DJI, a planet leader in the improvement and production of flying drones, is intensively developing its agricultural drone activity, serving young farmers on its home marketplace in China. The company increased the full sales of drones for agriculture 15 times in 5 years, to 300,000 units.
Drones flying over fields and spraying pesticides are an increasingly common sight in agrarian areas of China. These machines usage aerial photos to find flight tracks and can automatically avoid obstacles. The latest models are equipped with 2 sprayers that can apply 18 litres of chemicals per minute.
DJI drones are utilized to work on about a 3rd of Chinese agricultural fields, mainly by large-area farmers aged 30 and 40.
Demand for this technology is increasing, as it meets the common problem of Chinese countryside, which suffers from labour shortages as the Chinese population ages.
With prices of 50 1000 yuan (approx. 27 1000 PLN), DJI drones defeat their competition in this niche. Their acquisition is simply more cost-effective for farmers than for models offered by DJI competitors.
The Chinese company QY investigation predicts that the global agricultural drone marketplace will emergence from around $3.1 billion in 2024 to $9 billion in 2030. DJI is presently a leader with about 30% marketplace share. Meanwhile, Yamaha Motor ranks second with 11% participation.
DJI began selling agricultural drones in 2015. In 2022 this activity was the second largest origin of gross of 30 billion yuan, behind basic drones with cameras.
The company offers extended client support to build long-term relations with young Chinese farmers. It employs about 6000 instructors, whose task is to train retailers to become certified trainers themselves. The company besides has 1,100 repair centers which according to the company can repair 95% of typical harm within no more than six hours from the minute the client reported the failure.
Outside China, DJI records crucial sales of agricultural drones in both Americas, where wheat and maize are the main crops, and in Southeast Asia, mainly for rice cultivation. Australian farmers usage DJI drones to combat weeds in pastures.
Farmers increasing rice in Japan usage DJI drones for sowing as well as for the usage of pesticides and fertilizers. Thanks to these machines, farmers execute field work 5 times faster than the methods utilized so far. Drones are cheaper and easier to usage than specialized machinery, specified as rice planting machines. They are able to execute many tasks autonomously.
Meanwhile, on the another side of the Pacific Ocean, DJI encounters problems in acquiring fresh customers. Washington placed the DJI on the blacklist of companies subject to trade restrictions. The Defence Expenditure Act for fiscal year 2025 adopted by the American home of Representatives in June this year contained restrictions on DJI drones. Apparently, after the legislature examined the bill, these records were removed from it. This is to be the consequence of opposition from users (American farmers). However, it is known that the tightening of policies against Made in China drones will continue.
What will Europe decide in this situation? We'll most likely find out next year.
Source: Nikkei Asia
Editorial: Leszek B.
Email: [email protected]
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