April 26, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Drone maker DJI launched a new handy quad-copter, called Mavic Air, in Korea on Jan 25, in a bid to appeal to a broader base of consumers here.

“Although DJI’s sales in Korea nearly tripled in the past two years, there still are customers we have not reached,” said Moon Tae-hyun, chief of DJI Korea, adding that “Mavic Air is aimed at attracting new consumers.”

The Air, weighing 41 percent less than its predecessor Mavic Pro at 430 grams, is just about the size of phablets , such as Apple’s Plus and Samsung Electronics’ Note.

The compact drone, which can fit nicely in the back pocket of a pair of jeans when its wings are folded, is installed with a 4K camera, seven onboard cameras and infrared sensors to detect and avoid obstacles, while a 3-axis gimbal also helps users to shoot videos in a stable manner. It can fly for up to 21 minutes with a single charge -- the longest for drones of a similar size. The 4K flying camera can be controlled with hand gestures. A user can lift the Air by pointing a palm at it within a 6-meter range, and the drone follows the movements of the user’s hand. The Air snaps a selfie when the user does a V sign, with palm faced outward, and making a square with the thumbs and forefingers initiates the video shooting.

The following are excerpts from the Q&A session during the launch event of the Mavic Air at DJI Arena in Yongin, Korea.

Q. Could you give us DJI’s sales figures in Korea?

A. We do not unveil the figures, but sales have tripled in the past two years, and we think there is more room for growth. DJI’s business size has grown as it has launched diverse models. However, there are still many consumers we have not reached. The Mavic Air, which is compact and easy to control, will help us broaden the fan base here.

Q. Do you have any plans to open new flagship stores?

A. The company has been mulling how to expand its sales channels in Korea for the past several months. It is currently in talks with local retailers for partnerships.

Q. What kind of efforts does DJI make to ensure safety?

A. DJI prioritizes the safety of consumers when doing business. The company runs an education program with the Korean government on safety issues. We also think that there need to be government regulations to ensure the safety of the public.

Q. What is your take on drone regulations in Korea?

A. As far as we know, the Korean drone rules are not as strict as those in other nations, such as Japan, China and even the US, so things are not extremely bad for doing a drone business here. The geofencing app, built in DJI’ drones, automatically prevents the quad-copters from flying in prohibited zones, and helps users to comply with local regulations.

Q. Do DJI’s drones have solutions to fend off hacking attempts?

A. For businesses and public organizations, DJI has rolled out a local data mode for the smartphone apps of the drones. The mode disables outside network communications and data sync.

Q. What can fans expect for the next DJI products?

A. DJI builds a new product based on feedback from consumers. The Mavic Air was created based on feedback for its preceding models, such as Mavic Pro and Spark. We are now trying to focus on receiving feedback.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)