The world has been waiting to see a serious contender like ACSL to threaten leading consumer drone manufacturer DJI. There is competition from Autel, Skydio, Parrot, and others at the pro level, but thus far the most famous consumer attempts have been abortive, not least GoPro's.
After announcing their plans last year, ACSL finally threw their hat into the ring with their SOTEN drone which, at first glance, really looks to have drawn some inspiration from the DJI Mini series (which isn't usually a bad thing). At the same time, the company's Japanese heritage was extremely reassuring for many potential customers in the US where – regardless of the truth of the matter – anti-Chinese politics have now blocked many from buying DJI. Others, understandably, don't want to risk losing government clients.
