A new report claims that drone manufacturer DJI is set to unveil the Mavic, a new entry-level drone, on Sept. 15.
DJI recently unveiled the Osmo+ and the Osmo Mobile, with the handheld camera stabilizers taking advantage of the technology that the company has included in its drones to ensure the quality of recorded footage. It seems that DJI has not forgotten its roots, though, with a new drone said to be prepared to launch in over a week.
The expected release of the Mavic was reported by drone enthusiast website Heliguy, which claimed that the new quadcopter will be a small transformable camera drone that is aimed for customers who are looking for portability. Yuneec released the $500 selfie-centered Breeze copter for drone newbies who wanted an affordable option, and DJI will now be looking to target the same market with the Mavic.
The transformable characteristic of the Mavic allows the arms and rotors of the drone to be folded into its body for easier transport and storage. In unfolding the drone, the front arms of the Mavic will fold forward from the rear, locking into either side of the camera casing, while the arms sitting near the front will stretch back to the rear.
Other leaked specifications for the Mavic, as acquired by Heliguy, include a 4K camera with a two-axis gimbal, a 300-meter OFDM digital Wi-Fi link, weight of only 1.43 pounds, an Android-powered remote control with an integrated LCD screen and a 3,830 mAh battery.
Heliguy also acquired images of the Mavic, and it seems that it will be smaller compared with DJI's previous offerings. This is supported by the smaller battery that is said to be coming with the drone, as such a battery would not be able to support a larger-sized drone.
DJI is expected to unveil the Mavic on Sept. 15, a few days before GoPro is planning to announce its long-delayed Karma drone on Sept. 19.
The Karma drone is also said to be a foldable one, and if DJI will indeed announce the Mavic on Sept. 15, the company could steal away some thunder from GoPro.
GoPro was supposed to launch the Karma in June, but in May, the company decided to push back the release date near the holiday season. The delays of the Karma have given DJI the time to develop its own foldable drone in the Mavic, which could definitely pose a serious threat to GoPro's first drone.
