Complete speculation mode engaged.
The
M3P is going to be a flagship and feature rich drone that a smaller number of consumers are drawn to for it's premium features. We can all guess what they'll be but they really don't matter. What does is WHO is going to buy it and why. This isn't going under the Christmas tree. This is going in the higher end consumers and pro market and for that reason, I doubt this year is going to happen.
Drone work, at least for me, slows down in the winter months in NA. Profits are there but it's a little thinner and I would be less likely to jump on the
M3P train at that time. All that said, I'm sitting on capital to buy 2 assuming a $3K price because my
M2P is getting well worn in. But for the average pro-sumer level buyer, they have other things to consider at Christmas.
CES is early in the 2022 year (January 7-10th). Global stage. Lots of media. If I were DJI, I'd do a pre-CES announcement and release at, or just before CES.
If they're bringing the new world class, peerless pro model drone that shoots 8K 30 FPS, 60MP stills with more AI than a Terminator movie, there is no better place to throw down the gauntlet and reassert themselves as the biggest, baddest drone builder in the word.
As someone above points our, if RID is sorted they can claim they're compliant and safe even before the FAA requires it as yet another selling feature. They release at CES and then throw the, "Shipping in 4 weeks! Get your pre-orders in now!" That means we have a limited number of units early February, the early adopters and influencers get theirs and do all the videos, reviews, etc, so that the market can get into a Frenzy by end of February and everyone is buying in early March so they can fly in the spring. The working pros start to get more jobs in the Spring, the higher level hobby fliers are starting to see better weather. All motivators to buy the
M3P.
That's what would make sense to me but.. meh.. who knows.