DJI has come out a winner in the war against Autel Robotics after the US International Trade Commission allowed DJI to continue selling drones even though they were found to infringe on some claims made. A big win for DJI who had a rough time with its drones.
The International Trade Commission issued its final notice in the war between DJI and Autel Robotics even though DJI was found to be in violation of Autel’s patents for the locking propellers and foldable arms that prop the drone off the ground.
The notice stated that the Patent and Trademark Office (PTAB) and had come to a final decision and found that Autel Robotics patents were actually unpatentable which resulted in the investigation being terminated.
The investigation into the patent matter began all the way back in October 2018. Earlier this year in May, Autel Robotics made ground by winning the patent dispute with the judge suggesting DJI should receive a cease and desist order.
The order would have prevented the Mavic Pro, Mavic Pro Platinum, Mavic 2 Pro, Mavic 2 Zoom, Mavic Air, and Spark from being imported and sold in the United States. DJI was also forced to post a 9.9% bond during the 60-day review period.
What did DJI do?
DJI has created various drones, including its Mavic series that have allegedly infringed upon Autel Robotics US Patent No. 9, 260,184. The patent looks to be for the locking mechanism used to lock the propellers to the motors. The patent states the clockwise blade is only engageable with the clockwise mechanism on the motor, and the counterclockwise blade is only engageable with the counter-clockwise mechanism. The patent also covers foldable arms used to prop the drone off the ground.
Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 states that infringing on a US patent is an unlawful practice when importing products into the United States.
You can keep up with the legal battle with the following links:
- Autel’s complaint triggers ITC probe into drones imported and sold by DJI
- Autel Robotics patent win could ban DJI drones from sale in the US
Photo: DJI & Autel Robotics
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