DJI Counters GoPro Karma With Folding, Palm-Sized $999 Mavic Pro Camera Drone
Coming in at roughly half the size of the flagship Phantom, the 1.65-pound Mavic Pro is DJI’s smallest 4K-capable camera drone yet. The device manages to fit into the palm of your hand and could easily tuck into a backpack or even a small purse. The Magic Pro is able to achieve this space-saving trickery by folding its front arms rearward (and tucking its rotors), while the rear arms fold forward creating an incredibly compact device.
But don’t let its small stature fool you, the Mavic Pro is packed with high-end components including its aforementioned ability to shoot in 4K at 30 fps, and the capability to capture 1080p video at 96 fps. The 12MP camera (which is mounted on a 3-axis gimbal) can also shoot stills in Adobe DNG RAW, albeit your field of view has been pared down to 78 degrees from 94 degrees.
According to DJI, the Mavic Pro can reach a top speed of 40 miles per hour, will last nearly 30 minutes per charge and has a 4.3-mile range. You can swap out batteries, if you choose, to lengthen run times and they will cost you $89 each.
“DJI has spent a decade making it easier for anyone to fly, and by rethinking everything about how a drones look, we have created an entirely new type of aerial platform for anyone to explore their creativity,” said DJI CEO and founder Frank Wang. “Mavic Pro is a technological triumph filled with features that once again show how DJI leads the industry. Most importantly, Mavic Pro allows you to reach the skies easily, see the world with new eyes and tell your stories like never before.”
Now comes the tough part: pricing. The Mavic Pro is priced at $749 without a controller. Add the controller (which also folds and accepts a smartphone) and the price jumps to $999. You can also opt for the $1,299 Mavic Pro Fly More Combo which includes a Mavic Pro drone, two batteries, a charging hub, extra propellers and a shoulder bag.
The DJI Mavic Pro is available for pre-order now and will ship on October 15th.
