DJI stops selling Aeroscope
Then it was gone, a strange decision on the part of DJI to my mind, perhaps it was too much of a hot potato.
I thought it made perfect sense for DJI to make the gear for others to detect their own products and I am led to believe some other manufacturers.
Fitted at airports and used by police services around the world I wonder how long the support for fitted units will continue.
Was the release by students of code to track and disrupt DJI drones the straw that broke the camel’s back?
Time to leave the market and change protocols so best leave the old gear behind that they might not be able to modify for whatever they have in mind.
One thing I know for certain is all the other CUAS detection system manufacturers will be clapping hands.
No press release to accompany this, just the change in status on the sales page.
I reached out to my chums because this landed unannounced and Ian Lewis @MadRC had this to say
“I suspect this is not the end of DJIs in-house drone tracking program and solution. Aeroscope is a number of years old and while based on some of their new technologies it’s also got some older components onboard like Crystalsky. I would not be at all surprised to see an updated tracking solution from DJI that is less aimed at business and low-level entities and more aimed towards Government and higher security clients. I also think Aeroscope has become a little to well known for DJI’s liking and bad press like the data leak and even my own teardown overview of an Aeroscope device has raised the profile of DJIs tracking solutions in the public eye higher than they would like. Closing the door on that product name and moving into something else makes a lot of sense when you’re also trying to sell the products being tracked in the first place.
DJI has always walked a fine line with Aeroscope and has probably found themselves on the wrong side in recent times so it’s time for something new.
You might still be able to snag a Mk1 from Alibaba, a friend has told me Mk2 is coming in 2024.
