"Before I came, I think you may have thought about my purpose."
Li Dong paused and continued, "The purpose is actually very simple. I just want to ask about the practical use of drones.
Currently, the use of drones is very limited.
But in the past few years, drones have gradually moved from military to civilian use, and the scope of use has also increased.
Far away's previous annual meeting, Far Away introduced an unmanned sorting system. You should understand the meaning behind it.
Efficiency, cost, intelligence, these are things that big companies in the future will consider.
Even if Far Away is not a high-end company and is just a retail company, it doesn't mean that it can always follow the old path.
Far Away's purpose is to always lead the trend and walk at the forefront of the times.
Drone delivery is the first question I want to understand.
The second, I didn't want to ask, but since Professor Li is here, I will ask one more question.
Professor Li is an expert in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics. He used to be a research scientist in the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
Professor Li has a high authority in the practical use of artificial intelligence and robotics.
I want to ask, in the next few years, can artificial intelligence and robotics be applied to Faraway Group?
Can it play a necessary role in upgrading our industry?
Cost reduction, efficiency improvement, core competitiveness, these are all what I want, but I don't know if the current situation can meet my expectations … "
In Feng Yu's previous life, delivery drones were only known to the public in 2013.
Of course, before that, there were already companies that thought of using drones to transport express delivery.
In fact, reducing costs was not necessarily the case. The current cost of drones was high, and the transportation capacity was limited. Even if it was really put into use, the gains did not make up for the losses.
The key was still to strengthen competitiveness!
Today, major express delivery companies had delivery points all over the city, but for rural areas and mountainous areas, express delivery companies could not cover.
Even Far Away couldn't do it.
Including some sparsely populated remote areas, it was too troublesome to set up channels, and resources would be seriously wasted.
But the use of drones in a small area could solve these problems.
Of course, because of the weather, drone delivery also had many shortcomings, but Li Dong believed that these problems would not be a problem in the future.
Upgrading the traditional retail industry chain was also one of Li Dong's current ideas.
The traditional economy did not mean that it would always be passed down.
Some advanced technologies can also be used in the retail industry to upgrade their products and increase their competitiveness Far away. This is what Li Dong wants to see.
It wasn't because of the so-called pretentiousness, but because of the current situation.
Far away had achieved its greatest success in Hua Xia. Next, Far Away was going to enter the international scene.
Internationally, there were too many retail giants.
Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Tesco, Metro …
These were all veteran giants. Far away, it was simply a dream to think that they could beat them by relying on a single service and a single fierce battle like they had in China.
Far away, only innovation, only reform, was the magic weapon to win.
The electronic shopping mall, the high-tech logistics system, and the large-scale upgrade of the store system were refreshing, so it was possible to outshine others in this field.
The store system had achieved artificial intelligence, and the logistics had become unmanned. With high efficiency, coupled with online and offline assistance, Far away had made a leap forward as a whole. Only then did they have a new breakthrough and competitiveness.
Otherwise, why would foreigners choose to Far away?
Wal-Mart, Amazon, and other e-commerce stores, which one of them wasn't more well-known than Far away?
The possibility of domestic enterprises going out into the world was too high. Only a big gimmick, a gimmick that attracted the attention of the world, could let the enterprise be known to the public.
Of course, after attracting attention, the enterprise had to really be different in order to be able to last.
And this was what Li Dong wanted now.
As for the two people in front of him, it was just the first step of his inquiry. Next, he would invest more in this area.
Setting up Far away's own research institute was also a must.
…
Hearing Li Dong talk about upgrading the industry, Wang Tao and Li Zexiang couldn't help but admire him.
In the current situation, Far away had already become the first in the industry, dominating Hua Xia.
At this time, Li Dong didn't consider continuing like this. Instead, he wanted to get rid of his opponents from the root. This was no longer a simple enterprise.
In other words, Li Dong's vision was no longer focused on the domestic market, but the world.
Not only did he want to be the first in the field, but he also wanted to lead the trend. This was the demeanor of a large company.
Wang Tao and Li Zexiang looked at each other. Wang Tao thought for a while and said, "Before coming, I actually thought about what Mr. Li wants to talk about.
Drone delivery. From a theoretical point of view, this is possible and exists.
But with the current technical conditions, there are many difficulties.
I'll say a few first. First, the power system.
The battery power is limited by the low energy density of the battery, which affects the endurance and load capacity. The fuel power system is because of its large size …
Second, the flight control system.
The drone delivery needs to fly autonomously. If it still needs manual control, then it won't be called a drone delivery. There is no value in its existence …
Third, the sensor system …
Fourth, the safety problem …
Fifth, the response device for sudden changes in the weather … "
Wang Tao said a lot of problems. These were also real problems, but they were difficult to overcome.
Finally, Wang Tao said, "There is also the most important point, the cost problem!
Even if all the technical difficulties are overcome, these require large-scale investment and research and development.
Finally, the drone used in the field of express delivery will not be low.
Also, it needs a full set of supporting facilities and infrastructure. In the end, Mr. Li will find that the cost is much higher than manual transportation.
Of course, I believe that the problem of cost will be reduced sooner or later with large-scale use.
What I mean is that if Mr. Li really wants to invest in this, you have to be prepared for the problem of losses and large amounts of funds not being able to flow back.
I won't hide it from Mr. Li. In fact, I really hope to carry out research and development in this area.
But the current Dajiang lacks funds and talents. Dajiang alone can't do this.
Even if it can be done, it might take five years, ten years, or even longer … "
Li Zexiang also added, "Indeed, there is another point that Wang Tao did not mention. This is related to the Internet. Mr. Li is also a leader in the IT industry. I think Mr. Li should understand how difficult it is to remote control drones. This requires a complete network of supporting facilities. Currently, Hua Xia's network is not enough to support this. Unless we start from scratch and build a new drone network ourselves. But just this alone will require an astronomical amount of investment … "
Li Dong interrupted, "I'm not too worried about this. The development of the Internet industry is getting faster and faster. I think these things will definitely be realized in the next few years.
Of course, even if they are not realized, it doesn't mean that you have to do it alone when you need it.
There are countless express delivery companies. When we all need these things to support us, an industry will naturally appear. This is not my guess, but the inevitable development of society.
We don't have to think about this now. The key is still the technical difficulties.
If we don't conquer these, it means that everything is empty.
How long do you think it will take to conquer these technologies if we have enough funds? "
Wang Tao's heart skipped a beat. After a while, he said, "As long as there is a market demand, there will be people researching and conquering it. Also, it's not that there are no technologies, it's just that they have not been researched and developed in depth. Some experts and technicians chose to give up because of funding issues. If there is funding now, I think they will be happy to continue researching and developing … "
Li Dong raised his eyebrows and said, "Don't test me. I have always been a straightforward person.
A few hundred million or even a few billion isn't a big problem for me.
If you can really do it, if you can make Far Away a step ahead of others in this field before it appears on a global scale, the investment of a few billion or even tens of billions will be worth it!
If Far Away can use this to open up the international market and bring Far Away Logistics out of Hua Xia, then it won't just be Far Away Logistics that goes global.
The key is whether it's worth it or not!
If it can be used on a large scale, then it's worth it.
If it can't be done, then it's just a facade project, then it's not worth it. "
Li Dong's words shocked the two of them to the extreme!
What the heck, is this the richest man in the world?
They felt that if Li Dong was willing to invest tens of millions or even hundreds of millions in these industries, it would already be beyond their imagination!
But what did Li Dong say?
A few hundred million or a few billion wasn't a problem. As long as it was worth it, even tens of billions could be done.
The current Dajiang was not the Dajiang that would be valued at 10 billion US dollars in the future. It was a company that was only worth 20 to 30 million.
It was RMB, not US dollars!
A random number that Li Dong said was equivalent to several Dajiang.
This was a real f * cking rich person!
Wang Tao's mouth was dry. As proud as he was, he was also shocked at this moment.
A few billion!
If they could get a few billion Far Away to support them, there would be no technical difficulties that couldn't be overcome!
In the future, Dajiang would be valued at 10 billion US dollars, but that was an estimate, not money!
Even Dajiang at that time wouldn't be able to come up with a few billion in cash for technical research and development. Not to mention a few billion, even a few hundred million would be difficult.
But it was still 2009, and Li Dong was actually asking for a few billion right now.
Wang Tao's heart was beating fast. He swallowed and said, "Mr. Li, if you're really willing to make such a large investment in this area, the technical problems won't be a problem at all! As long as the infrastructure and network can keep up, in three years, at most three years, maybe not that long, the technical difficulties will definitely be overcome. "
If Wang Tao said for sure, then it would definitely be a breakthrough!
In the future, even if delivery drones became popular, how many people would really be willing to spend money on it?
Domestic delivery giants like SF Express were just doing it for show. They didn't invest in the technology at all, but just used it immediately.
If they really wanted to make a large investment in 2009, they wouldn't have to wait three years. Wang Tao felt that after a year, these problems probably wouldn't be a problem anymore.
As he spoke, Wang Tao suddenly thought of something and hurriedly said, "Oh right, Mr. Li, actually, there's still a way to overcome the technical problems. But regulation is the real problem! Once delivery drones are used on a large scale, it will have a huge impact on the safety of the airspace. Once the government comes out with regulatory policies, it might very well cause unavoidable trouble. "
Li Dong nodded. That was true.
However, Li Dong smiled and said, "Actually, I don't want to use it on a large scale in the city. After all, in the city, the transportation is developed, the infrastructure is complete, and the labor efficiency isn't low at all. The key is that the rural areas, mountainous areas, and remote areas are what I want to cover. If it's overseas, where the land is vast and the population is sparse, delivery drones will become an important weight for Far Away Logistics to open up the market. Any policy that comes out of a country will at most restrict urban and densely populated areas. Don't think that the government is too ignorant. The government won't do a one-size-fits-all thing. "
This was the biggest feeling that Li Dong had in the past few years.
Officials didn't represent the government!
Some officials were not good, but it didn't mean that the government was not good.
In many cases, the government was actually much more far-sighted than individuals. It was just that in practice, because of the size of the organization and various factors, it couldn't be implemented.
But if you really wanted to do it yourself, the government wouldn't directly cut it off for some special reasons.
The development of the Internet industry was actually a clear proof.
In many cases, the new technology of the Internet industry had subverted some things and subverted some traditional concepts.
In fact, the government didn't understand this at the beginning, but it chose to get in touch with it and understand it, instead of cutting it off because it didn't understand or was afraid.
Today's world was all-inclusive.
Except for a few regions, most countries' governments were rational.
When Wang Tao heard this, he didn't have too deep feelings.
Li Zexiang nodded repeatedly and said, "Indeed, I've been deeply touched over the years. Especially after running around the world and both sides of Hong Kong, this feeling is getting deeper and deeper. Now, it's the government that's integrating into society and the people, not like the feudal dynasties where the people integrate, obey, and attach … "
Wang Tao was not interested in their feelings. After Li Zexiang finished, Wang Tao continued, "Mr. Li, do you really want to invest in large-scale research and development in this area?"
Li Dong smiled and said, "Of course. How about it? Are you interested?"
When Wang Tao heard this, he immediately said excitedly, "Mr. Li, you mean …"
Li Dong smiled faintly and said, "There are specializations in every industry. Far away can also set up research institutes and invite experts and professors.
But Far away is not our main business, after all. We only need additional benefits and enjoy the results, not the process.
And to be honest, the use of drone technology is of limited help to us.
All I need is to expand the express delivery logistics. I don't care about the rest.
I prefer to get the results directly, rather than go through the trouble of doing research and development.
We'll cooperate with Dajiang and invite some academic institutions to set up a research institute together. I'll provide the money, you provide the technology, and we'll jointly hold the shares.
In the end, we'll all get something we want.
Of course, if you're interested in how to invest and how to hold the shares, you can go to Jiangbei and discuss it with my people.
Right now, it's just an intention.
But I can tell you clearly that as long as it's worth it, money is not a problem! "
Wang Tao was a little excited and could not believe it. It was so easy for Dajiang to fight for such an opportunity?
One had to know that many institutions could do it just by providing manpower and technology.
It was fine even if Li Dong did not bring Dajiang along!
Currently, Dajiang was not well-known, but Li Dong actually wanted to bring them along.
Even if they did not hold the shares, Dajiang would actually make a lot of money.
Because of the scale of Dajiang, there were often some technical difficulties that required a long time for Dajiang to overcome.
But once the research institute was set up, a large number of professionals would be brought in.
Da Jiang could use the chicken to lay eggs. It could borrow the strength of the research institute and Li Dong's capital to develop even faster.
This was like a pie falling from the sky!
However, he was thinking too much. Was Li Dong the kind of person who would let others take advantage of him?
Wang Tao was still excited when Li Dong said, "Of course, to make me feel more at ease and support you, as well as to ensure that there will be more opportunities for cooperation in the future. I personally hope to hold some shares in Dajiang Technology. Of course, I'll only be a shareholder. I won't be involved in the actual operations. Do you think this request is too much, CEO Wang? "
Wang Tao immediately stopped smiling and looked at Li Zexiang. After a while, he said with difficulty, "How many shares does Mr. Li want?"
"About 20%, not a lot. For an investment of more than nine figures, or even ten figures, 20% of Dajiang's shares, CEO Wang doesn't have to be happy. The follow-up conditions can be discussed. Even the sharing of the research institute's technology can be discussed. CEO Wang, you should understand what this means. "
Wang Tao swallowed his saliva again. Of course, he knew what this meant!
Sharing of technology!
They could enjoy the fruits of their investment without spending any money and putting in some effort. The benefits were simply too great.
Was 20% of the shares a lot?
At least from the looks of it now, it wasn't a lot.
But now, his share had dropped to 50%. Even if someone else shared the 20%, his share would drop below 50%.
Also, Shen Xuehua seemed to be Li Dong's future mother-in-law. She still held a lot of Dajiang's shares. If he gave Li Dong another 20% …
Wang Tao hesitated for a while, but the juicy meat in front of him was too tempting. It was hard for him to reject it.
At this time, Wang Tao could only look at Li Zexiang, hoping to get some inspiration from his teacher.
Li Zexiang hurriedly gave him a look. Agree!
How much was Dajiang worth now?
As for the future, before the first generation of Dajiang elves appeared, there was really no future to speak of.
Li Dong's establishment of the research institute was completely paving the way for Dajiang. If he could obtain the rights to share the technology, the benefits would be incomparable. What was there to hesitate about?
Seeing this, Wang Tao gritted his teeth and said, "Mr. Li, I can hold the shares. But I still want to discuss the details of the cooperation with Far away first, including the issue of the research institute's shares."
He wouldn't release the eagle without seeing the rabbit. Empty promises wouldn't do.
If he couldn't see the actual benefits, he shouldn't even think about giving Dajiang's shares to Li Dong.
Li Dong smiled. There really weren't any real fools in this world. But the establishment of the research institute was real. He only wanted results, so they could discuss it.
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