Rumors become reality as the upcoming DJI Avata FPV (first-person view) drone has appeared on the FCC's (Federal Communications Commission) website.
You can view the documents by going to the FCC ID website (opens in new tab) where you can see that Avata was given the grantee code of SS3 and you can read a few documents pertaining to the drone. The reason why this sudden appearance is such a big deal is it could point to an imminent release date. Original reports indicated a delayed launch because of production moving. But according to drone news site Drone DJ (opens in new tab), that may not be the case.
The FCC issues grantee codes when a product is done being tested. It tests devices that communicate wirelessly to ensure they meet American communication standards. Since Avata got the thumbs-up by the FCC, Drone DJ claims this is an indication of a release date coming soon, though no one, besides DJI, knows when that will be. We reached out to DJI and asked about Avata’s launch date and will update this story if they get back to us.
If you look through the FCC documents, you won’t find a whole lot of technical information; not even an official image of the drone. There is a recently leaked image, but that’s it. Most of the documents are either test results or letters to the agency. The only interesting tidbit comes from the underside label (opens in new tab) which reveals the Avata will have a 2,420 mAh battery. The current battery for DJI's FPV drones is 2,000 mAh (opens in new tab) and delivers a maximum flight time of 20 minutes. With that in mind, this may indicate that Avata will have a longer flight time.
The other two devices
Alongside the Avata, the FCC filing also reveals two new devices: the DJI Goggles 2 (opens in new tab) and the O3 Air Unit (opens in new tab). Similarly, details regarding these devices are scarce. The Goggles 2 appears to be a follow-up to the DJI FPV Goggles V2 headset and there will be two models, according to the official label (opens in new tab): Model RCDS18 and RCDS18B. What’s strange, though, is there is no apparent difference between the two headsets.
According to the Model Difference Confirmation Letter (opens in new tab), the models “are identical on circuitry design, PCB layout, electrical components users, internal wiring except difference mentioned below.” However, no differences are listed. Rumors of new FPV Goggles did circulate prior to this leak and those rumors also said the device will launch with the Avata. This could mean one model will be packaged with the drone and the other may be a standalone unit. But without more concrete information, it’s just conjecture.
For the O3 Air Unit, less was revealed. The FCC filings only show the results from wireless communication tests to make sure the device meets American regulations, so it could be a drone like Avata. The label doesn’t give any indication (opens in new tab), not even what battery it has. Hints of the O3 Air Unit go as back as May 2022 (opens in new tab).
Ultimately, we’ll just have to wait until DJI releases more information on the O3 Air Unit. We can, however, take solace in the confirmation of the Avata drone and the potential of the release date coming soon. If you’re interested in getting into drones, we have a list of the best drones for 2022, so you can start filming your own cool videos.
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