Event at NEC will see the two giants from the PC and drone worlds give the UK’s first live demonstration of their new collaboration

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Microsoft and DJI will be showcasing their new drone control SDK for Windows 10 live at the UK Drone Show this December. The latest collaboration between these industry giants will allow developers to build apps on the Microsoft OS that control the drones sold by DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer.

The purpose of this new drone SDK is to give businesses more ways to quickly deploy AI-powered drones for security or maintenance tasks, as well as any other uses that can be automated via computer vision.

As well as the drones themselves, other hardware that they can carry can also be accessed and controlled via the SDK, such as sensors or even robotic components. The number crunching can be done by either by Microsoft’s Azure cloud technology, Azure IoT tech on the drone, or on a Windows 10 laptop.

Oliver O’Brien from UK Drone Show, commented: “We’re delighted to be able to give Microsoft and DJI the platform to introduce their new technology to the UK. The commercial use of drones is a huge growth area at the moment, and the UK government and airspace regulator have recognised this. This new partnership between Microsoft and DJI is just one of many cutting-edge technologies we will have on display that are making the commercial use of drones easier to implement.”

Sam George, director, Azure Internet of Things of Microsoft, said: “Earlier this year we announced a $5 billion investment in IoT and the intelligent edge to continue innovation, strategic partnerships, and programs. Our strategic partnership with DJI will continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, and we look forward to seeing what our joint customers go on to build.”