DJI Faces Increased Competition from Skyfish and Other US Drone Producers
Chinese based drone company, DJI, now has some major US competition. One of the prime beneficiaries will likely be Montana-based Skyfish, which is vying to replace DJI as a leading contractor with the US defense establishment while also encroaching on DJI’s near monopoly in a number of commercial niches.
Founded in 2011, Skyfish spent quite a few years in “stealth mode,” quietly developing its R&D before it burst onto the scene in early 2021. In January of that year, it formally announced the introduction of its novel autonomous work drone platform, including two commercial drones, Skyfish M4 and Skyfish M6, a customized long-acting battery system and a highly distinctive rugged remote controller. Skyfish quickly became the drone of choice for specialty infrastructure inspections focused on cell phone towers. The company’s camera development division also developed a close partnership with Sony, backstopping the electronics company’s Alpha series of A7 cameras including the Sony A7 iv, Sony A7 iii, Sony A7 ii, the Sony QX series and the Sony R10C, among others.
The Skyfish M4 drone is best known for its state-of-the art photogrammetry and its use of high-fidelity 3D reality models for engineering grade inspection that includes not only cell towers but bridges, railways, dams and power lines as well as wind turbines, oil and gas refineries, and cooling stations.
By contrast, the Skyfish M6 drone can handle heavier payloads for a wider range of operations, including cargo delivery. The M6 can carry up to 12 lbs for over 30 minutes and can support Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) missions at a distance radius of up to 5 miles. Both the M4 and M6 are state-of-the art high-performance drones that can easily be converted to support military-related operations.
The catalyst for Skyish’s entry into the U.S. defense sector was passage of the National Defense Authorization Act in 2020, which specifically called for banning of foreign-made drones in the US military. The Department of Defense (DOD) subsequently released a special list of drones and drone manufacturers it considered suitable for DOD purposes. DOD’s so-called Blue UAS list includes UAVs manufactured by Skydio, French manufacturer Parrot and Skyfish, among others.
“We have seen an increase in government business, with many agencies looking to end-of-life their DJI drone program and replace it with American made drones. Fortunately, Skyfish is NDAA compliant and can take advantage of this market momentum, as we sell commercial models very comparable to the DJI larger format drones.” says Skyfish founder and CEO Dr. Orest Pilskalns.
Pilskalns notes that in addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted US vulnerability to global supply-chain disruptions, creating a fresh catalyst for expanded domestic production not only of drones but also drone parts and components that were previously sourced overseas. Skyfish is moving quickly to upgrade its U.S. manufacturing plants and hiring new senior staff to manage its rapidly expanding operations.
The good news? A growing number of top-notch companies are standing by to fill the void of US based drone companies. Within the US defense sector, both the US Army and Air Force are creating special drone incubator bases to fuel the design and production of military-grade “Made in the USA” drones. 2023 promises to see a new era dawning for the US drone market, with Skyfish, among others, leading the way.
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