Xiaomi, one of China’s most renowned consumer electronics brands, launched its maiden venture in the fast emerging drone market last year in May. Priced at just under $500, the Xiaomi Mi Drone is a quadcopter with a 4K camera, three-axis gimbal, and a remote control that makes use of your Mi smartphone as the viewfinder. The company also announced a second variant with a 1080p camera with a price tag of below $400.
However, ever since, there has been no substantial update on the status of the 4K variant of the UAV. Needless to say, it essentially led to rumors that the project was being scrapped for whatsoever reason. But then, the company today crushed all those rumors by announcing that the Xiaomi Mi Drone 4K will be listed on March 3 with a price of 2,999 yuan (~$436), whereas the battery for the same will be priced at 499 yuan (~$72).
The product will be made available on Xiaomi’s own online store, as well as a few other places such as Jingdong Mall and Suning, just to name a couple.
According to reports, Xiaomi Mi Drone 4K has so far received more than 400 software optimization along with five major hardware upgrades to turn it into a worthy competitor to the more established brands (in the drone market) such as GoPro.
The forthcoming drone will have a built-in multi-security feature, real-time location tracking, seamless remote control using PCB array antenna, real-time calculation of the power required to return, and more. Also, there is a built-in mechanism for preventing the drone from accidentally flying into a no-fly zone.
For longer battery life, Xiaomi is relying on a 5100 mAh battery delivering a total power of 7752Wh. As for the camera, the 12MP Sony back-illuminated camera can offer a maximum resolution of 3840 x 2160p, and it supports the RAW format.
Unlike the 1080p variant of the product, the Xiaomi Mi Drone 4K is based on the new-generation TDMA technology that not only boasts anti-jamming but also can transmit from a distance of up to 4km.