kvmb Chapter 154 Eye of the Storm
Chapter 154 Eye of the Storm
2020 11 Month 5 Day.
Forty-eight hours have passed since Hongyuan Feiniao issued its three counter-statements.
In those 48 hours, the entire drone industry and even the entire domestic technology circle were as if a depth charge had been dropped on them, and the shockwaves of public opinion spread outward at a speed far exceeding everyone's expectations.
On Weibo's trending topics list, #HongyuanFlyingBirdsFightBack# ranked third with over 2.3 million views, followed by #IDSAReportIsFake# and #H-LinkFreeOpenSource#, which ranked seventh and twelfth respectively.
On Zhihu, the question "How do you evaluate Hongyuan Feiniao's announcement of priority supply alliance members for light armor?" received more than 1,800 answers in two days. The most upvoted answer came from an anonymous user in the field of aerospace materials, which received more than 40,000 likes.
On Bilibili, several tech content creators produced videos overnight that garnered over a million views. One video, titled "Looking at the International Carbon Fiber Profit Chain from the IDSA Report," dissected the funding sources behind IDSA, the so-called "International Drone Safety Alliance," in just 30 minutes—its main sponsors include the foundations affiliated with three carbon fiber giants.
In countless WeChat groups, the level of discussion far exceeds that on public platforms.
A heated discussion is taking place in a WeChat group called "Drone Technology Exchange Group".
Most of the members in this group are professionals in the drone industry, including owners of small companies that make consumer drones, technicians who make agricultural drones, and several graduate students and doctoral candidates from universities.
Group member "Flyer Lao Chen" spoke first:
"Have you guys seen it? Hongyuan Feiniao's three statements were fucking tough!"
Group member "Shenzhen Xiao Wang" quickly replied:
"Look at this! The first rule is that light armor will be prioritized for alliance members. This is brilliant! It's like turning light armor into an entry ticket to the alliance. Want to use light armor? Join the Flying Bird Alliance first!"
"Flyer Old Chen" sent a thumbs-up emoji, and then continued:
"The second one is even more ruthless! H-Link V2.0 is completely free and open source! You, Hangxindatong, are offering LDCL at a 20% discount, right? I'm offering it for free! Even a 20% discount can't be cheaper than free, right? This move completely exposes Hangxindatong's dirty secrets!"
"Shenzhen Xiao Wang" replied:
"Hahaha, Hangxindatong must be furious right now! They just spent 200 million on their LDCL promotion plan, and now it's all gone down the drain. A 20% discount? They've just made it free and open source. You're comparing a 20% discount to them being free? That's hilarious."
The group owner, "Drone A-Jie," couldn't help but speak up at this point:
"Honestly, I was hesitant about joining the Flying Bird Alliance before, because the 20% discount on LDCL offered by Hangxindatong was really tempting. But now that H-Link is completely free and open source, what's there to hesitate about? I'll submit my alliance application this afternoon!"
"Aviator Old Chen" immediately replied:
"Ah Jie, you haven't joined the alliance yet? Hurry up! Let me tell you, the alliance has exploded from 217 to 248 members! That's 31 new members in just three days! I heard that Hangxindatong's 100 Enterprises Plan hasn't added a single new member in the last three days, hahaha!"
Suddenly, a member who usually doesn't talk much appeared in the group, "Calm Analyst," and posted a long message:
"Although Hongyuan Feiniao's counterattack was swift and decisive, have you considered that while the IDSA report was nonsense, Reuters and Bloomberg both republished it? Major international clients like Boeing, Toray, and Hexcel have all suspended cooperation, meaning Hongyuan Feiniao's international orders have essentially vanished. External revenue from light armor processing has dropped by at least 60-70%, which is a significant loss for Hongyuan Feiniao."
After seeing this, "Aviator Old Chen" remained silent for a few seconds before replying:
"Brother, you're right, but think about it. Before the IDSA report came out, were things any easier for Hongyuan Feiniao? Hangxindatong, in conjunction with DJI, imposed a supply chain blockade, LDCL was dumped at 20% off, and the M300 was reduced in price by 15%... Our major international clients were already under pressure. Even without the IDSA report, how long could those orders have been held?"
"Shenzhen Xiao Wang" echoed this sentiment:
"Exactly! Remember when the S1 phone's chip supply was cut off? Who spoke up for Su Chen back then? Now Su Chen is fighting back, and I think he's right! Besides, the domestic market plus the alliance of 248 companies is a huge base. We've received dozens of inquiries from AVIC and Huawei alone—these are the real big clients!"
The "calm analyst" replied:
"Alright, you guys have a point. But I'm still a little worried. By making the light armor exclusive to the Alliance, Su Chen is essentially cutting himself off from the international market. It might feel good in the short term, but in the long run..."
"Old Chen the Flyer" interrupted him:
"What about in the long run? Look at the example of super tempered glass! Lin Xuan cut off supplies to foreign companies back then, and what was the result? Domestic companies used super tempered glass to make products that crushed their competitors in the global market! Su Chen's lightweight armor is the same principle; domestic companies have lightweight armor that foreign companies don't, and that's a competitive advantage!"
The group chat was immediately flooded with comments like "Well said," "Yes, yes, yes," and "That makes sense."
In another WeChat group called "University MEMS Research Exchange", the focus of the discussion was not on light armor and H-Link, but on another matter that caused a stir in the academic community.
Group member "Liu Yang, PhD from Harbin Institute of Technology" was the first to post the message:
"Have you heard? Professor Zhou Zhiyuan from Tsinghua University's Institute of Microelectronics is going to collaborate with Hongyuan Feiniao to promote MEMS sensor development boards in universities!"
Group member "Zhang Wei, a second-year graduate student at Beihang University" immediately replied:
"Professor Zhou? You mean Zhou Zhiyuan, the author of 'Fundamentals of Microelectromechanical Systems Design'? Didn't he retire?"
Liu Yang, a PhD student from Harbin Institute of Technology, replied:
"He's retired, that's true, but his influence remains! Do you know how many universities across the country use textbooks he helped write for their MEMS courses? At least twenty! It's said that Su Chen personally visited him at Tsinghua University, and the two talked for over three hours."
Zhang Wei, a second-year graduate student at Beihang University, posted a shocked emoji:
"More than three hours? What did Su Chen want with Professor Zhou? Just to push the development board?"
"Liu Yang, a PhD from Harbin Institute of Technology," replied:
"It's not just about launching a development board. It's said that Su Chen's plan is to create a complete MEMS experimental teaching kit, including a development board, sensor modules, accompanying textbooks, and an online course platform, all for a cost of only 50 yuan per set, and completely free for universities!"
The moment this news came out, the group chat exploded.
Group member "Sun Hao, Associate Professor at Northwestern Polytechnical University" was the first to express his doubts:
"Completely free? 50 yuan per set? Isn't that charity? Where would Hongyuan Feiniao, a startup, get the money to give things away for free? Besides, the Bosch and ST experimental boards we're using now, although more expensive, have complete product lines to support them, so students can immediately apply what they learn in industry. Hongyuan Feiniao's MEMS chips aren't even in mass production yet, and they're already rushing to include them in textbooks? Isn't that too hasty?"
Zhang Wei, a second-year graduate student at Beihang University, replied:
"Professor Sun has a point. Bosch and ST's chips are indeed industry standards, and students can use them immediately after learning them. Hongyuan Feiniao's chips are still in the research and development stage, so including them in textbooks is a bit premature."
But Liu Yang, a PhD from Harbin Institute of Technology, doesn't think so:
"I understand what you're saying, but have you ever thought about why Intel's 51 microcontroller has dominated the education sector for decades? It's not because of its superior performance, but because it was the first to be included in textbooks! Students are exposed to the 51 series from the very first day they enter the classroom, and naturally, they prioritize using the 51 series after graduation. That's muscle memory."
What Hongyuan Feiniao is doing now follows the exact same logic as when the 51 microcontroller was included in textbooks—you can say its product isn't mature yet, but by the time it's mature enough to be included in textbooks, it's too late!
Sun Hao, an associate professor at Northwestern Polytechnical University, paused for a moment before replying:
"This viewpoint has some merit, but it's contingent on Hongyuan Feiniao's MEMS chips actually being mass-produced and forming a complete product ecosystem. If its chips aren't in mass production in two or three years, wouldn't students taught using its development boards be learning a skill that can slay dragons?"
Liu Yang, a PhD student from Harbin Institute of Technology, replied:
"That's why Professor Zhou Zhiyuan was willing to come out and endorse it! Professor Zhou has been in the MEMS field for decades; he couldn't possibly be unaware of this. His willingness to endorse it shows that he approves of Hongyuan Feiniao's technological approach."
The discussion continues, with the two sides holding sharply opposing views, and neither side able to convince the other.
But regardless of which side they are on, they all have to admit one fact—Hongyuan Feiniao, a company that was established less than a year ago, has already shaken up the entire drone industry and even the MEMS industry.
While the topic was being hotly discussed on various social media platforms, Su Chen himself posted a short update on Weibo.
There were no lengthy declarations, no impassioned statements, only three simple sentences:
"Technology should never be used to threaten anyone. Every gram of carbon fiber in our lightweight armor is dedicated to making flight safer and more efficient. Our partners at Hongyuan Flying Bird, you are not alone."
Within two hours of its release, the Weibo post was forwarded over 120,000 times, received over 80,000 comments, and garnered over 450,000 likes.
The comments section was remarkably consistent in its style:
"President Su is truly impressive!"
"This is what Chinese entrepreneurs should be like!"
"I'm a lifelong fan of Hongyuan Flying Bird!"
"Well said! Technology should not be used to threaten anyone! That bullshit IDSA report is exactly what technology is used to threaten people!"
"Where is Hangxindatong? Where is your statement? Why don't you say anything?"
The comments section below this last post spontaneously formed a long queue of messages:
"Hangxindatong dares not speak out, because they are accomplices."
"LDCL is 20% off? H-Link is offering it for free, what can Hangxindatong say?"
"Where's He Zhiqiang? Want to come out for a walk?"
In a corner of the comments section, a seemingly insignificant comment garnered over 20,000 likes:
"Three months ago, Su Chen said at the industry summit, 'Hongyuan Feiniao isn't trying to replace anyone, but to make the entire industry better.' Three months later, he proved that with his actions. Prioritizing supply to alliance members for light armor, and making H-Link free and open-source—this isn't about creating a monopoly; it's about building an ecosystem. Well done, Su Chen."
However, Su Chen himself was not looking at Weibo at the time.
His phone was on his desk, and the screen was overflowing with message notifications, but his attention was completely focused on something else.
"Lin Wei, how's the review process for new alliance members going?"
Su Chen leaned back in his office chair and looked at Lin Wei sitting opposite him, asking a question.
Lin Wei opened the documents in her hand and quickly reported to her supervisor:
"三天之内我们收到了57份联盟申请，经过初步审核通过了31家，联盟总数从217家增加到248家。其中有6家是从航信达通的百企计划里跳过来的，还有3家是之前在观望的中型无人机企业。"
What was Hangxindatong's reaction?
"He Zhiqiang held an emergency internal meeting yesterday," Lin Wei said, adjusting her glasses with a slight smile. "I heard he even smashed the teacup on his desk. LDCL's 20% discount was completely wiped out by our free and open-source solution, and the '100 Enterprises Plan' not only failed to gain any new members in the past three days, but also lost six. His only hope now is DJI's price reduction strategy for the M300 and their 'Tian Shu' chip, which will be taped out in six months."
Su Chen nodded slightly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.
"Tian Shu" chip.
This is Hangxindatong's last trump card—a flight control SoC designed specifically for industrial-grade drones. It is said to integrate an AI vision processing module and a high-precision IMU interface, with performance targeting Hongyuan Feiniao's G1 core chip.
If "Tian Shu" is successfully taped out and mass-produced, Hangxindatong will have the ability to directly compete with Hongyuan Feiniao at the chip level.
What He Zhiqiang didn't know was that once Su Chen's DRIE etching technology was mastered, Hongyuan Feiniao would have the capability to independently produce high-performance MEMS sensors. At that time, the G1, paired with its self-developed MEMS sensor, would have an overwhelming advantage in both cost and performance.
This is a race against time.
The "Tian Shu" chip was taped out six months later, while Su Chen's goal was to complete the DRIE prototype verification within two months.
"There's one more thing," Lin Wei said, her expression turning serious as she looked at Su Chen. "YuChen.com and 36Kr have jointly launched an industry roundtable discussion on the topic of 'The Road to Localization of MEMS Education.' They've invited Professor Zhou Zhiyuan, Bosch China's Technical Director Akira Ishikawa, and Associate Professor Hao Sun from Northwestern Polytechnical University. They've also invited you."
"Me?" Su Chen was taken aback.
"Yes. It's scheduled for 2 PM the day after tomorrow, and will be streamed online. We expect over 500,000 viewers."
Su Chen was silent for a few seconds, then shook his head.
"Let Professor Zhou go; he has far more influence in academia than I do. If I go, people are more likely to accuse me of 'entrepreneurs hijacking education.'"
And what about you?
"Me?" Su Chen stood up, picked up his phone from the table, and put it in his pocket. "I'm going to Suzhou the day after tomorrow. Chen Guodong's DRIE cavity and flow channel components have arrived, and Shen Zhiming's airflow data analysis is complete. I need to personally oversee the first field test of the 200mm cavity."
Lin Wei watched Su Chen's retreating figure and sighed softly.
The outside world is turbulent, with public opinion, competition, and international power struggles—any one of these things can be enough to overwhelm a startup CEO.
But Su Chen is always the same – he delegates tasks to others and then immerses himself in tackling the most critical technical challenges.
She suddenly remembered something Su Chen had said before: "All business strategies ultimately rely on technology to be realized."
Yes.
Whether it's the alliance of light armor, the open source of H-Link, or the price reduction of S1—these are all defensive and counter-attacking tactics.
The real trump card is the DRIE device that is being assembled in the Suzhou laboratory.
Once DRIE achieves a breakthrough, Hongyuan Flying Bird will transform from a "company that makes carbon fiber and drones" into a "company that masters the core manufacturing process of MEMS".
By then, all that IDSA report, all that Hangxindatong, all that "Tianshu" chip...
They will all become jokes.