Tech companies have a habit of establishing life cycles for their products, even if they’re still selling well.  It’s a normal practice, so it should come as no surprise that DJI, the world’s leading drone manufacturer and distributor, is phasing out some of its once hot-selling models.  What are they?

Topping the list are several of DJI’s heavy-lift drones in the Matrice series, including the Matrice 100, 200 and 600.  DJI actually stopped manufacturing all 3 a while ago – back in 2016, in the case of the M600 – and it’s slowly running out of inventory.  Officially, sales of all 3 models will be suspended on February 24, 2024.  Two other DJI products – the Snail and the RTK –  are also being phased out, for a total of 5.

DJI created its Matrice drone platforms primarily for professional aerial photography and filmmaking but also for commercial mapping and surveillance applications.   At the time, these were state-of-the-art drones. The M600 hexacopter, especially, was widely herald at its inception.  Its high-performance Zenmuse cameras, A3 flight controller and 13 pound payload were a cut above, and its 6 durable rotors gave the craft extra stability.  In addition, its powerful TB47S batteries allowed for 35 minutes of extended flight time, outpacing the competition.

But the M300, which DJI plans to keep in stock, soon outpaced the M600, as well as its predecessor M200 model.  Like the M600, the M300-RTK has six directional sensors and primary flight display positioning but it’s also highly water-resistant and can fly for an impressive 53 minutes, making it far more rugged and versatile.

By 2021, with growing competition from other suppliers, it was already apparent that the M600’s days were numbered.

DJI is also moving to suspend sales of several products in its education and robotics divisions, especially the popular Tello drone and the RoboMaster EP.  DJI began investing in robotics education over a decade ago and teamed with Ryze Technologies to produce drones for classroom use, beginning in China.  The Tello drone, which sold for just $99, became a big hit with young newbies anxious to learn the basics of drone flying.

But times – and the global drone market – are evolving rapidly.  DJI has decided that investing in more advanced camera imaging drones for professionals and advanced consumers, as well as industrial drones in key niches like firefighting, precision agriculture and most recently, retail delivery is now the way to go.

2023 has witnessed the introduction of several new DJI camera imaging drones that are fast becoming the company’s new flagships.  One series is the Mavic, most recently the Mavic 3 Pro, geared to professional flyers, and the Mavic 3 Mini Pro, a much cheaper drone aimed at recreational users.  The other series is the Air series, mostly recently the Air 3, which was conceived as a middle range price and payload option between the two new Mavics.

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro (which sells for up to $2,200) is especially impressive.  It comes with three high-powered cameras; a Hasselbad and two Tele cameras, with much wider angle lenses than the Mini’s single Hasselbad.  The Pro 3’s cameras are also much better able to film in a variety of environments despite obstacle interference, and the drone itself also has twice the battery capacity, allowing for longer flights.

The Air 3 is priced closer to the Mini – $1,100, compared to $750 – and yet it retains some of the more advanced features of the Pro 3, including two of the same high-powered wide-angle zoom cameras, plus the 8GB photo storage capacity.

What’s happening here is that DJI is trying to saturate the camera-imaging market, offering state-of-the-art vehicles that run the gamut of drone consumer tastes and affordability, leaving no niche or sub-niche untouched.  And as usual, it’s allowing DJI to stave off a growing number of rivals, especially Autel, with its emerging EVO series.

2023 saw the introduction of 11 new DJI drone models – a company record.  Expect the company to follow suit in 2024, starting with the introduction of the Mini 4 Pro, a rapid upgrade of the Mini 3 Pro.  The Mini 4 Pro is comparable in capability to the Air 3 mentioned above, but it’s smaller, lighter and less noisy.  It can fit into your pocket and it weighs below the FAA’s 250 gm. threshold, meaning it need not be registered.  It doesn’t have the camera range or zoom capability of the Air 3 but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its advantages, including superior vertical camera shots.  For a young hobbyist looking to post some racy shots on Tik Tok or Instagram, the Mini 4 Pro could be ideal.

DJI’s movement into industrial applications also represents an important new shift.  Its DJI Agras 400 and most recently, the upgraded DJI Agras 600, indicate that the company wants to get ahead of the burgeoning interest in precision agriculture in some of the world’s most populous nations, including India and DJI’s own base in China, the two countries with the world’s most farm acreage.  The company is also targeting the burgeoning commercial markets for aerial firefighting drones and retail delivery drones, the latter, a brand new direction for the company and one of the few where the competition leads.

It’s not hard to see why DJI is phasing out earlier popular models.  There are simply too many new opportunities in the fast growing consumer and commercial drone market/  And with so many new entrants anxious to challenge DJI – especially in retail delivery – the company wants to embrace the new drone future and leave the past behind.

What will owners of DJI’s phased-out models do in the future?  Some may turn to niche companies, or in the case of the Tello series, continue looking to Ryze Technologies and its new partners.  DJI has apologized publicly for its decision but also suggests that it may be time for its loyal customers to upgrade to more advanced DJI models.

“As of the date of service suspension, we will no longer provide you with services for these products involving product inquiries, technical support, and product maintenance,” the company said recently.  “If you are still using any of the above products, we sincerely recommend that you upgrade to an alternative product of a new model so that you can enjoy our more recent, improved technologies, and we can then continue to provide you with efficient customer service.”

In 2024, expect a few dynamic newcomers to encroach on DJI’s near-monopoly of the global drone market.  But the company’s reputation for superior design innovation and its remarkable ability to continually upgrade and tailor its drone products to different niches – and to expand competitively into new ones – will keep the company on top for some time to come.