In many ways, DJI would be the Apple with the drone world. More specifically, DJI matches Apple circa 2004 – the organization’s flagship product, the iPod, ended up available for a couple of years, a whole new, cheaper version (iPod mini) was rolling out, everyone either had one or knew someone that had one and also the company was generating money than anyone forecasted.
Similarly, DJI’s Phantom drones have the world by storm, we have seen several iterations on the product as well as the cheapest available model can be a technological marvel.
Oh, plus the company will perform well over a billion dollars in sales in 2010. Check DJI Phantom 3 review page.
Both the iPod as well as the DJI Phantom share exactly the same qualities for being the first product to capture an industry they invented. They both feature sleek, simple and easy sexy designs but pack extraordinary complexity in the hood.
DJI’s plans for future years also model how Apple has expanded within the last few ten years. For example, you’ll find plans to build DJI physical stores to supply the company, containing conducted most of its sales online, a real-life retail presence.
But this could be the first red rag.
Apple stores are excellent but, since they admittedly exist to offer products, don’t most of the people go to there to correct a problem with their phone/Mac in order to play with the most up-to-date model as an alternative to to actually buy anything?
In this news release for your DJI shop in China, this company was very explicit that hands-on trials of drones aren’t going to be available.
The bigger issue though, is servicing products consumers already own.
This time of the year, if you wish to talk to a member of staff at the Apple store for longer than five minutes, you should make a consultation.
When something goes completely wrong with your iPhone or iPad you Google it, right? And if Google can’t present you with an answer or else you can’t make sense in the answer it gave you, nicely ask the tech expert in your own life for help. And if he/she can’t figure it out, the correct answer is always a similar: “Take it on the Apple store.”
Now apply this exact situation to DJI’s drones. You think getting an appointment with the Apple store is obnoxious? Think about how complex the hardware of an Phantom or perhaps an Inspire is. You walk in as well as the first real question is “What’s no longer working? The motors? The camera? The gimbal? The up to speed computers? The WiFi?”
Already that is certainly five extremely diverse systems that each one require extremely specific knowledge for maintenance. Unless DJI goes hire PhDs his or her BlueShirts, up for grabs service will go to need being reimagined.
Hopefully though, the reimagining is a component of DJI’s plan. Customer service has become a serious weakness from the company as well as an eternal thorn within the side of these customers.
They must know their stores will get endless solicitations for service on his or her drones so a fresh customer service plan will likely be necessary… and building a shop before revamping customer support seems nearly the same as putting the cart prior to a horse.
The other risk DJI runs of following Apple’s path will be the lack of innovation that matriculates from releasing a brand new version of your respective product annually.
Apple originates under a large amount of scrutiny for not improving enough upon their iPhones since they have released some, 5, and today 6. Whether or not you go along with this assessment, the reality that the conversation is occurring means folks are not as impressed when they expected to become.
And, while you will find some impressive new features from the Phantom 3 line, these convenience of these drones remain close enough those in the Phantom 2 Vision/+ it can be worth grabbing and older model for just a cheaper price with regards to the customer’s needs.
There isn’t game changing upgrade between your two generation.
Now, I understand developing paradigm shifting technology is way from easy, but to convince customers to annually upgrade a lot of dollar product that’s still fairly niche, DJI will be to have to reveal some truly impressive features.
The Role Models
The similarities and subsequent comparisons between DJI and Apple aren’t accident.
Last fall, DJI founder and CEO Frank Wang told the Wall Street Journal Steve Jobs was his role model.
And, when you read interviews with Wang, the influences of Jobs are apparent.
Both figures are/were overly aggressive in terms of progress, show extreme devotion thus to their vision, dismiss those that would attempt to derail them as idiots, and refused to for anything under perfection.
The sort of person who builds a big company, yet not the form of person you intend to hang out with as well company’s holiday party.
Conclusion
Apple is one with the most successful companies in the globe. Following in the footsteps is hardly an inadvisable strategy but it’s important to know that drones aren’t iPods and they will not be computers.
You aren’t going to make a community around drones being a product. That community already exists and they’re known as RC aviators.
Drones can be a tool.
They have already been invented now they are being assimilated into existing professional communities.
The public may be interested when a different DJI product gets announced, nevertheless the people who genuinely wish to learn more about it, and will likely be the ones placing pre-orders are professional photographers, cinematographers, surveyors, infrastructure inspectors, and farmers.
You can never see a list of DJI fanboys backpacking in front in the store to get a week to be the primary to grab the Phantom 6.
DJI Phantom World 