DJI Mavic Air 2 review
Our Verdict
Go the DJI Mavic Air two if you want a drone that tin take 4K video for less than $i,000.
For
- Fast, nimble flier
- Great battery life
- Comfy controller
- Excellent photos and video
Confronting
- Drab design compared to previous model
Tom's Guide Verdict
Become the DJI Mavic Air 2 if you want a drone that can take 4K video for less than $1,000.
Pros
- +
Fast, nimble flier
- +
Great battery life
- +
Comfortable controller
- +
Excellent photos and video
Cons
- -
Drab blueprint compared to previous model
DJI Mavic Air two Specs
Size (folded): seven.1 x 3.8 x 3.three inches
Size (unfolded): 9.96 x 7.two 10 3 inches
Weight: 570 grams (1.25 pounds)
Max video resolution: 4K/60 fps
Photo sensor: 1/2 inch, 12MP
Flight time: 34 minutes
FAA registration: Required
The DJI Mavic Air was a pretty impressive drone: Information technology folded up into a compact shape, was a cinch to fly, and took pretty awesome 4K video, all for less than $1,000.
Its successor is fifty-fifty better. The DJI Mavic Air 2 tin shoot 4K video at upward to sixty frames per second, and has a number of new tricks, like 240fps slo-mo video and the ability to take 48MP nevertheless images. Additionally, the Mavic Air 2 has improved movement-tracking, then it can stay locked on a subject area, even if they momentarily disappear from the camera'south sight. And, with a 34-infinitesimal flight time, you lot'll exist able to stay aloft for even longer. All-time of all, the Mavic Air two costs $799.
Check out the rest of our DJI Mavic Air 2 review to encounter why information technology's one of the best drones around.
DJI Mavic Air 2: Price and Availability
The Mavic Air 2 is bachelor in 2 configurations: A standard package which includes the drone, i battery, and the remote control costs $799. The Fly More than combo, which includes everything from the standard package, plus a shoulder bag, ND filters, charging hub, and three batteries costs $988.
For something cheaper, check out our DJI Mini 2 review.
DJI Mavic Air 2: Design
When holding the Mavic Air 2 in one manus and the Mavic Mini in the other, the Mini felt positively toylike compared to the much larger, and much heavier Mavic Air 2. Both drones look alike — a similar shade of grayness, too as DJI's now-signature folding-arm design — but the Mavic Air ii is much more substantial.
The Mavic Air 2 looks much more like the Mavic 2 Pro (and the Mavic Mini) than the original Mavic Air, for better and worse. While this now unifies the design language of the Mavic line, the all-grayness Mavic Air 2 is less heady visually, and less sleek than the original Mavic Air, which had a smoother top, and was a blend of blackness, white, and silvery. The dull grey of the Mavic Air ii besides makes information technology much harder to see while flight, especially on overcast days.
Weighing 570 grams (1.25 pounds), the Mavic Air 2 is more than twice the weight of the Mini (249 grams/8.8 ounces), besides as the Mavic Air (430 grams). The Air 2's weight is higher than the limit imposed past the FAA, and then this is a drone y'all'll accept to register.
Similar to the Mavic Air, the Mavic Air 2 has sensors on the front, lesser, and rear to help it avoid objects. (The Mini only has sensors on the forepart and bottom). In addition, the Air 2 has the latest version of DJI'southward obstacle-avoidance system, Advanced Pilot Assistance Organisation (APAS) 3.0. When enabled, APAS will plot a grade around any object that comes into the flight path of the drone. However, this is but available when shooting video up to 4K/30 fps; APAS turns off automatically at college framerates.
Additionally, the Mavic Air 2 is the first of DJI's drones that can receive ADS-B signals from piloted aircraft, and testify their location on the controller screen. This feature, called AirSense, will only be initially bachelor in North America, due to the coronavirus; a version of the Mavic Air 2 without AirSense will be sold in all other regions, but a version with AirSense will be available globally past this summer.
DJI Mavic Air 2: Controller
The biggest difference that you'll notice at first glance between the Mavic Air 2 and its predecessor involves the controller, which is completely redesigned. It's at present much more substantial, almost twice the size equally previous DJI controllers. Instead of two downwardly-folding arms, which cradled your smartphone between your palms, the controller at present has a spring-loaded bracket that extends upward from the tiptop.
One thing I similar nigh the new controller is that connecting information technology to my iPhone is less fussy; earlier, I always fumbled when threading the USB-to-Lightning wire through the controller's arm.
Equally before, the controller has two control sticks, which unscrew so you can stow them in the bottom of the controller. Considering the remote is so much larger, information technology looks much more spartan than DJI'due south other controllers, even though it has a few more buttons.
At outset, I thought I wouldn't like the larger, heavier controller, only as I flew the Air 2 around, I liked having my iPhone'south display higher up the joysticks, rather than below. Information technology felt more natural in that position.
The controller also has an improved 10km transmission range, so you can conceivably fly the drone upwardly to six miles abroad, and still get a articulate film on your smartphone's display. Of course, you should just fly a drone where you tin even so encounter it, but it'south a pretty impressive range. While the Mavic Air never went more than 400 anxiety away from me, I never noticed whatsoever interference or interruption of the feed from the camera.
DJI Mavic Air 2: Camera features
While it has the aforementioned 12MP resolution every bit the Air, the Mavic Air ii has a larger 1/2-inch paradigm sensor (versus 1/2.3-inch sensor on the Air).
Additionally, the Mavic Air 2 can accept high-resolution 48MP photos using a Quad Bayer sensor and a technique chosen pixel binning. In the few photos I was able to take, this feature seemed to work well; I was able to accident up a photo of an ornamental scarlet tree much larger than a similar photo taken under the Air 2's normal camera settings.
All the same, there'south a limit to its effectiveness: When I blew upwards a photograph of Manhattan (taken from 15 miles away) to full size, the metropolis's skyline was mottled, and lacked particular.
I'thou also looking forward to testing out Hyperlight, a new feature where the Air 2 takes multiple low-lite photos, and merges them into one, brighter paradigm. This feature wasn't available during my time with the drone, but will be available at launch.
Another characteristic aimed at helping photographers is SmartPhoto; the Mavic Air ii will exist able to recognize five categories of scenes — such every bit sunsets, blue skies, grass, snow, and copse — and optimize the camera settings accordingly.
Similar to previous models, the Mavic Air 2 tin can take HDR photos, but the Air ii takes a series of 7 photos to blend together, versus three for the original Air.
DJI Mavic Air 2: Video features
The Mavic Air two can record video upwardly to 4K at 60 frames per 2d, twice that of the Air, which maxed out at 4K/30 fps. Information technology tin also record 4X and 8X slow-movement video, as well equally 1080p video at 240 fps. The Air 2 can likewise capture HDR video, only the max resolution for this mode is 4K/30fps.
Every bit with other DJI drones, I marveled at the stability of the video footage I shot using the Mavic Air two; it was as smooth and stable as if I had the drone mounted on a tripod. The blossoms of ruddy copse were lush and pink, and the grass beneath was as verdant as the bound 24-hour interval. The drone did a pretty good job of adjusting the exposure equally I panned the camera from the darker ground to the brighter, clouded sky.
On a sunnier day, video was infrequent. The pink flowers on a tree were bright and colorful, details in surrounding houses were crisp, and the skyline of New York stood out sharply against the blue sky.
Simply beyond pure specs, DJI has added a passel of new and updated features designed to brand your aerial footage more than cinematic.
ActiveTrack 3.0 lets you select a subject, and the Mavic Air ii volition automatically follow information technology. This newest version is supposed to non just follow a subject area better, simply avoid objects and re-lock on the subject field if it temporarily moves backside an object.
This feature worked creepily well; I selected myself on the DJI app'southward screen, and the Mavic Air 2 started following me around a field like something out of a sci-fi picture. Not just did information technology avoid and evade copse in its path, but it was able to maintain a lock on me even after I ducked behind a trunk. This only works and so well; if you lot remain hidden for more than than a few seconds, the drone loses its lock.
Bespeak of Involvement 3.0 lets you create an automated flying path around an object, and Spotlight ii.0, which has been a characteristic in DJI's Inspire drones, will lock onto a subject and keep information technology in frame equally the drone operator pilots the drone.
Also coming soon is 8K Hyperlapse. Available every bit a firmware update in mid-May, this volition let you take high-resolution time-lapse videos — well, equally much as the Mavic Air ii's bombardment allows.
DJI Mavic Air 2: Battery Life
DJI claims the Mavic Air 2's flight time is 34 minutes nether ideal conditions; that'southward xiv minutes longer than the Mavic Air, and a few minutes longer than the Mavic Mini.
The first flight I took with the Air ii, its bombardment lasted at least 22 minutes, based on the timestamps of my photos and videos. This flight consisted of a good deal of hovering (which drains the bombardment faster) as I took pictures of the drone for this review. A subsequent flight, which also involved enough of hovering, lasted at least 25 minutes. I plan to update this section equally I take the drone on more flights.
Equally with its other drones, you lot can bandy out the Mavic Air two'due south battery; It takes roughly ane hour and 40 minutes to recharge. Actress batteries will cost $115 each.
DJI Mavic Air 2: Verdict
In that location's no question that the Mavic Air 2 is a smashing drone. As with DJI'south other products, it flies like a gnaw, has amazing battery life, and comes with a host of first-class features for taking aerial photos and video.
At $799, the Mavic Air 2 strikes a proficient balance of features vs. price. While it'south more than than twice as expensive every bit the Mavic Mini, it'due south about $500 less than the Mavic 2 Zoom, and half the price of the Mavic 2 Pro. In some means, the Mavic Air two is even better than the Mavic 2 Zoom, which has a smaller 1/2.3 image sensor than the Air 2, and which tin can merely shoot video at a max resolution of 4K/30 fps. (Of course, the Mavic 2 Zoom has a 2x zoom lens, which lends itself to some not bad video tricks.)
I still think the DJI Mavic Mini is the best drone for nigh people, as its small size and low price make it more accessible for the masses, simply the DJI Mavic Air 2 is the best drone for those who don't want to spend more than $1,000, simply desire to capture stunning video.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/dji-mavic-air-2
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