Consider the cost of being a NAB, $250,000-$500,000 based on the size of their display. That is not a small investment. I am not sure what it cost PhotoHigher since they were outside with the satellite dish guys and a much smaller space. Even with those factors it could not have been cheap. The real question for all of the exhibitors is was it worth the exposure? With 10% margins on the high side and 5% on the low side, you would need the show to generate an additional $2.5-10 million dollars in sales to justify your presence. Really!!! Is it worth that much??
Here's my take on this one:
NAB this year had 95,000 participants. I went to probably a $1M party thrown by HP. There are small time folks there mixed in with big timers. Per NAB fact sheet: $20.7 billion (USD) in purchasing power*
My 'day job' is designing production facilities. Mostly mid-sized stuff where any given signal conversion box , tripods, trusses, lighting, dollys, costs $5k-$20k+. Cameras are $10k-$150k. Sometimes we use robotics. Centralized signal routing costs us hundreds of thousands.
So is it worth it to manufacture for a market that's busy working in pro-production? If professionals see the value in a product, then. Absolutely.
I've seen manufactures go from a small 5 x 10 booth to 30' x 30' or more. When certain niches in this big industry catch on to something they like, it grows super fast.
I counted 6 or so multirotor booths scattered through the central, south and outdoor halls. I'm sure some wont be there next year, but I'm pretty sure some are here to stay.