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DJI Files Patent Lawsuit Against Yuneec, Marking Industry's First Legal Fight (theverge.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the only-the-beginning dept.

An anonymous reader writes: The world's most successful consumer drone manufacturer, DJI, has filed a lawsuit in California claiming Yuneec has infringed on two of its patents. The claim centers on "systems and methods for target tracking," and "interchangeable mounting platform." They're asking the court to halt the sale of the infringing Yuneec products and systems. The case marks the first legal battle in the consumer drone industry. "DJI welcomes competition, but is committed to protecting its intellectual property," a press release on the filing stated. "Friday's filing is a response to safeguard that investment, to protect customers and partners and to promote genuine innovation in this promising area." Last year, Yuneec launched the 4K Typhoon drone to compete with DJI's Phantom 3 Professional drone. It also announced the Typhoon H at CES, which is equipped with an Intel RealSense camera.

33 comments

  1. This Just In by skam240 · · Score: 1

    This just in: By participating in April Fools jokes Slashdot again looses all legitimacy as a news website for the day.

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    1. Re:This Just In by whipslash · · Score: 2

      The stories are all real. But yes, we did loosen up a bit

    2. Re:This Just In by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It didn't have as much crap on it as other years, but yes, very annoying all the same.

      1 single joke article would be enough.

    3. Re:This Just In by ihtoit · · Score: 1

      I did wonder about a couple of them but decided to give the benefit of the doubt.

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    4. Re:This Just In by halivar · · Score: 1

      It's been almost twenty friggin' years. Where have you been?

    5. Re:This Just In by skam240 · · Score: 1

      I appreciate your reply. Still annoying but now at least the site is useable for me today.

      Of course maybe I'm just no fun which is why I find it still annoying.

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    6. Re:This Just In by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

      This just in: Slashdot denizen gets panties in a twist!

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    7. Re:This Just In by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 2

      What's annoying is kill-joys like you who take things too seriously. I mean, good grief! You must be new here.

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    8. Re:This Just In by imidan · · Score: 2

      I usually face April 01 with dread, knowing that Slashdot and other sites will just be a massive collection of "funny" shitposts all day. It's nice to see this new approach.

    9. Re: This Just In by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Now if we can get rid of fags like you, it would be a huge improvement

    10. Re:This Just In by skam240 · · Score: 1

      You're one of those people who think Hawaiian shirt day at work is fun and wacky and bothering people for not wearing green on St Patricks day is part of the fun arent you?

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    11. Re:This Just In by skam240 · · Score: 1

      Right here, I did say "again loses all legitimacy"

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    12. Re:This Just In by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 2

      Nope, I'm the guy who doesn't take nonsense like April Fools day and jack-asses like you too seriously.

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    13. Re:This Just In by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      I always wonder about stories here.

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    14. Re:This Just In by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1

      You must be new here.

      You misspelled, You must be nude here.

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    15. Re:This Just In by SeaFox · · Score: 1

      You misspelled, You must be nude here.

      I see you exposed him.

    16. Re:This Just In by sumdumass · · Score: 1

      It could be worse. Remember O.M.G Ponies?

    17. Re:This Just In by skam240 · · Score: 1

      So you're the nice easy going guy whose a dick to anyone who doesnt like something he doesnt mind. Gotcha.

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    18. Re:This Just In by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

      Wow. Just wow. Are you 14?

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    19. Re:This Just In by skam240 · · Score: 1

      Well you started the name calling so i thought I'd bring the conversation down to your level. I was thinking 13.

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    20. Re:This Just In by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

      Seriously. Grow up. Yo are embaressing yourself and your peers.

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    21. Re:This Just In by skam240 · · Score: 1

      I questioned the reliability of the site's articles due to slashdots participating in April Fools (sarcastically but the editor seemed to have gotten it). An editor let me know they were good. I said I appreciated the responce but mentioned that the stuff they're doing is annoying. I then point out that that could just me being no fun. I made my oppinion known and even ackowledged that it might only be mine while leaving the window open for others to voice their takes.

      Literally all you've done here is whining and name calling. This has been the entire substance of every post you've done in response to mine. Feel free to keep doing it, I think it's funny when people do stuff like this and then start calling the other person childish. Don't expect me to care though.

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    22. Re:This Just In by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 1

      Literally all you've done here is whining

      Goog grief, talk about WHINING! Someone needs to call you a WHAAAAAAAMBULANCE!

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    23. Re:This Just In by skam240 · · Score: 1

      There's more of it, keep it up! Now call me Childish!

      Consistency isn't commonly known as a virtue but maybe if you try hard enough you can make it one!

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  2. I can see part of DJI's gripe by neilo_1701D · · Score: 2

    I can definitely see DJI getting all hot under the collar about the SteadyGrip: it's practically the same thing.

    But the tracking? The Phantom 4 does a very nice image recognition system. The Yuneec needs a GPS signal from the ST-10 (or Wizard Wand) to lock onto so it can track. I don't know about the ST-16 / Typhoon H in that regard.

    The optical avoidance system of the P4 (and the Typhoon H): surely DJI isn't going to claim that is their invention? I see car ads every day offering the same thing.

    This will be an interesting battle.

    1. Re:I can see part of DJI's gripe by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      is steadygrip an innovation? or is it something that has been done a billion times but this time it is glued to a drone.

    2. Re:I can see part of DJI's gripe by neilo_1701D · · Score: 1

      Well... taking the gimbal + camera off the Inspire 1 and mounting on the grip was very new.

      Yes, I'm sure gimbal-stabilized cameras have been hand-held mounted before, but this was an innovation.

    3. Re:I can see part of DJI's gripe by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      It's always been pretty damned obvious. "Hey, we've got all this technology and a camera hooked together. It would make a great stabilized selfie stick".

      Unless DJI did it in some non obvious fashion that is made clear in the patent, this is just another bullshit 'idea' patent.

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    4. Re:I can see part of DJI's gripe by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      And the 'modular' part? What part of that isn't obvious and / or coated with prior art?

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  3. really? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    cant possibly care. government interference in a hobby has driven myself, and the thousands of dollars I was willing to spend, away from rc. I was talking to a latino guy, he had a much more lucrative investment idea....

  4. They should put their drones up for a death match by JoeyRox · · Score: 1

    Winner takes all!

  5. bullshit patents by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I read the complaint just to see if there was any specificity that was copied. Nope. Just the general COMPLETELY OBVIOUS "idea". Following a subject, and detachable gimbal. That's it! That's their whole claim! That they INVENTED that, and it needs protection under the law. What a fucked up system we have. Fuck patents.

    captcha: innovate