Mexico. Epson announced the partnership with DJI, a recognized brand in the unmanned aerial vehicle market, to create new applications for Epson's Moverio smart glasses and DJI's line of products and software development kit that enhance the safety, productivity and capabilities of UAVs for both amateurs and professionals.
As one of the first initiatives of the alliance, DJI will optimize the DJI GO application for the Epson Moverio BT-300 augmented reality smart glasses, which will be launched in several markets at the end of 2016. With the Moverio app and glasses, drone pilots will be able to have a clear, transparent first-person view from the drone's camera while maintaining the airplane's line of sight. The DJI GO app works with the DJI Phantom, Inspire and Matrice flight platforms, as well as the Osmo camera and portable stand.
In some markets, both companies will market the Moverio BT-300 glasses as a certified DJI accessory along with the DJI GO app. Epson's smart lenses can be purchased at DJI.com, while the DJI GO app can be downloaded from the Moverio Apps Market.
The goal of the partnership between Epson and DJI is to expand the use of drones to a variety of aerial photographic and videographic applications. The construction, real estate, insurance, agriculture, emergency services, catering, academic research, film and video production, among others, sectors that take advantage of the benefits of UAVs have adopted flexible standards.
However, regulatory bodies, such as the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, have established that UAVs must remain within the remote pilot's line of sight, thus cementing the relevance of the alliance between Epson and DJI.
"The Moverio BT-300 lenses mark an impressive advance in platform performance, enabling safer flight and filming and helping users comply with local and federal regulations," said Michael Perry, director of strategic partnerships at DJI. "We are excited to see the incredible applications that can be created with the BT-300 glasses and DJI's recently relaunched software development kit, the possibilities are truly endless."
DJI retains 70% of the share of a $2 billion drone market and its aerial platforms are used by two-thirds of companies approved by the Federal Aviation Administration to operate commercially. By 2017, it is estimated that more than 600,000 UAVs will be used.
"We believe this partnership with DJI will revolutionize the way UAV pilots operate these equipment in this fast-growing industry, now and in the future," said Eric Mizufuka, new project manager at Epson America. "In addition to validating Epson's investment in the Moverio line, this is the first time that augmented reality smart glasses will be widely available for mass-market consumer applications, marking a historic milestone in the evolution of the category."
In addition to enabling safer drone piloting, the alliance's goals also consist of providing pilots and film producers with new augmented reality tools for increased productivity when using a UAV. Epson and DJI will also work together to create entirely new experiences for the growing number of UAV fans and companies, and will also conduct sales and marketing efforts around the world.
Following the launch of the first generation of Moverio in 2011, the BT-300 is now the world's lightest OLED binocular smart device. Combining advanced silicon-based digital display technology and Android OS 5.1 operating system, the Moverio BT-300 enables truly transparent augmented reality mobile experiences.
Epson and DJI showcased the DJI GO app on the Moverio BT-300 glasses during the InterDrone 2016 event held in Las Vegas in Cologne, Germany, at COPTER WORLD-Photokina.
