OsitaLV is at it again. He’s found some pictures of a new DJI product that looks like a Mini-Mavic. He claims that the photos come from the Ministry of Communication and Affairs of Japan. He also says that people have been threatening him to take the pictures down. There is a lot of speculation and some shady things going on here but one thing is pretty clear. DJI is going to release a new drone and it looks like it is coming soon. Let’s take a look at the drone and what it could be.
Ladies in DJI HQ lost their sleep last night because the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of Japan gave us everything.
It’s completely exposed to the public, everyone can see.
Looks like the temporary-grounded DJI is going to fly again.— OsitaLV (@OsitaLV) August 10, 2019
The New DJI Mavic Mini
This little drone may look a lot like a DJI Mavic Pro 2 however it will likely be more similar to the DJI Spark. Some people might even call it the Spark 2 but I doubt DJI will.
It is no secret that DJI is moving away from the Phantom design and focusing on building more portable drones like the Mavic series. It would make sense to replace the Spark in this way as well. DJI could change nothing about the Spark, with the exception of the design and it would sell like hotcakes. However, there are some other likely improvements coming along with the smaller, more portable design.
I believe this to me more like a Spark because of the lack of obstacle avoidance sensors on the sides and rear. It does look to have obstacle avoidance on the front (like the Spark) but not on the sides and rear where I find them most useful. Also it doesn’t have a premium look to it like the Mavic Air does but rather a toy Mavic.
A Better Camera
The DJI Spark camera is good, but it does not take 4K video. It is capable of 4K photos but DJI stops there. It is likely that this new Mavic Mini will have an improved 4K camera and it will sit on a three-axis gimbal instead of a two-axis gimbal like the Spark. That would be a huge improvement.
Better Video Transmission
I love flying the Spark but the WiFi video transmission feed isn’t the best. It is particularly poor if you are flying in an area that has a lot of digital interference. Since that seems to be almost everywhere I fly I’ve mostly shelved my Spark for my Mavic Air. We know DJI has been making improvements with their video transmission and even have put out a fantastic digital FPV signal that can work for race pilots. It is likely that DJI improves the signal strenght and range of the Spark for this new Mini Mavic.
Longer Flight Time
The original Spark can fly up to 16 minutes but typically my flights fall just short of 15. The Mavic Air is capable of flights of up to 20 minutes and it is likely that this little quad will get close to that number. I would be suprised to see the new Mavic Mini surpass the Mavic Air as I believe this drone will fall in the $399-499 price range rather than the $799 price of the Mavic Air. I’m also hoping that that pushes the Spark price down to the $199 range which will absolute destroy the current offerings in that range.
When will we see the new Mavic Mini?
DJI does have an event planned for August 13 titled Transform Your World but I am not convinced that it will be released then. There isn’t a release event that will take place on the 13th and DJI likes to make unveilings a big deal. It is likely to be an Osmo Mobile 3 or their new mirrorless camera release. I could be wrong. We will find out soon. What do you think?
One, two, three, get ready to set your creativity free. Discover more at https://t.co/FVx2rWtmsn pic.twitter.com/F0zTmqoZnr
— DJI (@DJIGlobal) August 8, 2019
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