Technological advancements have stirred an active interest among masses for the ever-growing drone camera options. DJI is considered a benchmark among many others given their arsenal of quality offerings. You will be glad to know they are set to release new models of two of their most successful product lines: Mavic Mini and Spark 2. Below are some speculations on what the newer models are likely to include along with a discussion of the features that made the current models a success.
DJI Mavic Mini:
With its upcoming release confirmed just a couple of weeks ago, the drone will add significantly to the features of its predecessor while being compact in size as is expected from their mini range. The exact release date of the device is still unknown but noticeable rumours estimate the launch somewhere around Christmas season so this could make the perfect gift for a drone savvy individual.
What price to expect?
Individuals from the company have estimated the price of Mavic Mini to be around $399 for the US market while the UK market can expect a price tag of around £389. Note that these prices are for the drone only while the complete setup with the remote could range up to $499.
What to make of the specifications?
Coming to the specifications of the device, the body of Mavic Mini will be quite compact, as the unfolded dimensions will be approximately a 20 x 20 cm size. According to Gearbest, Mavic Mini will be equipped with 4k video recording device placed on the triaxial gimbal, quite similar to how it is mounted on the Mavic Air. There will be a 12 MP camera on a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor. Reports suggest Mavic Mini will weigh around 340 grams that is visibly less than Mavic Air and would give it an advantage in that aspect, especially if you like to travel around a lot. Also considering the price difference between both the options, Mavic Mini is quite well suited for the mid-range customers.
Two obstacle sensors, one of which is placed in front of the device and the other below it, further supports it. You might still need to look out keenly for trees and related obstacles since there are no cameras present on the back and the side of the device. It is also expected to have improved data transfer capabilities for shifting data. A reliable practice is to keep uploading your data over the cloud to save up space for more activity. All you need is a high speed internet option which you can get from here and you can save and upload videos to your heart’s content (and based on the cloud storage capabilities).
What to make of Mavic Mini?
DJI Mavic Air has been on the market for quite some time now and a successor to this device cannot yet be seen in the near future. The upcoming device however may very well be interesting for the audiences that consider Mavic Air as the go-to device especially based on the 4k capabilities and the price cut.
This has a good side to it as well as a bad one.
Firstly, we saw how Mavic Air overshadowed the more expensive model, Mavic Pro, based on its features that in turn reduced the sales of the premium model. The same could happen with Mavic Mini coming into the market in that it could have an adverse effect on the sales of Mavic Air. That being said, the new device itself is quite attractive both in terms of design and usability and for a $399 price tag, it could be the perfect fit for any videographer’s arsenal. Let’s not forget the device like all the various entries from DJI is supported by their highly dependable and user friendly software. One can only hope the company succeeds in delivering to our expectations and if luck has it, even beyond that.
DJI Spark 2:
It has been a while since we saw a new drone release by DJI and with the Phantom 5 rumours turning out to be entirely false, the expectations of the general public have started to falter. Well you guys will be glad to know after Mavic Mini’s confirmation, DJI Spark 2 has also been endorsed although the release date of the device is yet to be known. The drone is expected to hold major improvements compared to its predecessor, DJI Spark, which was released back in 2017.
What price to expect?
The official channels haven’t disclosed the pricing range for DJI Spark 2 yet. This is mainly due to the “shift in priorities” as stated by the company officials that already resulted in the release date for the device to be extended indefinitely. The currently available model, Spark, retails for $399 with good vendors like Amazon and with the new device, we can expect a price relatively higher.
What to make of the specifications?
Although the exact specifications of the upcoming device are still unknown, we can speculate what to expect based on the current market norms and related devices such as Mavic Mini soon to be released by the company. It is expected to encompass enhanced video capabilities with 4k video recording at 30fps. The bitrate of the video quality is also expected to increase. It is expected to support an improved 3-axis gimbal to reduce shakiness. The digital zoom will also be improved up to 2x on the previous model to support long distance shooting.
The previous model offers a flight time of up to 16 consecutive minutes but with Spark 2, that is expected to increase up to 19 minutes. The battery design naturally will have to be improved to support the additional features. The remote on the device will be supported by a new antenna for better connectivity range. It is expected to be available in two color options: black and white. Panorama mode is something of a norm with drone devices these days and Spark 2 will come equipped with this capability for enhanced user experience.
What to make of DJI Spark 2?
You can comfortably expect DJI Spark 2 to add-on to the features of its predecessor while offering similar ease of use – an aspect audiences have become accustomed to with DJI Spark. There were certain connectivity issues with the previous device that became sort of a nuisance for Spark users and these will definitely be resolved with Spark 2. This could very well be a high tier device with add-on features on top of the ones discussed, but that solely depends on what DJI wants to achieve with the new device.
All things considered, we are anxiously awaiting the release of both these devices and hopefully we will get to enjoy one of these by this year’s end. We sincerely hope that DJI lives up to the expectations we have of the upcoming models so that we may keep on expecting great things from the company in the future as well.
Kim Marks 
Nicola Holder