DJI introduces compact Mavic Air 2 with longer battery life and 1/2″ camera sensor
DJI has announced a successor to the compact Mavic Air, which can fly for up to 34 minutes and gets a better 1/2″ sensor. With that sensor, the Mavic Air 2 can shoot photos at 48 megapixels or record video at up to 4k. resolution.
Like its predecessor, the Mavic Air 2 has four folding legs and a three-axis gimbal, according to DJI. DJI has installed new motors and electronic speed controllers for this drone. Along with improved aerodynamic design and improvements in battery technology, the drone can now fly for up to 34 minutes. As on more expensive DJI drones, the Mavic Air 2 uses OcuSync to connect the controller to the drone. OcuSync uses either the 2.4GHz or 5.8GHz band, which allows the drone to fly 10 kilometers while transmitting a stable HD video. The predecessor can fly for a maximum of 21 minutes and 4 kilometers with a WiFi connection.
As a camera sensor, the Mavic Air 2 has a quad-Bayer-1/2″ sensor. It can capture 48-megapixel images or 12-megapixel images with ‘advanced screen analysis’. The latter function is called ‘SmartPhoto’ by DJI. With SmartPhoto, the drone itself from three options based on the conditions.The option allows the drone to display an HDR image, shoot better images in dark environments, or adjust the settings based on five scenario categories, including sunsets and grass.
For video recording, the drone can record images at 4k resolution and 60fps. With the first Mavic Air, this was only possible at 30 frames per second. The Mavic Air 2 also supports slow motion; the drone can record up to 240fps at 1080p resolution. The drone can also produce 8k images, but only in the Hyperlapse function. This is a time-lapse function where the drone itself physically moves. The drone gets improved tracking features, where the device follows an object or flies around it.
According to DJI, the drone has received safety improvements, so that the 570-gram Mavic Air 2, for example, can fly better autonomously. The device will receive support for ads-b, which will allow it to warn the driver if it gets too close to helicopters or planes. According to the BBC, this feature will not be available immediately in Europe. Due to the corona virus, DJI would not be able to get the right parts, as a result of which the first European Mavic Air 2 drones do not receive this technology. Only at a later time will European drones also receive ads-b. It concerns hardware shortages; Previously purchased European Mavic Air 2s can therefore not get the function via a software update.
The DJI Mavic Air 2 measures 18×9.7×8.4cm when folded. The drone has an internal storage of 8GB, supports micro-SD cards of up to 256GB and gets a 3500 mAh battery. The angle of view of the lens is 84 degrees and the aperture is f/2.8.
The drone is for sale immediately, but due to the corona virus, it will not be delivered worldwide until mid-May. The drone is already available in China. The DJI Mavic Air 2 has a suggested retail price of 849 euros. For this, consumers receive the drone, one battery and the necessary cables. For 1049 euros, buyers get a shoulder bag, nd filters, a charging hub and three batteries.