If downsizing continues to be a trend, how about DJI’s

The dust has not yet settled on the release of the new DJI FPV drone and some have started imagining what the company’s next foray into the FPV sector might look like. One answer? Smaller.

The DJI FPV drone reminds us a bit of a tiny bulldog. It’s squat and dense. (And, like a bulldog, some love the look of the animals while others find them a bit unusual.) It’s also, as many have pointed out, significantly heavier than a 5″ home build. So what if DJI were to make something significantly smaller?

Let’s look at that scenario.

A Mini FPV?

You know, we suggested a while back – before the DJI FPV release – that the company could probably find a market with a sub-250 FPV drone. The immense popularity of the Mavic Mini and the Mini 2 should attest to the demand from people looking for a compact solution that also happens to not be subject to some of the regulations imposed on heavier products.

Now, comes a blue-sky suggestion from well-known DJI leaker @OsitaLV:

That’s not far off from what we were suggesting. And it’s not the first time @OsitaLV has offered some thoughts in this arena:

Rules, rules, rules…

One of the challenges with flying drones these days is flying legally. A growing number of countries are requiring that pilots carry with them a certificate or license from a regulatory body. You must also fly in an area free from airspace restrictions and which don’t contravene any local laws, such as a ban on drones and R/C aircraft in parks. Plus, of course, you need a visual observer who can monitor the airspace and the pilot’s immediate surroundings while they’re immersed in goggle-land.

A smaller FPV drone, please…

That’s a lot of stuff, and flying a drone like DJI’s new FPV – nearly three times the 250-gram limit in weight – just makes it that much harder.

Sub-250 FPV

We’ve seen some forum discussions where people seem to think that flying sub-250 gives you the right to ignore all the rules. That’s not the case; you still need to use common sense. But it does free pilots, in many jurisdictions, from the licensing requirement (though in the US a Part 107 is still required if the drone is being used for commercial activities.

Could DJI pack this tech into an FPV package? Or course it could…

But the real joy of a sub-250 is that they’re so unobtrusive. In our experience, people just aren’t bugged by them the same way some are by larger drones. Plus, presumably, a sub-250 drone by DJI would also likely be priced lower than the existing FPV.

Will it happen?

Well, given that the launch of the DJI FPV has put V2 goggles and controllers into the hands of many people new to the hobby, it’s reasonable to anticipate many of those people will embrace the past-time and be looking for other things to fly.

Our sources at DJI have, so far, not suggested that a sub-250 FPV is in the works.

But we can always hope.

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