The rumored DJI FPV drone has appeared in an official registration with US authorities for the first time, a move that usually suggests an imminent launch.
As spotted by Chinese drones website Kanzhaji, a new FCC (Federal Communications Commission) filing in the US refers to the 'DJI FPV drone' by name for the first time, and gives us a few more clues about what to expect from a flying machine that is likely to shoot dynamic, high-speed 4K video.
For a start, the DJI FPV drone won't be arriving alone when it's eventually announced. The FCC filing also refers to a new remote controller and FPV (First Person View) headset called the DJI FPV Goggles 2. This would explain why one of the earlier leaked photos showed a DJI FPV Combo box, which contained an all-in-one kit including both of these accessories.
DJI FPV Drone！YES！😍 pic.twitter.com/7KZqvxZMN7December 9, 2020
The FCC filing, which is a rite of passage for tech products in the US and commonly precedes an official launch by 3-4 weeks, also shows the DJI FPV drone's battery (a 2000mAh affair) and details about its connectivity.
Rather than sending a live video feed to a smartphone or controller's screen, FPV drones instead fire this to a headset, so the pilot can get a drone's-eye view in the sky. FPV drones have traditionally used an analogue signal due to its low latency (or minimal lag), but it looks like the DJI FPV drone will go for a digital transmission system like its existing DJI FPV System.
According to the filing, the remote controller will be a 2.4Ghz and 5.8Ghz dual-band affair, which should provide a reliable signal with minimal lag between the drone's view and what you see in the DJI FPV Goggles 2 headset.
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Unidentified flying gadget
Despite this confirmation from the FCC filing, there are still a lot of unknowns about the DJI FPV drone – including exactly who it'll be aimed at.
Until now, most FPV drones have been geared towards drone racing, a hobby that's grown rapidly over the last ten years and is now shown live on channels like NBC Sports and Sky Sports. But these flying machines tend to be more homebuilt, stripped down affairs than the model revealed so far in the leaked DJI FPV drone images (like the one below).
Looks like spaceship!Someone who got evaluation didn't keep their NDA. pic.twitter.com/qyFycphly6December 2, 2020
The existing DJI Digital FPV System (which contains everything you need for FPV flying, aside from the drone) has been "designed for the drone racing industry" in DJI's own words, but the company's own drones have all focused more on aerial filmmaking and photography.
Could the DJI FPV drone be a hybrid for both FPV learners and filmmakers who want to shoot fast, dynamic videos like the ones above? We'll likely have to wait until the official launch to find out, but it's certainly intriguing.
The question now is exactly when DJI will announce its new FPV system. Launches in mid-December are pretty rare, but then we did see the surprise arrival of the Apple Airpods Max yesterday. A January arrival still looks more likely, but we'll bring you any official news as soon as it breaks.
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