Photo of DJI’s upcoming Mavic 2 leaked online hints at swappable cameras

But the biggest takeaway from the image might be what it doesn’t show

DJI

Andrew Barclay

Published: 5:57pm, 9 Jul, 2018

Why you can trust SCMP

This article originally appeared on ABACUS

Ever since Chinese drone maker DJI teased the world about its upcoming product launch, the internet has been abuzz with speculation about what could be announced. Now thanks to a new leak, we may have a better idea.

DroneDJ says it received a photo from a tipster showing what’s allegedly a new model that hasn’t been announced yet -- the Mavic 2.

One big takeaway from the picture is that the drone seems to have a removable gimbal which can be detached and used separately -- similar to the GoPro Karma.

At the same time, you can see what looks like another gimbal with a smaller camera and sensor lying on the lower left corner of the table, implying that there may be two different models with different cameras.

@OsitaLV -- someone with a history of being on the money with DJI leaks -- posted on Twitter a mockup of what they think that new gimbal could look like.

Another major takeaway from the photo -- avoidance cameras on the side of the drone. We can’t see whether there are rear cameras, but many observers believe the new drone may come with 360-degree obstacle avoidance.

DJI’s latest announcement fuels theories about the Mavic Pro II

Until this year, consumers had a choice between the Mavic Pro and Spark. There were clear differences between the two: The Mavic Pro could shoot 4K video and had a longer range, but was also bigger and significantly more expensive.

But the arrival of the Mavic Air made things far less clear. It delivered much of what the Mavic Pro could do at a lower price. So the Mavic 2, if it doubles down on pro-level features, could be DJI’s way of enticing people to spend more.

As always, it’s worth pointing out that we cannot independently verify these leaks, and many online were understandably skeptical -- like this Twitter user:

It also seems DJI fans will have to wait even longer before anything is officially announced.

The company announced late last week it would postpone the launch date for the new product(s) -- pointing to the technology not being up to scratch yet.

DJI teams up with Axon to sell drones to cops

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