DJI Hints At Pocket Drones, Targets Casual Customers

Interest in consumer drones has been growing in recent years, with everyone from hobbyists to professionals using the handy UAVs for work and play. However, the larger public has yet to really develop an interest in getting drones, which severely limits the consumer base for even giant drone companies like China’s DJI. In an attempt to court that elusive market, the drone producer might start making UAVs that can fit in one’s pants pockets.

Engadget recently spoke to DJI's Global Director of Communications Adam Najberg about the company’s plans to appeal to customers who are not interested in the brand’s “Phantom 4” drone right now. For those note in the know, the “Phantom 4” is a quad-copter, roughly the size of a cat, and sports a high-resolution camera for taking pictures or videos. It also comes with a backpack to make it easier to lug around.

As small as the “Phantom 4” might be, considering its specs, the unit is still not that appealing for most people because of portability issues. Not everyone wants to carry around a big backpack that contains a drone on top of everything else that they need to carry. A drone the size of a smartphone, however, now that’s a different story.

"If I can take it out of my jacket pocket and throw it up into the air, or just put it on the ground and push a button, and it goes up and it takes a photo [...] that's the kind of functionality," Najberg said, referring to what most consumers are looking for with their product.

At present, DJI has no drones on offer other than the Phantom 4 and there have been no plans to make such drones revealed. Then again, Najberg’s words could mean that miniaturization is a direction that DJI is looking at.

Some uses that such drones could have include handy ways of taking aerial pictures or selfies during special events. For now, customers will have to settle for products like the Osmo Mobile selfie-stick; also by DJI.