DJI and 3DR, the two main rivals in the consumer drone biz not too long ago, are now coming together to integrate their products.
According to a blog from 3DR, DJI’s drones paired with 3DR’s Site Scan software platform will be “the best of both worlds” for customers in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry.
Site Scan, formerly only available with the 3DR Solo drone, is now also being offered with the DJI Phantom 4 Pro, whose half-hour flight time makes it “the longest of any drone in under 2 kg weight class.” It is thus “ideal for large surveys,” says 3DR.
Berkeley, Calif.-based 3DR, having strayed away from consumer drone manufacturing and now focusing on its Site Scan data platform, first rolled out the platform in March 2016 in collaboration with Sony and Autodesk. Since then, the company has announced a number of global partnerships, such as with Advanced Solutions Inc., U.S. CAD and SoftBank C&S, as well as a $53 million funding round led by Atlantic Bridge.
Today, 3DR also announced the launch of Enterprise Atlas, what the company calls “a complete drone data solution designed specifically for large and fast-growing companies.” The new solution includes “multiple access licenses” in order to “ensure that the right people have the appropriate data and privileges,” unlimited storage in 3DR’s cloud, and available phone support 12 hours a day.
Calling Enterprise Atlas “a perfect complement to [the] integration with DJI,” 3DR says “different teams within an organization can use whatever drone they’re comfortable with, and the data is still accessible in Site Scan across teams and offices.”
Speaking to Fortune, 3DR’s CEO Chris Anderson calls DJI “amazing” and says his company “just got beaten fair and square,” referencing 3DR’s exit from drone manufacturing and DJI’s reputation as the world’s biggest consumer drone company.
Michael Perry, DJI’s director of strategic partnerships, says via 3DR’s blog that the DJI-3DR mating is a “significant milestone for the AEC industry.”
“We’re excited that 3DR Site Scan users can now use DJI drones to convert images into actionable data that helps project stakeholders save time and manage costs,” he adds.
