Mavic Air 2 has been rumoured for quite some time, with leaks coming regularly. But now we have the official details and it looks like a beast of a consumer drone.
DJI Mavic Air 2 Key Specs
- 12MP 1/2-inch Quad Bayer Sensor
- 12-megapixel and 48-megapixel stills
- 4K/60p and 1080/240p
- 8K Hyperlapse
- Up to 34 minutes flight time
- Advanced Pilot Assistance System 3.0 for in-flight Obstacle Avoidance
DJI Mavic Air 2 Price
The popular “Fly More” Combo prices were shared during the press conference on April 27th (early hours of the 28th here in the UK). The bundle including a shoulder bag for the Mavic Air 2, Charging Hub, Three Batteries and DJI Neutral Density Filters is available for pre-order from the DJI online store costing £949. The Mavic Air 2 can also be bought on its own for the price of £769. Shipping is expected to begin Mid-End May.
DJI Mavic Air 2 Specs
One of the major considerations when buying a drone is making the choice between balancing performance, features and size. And the DJI Mavic Air 2 seems to strike a very attractive balance, including some exciting firsts for the Mavic product line.
Mavic Air 2 holds nothing back, packing a new 12-megapixel 1/2-inch sensor. But due to it’s innovative quad pixel arrangement, it’s also capable of capturing 48MP still images. Leaving its stablemates in the dust, the Mavic Air 2 can also be used to produce 8K Hyperlapse footage and introduces 4K/60p video with a bit rate of 120Mbps. An additional benefit of the Quad-Bayer sensor array is that it should help deliver low noise throughout it’s ISO range, which runs from ISO100-6400 (depending on mode). We’re also really pleased to see 240fps Full HD footage capabilities included. Perfect for dramatic slow motion footage.
Inexperienced drone pilots will be able to take confidence in the Mavic Air 2’s Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) 3.0, which makes it possible for the drone to automatically navigate around obstacles in real-time. Unfortunately AirSense, DJI’s proprietary tech that allows the drone to “see” and alert pilots to nearby planes and helicopters will only be available in North America at launch. But we expect the technology to roll out in the coming months, as it will be yet another boost for responsible drone pilots and the authorities in the UK and Europe.
DJI’s intelligent auto modes, such as QuickShot, Dronie and Spotlight 2.0 will make it possible for practically anyone to achieve professional-grade shots. At least that’s the claim from DJI!
Design
The MA2 and controller also get a revamp. Featuring a much more aerodynamic design, the MA2 weighs 570g. Folded down it measures 180x97x84mm making it slight larger than the original Mavic Air, which only weighs 430g. Based on its looks and dimensions, the MA2 is basically a Mavic 2 mini. Although the weight of the MA2 means it will need to be registered with the CAA at a cost of £9 per year. You don’t have to do that with the DJI Mavic Mini.
There’s no screen on the MA2 controller, but the new design looks more ergonomic and user friendly with a clear layout of accessible controls. The phone holder remains on top of the controller and the balance should be decent, with it weighing just shy of 400g. It’s also OcuSync 2.0 compatible.
In terms of range, the MA2 is in different league to its predecessor, 10km vs 4km. Thanks to OcuSync it can switch between 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz frequencies, with anti-interference tech to keep the connection as stable as possible.
VERDICT
What are your thoughts on the new DJI Mavic Air 2? Looking at it purely on specs, it is the most ambitious consumer drone from DJI since the original Mavic Pro. Should you buy it? Well that depends on what you’re looking for. There are few options in its price range that offer that range of specs. But if you’re an experienced drone operator, this may be worth skipping, as the feature list of this drone bodes incredibly well for the coming Mavic 3 Pro release (whenever that happens). We’ll be waiting.
For more info, head to the DJI website.
