The DJI Flip leak gives us our first glimpse of a tiny foldable drone – and it’s a mysterious flying object
- According to new leaks, a new DJI Flip drone could be imminent
- Leaked video suggests the Flip will be a small, foldable drone
- It could be a new affordable rival to the HoverAir X1
If you thought a complete lack of competition plus the looming threat of a US ban could slow DJI’s drone-making abilities, you didn’t have to worry. A leak has just revealed that a small new DJI Flip is on the way – and it could potentially be a successor to the DJI Mini series.
The reliable DJI leaker @JasperEllens unveiled a DJI Flip video on X (formerly Twitter) showing how the foldable drone can be packed into an incredibly compact, perhaps even portable form. The design is reminiscent of the HoverAir X1, which is essentially a flying point-and-shoot camera.
We don’t know how the DJI Flip’s camera setup compares to the X1, but a recent filing from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US (picked up by @Quadro_News) has given us a few more tips.
Breaking: Thanks to my friend YueYue, this is the world’s first look at the #DJIFLIP. The Flip will be the next generation #foldable DJI drone (video). If you were waiting for a Mini 5. This is him. It will have O4 and probably LiDAR. Propguards are like FPV carbon fiber. Cheers! Jasper pic.twitter.com/uhumLWXLupDecember 1, 2024
That filing suggests the Flip will have a 3,110mAh battery (that’s bigger than the DJI Mini 4 Pro’s 2,590mAh cell), while separate rumors suggest the drone will have Lidar-powered obstacle avoidance sensors plus the latest OcuSync 4 ( O4) transmission to make it compatible with DJI’s RC 2 and RC-N2 controllers.
Overall, this makes the DJI Flip a curious little drone, and it’s not yet clear where it might sit between the new DJI Neo and the existing DJI Mini series. As always with DJI, expect new leaks to reveal more soon…
Analysis: Who would the Flip be suitable for?
As a happy owner of a DJI Mini 3 Pro, I’m not sure what to think about these DJI Flip leaks.
The recent DJI Neo is primarily an FPV (first-person view) drone, so that new model with its fresh design made sense. But the DJI Mini series, which the Flip appears to compete with, is already small, fitting into the sub-250 gram weight class, which gives pilots more freedom to fly in some regions.
This means it’s quite difficult to see how the DJI Mini series and DJI Flip could co-exist – unless the Flip is a more beginner-friendly DJI Spark-style model that sits below the DJI Mini 4 Pro.
That scenario could make sense, as DJI is eager to corner the market for drones built for social content creators. Like the Neo, the Flip appears to have the propeller guards needed for indoor flight or hovering around people, allowing it to act as an airborne selfie stick with precise Lidar-powered obstacles to keep it out of trouble.
That said, the leaked DJI Flip image shows it has a gimbal stabilized camera, so it’s not a toy like the Ryze Tello either. For now, my money is on the Flip as a successor to the standard DJI Mini 3 (which it still sells), leaving the Mini 4 Pro as a more expensive travel option. But I’m certainly looking forward to seeing more of those inevitable leaks to help fill in the gaps.