Xiaomi, the Chinese smartphone maker that gave Apple a run for its money, is taking on the drone world with a $610 product that undercuts market leader DJI by almost 25 per cent.

曾对苹果(Apple)构成强劲挑战的中国智能手机制造商小米(Xiaomi)，将凭借一款售价610美元的产品在无人机市场展开竞争。这款产品的售价比市场领跑者大疆(DJI)低了近25%。

Drones are the latest gambit for Xiaomi, which launched its first phone in 2011 and, four years later, briefly became the top-selling maker in China. But its fortunes have since faded, prompting a wave of diversification spanning smart rice cookers and air purifiers.

无人机是小米下出的最新一步棋。该公司在2011年发布其首部手机，四年后便迅速成为了中国市场上销量最高的手机制造商。但自那以来，小米的好运气逐渐减弱，促使其实施了一连串多元化发展举措，其产品涵盖智能电饭煲和空气净化器。

Beijing-based Xiaomi said its drone would cost about Rmb4,000 ($610), versus $799 for a comparable product from Shenzhen-based DJI. It plans to unveil its first drone on May 25.

总部位于北京的小米表示，其无人机价格约为4000元人民币（合610美元）。相比之下，总部位于深圳的大疆同类产品价格为799美元。小米计划于5月25日发布其首款无人机。

DJI was unfazed. Spokesman Wang Fan said it commanded a strong lead over the rest of the industry and superior value. “Price was never our greatest point of appeal,” he said. “Xiaomi’s new product, regardless of its price, will not have an impact on our sales.”

大疆对此并不感到担忧。大疆发言人王帆表示，大疆遥遥领先于业内其他企业，品牌价值也高人一头。他说：“价格从来都不是我们的最大卖点。小米的新产品无论价格定在多少，都不会影响我们的销售。”

The global consumer drone market is expected to reach $4.19bn by 2024, said a new report by US-based consultancy Grand View Research. While still largely novelty items, this year’s projected sales of 4m are expected to quadruple to 16m by 2020, Bloomberg said.

总部位于美国的咨询公司大观研究(Grand View Research)发布新报告称，到2024年，全球消费类无人机市场的规模预计将达41.9亿美元。彭博社(Bloomberg)表示，尽管无人机在很大程度上还是一种新鲜事物，但到2020年时，无人机销量预计会达到1600万架，相对于今年400万架的预期销量等于是翻了两番。

Xiaomi is just one of a number of prospective entrants looking to tap into this market and emulate DJI’s success.

小米只是考虑进军这一市场并赶超大疆成就的众多潜在玩家之一。

That would help it offset flagging phone sales. Xiaomi said in January it sold more than 70m phones in 2015, up from 61m the year before. But that missed both its original target of 100m and its midyear revised goal of 80m.

进军无人机市场将有助于小米抵消智能手机销售不振的影响。今年1月，小米表示2015年它售出了逾7000万部手机，高于上一年的6100万部。但这一数字既未达到其最初设定的1亿部的年销售目标，也未达到其年中修订后的8000万部的年销售目标。

Analysts, however, reckon drones will fail to turn around Xiaomi’s fortunes, particularly given the limited market size. “There are several zeros between the drone market and the market for smartphone,” said Bryan Ma, analyst at IT consultancy IDC in Singapore.

分析师们认为，无人机不会扭转小米的运势——尤其是考虑到无人机市场规模不大。IT咨询公司IDC驻新加坡分析师马伯远(Bryan Ma)表示：“无人机市场比智能手机市场小好几个数量级。”