Another day, another leak. On August 15th DJI trademarked the name ‘Mavic’. That word probably won’t mean much to you right now, but give it a few months and it could well be the most well-known model in the consumer drone industry. Sure, that might sound like a big claim, but DJI doesn’t tend to build anything other than exceptional drones. And this one’s going to be targeted to the masses.

When you think about it, this all makes a lot of sense. DJI has long sold to the top end of the drone market, setting the standards high and reaping the rewards as the industry’s major player. But the industry is growing in different directions. Drone racing is now a real thing, smarter software is making flying easier than ever before, and companies all over the world are ploughing money into the ultimate vanity project: a selfie drone.

As average Joes and Josephines the world over start to realise the potential of a flying camera, more and more are beginning to want one. And let’s face it, this lucrative market of inexperienced flyers isn’t going to go for anything that costs $1,000. Affordable, but highly-capable drones are what’s needed to win them over. Time for DJI to step in?

Well it certainly seems that way – at least according to the many publications citing leaked images and a mysterious ‘source’. The claim is that DJI is about to release a new drone, the Mavic, which is portable, lightweight, offers 4K photography and is fitted with the same obstacle avoidance tech as the Phantom 4. The story first popped up on HeliGuy, which suggests that more exact specifications will include:

• A 4K Camera and two-axis gimbal
• 300m OFDM digital wifi link
• Foldable arms for ease of transport
• Weight: 1.43lbs
• An integrated LCD Display running the Android OS
• 3S 3830mAh 11.1v battery

Is this a sneak preview of DJI’s latest offering to the consumer market?

If DJI’s new drone is to compete with the rest, it’ll have to prove either better, or better for money, than Yuneec’s new $500 Breeze drone. Again according to HeliGuy, DJI will unveil the Mavic on September 15th, which is a bold move indeed considering GoPro’s Karma is set to be launched just four days later. It looks like things are hotting up just in time for the festive season.