[Image Courtesy of DroneXL and Jasper Ellens]

31 March 2025

By Chris “The Drone Geek” Fravel

The release of the DJI Mavic 4 is expected to be right around the corner, with reliable drone news amplifiers like Jasper Ellens anticipating an official release announcement from DJI by the end of April and the Mavic 4 being available for purchase by the beginning of May. Over the past few months there have been numerous leaks that have been shared and spread across the internet, speculating on the accuracy of data, images, and specifications that weaved their way through the drone community.

In preparation for what should be a monumental release as far as DJI consumer/prosumer drones are concerned, what is it we can expect from the Mavic 4? More importantly, what aspects of this drone should you be paying attention to as we grind closer and closer to its release? Let’s do a quick recap on what we know and what you should be considering before buying the Mavic 4…

What We Know About the Mavic 4

[Image Courtesy of Igor Bogdanov and QuadroNews on X]

While there is still plenty of information still unknown about the Mavic 4, we have been graced with some pretty rock-solid leaks that point to near-guarantees when it comes to the drone’s features and capabilities. Here are some quick bullet-points on what the Mavic 4 will offer upon its release:

• Tri-Sensor Camera System (similar to the Mavic 3 Pro) at 28mm, 70mm, and 168mm Focal Lengths
• Maximum Video Resolution Bumped-Up from 5.1K to 6K
• Maximum Flight Endurance of 52-Minutes
• 360-Degree Obstacle Avoidance with Enhanced LiDAR for Computer Vision Assistance
• Brand New Fuselage Design with Redesigned Camera and Gimbal Housing Featuring 360-Degree Movement Capabilities
• Built-In Electronic ND Filter System
• Increased Camera Tilt with a Maximum Upward Tilt of 70-Degrees
• Ability to Shoot Portrait Photo and Video via a 90-Degree Gimbal Rotation

Again, the list of new features and abilities does not end here – these are just the bullet-points that I am confident in saying will be guaranteed upgrades to the existing Mavic series from DJI. I think the most important improvement we will see comes in the form of the enhanced LiDAR for computer vision assistance in obstacle detection and avoidance.

We already saw a glimpse of this in the DJI Air 3S, where folks were able to launch their drone from nearly anywhere (even inside an underground parking garage) and have it return home to them safely thanks to it being able to reference a point-cloud via it creates in real-time via LiDAR to better detect obstacles around its path. Between the more robust platform in the Mavic drone and an opportunity to collect feedback from Air 3S users, DJI should be releasing one hell of a LiDAR sensor on the Mavic 4 for even better obstacle detection and avoidance.

What We’d Like to See From the Mavic 4

[Image Courtesy of DroneXL and Jasper Ellens]

While the guaranteed specs and updates are enticing, there are still a handful of things that many of us are waiting to have confirmed regarding the Mavic 4. Speculation has swirled throughout the drone community about what would be great to see, but ultimately these articles, posts, and videos are just that – speculation. These bullet-points about what we’d like to see in the Mavic 4 are no different, so take them with a grain of salt:

• Increased Camera Sensor Sizing, Specifically in the Telephoto Cameras
• Maximum Megapixels Exceeding 20MP
• More Internal Storage for Added Resolution in Photos and Videos
• Better Signal Penetration – Beyond 20KM

If I’m making this bulleted list into my “wish list” in order of “want most to want least,” I’d have to say…it kind of stays the same. I think the most important thing we could see would be increased sensor sizes on the telephoto cameras of the Mavic 4. The biggest criticism end-users had for the Mavic 3 was that it had an incredibly stout 4/3 sensor for its wide-angle camera, but then was disappointingly tiny for the telephoto sensors at just a 1/2-inch each. Assuming DJI keeps the wide-angle sensor at 4/3 (let’s face it, for a drone in this category that is MORE than enough sensor for most people), it’d be nice to see those telephoto sensors get scaled up to a solid 1-inch on each sensor. This will, undoubtedly, level the quality of media coming from each of the cameras onboard the Mavic 4.

What You Should Consider Before Buying the Mavic 4

Image Courtesy of DroneXL and Jasper Ellens

No matter what we see or don’t see from DJI’s newest Mavic drone, the expectation is that this will set a new bar in the prosumer drone category. Expect to see add-ons, capabilities, and features that will make your mouth water like it never has before. That said, just because it’s new and shiny does not mean it is a necessary purchase for every person interested in drones.

Especially when the speculated pricing indicates a higher-than-ever tag on the latest DJI Mavic drone. Between the increased technological capabilities, tariffs from the ever-controversial Trump administration, and a variety of other factors related to the supply chain and other geopolitical issues, look for the Fly More Combo of the Mavic 4 to be pushing into the $4,000 USD price-range. Yes, you read that right…$4,000 USD.

Speculative pricing on the lesser combo kits ranges from $2,100 to $3,500 depending upon the configuration. Before you rush out with your credit card to drop this cash on this brand-new DJI drone, consider the following:

• Do you really NEED a new drone? I’d be willing to wager the answer is actually “no” despite your own best efforts to justify the expense. Unless you have something older than a Mavic 3 Standard or your drone is broken, lost, or otherwise out of commission, the addition of a Mavic 4 will likely add little value to your already stout fleet.
• Do you get enough paid work to justify the cost of a Mavic 4? If the speculative pricing discussed a few moments ago is true, it won’t make sense for most hobbyists or casual workers to invest the money in this platform. Unless you are paying your own bills with the money you make flying drones (and I mean ALL of your bills, not just a portion of them), there is likely very little need to invest in a system this expensive…unless you have $4,000 burning a hole in your pocket – in which case, my Venmo is open, baby…my Venmo is open.
  
  
• Will you actually even receive the Mavic 4 after ordering it? The release of the DJI Air 3S brought attention to a crack-down by US Customs on Chinese imports – especially DJI drones and drone technology. The last 6 months has yielded an incredible number of horror stories where DJI enthusiasts purchased an Air 3S and never received it (or received it many months after the fact) because US Customs refused to allow the products to enter the United States. Fast forward to today and we’re seeing a ripple-effect from the same issue impact DJI users attempting to cash-in on their DJI Care Refresh, only to be told that their replacement drone cannot be delivered because of a hold and/or turn-away at its port of entry.

No matter how you feel about the DJI Mavic 4 or whether or not you’ve decided to purchase this upcoming drone, we can all agree that it’s going to be a gamechanger in the prosumer category and will bring an incredible amount of benefit to those who are lucky enough to purchase and receive it.