- Several Xtra and SkyRover products are almost identical to DJI equivalents
- DJI will not confirm or deny a connection with these companies
- DJI is currently on the FCC’s ‘Covered List’ and cannot launch new drones in the US.
So what’s going on with all the apparent DJI camera clones showing up in US stores? From action cameras to drones, almost one-by-one copies of DJI’s most beloved products seem to be appearing everywhere, and the company itself doesn’t seem too concerned about the situation.
You don’t have to look hard to find these clones, and you don’t have to be an expert detective to spot the similarities. The The teardown even discovered that some Osmo Pocket 3 accessories work perfectly with Muse. Likewise, the Xtra Edge appears to be little more than a redesigned DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro, while the Osmo Nano-like Xtra Atto recently appeared.
The manufacturer of these clones, Xtra Technology, was recently born and describes itself as a “dynamic, independent startup registered in Delaware (DE), United States. We are founded with a team of industry professionals from leading innovative companies, who have deep expertise in imaging technology and consumer electronics.”
On the drone front, SkyRover, another recently founded company (this time based in Hong Kong, a short distance from DJI’s headquarters in Shenzhen, China) that claims to have been “founded by a small team of engineers with experience at DJI,” has been selling consumer drones called the X1 and S1 that look a lot like DJI’s Mini 4 Pro and Mini 4K, respectively. While there are some minor differences, the essential hardware and software technology, and flight and camera performance, appear to be virtually identical.
The solution to DJI’s problems in the United States?
While DJI is a hugely powerful player in the drone and gimbal markets, and a strong competitor in action cameras, the Chinese company is currently in a difficult situation when it comes to the US market. Not only does it face a complex and costly tariff situation, but it has also come under specific scrutiny by successive US administrations regarding alleged ties to the Chinese military and government.
This scrutiny has culminated in DJI (along with all foreign drone companies) being placed on the US Federal Communications Commission’s “Covered List”, effectively banning all future DJI products from the US market.
The easiest conclusion that can be drawn from looking at the products of Xtra and SkyRover, and then considering DJI’s current position with respect to the US market, is that the company is effectively behind these clones and has created shell companies in an attempt to circumvent restrictions, reduce import costs, and maintain the sale of its products in the United States.
If that’s the case, DJI certainly isn’t saying. We reached out to the company’s public relations team for comment, but (unsurprisingly) received nothing definitive except the following statement from a spokesperson:
“While we cannot comment on non-DJI products, DJI will continue to focus on empowering creators, businesses and public safety organizations around the world with safe, innovative and accessible technologies. The company remains committed to the US market and will continue to advocate for our US-based operators with government agencies, lawmakers and the administration.”
I think the most interesting thing about this statement is what it is not: a denial. It would be easy for a DJI spokesperson to claim that the company has no ties to Xtra or SkyRover, but that is clearly not the case.
What remains to be seen is whether these apparent shell companies can manage to bring DJI-style products to the US, avoiding the FCC’s de facto ban and the US administration’s worst tariffs. Especially on the drone front, there is currently no US-based company capable of competing with DJI (and, by extension, SkyRover) on performance and price, so consumers will be clamoring for a way to get their hands on affordable, high-quality camera drones. Maybe that’s how they do it.
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