Camera, which is built by Lily Robotics, a company hatched in the laboratories of the University of California, Berkeley, in the United States.

Small enough to hold in the palm of your hand, the drone is designed to fly independently by tracking its owner on the ground through a GPS wristband device.

Once in flight, its camera captures 1080/60p HD video and 12MP stills, ideal for amateur photographers.

"It maintains a minimum altitude of 1.75 meters in flight," Digital Photograph Review reported on its website dpreview.com. "The Camera is available internationally for pre-order now for $499. But once it comes out, the price jumps to $999."

These sort of consumer UAVs also appeal to "drone geeks", a growing band of potential customers. Early this year, Leifeng.com, an Internet and smart hardware information platform, organized an aerial competition in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

"Compared with the overseas market, the number of Chinese drone players here is small but it is growing," Zheng Longli, manager of the website's operations center, said. "We had around 50 competitors compared with the hundreds that take part in countries such as the US.

"But then, we didn't promote the tournament, which included fix-point flying and aerial acrobatics. Information was passed on through word of mouth and online," he added.

Consumer drone customers usually live in major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou and are aged between 20 and 40 years old. "They are also affluent," Zheng said. "Although the cost of high-quality drones is coming down, they are still relatively expensive when you purchase a top of the range model."

Another problem is regulation. Small drones weighing just seven kilograms and flying below 120 meters do not require a license. But a permit is needed to operate bigger consumer UAVs.

There are also different regulations in different cities for drones. In Beijing, there is a no-fly zone in most parts of the city inside Six Ring Road, including the three airports.

"That is for safety reasons, but it has also affected the market," Zheng said.

In Shanghai, the areas around the two airports, Hongqiao and Pudong, have been designated as no-fly zones for drones. The same applies to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou.

Still, the sector is projected to grow in the next few years as regulators come out with more detailed information and drone manufacturers factor in safety concerns.

"We believe the number of consumer drones will increase dramatically in the future," Zheng said. "There is a growing market for them in China. They are fun products and easy to fly."