DJI's new Flip mini drone with folding rotors and LiDAR arrives in January
[11:56 Thu,26.December 2024 by Thomas Richter]
For about two weeks now, thanks to several leaks, it has been clear that DJI will soon be presenting a new FPV mini drone called Flip now, thanks to a mistake by a Swiss retailer, further technical data has also become known. The DJI Flip as already suspected will be below the important 250-gram weight limit and can therefore be flown with fewer restrictions than heavier drones, meaning you neither need a drone license nor registration.
DJI Flip
The Flip&s camera uses a 1/1.3" sensor (like the Mini 4 Pro) and can record 4K HDR video at up to 60 fps. Thanks to its 3110 mAh battery, it will be able to stay in the air for up to 31 minutes significantly longer than the 18 minutes of the DJI Neo and the 23 minutes of the Avata 2. The video data is transmitted using the O4 system for remote control (not the better O4+). Like the Air 3S, the Flip also uses LiDAR for obstacle avoidance and AI-based object tracking to automatically obtain the optimal image section.
The DJI Flip is particularly compact when it comes to transport: the foldable four rotors including propeller protection can be folded down to the size of a single unit. The DJI Flip charging station, which will be included in the Fly More Combo, can charge two batteries simultaneously and takes at least 45 minutes to do so.
DJI Flip Ladestation
DJI Flip vs DJI Neo vs DJI Mini
Due to its innovative new folding mechanism, which allows the otherwise bulky rotors and protection to be folded together into essentially a single rotor, the DJI Flip will be significantly more compact than the Neo, whose rotors and full protection are firmly mounted. When folded, the Flip resembles the Hover Air X1 models (however, unlike the Air X1 and the DJI Neo, it does not appear to have any control elements on the top for automatic control without a remote control) and is slightly smaller than the Mini 4 Pro.
But what apart from greater portability despite larger rotors will be the differences to the Neo? The images suggest that, unlike the Neo, the gimbal camera will be movable in all three dimensions, which could deliver better stabilized images however, meaningful movement in the horizontal plane is severely restricted, as the front rotors get in the way during larger pans. Also new is the top-accessible battery, which can be easily changed using two release buttons on the sides. The integrated LiDAR suggests improved obstacle detection.
DJI Flip in the Fly More Combo
Price and Release Date of the DJI Flip
The DJI Flip is rumored to be launched very soon namely (presumably) in mid-January 2024, well before the new Mavic 4 Pro, which is likely to be presented on April 25th. The probable European prices of the various packages are also already known: the DJI Flip solo (without remote control) is said to cost 439 euros, with the RC2 remote control including an integrated 5.5" display 639 euros, and in the Fly More Combo with RC2, additional batteries, charger and carrying case 779 euros. A special 16/64/256 ND filter set will also be available as an option.
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