Chinese company DJI has officially announced the end of support for its legendary Phantom series drones. Despite assurances in 2019 that the line would not be closed, the manufacturer confirmed the end of service for the latest Phantom 4 Pro and Phantom 4 Advanced models. There are no new Phantom drones in development.
Image source: DJI, The Verge
According to a message on the support site, the last Phantoms were released back in May 2018, and the company will completely stop providing technical support for them on June 1, 2025, The Verge reports. Thus, the series has existed for more than seven years, which is a very solid period for a technological product.
While DJI wasn’t the first company to release ready-to-fly quadcopters (the first Phantom came out in 2013, while the Parrot AR Drone came out in 2010), the Phantom models have become the poster child for consumer drones. Their distinctive design has been copied by other manufacturers, and their appearance has been used on signs prohibiting the use of drones in public parks.
However, DJI seems to have made a firm decision and the Phantom series will no longer exist, replaced by more compact foldable drones such as the Mavic, Air, Mini and the new budget Flip series.
According to insiders, including Jasper Ellens, the Mavic 4 Pro is expected to be announced soon, and the Mini 5 is already in active development, which once again confirms that the company is interested in modern formats, in which the Phantom no longer has a place. DJI’s official comment on the closure of the line will be received by The Verge tomorrow.