webnovelvip Chapter 137 Flying Bird Industry Alliance
Chapter 137 Flying Bird Industry Alliance
Late October 2020.
While the "Open Mountain Project" and Microchip Holdings are progressing steadily, another battle is quietly unfolding.
On September 22, Hangxindatong released the LDCL 3.0 white paper.
Compared to version 2.0, the core upgrades of LDCL 3.0 include lower latency, stronger multi-machine collaboration capabilities, and native support for autonomous drones.
At the same time as the white paper was released, Hangxindatong launched a new round of recruitment of authorized dealers.
The licensing fee has been reduced from 15 to 10 – clearly an attempt to gain market share through price reduction.
On September 28, DJI's official WeChat account published an article titled "FlightCore 2.0 - Born for the Next Generation of Drones".
The article announces that FlightCore 2.0 will be officially released in mid-October and discloses several key technical parameters—
Flight control accuracy is improved by 18%, latency is reduced by 25%, and power consumption is reduced by 12%.
更重要的是价格——FlightCore 2.0模组的售价定在999元，比飞鸟S1模组的1299元低了300元。
Both cannons fired simultaneously.
Among the more than 370 partners on the Feibiao platform, some immediately began to waver.
This is especially true for price-sensitive small and medium-sized drone companies—for them, a price difference of 300 yuan is significant in the cost structure of each drone.
Su Chen quickly received the news—Zhang Lei had received inquiries from 12 partners within a week, three of which explicitly stated that they were considering switching to the FlightCore platform.
"Mr. Su, this is exactly what I'm worried about," Zhang Lei said on the phone. "DJI's price war is fierce. If we don't respond, we might lose twenty to thirty partners within three months."
"No price reduction." Su Chen's answer was straightforward.
"No price reduction?" Zhang Lei was clearly surprised.
"Lowering prices is the most unimaginative way to respond. DJI lowers its price to 999, we lower it to 899? And then DJI lowers it to 799? There are no winners in this war."
"What should we do then?"
"Upgrade," Su Chen said. "The Flying Bird platform can't just sell modules. Modules are hardware—and we can never win a price war with DJI over hardware. Their supply chain is ten times larger than ours."
"What we need to do is upgrade the Feiniao platform from a module sales platform into an industry service platform."
"Modules are just the entry point. The real value lies in the full-stack technical services we can provide—customized flight control solutions, communication protocol adaptation, sensor fusion algorithms, and industry solutions."
"DJI can't make these things. Because DJI's business model is selling hardware, not providing services."
Zhang Lei was silent for a few seconds, then said, "You mean—the Flying Bird Industry Alliance?"
"Yes."
Su Chen's voice became calm and firm:
"I want to upgrade the Feiniao Open Platform into the Feiniao Industry Alliance, transforming it from module sales to full-stack technical services."
"The alliance is divided into three tiers—"
"Basic membership: Module procurement + basic SDK. This remains the same as before."
"Premium Membership: In addition to modules and SDKs, we also offer customized flight control solutions, communication protocol adaptation, and complete industry solutions. Annual fee, priced according to the services provided."
"Strategic Membership: Comprehensive technical cooperation, including sensor fusion algorithms, joint R&D, and priority supply rights for future Qixin MEMS."
"The value of strategic members lies in the fact that once our self-developed MEMS is successful, they will be among the first customers to receive domestically produced high-precision MEMS sensors."
Zhang Lei thought for a moment: "The advantage of this model is that the revenue from premium and strategic members comes from service fees, not hardware profits. The profit margin on service fees is much higher than that on hardware, and DJI can't engage in price wars."
"Moreover—" Zhang Lei's eyes lit up, "strategic members will be bound to Qixin MEMS's priority supply rights. Once they become strategic members, they won't easily switch to FlightCore—because they don't want to lose their priority supply rights for domestically produced MEMS."
"That's right," Su Chen said. "This is called the MEMS binding effect. Today's market share is won through hardware price; tomorrow's market share will be secured through self-developed MEMS."
"DJI can offer them hardware at a 300 yuan discount. But DJI can't give them priority access to domestically produced MEMS."
Zhang Lei's voice became excited: "I understand. I'll draft a proposal for the Flying Bird Industry Alliance right away. I'll give it to you within three days."
"good."
……
In early October, the Bird Industry Alliance's plan was officially released.
The announcement was made in a low-key manner—there was no press conference, just an article was updated on the official website of the Feiniao Open Platform, and then Zhang Lei personally called more than 370 partners to inform them.
The reaction was better than Su Chen had expected.
Within a week, 35 companies applied for premium membership and 8 companies applied for strategic membership.
Among the strategic members' list were several names that slightly surprised Su Chen—
Midwing Aviation.
Southern Power Grid Intelligent.
JD Logistics Drone Business Unit.
SF Technology Drone R&D Center.
These four companies are all heavyweight clients in the industry.
Their reason for choosing strategic members is straightforward—"priority supply rights for Qixin MEMS".
For these large companies, the price difference of modules is not the core issue. What they care about is supply chain security.
The Murata supply disruption made the entire industry realize a problem—the supply chain for MEMS sensors is too fragile.
If Hongyuan can really produce domestically made MEMS, it means an alternative channel that is not affected by fluctuations in the international supply chain.
This value far exceeds the 300 yuan hardware price difference.
……
After the Bird Industry Alliance was launched, Zhang Lei made a phone call.
"President Su, I have good news."
"you say."
"Of the three partners who previously said they would consider switching to FlightCore, two have withdrawn their decisions. One of them has even applied for a strategic membership."
"What about the other one?"
"The other one is still hesitating. But I feel it'll be soon too."
Su Chen waited a moment, then asked, "Is there anything else?"
"Yes." Zhang Lei's voice lowered slightly. "Zhou Zhenguo from Zhongyi Aviation called. He said that Lianchuang Group is discussing a new project—a drone logistics network. It's a large-scale project, possibly involving thousands of drones."
What is he trying to do?
"He wanted us to develop the entire technical solution—from flight control to communication to sensor fusion, all using Hongyuan's products."
"Outsourced type?"
"No," Zhang Lei said. "He meant joint research and development. He wants to establish a joint laboratory with us, specifically for the full-stack technology of logistics drones."
Su Chen remained silent for a few seconds.
Zhou Zhenguo. Lianchuang Group. Drone logistics network.
If this project is implemented, it could be the largest single project since the establishment of the Feiniao platform.
"I've arranged for him to come to Shenzhen next week. I want to talk to him in person."
"good."
After hanging up the phone, Su Chen leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
He mentally assessed the current situation—
MEMS side:
The 12-person team for the Pioneer Project has been formed, with Chen Guodong, Shen Zhiming, and Liu Guoqiang working smoothly together.
Microchip Sensing has completed a 67% controlling stake acquisition, and Li Wei's team has been fully integrated.
The joint research team is operational, and Academician Zhou's two doctoral students have arrived in Kunshan.
The MEMS business group's stock option incentive plan has been drafted.
Market side:
The Bird Industry Alliance has been launched, with 35 senior members and 8 strategic members.
Negotiations are about to begin on the Zhongyi Aviation drone logistics network project.
The attacks of FlightCore 2.0 and LDCL 3.0 were effectively suppressed, and the ally attrition rate was kept within an acceptable range.
Funding side:
The profits from the Flying Bird platform will continue to be invested in MEMS.
Service fees from industry alliances will become a new source of profit.
If Zhou Zhenguo's drone logistics project is successfully implemented, it will generate a huge amount of technical service fees.
Threat side:
DRIE and lithography machines are still stuck.
The offensive by Hangxindatong and DJI continues.
But the situation is no longer one of passive pressure—it's now a balance of offense and defense.
Su Chen opened his eyes.
A month ago, when news came that DRIE was stuck and the lithography machine was delayed, he felt that the whole game was collapsing.
But now—
Shen Zhiming arrived with his team.
Microchip Holdings has completed its acquisition.
The Bird Industry Alliance has been launched.
Zhou Zhenguo's big project is right in front of him.
Every time he was pushed to the brink, Su Chen could find a new way out.
This is not luck.
This is the culmination of four years of accumulation, culminating in a chain reaction of crises.
……
That evening at nine o'clock, Su Chen locked himself in his office again.
Start the product analysis system.
The interface of the virtual disassembly lab unfolds before your eyes.
Tonight's task is to simulate the sealing structure of the DRIE vacuum chamber.
In Shen Zhiming's design today, the vacuum chamber uses a double-layer sealing design. Su Chen wants to test—how much impact would it have on the leakage rate if a triple-layer sealing were used?
He began building models in virtual space.
The simulation was completed at 2:00 AM.
The results showed that the leakage rate of the triple seal was 40% lower than that of the double seal, but the processing difficulty and cost only increased by 15%.
Su Chen compiled the simulation report into a concise memo and sent it to Shen Zhiming.
Then he turned off his computer and went to bed.
Tomorrow morning at six o'clock, a new day will begin.
Outside Su Chen's office, everyone on the entire MEMS front—
Zhao Jiancheng and Chen Guodong from Kunshan are adjusting the extreme parameters of existing equipment on the production line.
Shen Zhiming and his team are drawing up engineering drawings for the DRIE vacuum chamber.
Liu Guoqiang and Academician Zhou's two doctoral students are organizing the technical documents for the 863 Program.
Li Wei and his team at Microchip Sensing drew up a MEMS gyroscope design in Suzhou that is comparable to the BMI270.
Zhang Lei is in Shenzhen handling client liaison for the Flying Bird Industry Alliance.
Everyone is turning to it.
Like a spinning top at high speed.
Nobody wants to stop.
Because they knew—Su Chen hadn't stopped.
A young boss poured all of his company's profits into this war.
He had no way out.
Therefore, they have no way out.
That's Su Chen's magic.
It wasn't that he said anything particularly pleasing.
Instead, it was about what he did—and then everyone thought—if Su Chen could go all out, why couldn't I?