As we near the launch of DJI’s FPV drone, the company is already in court over a possible patent infringement of its new FPV drone and motion controller. Minnesota-based QFO Labs has filed a patent infringement lawsuit.
DJI is currently in a court battle in Wilmington, Delaware, with the hopes to receive a declaration that states its FPV drone and motion controller don’t infringe on the related patents.
For those who aren’t aware, DJI’s upcoming FPV drone will be controlled with a one-handed motion controller, similar to the control stick you would find in a fighter jet. The company battling with DJI, QFO Labs states that DJI’s motion controller has similar features to its offerings.
What’s more interesting is that QFO Labs sent a Swiss company, MotionPilot S.A., a “form license agreement covering at least one of the patents,” which has worked with DJI to develop the motion controller.
The case is still ongoing, so it’s unclear if the products infringe on the company’s patents. You can take a look at the two controllers side-by-side to see for yourself. DJI shared that the threat of a lawsuit will be bad news for itself, its suppliers, and customers.
It’s not the first time DJI has hit the US courts of potential patent infringements, with Autel Robotics taking them to court last year over the propeller locking mechanism and the foldable arms that keep the drone off the ground.
The result of that clash ended with a judge saying that Autel’s technology is actually not patentable, resulting in the case being thrown out. DJI’s law firm Finnegan stated:
“Ultimately the Commission may decide that Autel deserves no remedy at all, but at a minimum, the Commission is unlikely to enforce any exclusion order or cease-and-desist order based on the three invalid patents. DJI’s sales in the U.S., therefore, will not be affected by Autel’s claims.”
Photo: DJI & QFO Labs
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Subscribe to DroneDJ on YouTube for exclusive videos
You’re reading DroneDJ — experts who break news about DJI and the wider drone ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow DroneDJ on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Related Posts
DJI says its drones will be ready for the new
A one-take drone ad offers a touching look at private
Two awesome videos showcase DJI Air 2S 1-inch sensor