DJI’s almost forgotten about drone tracking beacon might not be dead

What was originally intended to be released with the Air 3S, the RC Track seems like it fell off the face of the Earth for a bit but has resurfaced in recent leaks by Jasper Ellens. Now, the leaker claims the new tracking beacon from DJI will release alongside the Mavic 4 Pro.

Even as a dead product, the Skydio 2 still has something that DJI does not: its tracking Beacon. A key selling point for the drone, Skydio’s Beacon was a handheld controller that gave the drone something to lock onto, so that even if you traveled out of view, the drone could still pick you up.

Even with the company announcing the conclusion of its consumer products, the Skydio 2 still lives on for those who want that guaranteed tracking lock for activities like skiing, biking, and vehicle tracking.

From early leaks, the DJI Track looks to be just that, but for DJI drones. Initially leaked last fall by multiple sources, it was set to be released alongside the Air 3S. However, when the Air 3S was teased and announced, there was no sign of the RC Track.

Jasper Ellens, in his recent DroneXL articles, reports the reason for the delay was due to “safety reasons.” The RCs that were out in the wild were recalled back to HQ, and the company canned the release.

However, marking material now shows a potential release with the Mavic 4 Pro, which should hopefully come to us in late April or early May.

The RC Track will use its own GPS location, along with a Wi-Fi connection to the drone, to provide a stable tracking beacon for the drone you’re flying. That means that even if you walk behind a building or a tree, the drone will still be able to track you.

Ellens states that pre-Air 3S release spec sheets indicate the RC Track will be compatible with the Air 3S and the Mini 4 Pro in the future (potentially now at launch); it’s expected to then work with DJI’s new flagship drone, the Mavic 4 Pro.

Ellen’s spec sheet has the RC Track coming in at 116 g, having a two-hour battery life, supporting flight distances of up to 328 feet away and just shy of 400 feet in altitude, and an IPX7 water and debris rating. Buttons on the RC will allow you to make quick changes to the drone’s position, and it will also reportedly support voice operations just like the DJI Neo and Flip drones.

The best part of the RC Track might be the accessories; Ellen’s leaked images show suction cup mounts and wrist straps that will let you use the RC without having it take up one of your hands. This beats the Skydio Beacon, which required you to place it down somewhere, put it in a pocket, or operate whatever you were using with just one hand.

This is yet another leak about the Mavic 4 Pro’s eventual release. Like I said, you know a new DJI product is going to be released if leaks start to roll in at an almost daily pace. While we might not be at that point yet, and we might have just had a busy weekend, it looks to be ticking up in cadence.