The Kathmandu Post reports that drone manufacturer DJI is set to expand in Latin America – focused on the commercial sector.
The Chinese manufacturer is the undisputed global leader in the consumer drone market, with estimates of their market share ranging from 50% to a whopping 70%. Increasingly, DJI’s drones have entered the prosumer market- and in Latin America, the industrial market is expected to be the biggest boost to sales. “We have seen notable growth of clients in the market segment for inspections of electrical and telephone lines, and also in agriculture,” the Post quotes DJI’s regional director Manuel Martinez.
DJI introduced offices in Latin America only last year, which means that the regions sales are still low compared with China, Europe and the US. But Martinez expects that Latin American sales will soon catch up, driven by the more profitable commercial sector. “We know that the business sector will be the marketsegment with the largest growth in Latin America. Compared with China, the United States and Asia, where sales are driven more by the recreational segment, the corporate sector accounts for some 97 percent of drone sales in Latin America,” said Martinez.
High tax burdens put recreational drones out of reach of most consumers in Latin America, but the high ROI for industry, combined with comparatively relaxed regulations has led to widespread adoption of drone technology.
In addition to DJI’s prosumer drone products, often used as part of precision agriculture packages, the manufacturer has developed a line of crop spraying drones that can be used in Latin America to augment crop spraying by airplane.
Uruguay, Brazil, and other countries in the region are rushing to attract the industry and make use of drone technology by enacting flexible regulations. Uruguay is the first country in the region to have a specific state policy with regards to drones.
While recreational drones may not be the hottest trend in Rio de Janeiro, the DJI presence may soon make commercial drones a familiar sight in the region.
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
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I’m not sure DJI is *really* doing as it says. I bought a Mavic Pro in November 2016 and still waiting for it. The same could be said about spare parts for P3 (all versions) and P4. If those consumer models are not covered imagine how difficult it is to give support for industrial or professional series…