2015年CRI Chinese Drone Maker SZ DJI Opens First Retail Store

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Reporter:

As the market for commercial drones goes more mainstream¹, the industry's major players are trying to attract a wider range of consumers.

Michael Perry, Director of Strategic Partnerships² with DJI, says the 800-square-metre shop aims to help the Chinese firm expand its customer base.

"We've now reached a size where we think we can reach a broader set of consumers, beyond the early adopters, beyond the tech guys who are just adopting new technology, but to a broader consumer market, who are really excited about the technology but they want to understand it before they use it."

On Sunday, people surrounded a flight cage inside the store and watched as staff flew drones during demonstration⁴ sessions.

One spectator, 36-year-old airline crew member Liu Shaoge, brought his seven-month-old son along.

He says drones are good toys for children.

"I think this is quite good. When my child is older, I'll buy one for him so he can play with it. This is good. We didn't have things like these when we were children. It will be good for children to play with them."

Others queued to buy a drone on the shop's opening day as the first 300 customers could get discounts up to 30 percent off.

30-year-old IT consultant⁵ Jack⁶ Wan³, who was in line for about two hours before he bought a Phantom⁷ 3 drone, says the drone is complimentary⁸ to his hobby - photography.

"DJI gives common people a chance to play with drones. In the past, using a drone was something exclusive, the idea seemed very far away from us. But now it's very close. And normal people can afford to buy one too."

DJI has claimed 70 percent of the commercial drone market worldwide and a larger portion of the consumer market.

Research firm Taibo Intelligence forecasts that revenue of the Chinese drone industry will more than double to 2.5 billion yuan, or 388 million USD, this year and grow by as much as eight fold to 20 billion yuan by 2020.

For CRI, I'm Luo Bin⁹.