The theme that stood out to me most at this year’s Commercial UAV Expo was NDAA compliance and the broader uncertainty in U.S.–China relations. DJI has led the drone industry from the start, but its role in the U.S. is now in question. For much of 2025, DJI drones have been difficult or impossible to buy in the U.S. I spoke with many people at the Expo who wanted to buy a DJI drone but couldn’t. Others told me they sold their used DJI drones at a hefty markup because of the demand. Looking ahead, things could tighten even more under the FY2025 NDAA. The December audit could place DJI on the FCC Covered List, which would effectively ban new DJI drones from being imported or sold in the U.S.
This leaves a noticeable gap in the consumer, prosumer, and affordable professional/enterprise market. There are U.S. competitors in the enterprise tier, but they don’t really compete with DJI in the sub-$10,000 range. Several attendees told me they were looking for drones in that price bracket and couldn’t find anything matching DJI’s performance.
Lidar had a strong presence at the Expo. Most drone makers were showcasing lidar payloads, and big names like RIEGL, Trimble, Leica, and YellowScan were on the floor. Systems integrators and solution providers – GeoCue, Phoenix LiDAR, Frontier Precision, LiDARUSA, Lidaretto – were there as well, along with software companies like LP360, LAStools, GreenValley International, Carlson Software, 3Dsurvey, and more. On the topic of software – another theme from talking with attendees was frustration about having five or more softwares that they use in their workflow and the cost of annual licensing.
In lidar, the China issue is more muted, but not absent. Hesai is a major Chinese manufacturer whose cost-effective sensors are widely used by integrators. But Hesai’s relationship with the U.S. government is rocky: the DoD has listed them as a Chinese military company, banning their use on defense work and limiting other government projects. For now, there’s no sign this will escalate further, but it’s something to watch.
The regulatory uncertainty around DJI, including DJI’s L1 and L2 LiDAR systems, could create openings for NDAA-compliant companies to enter the lower-cost tiers. Right now, though, most of the people I spoke with are just frustrated that they can’t get the products they want, and there aren’t many good alternatives. Many specifically mentioned DJI drones and the the DJI L1 and L2. Competing with Chinese companies on price and efficiency won’t be easy, but depending on how regulations evolve, it may become necessary.
One thing that stood out was the number of new entrants to the drone industry. Many attendees I spoke with were interested in starting businesses in surveying, mapping, utilities, cinematography, and agriculture, often with little prior experience. From my perspective, this was the largest demographic among the 3,393 verified attendees, which probably explains the demand for prosumer to affordable enterprise options. I also saw a LinkedIn post (which I couldn’t relocate to credit properly) cautioning would-be entrepreneurs that this industry is competitive and requires real expertise. I think that is good advice given the number of established players already in the market.
Another big theme was Part 108 and BVLOS operations. Sessions dug into how the proposed rules could reshape commercial drone use. Companies like Wingtra are already positioning themselves with features like parachutes for flights over people and robust obstacle avoidance to align with future guidance related to BVLOS.
Finally, some of the notable product announcements at the Expo:
GeoCue unveiled the TrueView 539, a lightweight, engineering-grade LiDAR and imaging payload, building on the TrueView 540. They also partnered with Inspired Flight on an Expo-only package deal: the IF800 Tomcat with the TV1 Lite for $37,500. They were also demoing their TrueView GO with the 360 Photo Kit Add-On to scan the exhibition floor. I had the opportunity to use the TrueView GO and was impressed with the SLAM results.
Phoenix LiDAR Systems rolled out the Recon-F4, powered by a 1535 nm laser that’s 40× stronger than standard 905 nm systems. It delivers impressive range, accuracy, and vegetation penetration, comes with an integrated 45 MP calibrated camera, and weighs just 1.3 kg.
Overall, it was a great event. I enjoyed meeting many fantastic people and seeing the tremendous progress taking place in the world of drones and lidar.
This article was written by Nathan Roe of Lidar News.
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