Here’s an interesting piece of information into News Ledge this morning. A contest within the DJI affiliate program is pointing towards the return of the Phantom 4 Pro+ V2.0 (P4P). Either that or DJI has a weird way of looking for new reviews on a product that has been out of stock longer than it was ever in stock on the DJI storefront.
What it involves are affiliates within the program applying to review one of three products; the DJI Mavic Mini, the P4P+, or the FPV Fly More Combo. One of the three is not like the others, and it’s the Phantom 4 Pro+ V2.0. Two products released in the past six months and one that’s based on a years-old platform? Yeah, something is up.
A Christmas DJI Phantom4 Pro?
The immediate reaction to the news will be the oft-rumored relaunch will be a holiday surprise. I wouldn’t hold my breath for such a move. These reviews take time to set up and could extend into the new year. I would be shocked to see a rapid turnaround.
What it could mean is DJI sees enthusiasts clamoring for the Phantom line and has the capacity to quickly spin up manufacturing on a design that is older and already tooled in factories. It’s a damn good market test to see if the Phantom 5 ever sees the light of day.
Also, the Phantom 4 Pro+ V2.0’s one-inch sensor offers two things the Mavic 2 Pro does not. One, it actually uses the full 20 megapixels. And two, 4K video at 60fps. Both features users have been sorely missing.
And it’s an all-around fantastic prosumer drone. If it were in stock, it would easily be my top drone for sale even today. Yes, the Mavic 2 Pro is outstanding, but portability has its drawbacks. I miss the days of snatching the P4P out of the sky by the landing struts. Trying that on a Mavic involves some quick hands or bloody fingers.
Is it 100 percent making a comeback? Nothing is certain, but the review program is way too specific on the products. The company could have easily added an Osmo over a Phantom, and it’d make perfect sense. Rumors have been consistent the Phantom 4 Pro+ V.20 would make a return. Fresh reviews could herald that return in early 2020 as the company gears up to compete against newly invigorated Autel and the finally shipping Skydio 2 with new product launches.
Personally, I want to see the Phantom line live on. There’s more than enough room for a bigger but still portable drone in the market. The Phantom made DJI, and after a tough 2019 thanks to the trade war, maybe a little nostalgia would do the company some good. And give us the Phantom 5 with interchangeable lenses.
