None of the major players launched a new drone. Parrot was never going to but maybe DJI, Yuneec and Autel reached a gentleman's agreement to consolidate in the face of some temporary headwinds. But new products drive the market forward so sales may stagnate.
The most significant development imho was the launch of
DJI's new Mavic Smart Controller which leapfrogs the EVO's RC in some respects but unfortunately has been designed by a kamikaze novice. It has obviously been built upside down to ensure that users accidentally activate the touch screen - their view of which is obstructed by their own hands! The side grips look unergonomic too and should result in many controllers slipping out of users' hands. In UK money, the Mavic 2 Pro with the new controller weighs in at £1,779 which positions it more in line with the Typhoon H+ than the EVO.
Autel have shown that they are still alive, although I have to wonder whether the cash spent on exhibiting at CES could have been better spent elsewhere - even if their absence would have been questioned.
I definitely want to see some positive, progressive moves from Autel with the next three months to prove that they have the resources to remain a player in this game. For me, the preferred signal of that would be expansion into one or more international markets - even if that would ideally happen when they have a wider range of products.
Trade wars with China, falling stock markets, political uncertainty, industry lay-offs and an uncertain regulatory environment are all conspiring to make a perfect storm which helps no-one and could be dangerous for any manufacturer without deep pockets.