DJI continues its streak of innovative (and highly leaked) drones with the launch of the Flip, a lightweight and people-safe model that folds in a new direction — downward — to accommodate the large, shrouded propellers.
The new model should appeal to beginners and experienced users alike with features like a large sensor, 4K 100p video, safety features, a three-axis gimbal and an affordable price.
The company says the Flip “combine[s] the simplicity of the DJI Neo with the stunning photo capabilities of the DJI Mini,” but in many ways, it’s better than both. It borrows a LiDAR system from the Air 3S for obstacle detection and the Flip’s propellers are protected on all sides, making it all but impossible to hurt someone with them.
DJI says the support structure for the guards is made of carbon fiber string that’s 1/60th the weight of polycarbonate material and just as strong.
That made it possible to keep the weight under 249 grams, so buyers will be able to fly it without a permit in most countries.
For beginners, the Flip is just like the Neo in that users can place it in their hand and select from one of six intelligent shooting modes like Dronie or Boomerang. Then, it’ll take off automatically and perform that flight mode, capturing high-quality video at up to 4K 60p while avoiding obstacles using the LiDAR sensor.
That’ll help creators who are new to drones safely grab quick and interesting aerial shots.
More advanced users can also fly it with a controller, either the RC 2 with a screen or the RC-N3 without one. That allows full manual control and also unlocks DJI’s FocusTrack tech (with ActiveTrack 4.0, Spotlight 2.0, and Point of Interest 3.0), letting you track yourself or another subject automatically.
At the same time, it’ll avoid forward obstacles using the LiDAR and objects below with the 3D infrared system. However, the Flip can’t track obstacles behind it, so users need to beware when flying backward.
If you’re hoping to use the Flip as an FPV drone, you can forget about that. Unlike the Neo, it doesn’t support the Goggles N3 and Motion 3 controller combo, and there’s no word if it’ll do so in the future.
The Flip can fly forward at up to 26 MPH in sport mode (with object detection disabled) — pretty fast for such a small drone. Given the light weight and large surface area when unfolded, though, it’s not going to be the best drone in high winds. However, the large propellers also mean the Flip is far quieter than the Neo in flight, meaning it’ll be more practical to use at events like weddings or concerts.
