Connected devices, drones, smart cars expected to dominate CES 2016

Drones

Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, went mainstream in 2015. At last year's CES, a separate area was created for the first time for drones with 16 companies presenting their products, about half of which came from China.

At CES 2016, a record 27 companies, including renowned brands such as DJI, Yuneec, Hobbico and Squadrone System, are set to showcase their drone technologies related to sports, travel, real estate, search and rescue, law enforcement and disaster relief.

"Drones have taken off in the marketplace and now represent one of the fastest growing tech categories -- globally and on the CES show floor," Shapiro said in a statement in December. "This is truly life-changing technology that will create new jobs, improve lives and transform the way we do business."

According to the CTA market research, 400,000 drones were sold in this past holiday season and the U.S. market revenue reached nearly 105 million U.S. dollars in 2015 - a 52 percent increase over 2014.

Given the current regulatory environment, the CTA also predicted that the United States could reach one million drone flights per day within the next 20 years.

Better batteries for longer flight times are also expected to be demonstrated, as many drones currently could only fly for about 20 minutes, a major limitation in promoting such products.

File photo: DJI's Phantom 3 Professional drone is displayed at their first flagship store in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China December 20, 2015, two days before the official opening. [Photo/Agencies]