The new kid on the block to take up a serious challenge to the sales dominance of DJI is Align.
We know they have some years of experience and also serious resources in Taiwan and their entry with the M480 and the M690 is more than just another copy of what has become very boring. Their ability to manufacture top quality machanical components has never been in doubt but electronics were once considered by some as their weakness. Not any more I'm pleased to say.
I bought one a month ago and already they have introduced an upgrade. What I really like about this product is that it works straight out of the box with intuitive software and a build quality that sets new standards. The upgrade, well no, it is not the usual handful of bug fixes but a very useful functional array of features such as the ability to set the model into a fully automated panoramic shooting mode that can gather up to 24 image about a 360deg horizontal sweep followed by a pre determined set taken at various downward shooting angles. As for the flight characteristics, I have to say that this is without doubt the best multi-rotor craft that I have ever flown. In the following video the wind was gusting 25 M/sec. My phantom that I use for training new pilots could not even get airborne due to the wind. The M480 just took off in manual mode without even a twitch. In GPS it is nailed to the sky.
I believe that all manufacturers should be aware of what the industry is doing, take note and plan accordingly.
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Stuff that works is often a rarity in this technology minefield which has made the impossible possible, but it does not normally come without some form of problem. It is great to see a company that makes totally sure that the product is fit for purpose before release without a couple of hundred forum posts to try and rectify what should have been done in the first place.