West Edmonton Mall has a new reason to draw shoppers beyond its waterpark and rollercoasters: the first authorized DJI store in Canada opened its doors there on October 31. The drone and camera gear brand has been a favourite among creators for years, and until now Canadians had to buy its products through third-party retailers rather than an official branded shop.
The store is currently trading during regular mall hours, with an official grand opening scheduled for Friday, November 20. Visitors in the meantime can browse the full range in person — camera drones, handheld cameras, smartphone gimbals, wireless microphones and other gadgets for creators on the move. The newest arrival on shelves is the latest Osmo Pocket, a dual-camera device aimed at capturing travel footage without lugging around a full rig.
What sets this apart from buying a drone off a shelf at a big-box retailer is the hands-on element. Staff at the store demonstrate products in action and can walk you through which piece of kit suits your needs, whether that's filming a backcountry trip in the Rockies or simply levelling up your holiday photos. For anyone who has ever stared at a wall of identical drone boxes wondering which model to pick, that expert guidance is the main draw.
The location itself is a bonus. West Edmonton Mall is already one of Canada's biggest tourist attractions — it's among the largest shopping malls in North America, with an indoor amusement park, waterpark, ice rink and hotel all under one roof. Adding a flagship tech store gives travellers another stop during a visit, and for drone enthusiasts it turns a shopping trip into something closer to a pilgrimage. You can test gear indoors, then be out in Alberta's famously photogenic landscapes within an hour's drive.
For travellers, this is worth knowing if Edmonton is on your itinerary this winter. The mall sits at 8882 170th St. NW in the city's west end, easily reached from downtown, and winter visits pair well with the mall's indoor attractions when the temperature outside drops well below freezing. If you're planning to fly a new drone in Canada, keep in mind that Transport Canada requires registration and basic safety rules apply — something the store's team can likely help you get straight.
