Given the unthrottled interest and anticipation uncorked by repeated leaks ahead of DJI’s expected Mavic 3 Pro launch next month, it seems likely nothing could possibly threaten the world’s newest drone – apart, perhaps, from the world’s worsening supply chain problems.
UAVs, of course, have nothing to do with the reasons why global supply chains have been and remained swamped by a glut of products needing to be transported. But they do use those networks to get to final users for unboxing. And given the apparently worsening constipation of worldwide supply chains, DJI has must be mindful – if not concerned – about the risk of the hottest-drone-yet-to-be-officially-acknowledged-much-less-released Mavic 3 Pro getting stuck in those as hyperventilating customers impatiently wait.
As US President Joe Biden’s order this month for the Port of Los Angeles to operate cargo processing on a 24/7 basis indicates, global supply chain problems are now jeopardizing far more than product launches. Entire national and international economic recoveries from the terrible consequences of the pandemic are threatened as well.
China, for example, reported weaker than expected third quarter expansion due in part to sluggish supply chains, as well as fuel shortages (which resulted, of course, from supply chain troubles). Many European economies, Germany in particular, are also slowing from myriad scarcities arising from stalling you-know-whats.
Shared global disruptions have been additionally exacerbated by locally produced complications, like the self-inflicted wound of Brexit; tighter border controls as nationalist policies expand; and significantly altered and unpredictable consumer buying habits that took root under COVID-19. Virtually no sector has been spared problems arising from the bottlenecks, with some economists predicting the situation is bound to get worse before it starts to improve (whenever that might be).
So what does all that sinister supply chain news mean for DJI’s expected Mavic 3 Pro launch? Would “it’s hard to say” sound annoyingly noncommittal? It’s unfortunately the best anyone talking just now can do.
DJI did not provide information to DroneDJ’s request about the possibility of supply chain consequences on the launch – or any measures the company may have taken to work around those, aware in advance they exist. Still, there’s a good chance DJI has taken the precaution of lining up its transportation and logistics ducks to ensure Mavic 3 Pros get where they need to be no matter how clogged up networks are generally.
There are, meanwhile, partial anecdotal indicators that eagerly awaited launches of marquee products are not destined to fall afoul of enduring supply chain woes. Available evidence suggests that Apple’s delivery times for its Monday-revealed MacBook Pro upgrade are about what they’d usually be for a company product right out of the gate (i.e., a few weeks, which isn’t bad, especially with processors in short supply, too). And DJI’s new OM 5 smartphone stabilizer certainly seems to be getting to consumers just fine despite the ambient slog.
So it may turn out there’s no “there” there when it comes to supply chain turmoil bleeding into DJI’s Mavic 3 Pro rollout. For now, though, the question does titillate the thoughts of some drone adepts. In late September, a contributor to Mavicpilots.com called Corsair415 noted, “(w)ith how screwed up the supply chain is right now it wouldn’t be surprising if it has a rocky launch.”
“That would be a possibility,” replied site staffer Drone Master. “Hopefully it won’t be a repeat of the original Mavic Pro release. Many didn’t receive their drone until 6 weeks after it was released.”
The world may soon know. Or not.
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