China Has Embraced The Age Of The Drone

Employees of Ehang, a commercial drone maker, checking the vehicles before a light show in Wuhan. Credit Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times

New York Times: At an Air Show in China, Drones, Not Jets, Are the Stars

WUHAN, China — Need more evidence that China is a global force in technology? Just listen for the low whine of tiny propellers.

And look up.

At the World Fly-In Expo, an air show held in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last month, jets, hot air balloons, autogiros and ultralight planes were upstaged by Chinese-made drones.

Remote-controlled flying machines drew crowds at exhibition booths and performed in tight formation, high above the ground. Teams in brightly colored jackets raced industrial drones and competed in events like delivering parcels and spraying plumes of mock pesticide.

Special drones even helped clear the skies of birds before performances by manned aircraft, using loud blasts of noise.

China is the world leader in drones thanks largely to a single company, D.J.I. Founded in 2006, D.J.I. has grown to account for more than 70 percent of the global market, according to Skylogic Research, a drone research firm.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Chinese have definitely embraced this technology. My closest friend in China is buying a drone for his kid for Chinese New Year, and according to him .... so is everyone else.