The movie "Operation Mekong" was released during the National Day holiday, featuring drones . As a woman working in the security industry, while I was terrified by the movie's special effects, this "little dragonfly" caught my attention. In the film, the drones possessed the "special abilities" of quickly mapping target areas and blocking walkie-talkie signals. In reality, the drone industry has also become a rising star, constantly topping tech trending lists. Several companies have launched new products, vying to "take to the skies." With drones so popular and becoming a market "darling," how can trendy drone enthusiasts properly operate them?
The consequences of unauthorized aircraft flights are very serious.
When discussing drones, the term "black flight" inevitably comes up. What is a "black flight"? Officially, it refers to unregistered flights, which are inherently dangerous. In China, any flight without permission from the Civil Aviation Administration of China or relevant departments is prohibited. On January 12th, around 2 PM, an aerial advertising "airship" suddenly crashed onto a high-voltage power line on Minshan Road, Section 2, in Deyang City, Sichuan Province. It immediately caught fire and exploded, causing a power outage for over 3,000 nearby users. Deng Ting, deputy director of the Deyang Meteorological Bureau, stated in an interview that the airship activity had not been reported to the meteorological department and constituted an illegal takeoff. Within the industry, this is known as a "black flight."
In China, regulating unauthorized flights presents certain difficulties. According to the "Interim Regulations on the Management of Pilots of Civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems" issued by the Civil Aviation Administration of China in November 2013, only drones that meet three conditions—operating indoors, flying within a radius of 5004 meters within the visual line of sight of the pilot or observer and at a relative altitude of less than 120 meters, with a mass of less than 7 kg, and conducting tests in sparsely populated or open non-densely populated areas—do not require a license to fly. Therefore, "7 kg" and "120 meters" seem to be considered the "watershed" between whether a drone can fly freely.
Drones are restricted from flying during large-scale events and other situations.
From October 12th to 18th, the highly anticipated 2016 National Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation Week will be held at the Shenzhen Nanshan Software Industry Base. From 12:00 to 18:00 on October 12th, the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau prohibits the use of drones and other low-altitude, slow-moving, small-sized aircraft within the main venue area and a 3-kilometer radius of the Software Industry Base. Flights at other times must also be reported.
During the G20 Hangzhou Summit that concluded in September, the Zhejiang Provincial Government also issued a "no-fly order": from September 1st to September 6th, small aircraft and airborne objects were prohibited from flying or being released in certain administrative areas, with exceptions for activities legally approved for television broadcasting, aerial photography, police work, emergency rescue, and meteorological observation.
These policies demonstrate that illegal aircraft are prohibited during large-scale events. While the development and application of drone technology have brought much excitement and convenience to people's daily lives, they also pose significant risks. In large-scale events, accidents involving drones can range from endangering the personal safety and property of citizens to seriously compromising territorial airspace and government security. Furthermore, drones and other aircraft are not permitted to fly within air traffic control zones.
Amidst the winds of change, companies vie for opportunities, with a variety of eye-catching new products.
When talking about drones, DJI must be mentioned. In 2011, DJI, based in Shenzhen, China, rose to fame with its Phantom drone. The subsequent release of the Phantom 3 further opened the door to the consumer drone market. It's been said, somewhat exaggeratedly, that there are only two kinds of consumer drones in the world: DJI and everything else. This aptly illustrates DJI's dominant position in the drone industry.
Besides DJI, two other drone manufacturers are worth noting. Huawei launched its drone platform in July 2016, partnering with Shenzhen-based startup Zeusun Technology to develop a series of drone solutions based on Huawei's HiSilicon chips. At this year's IFA exhibition in Germany, Huawei unveiled its new product—the nova. The nova is a unique small quadcopter that, equipped with its own lights, shines like a "shining new star" in the night sky, perfectly embodying the nova's design. The Huawei nova will be officially launched on October 14th at the Chengdu Eastern Suburbs Memory Performing Arts Center, with an expected price of around 2500 yuan.
Hikvision's Eagle series of industrial-grade drones is Hikvision's first foldable quadcopter system. Capable of vertical takeoff and landing on various terrains, it integrates a high-precision three-axis brushless gimbal with a gimbal self-stabilization system and independent attitude measurement sensors, ensuring stable image capture during flight. A high-definition optical zoom sensor allows for clear images of target objects at high altitudes. One-button operation facilitates rapid deployment. Employing digital microwave image transmission and digital frequency hopping transmission technology, it boasts a longer image transmission and control distance compared to ordinary drones, adapting to the needs of mobile, long-distance monitoring.
The business opportunities in the drone market have attracted numerous startups, and as drones enter more new application areas, the potential market for drones is rapidly expanding. The drone market is poised to become a new and highly competitive market.
Summarize
From celebrities using drones for marriage proposals and drones assisting with security at the Rio Olympics, to SF Express and JD.com using drones for delivery, and from drones for aerial photography and surveillance, the wide range of applications for drones is undoubtedly one of the key reasons why both established and emerging manufacturers, large and small, are vying for market share. However, as mentioned at the beginning of this article, while drones bring convenience to our lives, they can also have serious consequences. When promoting drones, manufacturers should not only pay attention to the impact of relevant regulations on their market, but also guide customers to use drones correctly and comply with relevant regulations.
For more information, please follow the Human-Computer Interface channel.
