December 25, 2024 – The Shenzhen Municipal Government website published the “Global Headquarters Project Plan for the Intelligent Aviation Systems Industry Ecosystem,” revealing that the designated site, located in the Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base DU01-02 plot, spans an area of 15,658 square meters with a total construction area of 188,000 square meters. Shenzhen DJI Innovations Technology Co., Ltd. has expressed interest in securing this land.
Shenzhen Bay’s Super Headquarters Base
The Shenzhen Bay Super Headquarters Base, situated in the coastal region of southern OCT (Overseas Chinese Town) in Shenzhen, features an exceptional geographical location. The DU01-02 plot is in the southeast quadrant at the intersection of Shenwan Second Road and Baishi Branch Street One. In June 2024, the Nanshan District Development and Reform Bureau solicited public feedback on the draft proposal for constructing a 250-meter-plus super high-rise building on this site.
DJI previously acquired two other plots in Shenzhen. In 2016, it invested ¥710 million to develop its “Sky City” headquarters in Nanshan District’s Liuxiandong. The 8,927.67-square-meter plot has a construction area of 80,350 square meters with a 30-year land-use tenure. In 2019, DJI acquired another industrial plot in Guangming for ¥270 million. This land, spanning 29,078.81 square meters with a building area of 116,315 square meters, also has a 30-year lease. DJI Innovations holds a 58.82% stake in Shenzhen DJI Osmo Technology Co., Ltd.
Entering the eVTOL Market
Reports suggest that DJI, a leader in the drone industry, is actively exploring the eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) sector. Powered by electricity, eVTOL aircraft offer features like vertical take-off, smart operations, low noise, zero emissions, easy maintenance, and high safety, making them suitable for passenger transport, cargo delivery, public services, private aviation, law enforcement, and defense. These versatile aircraft present vast market potential.
On November 18, DJI’s medium-sized multi-rotor transport drone, the DJI FlyCart 30, became the first in China to receive a Type Certificate (TC) from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). This certification ensures the FlyCart 30 meets strict airworthiness and safety standards, paving the way for its safe commercial deployment. This milestone has sparked widespread industry interest and discussion.
Expected Launch of Robotic Vacuum Cleaners in 2025
Rumors also suggest DJI plans to enter the robotic vacuum cleaner market. According to a DJI insider, the company’s years of expertise in path planning, obstacle avoidance, high-performance motors, and lidar technology align perfectly with the needs of robotic vacuum development.
On November 8, when asked about the potential launch of a robotic vacuum cleaner next year, DJI refrained from commenting on unannounced products. However, the speculation has already stirred excitement in the highly concentrated robotic vacuum market. According to AVC data, the top five brands in China by market share from January to August 2024 were Ecovacs (22.22%), Roborock (20.29%), Xiaomi (15.80%), Narwal (14.84%), and Dreame (11.23%).
DJI is believed to have been working on this product for four years. Industry experts suggest that DJI’s technical expertise in navigation and algorithm systems could provide it with a competitive edge. However, they also note that achieving excellence in obstacle avoidance and route planning requires significant time and effort, even for a company with DJI’s capabilities.
DJI Automotive: Shaping the Future of Intelligent Driving
Recently, DJI’s automotive division, DJI Automotive, gained traction with investments from two automotive giants, BYD and SAIC Motor, who together account for nearly half of China’s passenger car sales. This infusion of capital has propelled DJI Automotive into the spotlight of the autonomous driving industry.
DJI Automotive originated as an internal project within DJI in 2016 and became an independent business unit (BU) in 2019. In October 2022, it spun off as a separate entity named Shenzhen DJI Autopilot Technology Co., Ltd., with DJI Automotive as its flagship brand. On December 5, 2024, company records showed the addition of new shareholders, including BYD’s subsidiary and other investment firms, raising the company’s registered capital to ¥73.12 million.
DJI Automotive offers flexible collaboration models with car manufacturers, including full-stack solutions (sensors, domain controllers, and software), semi-integrated solutions, and software deployment on third-party domain controllers. Unlike Huawei’s multi-faceted approach, DJI Automotive focuses on cost-effectiveness, delivering high-level intelligent driving capabilities without relying on lidar or high-precision maps.
Notably, in November 2024, DJI Automotive enabled advanced intelligent driving on cars priced as low as ¥100,000. The Baojun Yueye Plus 2025, equipped with DJI’s Lingmou Intelligent Driving 2.0 Max, debuted with a starting price of ¥103,800. DJI Automotive also introduced two upgraded configurations for mid-range vehicles, further lowering the cost barrier for high-level intelligent driving features.
A New Vision for the “City of the Future”
From building a super headquarters to venturing into eVTOL, ground robotics, and automotive solutions, DJI is redefining what the “city of the future” could look like. With its ongoing innovations, DJI continues to lead multiple industries into uncharted territories.
