This DJI drone launch pad fits to the roof of your electric car

Ever wanted to launch a drone from the roof of your car? Well, now you can thanks to a collaboration between two of China’s biggest technology companies.

Carmaker BYD has teamed up with drone maker DJI to create a quadcopter hangar and launch pad that fits to the roof. Called the Lingyuan, the system is said to be available for all BYD cars.

It comprises a roof-mounted charging dock and landing pad, covered by a pair of electronically operated covers, which lift up and outwards to reveal a storage area housing a modified DJI Air 3S drone.

Once in the air, pilots can engage their drone’s object-following function to track the car as it drives along. Or, we suspect it could also be used to find out what’s causing the traffic jam ahead.

The system is priced at 16,000 yuan, which is just over £1,700, and is currently only available in mainland China. But since BYD cars and DJI drones are available internationally, including here in the UK, it is plausible that the Lingyuan launch pad could one day arrive here.

A demo video published to Weibo by BYD shows how the system is controlled via the car’s dashboard touchscreen. With a tap of the display, the roof-mounted hangar opens and the drone takes flight. It isn’t clear if the drone can be flown using the car’s touchscreen, or if a regular DJI controller is required instead.

If this all looks familiar, then you’re probably thinking of the Polestar 6. When that electric sports car arrived as the O2 concept back in 2022 it featured a drone that could take off from the rear deck and film the car as it drove. Polestar didn’t elaborate on what sort of drone it was, and the idea was sidelined when the company announced the O2 would go into production as the Polestar 6 in 2026.

According to a Weibo post by BYD, the drone hangar is 21.5 cm tall and the drone can take off and land while the car is travelling at up to 15 mph. The drone can also reportedly return from a distance of up to 1.2 miles, and it can follow the vehicle at up to 33 mph. The drone automatically returns when its battery is running low, the report says, and it can top up its battery from 20 to 80 percent in 30 minutes.