New tech often comes with a learning curve and inflated price that deters a good number of people from trying it out. This means that early adopters tend to be those who reside more on the tech savvy side and are willing to spend top dollar for the exclusivity. However, one innovative company is leading the way in developing high tech photo and cinema gear that is both easy to use and affordable. With the massive growth in popularity for drones and camera stabilizers, you’ve no doubt heard of DJI. Their powerful aerial (and handheld) photography and film equipment has opened the playing field for an eager global market.
We recently spoke with Patrick Santucci, Senior Communications Manager for DJI, to get to know DJI’s story and see where they’re headed from here.
This article is part of our Company Feature Series, in which we share insight into the companies who create the photography products that we know and trust. The goal of this series is to share stories that inspire our readers to innovate and create within the photo industry.
Where Are You Located?
“DJI’s headquartered in Shenzhen, China with global offices in NYC, LA, D.C., Palo Alto, Frankfurt Germany, and Tokyo.”
What Is the DJI Origin Story?
According to DJI’s website, their location in Shenzhen is “widely considered China’s Silicon Valley,” which gives them “direct access to the suppliers, raw materials, and young, creative talent pool necessary for sustained success.” This access has helped them capitalize on the available resources and see massive growth in a relatively short span of time.
“We have grown from a single small office in 2006 to a global workforce. Our offices can now be found in the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. As a privately owned and operated company, DJI focuses on our own vision, supporting creative, commercial, and nonprofit applications of our technology. Today, DJI products are redefining industries. Professionals in filmmaking, agriculture, conservation, search and rescue, energy infrastructure, and more trust DJI to bring new perspectives to their work and help them accomplish feats safer, faster, and with greater efficiency than ever before.”
What Is the Mission of Your Company?
“DJI strives to make complex technology more accessible to all. We are the global leader in developing and manufacturing civilian drones and aerial imaging technology for personal and professional use. The company is dedicated to making aerial photography and filmmaking equipment and platforms more accessible, reliable, and easier to use for creators and innovators around the world.
DJI’s global operations currently span across the Americas, Europe, and Asia, and its revolutionary products and solutions have been chosen by customers in over 100 countries for applications in filmmaking, construction, inspection, emergency response, agriculture, conservation, and many other industries.”
[Related Reading: DJI’s New Osmo Pocket | A Small Product Making Big Waves]
How Do You Strive to Be Different from Others in Your Space?
“DJI always has the goal to set the bar for the category of product being made. If it is drone solutions, we strive to release a product that takes the technology to the next level with features and advancements that help customers and content creators.”
What Product or Service Are You Most Proud of and Why?
“The growing use of aerial systems in the commerical sector signify a shift when it comes to the use applications for drones. Now, we see and work with many local fire departments and search and rescue teams to utilize this technology to help our first responders. This shift has helped people across the world see that drone technology has tremendous potential for changing the world and helping in critical roles such as this.”
Given the Evolving State of the Industry, What’s Next for Your Company?
“As always, DJI will evolve and continue to push both its aerial and ground systems to be more advanced, easier to use and align with current market trends. However, DJI continues to explore new fields that are seen as important, an example being the RoboMaster S1, an educational robot whose core foundation is to teach robotics, engineering, and coding through entertainment.”
[Related Reading: DJI Mavic 2 Pro – Redefining ‘Consumer’ Level Drones]
You can find DJI on the web and various social media profiles via the following links:
