Chinese car manufacturers are embarking on a novel integration by incorporating camera drones into their electric vehicles, catering to content creators eager to capture unique driving experiences. This innovative feature enables effortless filming of moving vehicles with the footage streamed live on the car’s interior display and stored for future use, all controllable via voice commands by the driver.
Notable among these advancements is the Yangwang U8 plug-in hybrid SUV from BYD, a global leader in electric vehicles, which houses a DJI drone in a dedicated roof compartment for storage and charging. Similarly, Lynk & Co, a subsidiary of Geely, has updated its 06 EM-P compact SUV to allow the cockpit screen to control a hood-launched DJI drone, offering users seamless integration and control.
Another player in this arena is Dongfeng, a state-owned automotive giant, whose M-Hero 917 SUV can be outfitted with the commercial S400 drone from GDU Tech for an additional cost. This drone, equipped with advanced features such as motion detection and face recognition, offers precise target tracking and autonomous flight capabilities when launched from the vehicle’s roof or controlled via touchscreen from within the cabin.
Automotive journalist Mark Rainford from Shanghai acknowledges the novelty of drone integration with cars, citing challenges such as obstacles like trees and cables in filming cars with drones in China. Nevertheless, Rainford foresees more Chinese automakers embracing this trend to differentiate their products in a competitive market.
While consumer drones’ limited speed may not initially yield exhilarating footage, car manufacturers envision future possibilities such as aerial traffic monitoring. However, the approval process from aviation authorities worldwide may pose challenges, leading Chinese automakers to focus on the content creation potential of onboard drones for now.
