2016 was a year of highs and lows for the drone industry. DJI led the way with Mavic Pro, a gadget that made huge improvements on the size and simplicity of a powerful camera drone. It fits into a jacket pocket while delivering four miles of range and advanced autonomous features.
While DJI was climbing to new heights, a lot of its competition stumbled
Unfortunately, while DJI was climbing to new heights, a lot of its competition stumbled badly. 3D Robotics, which last year seemed like the most promising competitor to the throne, more or less abandoned the consumer drone market after its Solo drone delivered disappointing sales. The heavy investment and manufacturing snafus that came with creating this product put 3D Robotics on the ropes.
GoPro was the other big name company based in the US to try its hand at a drone. There was a lot to like about its Karma drone. It offered a package that combined an action camera, handheld stabilizer, and aerial capture system. And it had the marketing muscle and retail experience to move a lot of product. Sadly, when its drones started falling out of the sky, GoPro quickly recalled the Karma.
Drones became a staple prop in YouTube videos and branded experiences
Yuneec, a Chinese startup backed by Intel, managed to put out a unit that could autonomously sense and avoid obstacles, putting it on par with DJI. But its Typhoon H, a bulky, six-rotor aircraft that comes in a massive carrying case, was simple too much, too late, to compete with the smaller, more sophisticated units coming to market from DJI.