The DJI Neo is so new it wasn't even discounted for Black Friday, and yet some people are already looking at rumors and seeing the next drone – or what might be the next one, apparently the DJI Flip – and asking themselves "Should I wait?"
First, if you've not seen it, here's the rumor tweet on X (is that how you say it?) from solidly reliable source on DJI information Jasper Ellens...
Another exclusive video: My friend YueYue showed me these early factory #DJIFLIP parts. They look extremely light and strong. Why re-invent the wheel right? Good to see some innovations at #DJI. Cheers Jasper pic.twitter.com/WkRVpytg0GDecember 3, 2024
This is pretty interesting, not least because it shows a rumor we've seen before and many of us had thought might simply be an alternative design for what eventually became the very friendly, soft-edged DJI Neo, the must-have drone this holiday season.
Then a quick glance at just the picture and the frame and you might think "Ok, this looks much smaller, like a kind of tiny indoor toy – is DJI going for that market too now?"
Then you look a bit closer and there seems to be a camera gimbal below the main body (fuselage) and when you see the parts video in the leak the scale is a lot clearer; this is a bit bigger than a toy.
So, if real, how is the DJI Flip different from the DJI Neo?
For one thing, it does look to be a folding drone, more like a HoverAir X1 in some respects. DJI didn't copy the folding design when it did borrow certain other 'follow me' or 'selfie drone' aspects for the DJI Neo, so you might think that a folding design would be the next step in the evolution, but I don't.
I think that the Neo was made to be extra tough and DJI seems to have taken the view that a rigid design gave them more possibilities (and less to break) since they also endowed the Neo with the possibility of FPV flight which, let's face it, carries a little more risk.
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So is the DJI Flip meant to replace the DJI Mini 4?
Perhaps, but I don't think so. The circulated specs suggest a battery with 3,110 mAh – suggesting a longer life than the Neo (in fact it's bigger than the Mini 4 Pro's battery, but then it doesn't have to lift prop guards! That design element, already controversial among fans on Twitter and Reddit, will have a drag factor and cost some flight time and its why I don't think this is going after Pro.
Assuming the Mini Pro line was not retired, DJI would still have amazingly high-spec drones like the Mini 4 Pro that are ultralight and technically sophisticated. There is a market for that and the higher-end users are usually prepared to cope with propellors open to the air for the sake of better flight times and manoeuvrability. Personally, I have a Mini 3 Pro in my arsenal. (I didn't upgrade to the 4 and a Mini 5 Pro would need to impress, camera-wise, for me to step up this soon.)
I think the answer should be clear from the emphasis on safety, and something else...
The fact the Mini 4K is available at such a good price now is probably the key – the lower-end 'Mini' drones are actually the ones for the chop? After all, the Mini 4K is built on the same frame as the Mini 2 from 2020, sold in different variations with internal changes (or restrictions) as dictated by price point.
The odd thing is that, for some, the Mini 4K might end up being the more useful drone, at least purely from an imaging perspective, as it can stay aloft for 30 minutes and is very easy to move around the sky. The Flip might be more family-friendly and fun, and we have yet to see how it handles the drag of the guards.
When will a DJI Flip come out?
Not until early 2025 if the FCC filing is happening around now, so you won't be able to get it before the holidays to replace either the Neo or, more likely, the Mini 4K.
