Leaked videos have suggested for weeks that DJI plans to launch a new indoor drone – dubbed the “Avata” – sometime this summer.  We now have a confirmed launch date, Thursday, August 25.  The news is creating considerable buzz among drone industry enthusiasts.  What’s all the fuss about?

For one thing, it’s DJI’s first foray into the world of indoor drones.  Many consider indoor drones a realm reserved primarily for toy drones and for recreational flying only.  Serious drone flying occurs outdoors for a variety of commercial purposes, including site surveying and mapping.  But with the arrival of the DJI Avata, that neat distinction may be breaking down – for good.

In fact, indoor drones are ideal for many commercial activities, including warehouse inventory-taking and safety inspections.  Research has shown that  indoor drones can reduce the need for human stock-takers and inspectors,  saving time and expense.  Drones can also survey interior spaces that may be out of  reach or difficult to access safely.  A cine-whoop drone is ideally suited for flying in tight enclosures.

Part of the buzz over Avata is the announcement that it includes a “cine-whoop” capability.  The main claim to fame of a cine-whoop is its ability to capture crisp HD footage that a machine like the DJI Mavic 2, for example, cannot.  Cine-whoop drones are relatively small and stable, and their propellers are surrounded with guards that make them safer to fly indoors.  And given their heightened maneuverability, cine-whoop drones are ideal for filming inside tight enclosed spaces, avoiding potential obstacles.   The prefix  “cine” derives from the word “cinematic.  These slow-moving drones do capture some pretty amazing footage, which is one reason budding filmmakers have been known to deploy them on a movie set.

Much of industry’s appraisal of the Avata will depend upon its precise technical specifications, most of which are still unknown.  For example, will it be lighter than the 250 gram (0.55 lb.) limit that requires a drone to be registered with the FAA?  What kind of cameras will it deploy?  Will it allow for remote piloting? (rumor has it that it may be completely autonomous). And above all, perhaps, how expensive will it be?  Some cine-whoop drones list for $300 or more, a bit pricey for some.

DJI didn’t invent the “cine-whoop” drone.  The idea for indoor drone flying is as old as the drone industry itself and various progenitors are currently on the market.  Indeed, many resemble the Avata.  But that’s no reason not to celebrate the arrival of this new and possibly improved version.  When the nation’s leading drone manufacturer decides to tackle indoor commercial flying, it suggests that a sea of change in the U.S. drone market may well be underway.

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