Next Mavic Pro could offer swappable cameras and safer flight

Next Mavic Pro could offer swappable cameras and safer flight

When DJI launched the compact Mavic Air drone in January for $800, it seemed like there was no longer a compelling enough reason to splash money on the older, larger, and more expensive Mavic Pro quadcopter.

Well, if DroneDJ‘s sources are to be believed, DJI hasn’t given up on the Pro and has plans to launch the “Mavic 2” with at least a couple of new features that could turn heads.

For starters, an image that sources claim shows the second version of the Mavic Pro appears to reveal a removable gimbal that would allow the owner to use a different camera — perhaps a more advanced one, or one with a different field of view, or both. This could appeal especially to budding filmmakers looking to cut down on the size of their kit for outdoor shoots that require aerial imagery. But take note, the image appears to show another gimbal assembly alongside the drone, suggesting the cameras would be designed by DJI, thereby limiting the choice of camera you could attach to the machine.

The Mavic Pro’s video quality has received mixed reviews, and while we’d expect DJI to launch any follow-up device with an improved camera, giving owners additional options would be a big plus and also set it apart from the Mavic Air, which has a fixed camera.

Another new feature rumored to be coming to the next Mavic Pro are additional sensors that could provide it with 360-degree obstacle avoidance. That’d give the machine greater situational awareness than the Mavic Air, which has sensors on the front, underneath, and rear, and therefore help beginners or risk-takers from flying the drone into a building or some other such obstacle.

We’re currently waiting for details about DJI’s next press event, which may or may not take the wraps off the follow-up to the Mavic Pro. DJI had announced an event for July 18 with the tagline “see the bigger picture,” but it’s since postponed it without offering a new date.

DJI said it’d decided to shift the date so that it could “deliver according to our standard of innovation.” Yes, it sounds rather like it’s hit a snag with its technology and needs to sort it out first.

If and when the next Mavic Pro does see the light of day, we’ll of course be sure to cover it here at Digital Trends.

Published at Mon, 09 Jul 2018 06:30:47 +0000