‘Flash’ was DJI’s internal, not public, name for FPV drone

There’s tons of interest in DJI’s new FPV drone, and we’ve been bringing you the latest info since the beginning. Today, a clarification on the product’s name.

DJI has a long tradition of giving products names at launch. And, traditionally, these names have signified the start of a line of drones. Think about the ubiquitous Phantom line, and how many drones have followed that naming convention. Same goes for the Mavic. From the original launch of the Mavic Pro, all subsequent products in the line bore the Mavic name.

Until the Mini 2.

A shift in DJI branding

This past fall, however, we’ve seen changes. We saw it first with the Ronin and Osmo Mobile lines. Despite the brand recognition those two products lines already had, DJI opted to go with simpler names that hint at their heritage with initials only. And so we saw the OM4, RS 2, and the RSC 2. And then, of course, the follow on to the original Mavic Mini: The Mini 2.

And it appears that will continue with DJI’s FPV drone.

Is “Flash” the name of DJI’s FPV drone?

Yes. But it’s an internal DJI name.

We originally had information, from two sources, that the new product would be called “Flash.” We heard that first from a source in China close to the project. And then, more recently, we saw the name used in what appears to be briefing material. This screen was supposedly photographed on the laptop of a DJI dealer in Ukraine:

Flash is internal only

But then we received another tip. This time, it was a source in Shenzhen who’s been right on many aspects of the product – including tipping us that it would have the option of a handheld positional controller.

Flash is the name, he said. But only for internal purposes.

Code names during product development

It’s not uncommon for manufacturers to use internal code names when developing products. These can help keep things under wraps somewhat until the product is ready to go. According to our source, that’s the case here. The product has been known internally as “Flash” – but that won’t be used for marketing it.

And now that some people have been getting their hands on product and unboxing, we tend to agree. What appears to be the final packaging simply shows “DJI FPV COMBO” on the box. It’s not a particularly exciting name, but it is descriptive.

So, going forward, we’ll be calling the drone the DJI FPV drone – unless we hear otherwise from DJI.