Quick Take: Drone-Maker DJI Makes Pact With Chemical Giant DowDuPont

DJI Technology Co. Ltd., the world’s largest drone-maker, has partnered with U.S. chemical giant DowDuPont Inc. to set standards for agricultural drones.

This tie-up marks the latest case of global players forming alliances with DJI, the dominant player in the country’s booming agricultural drone market.

The standards were unveiled at a media event on Friday in Nanjing, Jiangsu province. They are the product of collaboration between the agricultural business departments of DJI and DowDuPont. DowDuPont was created through a merger of Dow and DuPont in August and is the world's largest chemical company in terms of sales.

The partnership will see the pair set specific industry standards including the amount and types of pesticides that can be used on different crops, as well as when pesticides can be used according to weather conditions and altitude.

The deal comes as China’s agricultural drone market has grown rapidly in recent years, as drone-makers scramble to revolutionize the low-tech sector.

However, even as drones have increasingly been applied to agriculture, especially spraying pesticides, a lack of standards has hindered further development due to insufficient know-how.

Established in 2006, DJI has developed quickly, with its consumer drones mainly finding commercial applications in the media and entertainment industries. But the company began flying its drones into the agricultural sector in 2015, tapping the growth potential of the market.

DJI said it has sold some 7,500 agricultural drones in China, capturing a 70% share of the market.

Last month, the company signed a deal with Syngenta AG to take advantage of the Swiss agribusiness giant’s expertise in spraying pesticides on crops.

Contact reporter Mo Yelin (yelinmo@caixin.com)