(Yicai Global) April 12 -- Shenzhen Dajiang Innovation Technology, better known as DJI, will unveil its first autonomous driving solutions at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 19, revealing to the world what it has been keeping under wraps for over three years.

The announcement was made today through the WeChat account of DJI Automotive, an-until-now relatively unknown unit of the world’s largest drone maker. Set up in 2018, operator Shenzhen Dajiang Zhuojian Technology has a core team of over 700 employees and is engaged in the research and development as well as manufacture of intelligent driving systems and core components, public records show.

"DJI does not intend to manufacture complete vehicles," a company insider told Yicai Global. "The focus of the business is DJI's intelligent driving system and software and hardware solutions to help automakers quickly make affordable smart cars," he added.

Shenzhen-based DJI, which commands an almost 70 percent stake in the world’s small drone market, has always been at the forefront of cutting-edge technological research that can be applied in the automotive field, it said earlier this year in response to speculation that it was intending to move into the intelligent car field. Several of its drone technologies, such as lidar, a remote sensing method that uses light to measure distances, are also key technologies in unmanned driving.

The company has recruited a large number of hardware engineers in automotive electronics, software engineers in intelligent driving, and even professionals in system security, according to public information. It is applying for several patents on control methods, control devices and vehicles for autonomous driving.

If so, DJI will be the latest tech giant to muscle in on the smart car sector. Just last month smartphone giant Xiaomi said it will invest USD10 billion to build connected electric vehicles with Great Wall Motor, and the same week household appliance maker Haier said it is teaming up with SAIC Motor.

DJI, too, is likely to need to link arms with an auto manufacturer if it intends to make cars, as the automotive industry is very complex with a high entry threshold.

The new energy vehicle industry is the new frontier. Sales of NEVs surged 10.9 percent last year from the year before to 1.37 million units, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Editor: Kim Taylor