Yuneec Looks to Crack Mass Market with the Breeze Drone

Yuneec today announced a new, low cost drone, the Breeze, targeted squarely at the consumer market. This is Yuneec’s effort to tap into a broader mass market with a product that is easier to use and less price prohibitive than their Typhoon. It is a space that is seeing a lot of development and yet to see a winner. Could this be it?

To date drones targeted at consumers have been flying toys, racing drones, or fairly sophisticated aerial cameras that require skill both to fly and produce good images. There are several companies that have taken a stab at making the flying easier. Airdog and Hexo+ both have drones aimed at relieving users of the need to operate by having pre-programmed, autonomous flight paths (e.g. orbit, follow me, etc). However, these are still fairly high priced (~$999 plus cost of camera.) Just last week PowerVision announced the PowerEgg. Other targeted at this market include Parrot’s Disco. And still others that have been promoted but have yet to take off, most noticeably the Lily.

Now there is the Breeze which Yuneec calls “the ultimate flying camera.” It is controlled via mobile device, has five flights modes and is capable of seamlessly sharing output on social media channels. Here is the kicker – the suggested retail price of $499.99. That is competitive.

As with the PowerEgg, Airdog, and others looking to tackle this space, the Breeze has a compact size making it easier to transport. It is designed to fly both indoors and out and is “intuitively” controlled by either an iOS or Android mobile device using the “Breeze Cam” APP. The app enables users to download the aerial photos and videos instantly and share across their favorite social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram and Whatsapp.

“With the popularity of selfies at an all-time high, we set out to create the ultimate, user-friendly flying camera which allows people to take their photos to new heights,” said Tian Yu, chief executive officer of Yuneec International. “The Breeze includes the Ultra HD and flight mode capabilities of our top end drones, and because of its size and ease of use, the Breeze seamlessly integrates into just about any activity, whether it’s a first time outdoor adventure or yearly gathering with friends and family.”

The Breeze is blowing into town just in time for the holidays. Let’s see how it plays.

For more information visit yuneec.com.