The drone industry has changed a lot over the last few years, and it’s due in large part to the manufacturers continually putting out new models. As the models become more advanced, so too grows the possibilities of what we can do with them.
To see where the industry might be headed, we can look to the companies themselves. In particular, to some of the top drone companies producing camera drones. We’ve rounded up four drone companies to keep an eye on as we head towards 2017 and beyond. These aren’t the only companies worth keeping an eye on, of course, but they are definitely making some of the biggest moves in the industry.
Which companies are you watching out for in the near future?
1. GoPro
GoPro is just about to enter the market with Karma, their first camera drone. As the top seller of action sports cameras, this was a natural move for them. The only question was when.
With GoPro’s experience, capital, and R&D, they have the potential to make some major waves in the industry. Based on the response GoPro got from Karma, it’s almost guaranteed the company will continue to push out new models in the coming years, coinciding with GoPro’s major selling points: Small, convenient, user-friendly, and powerful.
All of those aspects have been major desires for drone pilots for some time now, and it’s where the industry as a whole is headed. And GoPro could end up being a front-runner.
DJI
DJI is an obvious company to keep an eye on, as it has been spearheading the evolution of the industry for some time now. But DJI recently made an interesting move that could be monumental for how it innovates in the near future.
DJI just released the Mavic Pro, a compact quadcopter with the same features as its Phantom 4. This is important for a few reasons. But it primarily shows that DJI is moving in different directions, away from the Phantom line that has become a standard in the industry.
And according to Yahoo Finance, Mavic Pro could make a major cut into Phantom sales. This means DJI is willing to make drastic changes to its offerings, even if it means losing money on other ones, because the company is confident it’s heading in the right direction.
Yuneec
Yuneec is one of the few companies right on the heels of DJI. Earlier this year, they released the Typhoon H, a direct competitor to the Phantom 4. And it just released Breeze, an ultra-compact drone with a powerful camera that rivals GoPro’s Karma and DJI’s Mavic Pro.
But what’s interesting about Yuneec is how it differentiates itself through other offerings. For example, Yuneec also recently came out with SkyView, a first person view (FPV) headset that’s compatible with the Typhoon H and Tornado H920. It can also be used to watch movies, play games, and more.
As time goes on, I would look out for Yuneec to make a major jump in its drone line technology-wise, but I would also look out for how it differentiates itself through ancillary offerings.
Yuneec SkyView FPV headset
Kespry
Kespry is a manufacturer specializing in aerial mapping and surveying. It’s taking the aerial mapping drone world by storm, and it’s definitely a front-runner in the niche. The Kespry Drone 2.0 comes with some pivotal new features to expand what aerial mappers can do:
- 30 minutes of flight time
- It can cover 150-plus acres of mappable ground area (twice as much as the previous model)
- Automated flight
- Can operate in up to 25 MPH sustained winds and 35 MPH gusts
- It weighs under 2 kilograms, classifying it as a micro drone for regulatory compliance
- Obstacle avoidance
Kespry has taken the best of other drone models and incorporated it into its own drone as a superior tool for a specific task. Many other niche drone companies will probably model their businesses after Kespry’s current and future success.
