Phantom 4 Retires, SiFly Soars and the Flying Squirrel Drone

In this week’s drone news roundup, we bid farewell to the iconic Phantom 4 as DJI officially retires the series. But the drone world keeps spinning with exciting new releases from SiFly, including the Q250 and Q12 drones. We also have the latest leaks on the highly anticipated DJI Mavic 4, and a fascinating new drone inspired by flying squirrels. Stay tuned for all the details!

Key Points

It seems likely that DJI has ended support for the Phantom 4 Pro and Advanced as of June 1, 2025, marking the end of the Phantom series.
Research suggests SiFly has launched the Q12 and Q250 drones, with the Q12 offering 2 hours hover and 3 hours forward flight, and the Q250 carrying 200 lb for over 90 minutes, both NDAA compliant.
The evidence leans toward numerous leaks for the DJI Mavic 4 Pro, including a 100 MP camera and 51-minute flight time, with a possible release on May 13, 2025, though some features like ProRes are reportedly canceled.
It appears that POSTECH researchers have developed a flying squirrel-inspired drone with foldable wings for enhanced maneuverability, showing a 13.1% tracking improvement.

DJI Phantom 4 Retirement

DJI has announced that starting June 1, 2025, they will no longer provide service and support for the Phantom 4 Pro and Phantom 4 Advanced, effectively retiring these models. This decision reflects DJI’s shift toward newer form factors like the Mavic and Mini series.

SiFly New Drones

SiFly, a Silicon Valley startup, has introduced two new drones: the Q12 and Q250. The Q12 offers impressive endurance with 2 hours of hover time and up to 3 hours in forward flight, a 90-mile range, and can carry a 10 lb payload. The Q250 is designed for heavy lifting, with a 200 lb payload capacity and over 90 minutes of flight time. Both drones are NDAA compliant, making them suitable for government and enterprise use.

DJI Mavic 4 Leaks

Recent leaks suggest the DJI Mavic 4 Pro will feature advanced specifications, including a Hasselblad 4/3 CMOS 100 MP wide-angle camera, a 48 MP telephoto camera, and a 50 MP HDR camera, with video up to 6K/60fps HDR. It boasts omnidirectional obstacle detection with LiDAR, a 51-minute flight time, and a weight of 1,063 g, with a transmission range up to 30 km (FCC). The new RC Pro 2 controller, with a 7-inch Mini-LED screen that can switch to portrait mode, is also part of the leaks. However, features like ProRes, internal SSD, and RC Track are reportedly not included, and electronic ND filters may be available later in May 2025. The rumored release date is May 13, 2025, with a teaser expected on May 6, 2025.

Flying Squirrel Drone

Researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) have developed a drone inspired by flying squirrels, featuring foldable wings that enhance maneuverability and allow for quick stops. This design improves tracking performance by 13.1% compared to conventional wingless drones, potentially revolutionizing applications in complex environments like inspections and rescue missions.

Comprehensive Survey Note

This detailed survey note compiles the latest information on DJI product updates and rumors, focusing on the retirement of the Phantom 4 series, new drone releases from SiFly, leaks surrounding the DJI Mavic 4, the innovative flying squirrel drone from POSTECH, and specifics about the DJI Mavic 4 Pro. The analysis is based on recent web and social media research, ensuring a comprehensive overview as of May 3, 2025.

DJI Phantom 4 Retirement

DJI’s decision to retire the Phantom 4 series marks a significant milestone in the drone industry. According to a recent article on DroneDJ, DJI announced that starting June 1, 2025, they will suspend service and support for the Phantom 4 Pro and Phantom 4 Advanced models (DJI ending service support for Phantom 4 Pro, Advanced drones). This move aligns with DJI’s focus on newer, more compact form factors like the Mavic, Air, Mini, and Matrice series, as noted in various industry discussions. The Verge also reported that the last Phantom was produced in May 2018, with over seven years of support, indicating a long lifecycle for these models (The DJI Phantom is no more). This retirement is bittersweet for enthusiasts, given the Phantom’s legacy in aerial photography and mapping, but it reflects technological evolution.

SiFly’s New Drone Releases

SiFly, a Silicon Valley-based startup, has recently exited stealth mode, unveiling two new drones: the Q12 and Q250, aimed at industrial and public safety applications. The official SiFly website highlights their focus on long-endurance and heavy-lift capabilities, with both models being NDAA compliant (SiFly: Long Endurance, Heavy Lift, & NDAA Compliant Drones for Enterprise). Detailed specifications from DroneDJ indicate the Q12 offers 2 hours of hover time, up to 3 hours in forward flight, a 90-mile range, and can carry a 10 lb payload, suitable for missions like infrastructure inspection and emergency response (New American drones offer longer flight, bigger payload than DJI). The Q250, on the other hand, is a heavy-lift drone with a 200 lb payload capacity and over 90 minutes of endurance, potentially replacing helicopters in roles like agricultural spraying and firefighting. Articles from DroneLife and New Atlas further emphasize SiFly’s claims of 4x longer flight time and 10x greater range compared to standard drones, positioning them as competitors to DJI (SiFly Launches NDAA-Compliant Long-Endurance Drones to Expand Industrial and Public Safety Capabilities, New US drone company SiFly claims revolutionary performance).

Model	Hover Time	Forward Flight Time	Range	Payload	NDAA Compliant
Q12	2 hours	Up to 3 hours	90 miles	10 lb	Yes
Q250	N/A	Over 90 minutes	N/A	200 lb	Yes

These specifications position SiFly as a strong contender in the enterprise drone market, especially for government contracts requiring NDAA compliance.

DJI Mavic 4 Leaks and Rumors

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro has been subject to extensive leaks, earning the title of “the most leaked drone” from industry insiders like Jasper Ellens, as reported in various X posts and articles. Recent leaks, detailed on DroneXL, reveal a comprehensive specification sheet, suggesting the Mavic 4 Pro will feature a Hasselblad 4/3 CMOS 100 MP wide-angle camera, capable of recording up to 6K/60fps HDR or 4K/120fps, alongside a 48 MP telephoto camera and a 50 MP HDR camera, both supporting 4K/60fps HDR (This Is The DJI Mavic 4! Full Webshop Description, Specs, Pictures And Features). Other specs include omnidirectional obstacle detection with forward-facing LiDAR, a 51-minute flight time, a weight of 1,063 g, and a maximum transmission range of 30 km (FCC). The new RC Pro 2 controller, with a 7-inch Mini-LED screen that can switch to portrait mode for vertical video, has also been leaked, enhancing usability for social media content creation (DJI Mavic 4 Canceled Features, RC Pro 2 Vertical Screen, Prices, New Promo Pictures And Boxes Spotted). However, controversies arise with canceled features: no ProRes, no internal SSD, no RC Track, and electronic ND filters not available at launch, though potentially available later in May 2025. The rumored release date is May 13, 2025, with an official teaser expected on May 6, 2025, as per recent reports on No Film School (DJI Mavic 4 Pro Reportedly Gets Leaked Price and Launch Date).

Flying Squirrel Drone from POSTECH

The flying squirrel-inspired drone, developed by researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), represents a breakthrough in bio-inspired drone technology. Articles from New Atlas and Interesting Engineering detail how the drone, weighing approximately 548 g, features foldable silicone-membrane wings that mimic the gliding and rapid maneuvering capabilities of flying squirrels (Flying-squirrel-inspired drone uses extendable wings … to STOP flying, Flying squirrel-style drone with foldable wings enhances tracking). These wings, controlled by servos, allow for quick deceleration and improved tracking performance, achieving a 13.1% improvement in root mean square error (RMSE) compared to conventional wingless drones. A research paper on arXiv, cited in a Reddit post, further explains the Thrust-Wing Coordination Control (TWCC) system, which syncs propellers and wings for agile flight in tight spaces (A highly maneuverable flying squirrel drone with agility-improving foldable wings). This innovation could revolutionize applications in inspection, data collection, and rescue missions, though regulatory updates may be needed for safe operation in shared airspace.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro Specifics

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro, as detailed in the leaks, is poised to be a flagship consumer drone with advanced imaging and flight capabilities. The camera system includes a Hasselblad 4/3 CMOS 100 MP sensor with 16 stops of dynamic range and a variable aperture from f/2.0 to f/11, supporting 10-bit HDR video transmission via DJI O4+ over 30 km. Additional features include an Infinity Gimbal with 360° rotation, dual native ISO fusion, and subject tracking focus, as noted in TechRadar (Newly leaked DJI Mavic 4 Pro images may have revealed the premium drone’s design in full). Flight performance includes a maximum altitude of 6,000 m, wind resistance up to 12 m/s, and speeds of 25 m/s in Sport mode and 18 m/s in Normal mode. The absence of certain features, like ProRes and electronic ND filters at launch, has sparked discussions among enthusiasts, with some expressing disappointment on X posts. The RC Pro 2, with its foldable design and portrait mode capability, is expected to enhance user experience, particularly for vertical video formats.

Feature	Specification
Wide-Angle Camera	Hasselblad 4/3 CMOS, 100 MP, 6K/60fps HDR
Telephoto Camera	1/1.3″ CMOS, 48 MP, 4K/60fps HDR
HDR Camera	1/1.5″ CMOS, 50 MP, 4K/60fps HDR
Flight Time	51 minutes
Weight	1,063 g
Transmission Range	30 km (FCC)
RC Pro 2 Screen	7-inch Mini-LED, portrait mode capable

This table summarizes the key technical specifications, highlighting the advanced capabilities expected from the Mavic 4 Pro.

In conclusion, this survey note provides a detailed examination of recent developments in the drone industry, reflecting the dynamic nature of technological advancements and market competition as of May 3, 2025.