Japan’s ACSL is bringing SOTEN drone to US as DJI alternative

A leading drone maker from Japan, ACSL, says its compact 4K video drone SOTEN will be available to buy in the US later this year. The company has opened a new subsidiary in California to ensure that the aircraft is both competitively priced and compliant with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) — key considerations for many government users.

Founded in 2013, ACSL is publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It was the first company in Japan to receive Class 1 drone Type certification from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), and also supports the Disaster Management Agency of Japan during emergencies.

Incidentally, ACSL has roped in Cynthia Huang as the CEO of its US subsidiary. Huang, a member of the Commercial UAV Advisory Board, has previously led the North American Enterprise segment for tech giant DJI and open-source drone software company Auterion. Huang says:

Japan is a country renowned for its manufacturing of premium technology and ACSL is no
exception. There is immense attention to detail and very intentional product development that goes into each system. We are truly excited to bring the next generation of Japanese drone technology to the US market and offer new solutions to an industry looking for more options.

Read: Volarious gives tethered DJI drone new vehicle following mode

SOTEN was launched in late 2021 and has already seen thousands of deployments across Japanese government and enterprise customers. ACSL is quick to point out that the drone will follow strict security protocols, allowing users to optionally encrypt photos and videos before they are recorded to the onboard memory card. The communication between the drone and the controller, meanwhile, is always encrypted.

But what makes the SOTEN particularly interesting for the US market is its hot-swappable camera system. The standard 1-inch sensor photography camera, ACSL says, can be swapped with an EO/IR camera, multispectral camera, or optical zoom camera depending on the user’s requirements.

The company further explains it has spent over a decade developing its proprietary flight controller from the ground up. The result is a highly refined and feature-rich autopilot that has received consistent praise for its flight characteristics and robustness.

SOTEN is an IP43-rated product with an estimated flight time of 25-29 minutes. Right now, the drone comes with tri-directional obstacle avoidance with sensors placed on the aircraft’s front, bottom, and top. But ACSL says it would be working with US organizations to further refine the drone before its US launch.

Read: Skydio drones can now scan indoor spaces autonomously