Drone giant DJI has released a new teaser for a product announcement slated for September 17 – and it looks like the imminent announcement could involve a one-inch sensor.
On Monday, September 15, DJI shared a teaser on its social media platforms with the catchline “Pro in Mini.” The video shows a reverse teardown of the upcoming product, which illustrates a sensor and a lens all housed inside a casing with the label “1-inch.”
The teaser comes with a launch date of September 17 at 8 AM EDT / 1 PM BST / 10 PM AEST.
The teaser doesn’t explicitly state a specific model name (or even if it's a drone, although that feels pretty clear based on the video). But, rearrange the words of the “Pro in Mini” tagline and you get DJI’s Mini Pro series of quadcopters that fly under the 250g limit that skips some regulations in some regions, including registration in the US.
Rumors have been swirling for months that DJI’s next update to the Mini series will have a one-inch sensor, and a “Pro in Mini” product with “1-inch” stamped below the camera is likely the closest fans will get to a confirmation before September 17.
The teaser gives a few hints beyond that one-inch label. The camera is also labeled with “E 24 F1.8,” implying a 24mm equivalent lens with an f/1.8 aperture. The shot also shows the camera’s gimbal and what appears to be at least two obstacle detection sensors on the front.
DJI’s Mini series is a longstanding line of quadcopters with a beginner and hobbyist-friendly price point. But DJI has introduced more budget-friendly models like the DJI Flip and DJI Mini 4K, while launching models like the DJI Mini 4 Pro without introducing a standard non-Pro DJI Mini 4. That has pushed the Mini Series to feel like a more serious line than its early days.
A move to a one-inch sensor, if that is in fact what the teaser alludes to, would be a significant upgrade to make the Mini line feel more like a semi-pro and pro-on-a-budget option. The DJI Mini 4 Pro currently houses a 1/1.3-inch sensor.
A move towards a one-inch sensor on the Mini series would put the rumored drone in closer competition with the likes of the DJI Air 3S, which would still set itself apart as it has a 1-inch main camera alongside a secondary 1/1.3-inch sensor paired with a longer 70mm equivalent lens.
As a Mini pilot who owns a much older model, the teaser has me suspecting I may be highly tempted to upgrade in the next few days – the caveat being that DJI’s newest drone launches like the DJI Mavic 4 Pro haven’t launched in the US, at least not at DJI’s official store.
DJI fans can watch for the announcement on September 17 at 8 AM EDT / 1 PM BST / 10 PM AEST.
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