DJI throws a curve with Mini 3 Pro ‘Twist in the Plot’ teaser

At least one aspect of persistent online rumors surrounding the rollout of a new DJI Mini 3 Pro was confirmed this afternoon. At 9 a.m. EDT, as information leaked yesterday suggested it would, the company released a teaser for its new product ­– albeit one that turned out to be sufficiently tangential to the expected drone to drive fans to madness.

The teaser that went live at the stroke of nine was titled “A Twist in the Plot,” featuring images of a series of rotating rectangular glass lenses below three bobbing drops of water. Linked to the “Try the Product” button was a page for the new SkyPixel Product Tryout Program, which will allow subscribers “to try out the latest DJI product before anyone else!” 

Any hint of the rumored Mini 3 Pro is conspicuously and not surprisingly absent in the teaser. But with yesterday’s leaked information about the time and date of its release having proven accurate – in its not-explicitly-drone-y way – it’s entirely feasible the company decided to introduce the tryout scheme as coy means of setting up the Mini 3 Pro rollout forecast for May 10. 

In other words, it could well be DJI’s playful (albeit excruciatingly suspense lengthening) diversion from what the entire world will be waiting for on May 10. Then again, it could be an entirely unrelated announcement that may renew doubts about the validity of the May 10 Mini 3 Pro launch rumors. 

It’s quite confounding that way.

Read more: Everything we know about DJI’s Mini 3 so far 

Whether DJI follows up today’s distracting yet intriguing tryout program unveiling with a Mini 3 Pro intro next Tuesday as rumors – or not – the new scheme will of interest to lots of drone fans who’d love the chance to be the first to test company gear. Not everyone will be accepted to the SkyPixel Product Tryout Program, however (DJI must be worried about potential leakers or something crazy like that). It will work like this. 

The program will entrust accepted applicants with DJI products under development for a maximum 28-day trial period, at which time the prototypes must be returned. Participants will promise to “provide a product review/unboxing/shot-on video, and a product tryout report with both texts and images,” partake in follow-up interviews, and adhere to a list of other conditions. All interest parties may now have at it.

So what now for people focused only on the new DJI drone?

Awaiting to see whether the rumored May 10 Mini 3 Pro introduction (also) comes off as predicted, drone fanatics can look over the full specs that were accidentally put online by two European retailers recently, as well as the multiple product photos provided in those errant uploads. They may then return to online leaker interpretations of how – or if – today’s teaser alters expectations about what comes next, and when.