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First batch of SOTEN drones, Japan’s DJI alternative, arrives in US

ACSL, a leading drone maker from Japan, says the first batch of its compact 4K video drone SOTEN has arrived in the US. Shipping is expected to begin early next year.

SOTEN was launched in late 2021 and has already seen thousands of deployments across Japanese government and enterprise customers. According to ACSL, the drone is NDAA-compliant and comes with several security features, such as allowing users to optionally encrypt photos and videos before they are recorded to the onboard memory card. Meanwhile, communication between the drone and the controller is always encrypted.

This makes SOTEN apt for applications where the security of captured data, flight data, and communications needs to be assured. Think disaster response, inspection of critical infrastructure, or surveying jobs.

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Another feature that makes the SOTEN particularly interesting for the US market is its hot-swappable camera. 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 also points to spending over a decade developing the 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 uses LTE communications, meaning it can be controlled over the internet and leveraged for autonomous beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations in remote areas such as mountains or even inside industrial plants. The IP43-rated product weighs 1.7kg and can stay airborne for up to 25 minutes. You also get tri-directional obstacle avoidance, similar to DJI Mini 3 Pro.

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Avatar for Ishveena Singh Ishveena Singh

Ishveena Singh is a versatile journalist and writer with a passion for drones and location technologies. She has been named as one of the 50 Rising Stars of the geospatial industry for the year 2021 by Geospatial World magazine.


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