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Newly leaked photos of the supposed DJI Phantom 5 show very little exterior upgrades

Three new photos surfaced today on Twitter, that appear to be prototype models of a new Phantom 5 drone. These same drones have popped up before in these older images, which were denied by DJI. But this new round of leaks gives us a different look at the aircraft and camera assembly. If this is, in fact, the next version of the Phantom, it doesn’t look like many exterior changes have been made.

Update: DJI reaffirms that these photos are not a Phantom 5 Prototype.

The same old design

In the picture below from OsitaLV , two Phantoms sit side by side with a new coat of metallic looking paint. They look familiar to the Phantom 4 Pro, except for the color, in more ways than one. From the motors to the batteries used, to the propellers stowed away on the side, this downward angle above the mysterious pair of Phantom drones looks identical to the Phantom 4 series. Even the styrofoam case used to hold the aircraft and accessories is an exact match.

Newly leaked photos of the supposed DJI Phantom 5 show very little exterior upgrades

New camera with interchangeable lenses

If those photos left you feeling lackluster about the next Phantom drone, hopefully, these photos will make you feel differently. A brand new camera system, as seen in previously leaked photos, makes yet another appearance. This new interchangeable lens system was dismissed by DJI as being a one-off product for a custom order, not the next phantom, which could explain the minimal upgrades made to the aircraft.

With very little markings on the camera and different lens options, it’s hard to be certain what the specs of this next generation camera will be. Although rumors are that the new Phantom 5 might have the following lenses 15, 24, 35 and 50mm. It’s unlike DJI to waste tech for a single customer, so this camera design is likely to be seen in a future Phantom drone.

It’s also a possibility that this camera is simply being tested on the design of the current Phantom 4 with a new aircraft being developed separately. DJI would not wait until the next generation Phantom body was fully finished to begin working on the camera and gimbal system. This would explain why we are seeing a brand new camera on a 2-year-old drone.

New internals?

From afar, the Mavic 2 doesn’t look like a huge upgrade over the original, but the internals prove that it is a worthy upgrade. Longer flight time, a faster maximum speed, omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, and OcuSync 2.0 separate it from the first generation, so it is likely that after two years, the Phantom series will gain some serious internal improvements as well.

This is not the first set of pictures we have gotten of this prototype drone. With images still popping up, it’s likely DJI is heavily testing these new cameras for a new Phantom 5 aircraft, we haven’t seen yet. We know OsitaLV likes to play games with the photos he leaks, but a new Phantom drone is desperately needed as the Mavic 2 Pro is sitting on the doorstep of the Phantom 4 Pro.

What do you think about these new photos of the heavily leaked Phantom prototype? Let us know in the comments below.

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