Japan’s ACSL is bringing SOTEN drone to US as DJI alternative

A leading drone maker from Japan, ACSL, says its compact 4K video drone SOTEN will be available to buy in the US later this year. The company has opened a new subsidiary in California to ensure that the aircraft is both competitively priced and compliant with the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) — key considerations for many government users.

Founded in 2013, ACSL is publicly listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It was the first company in Japan to receive Class 1 drone Type certification from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), and also supports the Disaster Management Agency of Japan during emergencies.

Incidentally, ACSL has roped in Cynthia Huang as the CEO of its US subsidiary. Huang, a member of the Commercial UAV Advisory Board, has previously led the North American Enterprise segment for tech giant DJI and open-source drone software company Auterion. Huang says:

Japan is a country renowned for its…