Drone maker denies Chinese market exit

Gao Junya China Plus Published: 2017-05-21 15:37:35
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DJI's statement as it appeared on Sina Weibo, denying reports of exiting the Chinese market. [Photo: weibo.com]

DJI's statement as it appeared on Sina Weibo, denying reports of exiting the Chinese market. [Photo: weibo.com]

China's drone maker DJI-Innovations is denying reports that it's pulling out of the Chinese market.

The Shenzhen-based drone giant issued a statement on China's social media platform Sina Weibo on May 20, rejecting suggestions it was planning to move its business and headquarters abroad after the Chinese authorities' tightened rules clamping down on unregulated private drone use.

DJI says it has been closely following the debate on the dangers posed by drones and has worked out practical ways to avoid the security risks.

The company also says it's going to hold a news conference in the coming days to further elaborate on the issue.

A DJI Phantom drone. [Photo: dji.com]

A DJI Phantom drone. [Photo: dji.com]

DJI is the world's largest drone manufacturer, with 70% of the global consumer drone market. Over 80 % of its drones are sold overseas.

China released a raft of new rules to crack down on unregulated private drone use on May 16, in reaction to a spate of disruptive drone incidents.

Private UAV operators will have to register to use their drones between June 1 and August 31, 2017. [Photo: fsop.caac.gov.cn]

Private UAV operators will have to register to use their drones between June 1 and August 31, 2017. [Photo: fsop.caac.gov.cn]

Under the new regulations, all privately operated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in China with a maximum takeoff weight of over 250 grams must be registered, using real names, between June 1 and August 31.

Real-name registration was first initiated in 2015. 

The process was accelerated following several cases of disruption to flights at airports across the country caused by drones being flown too close to airport runways.

In April, civil flights in Chengdu, Hangzhou, Dalian, Nanjing and Shanghai were disrupted by drones on several occasions, with nine cases at Chengdu Shuangliu Airport alone, causing 34 flights to be canceled and 112 flights turned back or sent to alternative airports.  

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