Affordable and capable, SOTEN uses a swappable camera and robust encryption processes, ideal for wide range of missions including critical infrastructure projects
Santa Clara, California – January 23, 2024, – ACSL, Inc (ACSL), the leading Japanese drone maker, is pleased to announce pricing and availability for its highly anticipated SOTEN small UAS. ACSL announced its entry into the US drone market in May 2023 and has been showcasing its flagship drone SOTEN to potential clients in various industries to gather feedback on improvements to be applied before the U.S. debut. Since then, the SOTEN has been upgraded with reduced video latency, enhanced gimbal and camera controls, an improved user interface, and compliance with FAA remote ID requirements. Other requests that have been prioritized into ACSL’s 2024 roadmap include an improved optical/thermal camera, smart controller upgrades, longer flight time, long range communications, cellular network connectivity, and an SDK for third-party software development. The first batch of 50 drones arrived in the U.S. in late 2023 with plans for hundreds of additional units to arrive in the coming months to support the growing demand for secure, versatile, and high-performance small UAS. ACSL is thrilled to share the standard package of SOTEN will retail for under $10,000 USD and orders can be placed through authorized retailers starting today.
SOTEN's standard package will include the essentials for customers to get up and running quickly, including the drone, the standard camera (20MP 1” sensor with mechanical shutter), remote controller, a smart battery, and all the required cables. In addition to the standard package, ACSL will also offer several other kits including an Inspections Kit. The Inspection Kit will include the drone, standard camera, 4 batteries, a hard carrying case, spare propellers, and a triple battery charging system. SOTEN was the first system of its kind to offer a swappable camera system, making it a small but powerful drone that lends itself especially well to critical infrastructure inspections and disaster relief efforts. Made in Japan, the SOTEN follows the same strict security standards as other ACSL products. Collected photo and video data can be optionally encrypted before being recorded to the on-board memory card and communication between the drone and the controller is always encrypted.
“We’ve been out in the field with dozens of customers and partners, demoing and testing SOTEN extensively with the goal of truly understanding the needs of the market. The response to SOTEN’s flight dynamics, security features, and overall capabilities has been excellent,” said Dr. Christopher Raabe, Global CTO of ACSL. “We have been very grateful for the enthusiastic welcome from the market and we will remain customer and partner focused as we continuously improve our technology.”
As part of its expansion plans, ACSL is excited to announce a curated list of authorized dealers to support SOTEN’s entry into the market, including Advexure, Blue Skies Drones, DronesMadeEasy, Frontier Precision Unmanned, General Pacific (GenPac Drones), Gresco UAS, UVT, and Volatus Drones. These partners will play a critical role as not only dealers, but certified repair and service experts, ensuring seamless customer service and support in the region.
“There is a rising drone ecosystem in Japan and we are excited to bridge that growth with the needs in the US market by working in partnership with some of the best UAS dealers and experts in the industry. They recognize that our SOTEN system showcases some of the best that Japan is uniquely positioned to both improve and offer more of, from flight and image quality, manufacturing precision and secure supply chains, to approachable price points,” said Cynthia Huang, CEO of ACSL, Inc. “Japan has been a renowned technology leader for decades and we are committed to carrying that legacy into the small UAS as well as the greater robotics industry as we ramp up operations globally.”
To learn more about ordering SOTEN, please visit our website.
SOTEN Product Imagery
SOTEN Spec Sheet
SOTEN Product Video
Contact:
Press@acsl-usa.com
