DJI is getting ready to unveil a new... something... on January 23rd. We know this because the Chinese drone maker (and camera company) just released a teaser video that hints at a live product announcement that morning. The tagline, Adventure Unfolds, implying that it might be a new folding drone, possibly a replacement for the Mavic Pro that only recently got some real competition.
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The video is made up mostly of stock video footage with epic music playing in the background, but DJI does offer a few tantalizing closeups of a sleek looking new drone (we assume... at least). The photos don't reveal anything at all, really, but here are a couple of screenshots just in case you want to get speculating:
The description of the video reads, "Your next great journey begins at 10 am EST on Jan 23, 2018," and it looks like DJI will be streaming the announcement live at this link.
Instead of a new drone I would prefer an Android App and Firmware that doesn't brick my Mavic. Go check the Google Playstore comments and the DJI forum! Support? Nonexistant.....
I don't get why they won't just work off of the Mavic Pro and upgrade from that. They can totally put a 1'' sensor on that drone. If this is indeed the in-between spark and mavic pro then it'll either cannibalize the spark or the mavic pro. Didn't get a chance to see any "leaked specs" but if produces better IQ and low light capability than the Mavic Pro then I'll still get it :)
I am taking a step back to admire the evolution of Chinese upcoming domination of technology (and world economy). From the world of the 80s, when the only Chinese I had met where a government-sponsored couple with ill-fitting clothes in my MBA class....to now with this sleek marketing announcement of yet one more hi-tech marvel. Hmmmm... I should start Chinese.
Reminds me of ≤1990 when the world was in awe of Japan world domination.
If you look closely into key indicators of Chinese economy you'll see they are in deep trouble. E.g., a large part of their buildings are built for speculation and w/o habitants. And companies have tremendous debt. Already now Chinese growth rate is down below 7%, just twice of developed countries like USA or Germany (3%). That's not enough anymore to catch up with the West.
I read an authoritative-sounding article, by a named economist or journalist specializing in economics, in the early 1990s, on the Chinese economy, saying essentially the same thing as @falconeyes is saying above, with a prediction that in the next couple of years the collapse will come etc. Then the next year I read the same again, then the next year, etc., etc. up to now reading it again here from the above, albeit that it is on DPR now whilst previously it was on more serious publications including The Economist. Maybe this time the prediction will come true, who knows.
@tt321 I didn't predict any collapse at all. I only said that there is no reason for Chinese angst.
If I'd to predict anything, then it is that Chinese has a good chance to catch up with the west just before AI-driven automation closes the window of opportunity to attract labour by low wages. For India, I am more concerned they'll don't make it although they are on track to surpass China economically. But no way China will dominate the west. They had their chance back in 1433.
Its the Mavic Air. DJI has already set up an URL rewriting rule for anything http://dji.com/mavic-air/*, obviously hiding a section of the website, already prepared for launch.
Love it. This is sorta revolutionary. I've been wanting a gimbal-less micro-drone (well, smaller than a Spark is micro to me...plus, this one is foldable) for a long time and I'll be sure to pre-order right away. 5K+ sensor with a circular 206-degree FOV and using Rylo's software (now we know why Rylo markets the software aspect so much—licensing agreements). No gimbal means better durability, less weight, less cost, longer battery life, and ability to reframe in post. And with 5K mostly forward-facing, it'll produce re-framed, stabilized 1080p better than current 360-degree cameras. (If you haven't done so, check out examples of Rylo's stabilization and reframing in post—now imagine it in a drone.) Can't wait to get mine!!!
Great deal and looks like a lot of fun for $300 but I wonder what the point of the Spark is? DJI is willing to cannibalize? Or will they get rid of the Spark already?
Missing a nice bargain offer on a mavic pro two weeks ago might be the best thing happening to me for a while. I hope the new drone will be somewhat in the price range of the platinum.
I don't think that this is a new drone, I think it's a new type of drone control device-- something that perhaps you wear on your head and control with your eyes or something.
Yes, I'm hoping for the Phantom 5. I prefer the larger Phantom series drones for my needs as an environmental consultant performing photogrammetric imaging, topographic mapping and 3D surface modeling. Bring on the Phantom 5!
After DJIs recent behaviour with enforced firmware and pretending to act as law enforcement (forced logins when you can't get a 'net connection and multiguess quizzes) I think that's me no longer bothering with them. More power to their competitors.
Hopefully it is something decent. I wanted a solid update with Mavick pro 2, but Platinum was announced instead and I thought it was a joke. Now it looks like it might be a proper update
The internet is basically expecting a Mavic 2 with the 1" sensor camera from the P4pro, followed later by a P5 with, you guessed it, a better camera and more obstacle avoidance (see also, Inspire 2 II).
+2000 Time for anything smaller than a 1” sensor to die (or at least get a 50% price cut). Mavic stills are UNUSABLE. Presumably, people clamoring for a Phantom 5 are doing so for a larger than 1” sensor? Otherwise, I simply don’t get why anyone would want that albatross form factor! A foldable, Mavic-like drone with larger sensor is what the world wants.
Cat videos shot by flying drone cats would be huge! But not if they're shot on a small sensor. There's already such a dearth of low quality flying-cat-fail videos...
To eschew the traditional four-prop configuration for this would be amazing and a breakthrough. For me, the question is: will it provide any tangible benefits? More torque? More speed? More stability? Color me interested.
Absolutely no point in range and speed. It’s slready illegal to fly them out of range of sight. So why have them fly even further than they currently can! Battery tech and small sensor is the problem. Forget range.
There's not much to go on in that video but the market would be well served by a smaller Phantom that folds up. (Phantom 5?) 1 inch camera sensor, etc. The current Phantom form factor is bulky and a folding version would sell without the need for many new features. It seems like a no-brainer that DJI would make that... now or soon.
It's a nice promo video for a drone but how about a foldable camera that can fit in the pant pocket? And yes, I am just blabbering nonsense other than expressing my little interest in drones.
I never understood comments like this. You have little interest in drones yet you still clicked this article and decided to comment? Makes no sense to me.
What I have observed is that large soaring birds are attracted to my drone and come from far away sometimes. They probably think it is on to a special thermal.
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