NEW YORK, April 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading 3D printing service and marketplace, Shapeways, and DJI, the market leader in easy-to-fly drones, today announced a partnership to further enable designers to create unique 3D printed accessories for drone products.

Since 2013, drone enthusiasts have been using Shapeways to create add-ons and hacks for their personal drones and offer them for sale in the Shapeways marketplace. There are countless ways to accessorize drone products using 3D design and printing, from battery door covers to iPad air remote mounts. Unlike other companies that create their own accessories to accompany feature products, DJI has enabled its customers to design their own and unlocked endless creativity. This is in line with DJI's commitment to allowing its users to create their own experience, highlighted by the recently released Software Development Kit (SDK).

Through this partnership, DJI is further supporting its customers' passion and innovation by highlighting some of the best community-designed accessories and opening up co-creation to its whole fan base. With this announcement, DJI is entering the world of 3D printing through the creativity of its own customers and will look to customer insights and passion to help shape its future.

Adam Savage, host of Mythbusters and an industrial designer and educator, is working with Shapeways and DJI to show his support of the 3D printing community. A modder for years, Adam is an avid DJI drone fan. With Shapeways, he is able to bring to life durable, custom add-ons, creating more drone accessories that build off the incredible design of DJI drone products.

"I've been making and modding my toys forever, and DJI drones are my latest obsession. Nothing makes a gadget even more useful (and exciting) than being able to customize and modify it to better fit how we use it," Adam said. "As a longtime Shapeways customer, I'm excited to work with DJI and Shapeways to 3D print my own accessories, and see what else the 3D printing community comes up with to make DJI products even more useful than they already are."

DJI leads the market in drone production and sales, and is continually updating models to better serve its customers. The recent launch of the Phantom 3 flight system showcases their advanced technology and innovation in the market. By acknowledging the unique creations Shapeways designers are making for their products, DJI is one of the first brands to truly support the maker community and the innovation that is produced on a daily basis.

"Although DJI aerial imaging platforms like the Phantom are ready-to-fly out of the box, we are excited by the vibrant, third-party accessory ecosystem that has developed around 3D-printed parts fulfilled by Shapeways," Eric Cheng, General Manager, DJI said. "DJI's philosophy is to enable creativity through advanced technology and part of that includes supporting creativity in maker modifications, whether they are 3D printed or accomplished via DJI's Mobile App SDK."

Historically, product creation by brands happens away from fans and with little say into how customers are actually using them. Shapeways enables fans to co-create with brands to make products their own, and DJI is one of the first companies to give their customers the freedom to customize its products to fit their lifestyle, while fully supporting the creativity through brand curation.

"Designers have been using Shapeways' service to create accessories for drone products for years, and it's exciting for us to have DJI recognize the work and creativity of our community," said Peter Weijmarshausen, CEO and Co-Founder of Shapeways. "Our mission is to make 3D printing accessible for everyone, and with the support of DJI we are excited to see what products the community comes up with while continuing to push the boundaries of 3D printing."

For more information and to see DJI-curated drone accessories visit: https://www.shapeways.com/discover/dji

ABOUT SHAPEWAYS

Shapeways is the leading 3D printing service and marketplace, empowering designers to bring amazing products to life. By giving anyone the ability to quickly and affordably turn ideas from digital designs into real products, Shapeways is fundamentally changing how products are made and by whom. Headquartered in Manhattan, Shapeways also has factories and offices in Eindhoven, Long Island City and Seattle.

ABOUT DJI

Headquartered in Shenzhen, widely considered China's Silicon Valley, DJI benefits from direct access to the suppliers, raw materials, and young, creative talent pool necessary for sustained success. Drawing on these resources, we have grown from a single small office in 2006 to a global workforce of over 2,000. Our offices can now be found in the United States, Germany, Japan, Beijing and Hong Kong. As a privately owned and operated company, DJI focuses on our own vision, supporting creative, commercial, and nonprofit applications of our technology.

Today, DJI products are redefining industries. Professionals in filmmaking, agriculture, conservation, search and rescue, energy infrastructure, and more trust DJI to bring new perspectives to their work and help them accomplish feats safer, faster, and with greater efficiency than ever before.

Media Contact: Mansee Muzumdar, 1-512-626-3940, press@shapeways.com

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SOURCE Shapeways