Hybrid Drones: How DJI changes the environment of flight

DJI may have just created a Hybrid drone, a new class of drones mixing traditional quad copters with FPV drones to create a new experience.

This morning, we witnessed a new DJI leak on the FPV drone.  While reviewing the leak, light bulbs went off. In fact so many light bulbs went off, my living room turned into a mid-century nightclub. Ok none of this happened. It might be great metaphor to describe what many of our drone pilot friends have been discussing this morning. Hybrid drones.

Did DJI just create a new class of drone?  Think about it, they just merged a Mini 2 with the flight characteristics of an FPV drone.  For those of you not very familiar with the scope of DJI aircraft, DJI just did something totally wild.  Imagine if someone took a Huey helicopter, then added Star Wars like (x-fighter) capability to it. When you’re envision hybrid drones, think of all the capabilities packed into one aircraft.  Hard to imagine, but yes….

Drone pilots are used to flying something simple. Taking flight can be nerve racking for many people.  We have even seen people take flight and be so intimidated, they asked if we wanted to buy the drone from them. (only happened twice).  Easy to say, we understand and emphasize as taking flight can seem daunting to many.   Albeit, year after year, DJI has made it even easier and even easier to fly.  They added obstacle avoidance, they added radar and even landing protection mode (Can’t stand that feature).

How will DJI motivate more and more people to fly? Top Gun.

Well thats my nomenclature for the psychological tactics being taken to inspire people to fly.  Think about it, when you dream of taking flight do you dream of a smooth ride over the ocean? Or do you think about Star Wars, Top Gun or any other war movie which rips the audience through canyons at a high rate of speed.  Speeders buzz of the screen, making you feel as if you’re in the cockpit.

Yeah that’s what i thought…. We’re alike, and just like you… I wanted to see Top Gun 2 this summer as well.

Why wait for the film when we can take flight in the same way, gain the same feeling, but not worry about crashing?

Start of the Hybrid Drone

While we have seen many toy drone manufacturers come up with wonky ideas, there has never been a mass produced drone which offers ease-of-use and fight jet flying characteristics.  What is a hybrid drone when you think about it? They actually have existed since 2016 and the Mavic Pro.  Yeah…. the proof is in the pudding. Remember the guy who barrel-rolled his inspire 2?

Easy peasy. Unlock the drone, Command Option I, find the parameter for flight modes, and change the 4,7,9 to a 0.  When you change the parameter to a 0, the drone is now full manual. You can fly a mavic pro or inspire 2 like an FPV drone. No software aid, no altitude hold, no smooth motion. Just raw aggressive power.   Even at Drone U, we turned our sparks into FPV drones, and what a blast it was.  Yet, you could never fly full manual mode and also use the obstacle avoidance sensors. Those days are gone with the new DJI FPV drone.

DJI has been playing with flight mode controls since the inception of the Phantom.  Make it easier to fly, more people take flight.

Now we have Hybrid drones. Drones that have great filming capabilities built with gimbals and autonomous features. Yet now, press a button and go 0-60 in a split second. Just one.