DJI launches Mavic Air 2 drone with improved camera, longer flight time, more

Posted:
in General Discussion edited April 2020
Industry-leading drone maker DJI on Monday unveiled Mavic Air 2, with the hotly-anticipated successor model featuring a larger, higher-resolution camera, three-axis gimbal, improved flight capabilities, redesigned controller and more.

Mavic Air 2
DJI's new Mavic Air 2.


Sporting a design in line with DJI's Mavic Pro series, the new Mavic Air 2 boasts four folding prop arms that contort inward into a single, highly portable package. The design was first introduced with Mavic Pro in 2016 and carried over to the original Mavic Air and subsequent Mavic Pro 2 quadcopters.

Encased in a slim, aerodynamic chassis are Mavic Air 2's guts, on top of which sits a large 5200mAh battery, up from 2970mAh cell that shipped with the original Air. Though it is slightly longer and heavier than its predecessor, Mavic Air 2 gets 34 minutes of flight time, besting even the Mavic Pro 2. New motors and electronic speed controllers achieve a max speed is consistent with the two-year-old model at 42.5 miles per hour in "S mode."

The star of the show is DJI's half-inch "Quad Bayer" CMOS camera sensor, good for up to 48-megapixel photo resolutions (default at 12MP) and 4K video at 60 frames per second.

Mavic Air 2


Intelligent software helps pilots capture images with ease. HDR and HDR panorama photos are supported, as is a SmartPhoto feature that uses deep learning and scene analysis to record 12-megapixel photos in one of three image capture options. Scene recognition optimizes settings for sunsets, blue skies, grass, snow, and trees, while Hyperlight takes multiple photos and merges them together to reduce noise in low-light situations.

HDR is also supported for video up to 4K at 30fps, as is 4X slow motion in 1080p at 120fps or 8X slow motion in 1080p at 240fps. Mavic Air 2 can capture and output 8K Hyperlapse time-lapse videos, though not all shooting modes are supported at launch. A three-axis gimbal keeps footage smooth in all but the harshest conditions.

Like other DJI models, Mavic Air 2 is bristling with sensors, including front- and rear-facing obstacle sensors, and downward-facing landing sensors. Auxiliary lights on the bottom of the drone assist with a number of flight functions like automated landing. GPS geofencing and AirSense technology, the latter of which uses ADS-B aviation tech to avoid nearby commercial aircraft, are also included.

DJI packed in the latest Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) version 3.0 for autonomous flying, a feature that, when enabled, creates a new paths around, under or over obstacles. Support for 3D mapping allows for smooth transitions and fluid movements around subjects with little to no user input. FocusTrack provides advanced subject tracking, including Spotlight 2.0, which locks the camera on a subject while a user operates flight controls.

Mavic Air 2 relies on DJI's OcuSync 2.0 technology for flight controls and data transmission. The protocol has been upgraded to deliver stable HD video at a maximum distance of just over six miles and supports both 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz frequency bands with auto-switching.

Finally, a revamped remote controller is similar in style to hardware that comes with DJI's Phantom series, but ditches the protruding antennae for a smartphone clamp.

Mavic Air 2


Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mavic Air 2 is immediately available in China and will ship out to customers in other destinations in mid-May.

The standard Mavic Air 2 package includes the drone, a battery, remote and cables for $799, while DJI's Fly More option adds a shoulder bag, ND filters, charging hub and two extra batteries for $988. Preorders are available now through B&H Photo and Adorama, as well as DJI's website. Further, B&H Photo is offering free shipping within the continental U.S. once the product is in stock.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    I think this might be my first drone. Seems like it checks off a lot of boxes on people's wish lists. Looking forward to checking out reviews.
    iOSDevSWEbeowulfschmidt
  • Reply 2 of 11
    seanismorrisseanismorris Posts: 1,624member
    I’m not sure a more efficient way to spy on people is worth $800.  

    Can it get a root beer out of the frig and bring it to me?

    Not having to get my lazy ass off the couch... priceless!
  • Reply 3 of 11
    Noise level? Any improvement here?
  • Reply 4 of 11
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    I’m not sure a more efficient way to spy on people is worth $800.  

    Can it get a root beer out of the frig and bring it to me?

    Not having to get my lazy ass off the couch... priceless!
    Says the moron who has probably enjoyed aerial videography for years now and hasn't yet made the mental connection as to how it's done.
    ihatescreennameslolliver
  • Reply 5 of 11
    FolioFolio Posts: 698member
    Quite tempting! Still waiting for that spray gun option to paint my house.
    dewme
  • Reply 6 of 11
    I’m not sure a more efficient way to spy on people is worth $800.  

    Can it get a root beer out of the frig and bring it to me?

    Not having to get my lazy ass off the couch... priceless!
    Says the moron who has probably enjoyed aerial videography for years now and hasn't yet made the mental connection as to how it's done.
    I have a Mavic Pro. My wife was talking to a coworker about me using it. The coworker made a face and commented that they just seem silly and what would you do with something like that. Then my wife showed him a few seconds of video I had taken while we were on vacation at the beach and he immediately said, “Oh, yeah. That’s pretty cool. I never thought of that.” So, clearly, there are people that fit into the “haven’t yet made the mental connection” category.

    This one looks decent for the price. I like the increased flying time, which is almost always less than what is advertised, so any increase there is welcome. I like the look of the controller a little more, too. It doesn’t look as busy and plugging the cable into the the phone doesn’t appear to be as much of a hassle.
    fastasleeplolliver
  • Reply 7 of 11
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,332member
    These things are quite amazing in terms of the stability and video quality. I’ve been seeing them used quite a bit locally by landscape designers and real estate people. I’d imagine they are very useful for doing visual inspections and site surveys of power lines, antennas, tank farms, fencing, etc. Awesome tool in the right hands. 
    lolliver
  • Reply 8 of 11
    I’m down for buying more Chinese products. How about you? Especially one that gathers data.
  • Reply 9 of 11
    viclauyycviclauyyc Posts: 849member
    I’m down for buying more Chinese products. How about you? Especially one that gathers data.
    Sadly, DJI is the best one out there in term of price and performance, not to mention their innovation. I have yet to see any company offer something come close, at least for the consumer level. If there is any company that is close to the price/performance ratio, it will also be a chinese. 

    If there is a reason stop me buying from DJI, it is the data gathering for Chicom.
  • Reply 10 of 11
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    Folio said:
    Quite tempting! Still waiting for that spray gun option to paint my house.
    Just fill their agricultural drone full of paint instead of pesticide:
    https://www.dji.com/products/agriculture

  • Reply 11 of 11
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,408member
    I’m down for buying more Chinese products. How about you? Especially one that gathers data.
    Was it ever established they were sending sensitive data back to China?
    edited April 2020
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