Today DJI launched the brand new Mavic Air 2 drone which is replacing the original Mavic Air. The original DJI Mavic Air was a favorite in the drone community due to its small folding size, price, and its camera that could capture stunning 4K video and high-resolution photos all in a small package that could literally fit inside a pocket. The original Mavic Air introduced many new technologies and features such as APAS, Astroid Quick Shot and removable control sticks which has now become a standard feature on all DJI consumer Drones
Now for those of you who are familiar with my reviews and work know that I am not a fanboy of any one brand or company, I enjoy products from a wide variety of brands. I like products that work well, are reliable, and are easy to use. With that said is quite easy to see with the launch of this new drone why DJI is the leader when it comes to consumer drones, the Mavic Air 2 is simply brilliant and will check off most of the boxes that people want when looking to purchase a new drone.
Buy Mavic 2 Air: https://bit.ly/3aEkkiI
What’s New With The DJI Mavic Air 2
DJI has improved and enhanced almost every aspect of the original Mavic Air making it a very appealing drone for the price. The 3 main concerns that pilots had with the original Mavic Air have been upgraded which is battery life, transmission range, and noise level.
Ocusync 2.0: The Mavic Air 2 now features Ocusync 2.0 that allows for a nice solid transmission signal even when flying in contested WiFi urban areas. With a 10 KM range and 1080p video feed, it utilizes the same technology used in drones such as the Mavic 2 Pro/zoom and Phantom 4 Pro V2.0. In fact, this new version of Ocusync 2.0 has been improved even further making it the most reliable connection on any consumer drone that DJI currently sells. Now a 10 KM range is quite far, way too far to remain compliant with “visual line of sight” rules. But what is does mean is that you can count on a nice solid connection no matter where you fly. In my testing, I was quite impressed with the quality and distance I was able to get without having any breakup on my screen. This one new feature alone I am sure will entice many users to upgrade to the Mavic Air 2.
34 Minute Flight Time: The Mavic Air 2 now has a flight time of 34 minutes compared to 21 minutes of the original Mavic Air. This is a huge improvement and will keep you up in the air longer allowing you to grab the shots and footage that you want without having to land and replace the battery as often.
Much Quieter: One of the biggest complaints of the original Mavic Air is that it was loud and sounded like a swarm of bees with its high pitched hum. The Mavic Air 2 now features reduced noise propellers and is much quieter when in the air. This can be important as most pilots do not want to draw attention to themselves when flying as well as not to irritate other people trying to enjoy the spaces in which they are flying.
Those 3 new enhancements are more than enough to entice pilots to upgrade to the new Mavic Air 2, however, DJI did not stop there, they have added many other new features and improvements as well.
Improved Camera with 4K 60 FPS and 1080 240 FPS Slow Motion: The camera on the DJI Mavic Air 2 now has a 1/2” Sensor that is capable of capture 4k 60 FPS footage. The only other consumer drone that DJI has released that is capable of this is the Phantom 4 Pro. The new camera on the Mavic Air 2 is also able to capture smooth slow motion in 1080 at 240 FPS allowing you to get really creative with your shots. The camera on the DJI Mavic 2 Air supports flat color profile D-Cinelike and can also capture phones in both JPG and Raw.
48 MP Photos: With the new Mavic Air 2 you are able to capture stunning 48 MP high-resolution photos.
New Intelligent Flight Feature – “FocusTrack”: (POI 3.o – Active Track 3.0 – SpotLight 2.0) DJI has improved 3 of its poplar intelligent flight modes into one new feature called FocusTrack which includes Point of interest 3.0, Active Track 3.0 and something new in the Mavic Series SpotLight 2.0. The all-new Active Track 3.0 allows you to track a target smoother with more precision than ever. POI 3.0 allows you to select a target on the screen and select it as a point of interest for the drone to automatically fly around. New with POI 3.0 is the ability to set a target around a moving object such as a boat or vehicle. Spotlight 2.0 allows you to select a target and fly free in any direction while the drone keeps the target in view. The new FocusTrack on the Mavic Air 2 can easily be initiated by simply drawing a box on the screen to select your target.
New Enhanced DJI Fly App: The Mavic Air 2 uses the DJI fly app instead of the Go 4 App like the original Mavic Air did. The DJI Fly app has been updated to allow compatibility and brings in many new advanced features when connected to the Mavic Air 2. The DJI Fly app has a clean user interface while still retaining powerful and robust features.
8K Hyperlapses: This feature was first introduced in the Mavic 2 series and has now carried over to the new Mavic Air 2 with a new twist. You can capture stunning 8K timelapse with the Mavic Air 2 with all the features that are available when creating hyper-lapses on the Mavic 2 Pro/zoom. Hyperlapse in 8K resolution is currently only available in Free and CourseLock mode.
HDR Video, Photos, and Panoramas: The DJI Mavic air fully supports all forms of HDR content creation. This is the first drone DJI has released in the consumer market that offers full HDR video.
SmartPhoto: SmartPhoto integrates HyperLight, Scene Recognition, HDR into one mode helping you achieve optimal results in various conditions.
AirSense Technology (ADS-B) The Mavic Air 2 is the first consumer drone from DJI to include AirSence technology. This technology alerts you when a manned aircraft is in your vicinity. From what I gather this new feature will only be available for the time being in the U.S and Canada. Unfortunately, the version of the Mavic Air 2 that I am testing does not have the AirSence built into it so I am unable to comment on it until I get a chance, later on, to test it out. But definitely a welcome feature.
Here is a quick clip of the new DJI Mavic Air 2 tracking feature in action.
Buy Mavic 2 Air: https://bit.ly/3aEkkiI
My Overall User Experience With The Mavic Air 2
I have been flying and testing the Mavic Air 2 now for the past few weeks and I have been quite impressed with this drone, I mean really impressed. Along with all the new features added to the Mavic Air 2, there have also been some significant changes to the design of both the drone and the remote controller.
Newly Designed Controller: Some users may be unsure of this new controller design as this is the first Mavic series drone to sway from the current design. It is quite different and features a larger build similar to that of the Smart Controller. Your phone now mounts on the top of the controller and no longer underneath. Personly myself I really like this new design, it is extremely comfortable to hold but more importantly it much easier to connect a smartphone and get out and flying quickly. With the previous design, it sometimes could be frustrating getting your phone attached to the bottom, lining up the phone connecter was not always an easy task. Not to mention if you had a case on your phone, for the most part, you would have to remove it first. This new controller for the Mavic Air 2 makes attaching your phone super quick and east. Most phone cases as long as they are not super thick can be left one while mounted in the controller. Now with the phone mounted on top, I feel it is in a more natural and comfortable viewing position. The build quality of the controller is quite nice it does not feel cheap in the hands by any means. Of course, having Ocusync 2.0 built into the controller makes for a more confident and satisfying flight. Another interesting thing to note is that this new controller design now incorporates the antennas into the phone mount so you no longer need to fold out antennas. This new Mavic Air 2 controller is fully USB-C which will be a welcome change for many. Even though this controller is larger than the original Mavic Air controller, having removable sticks still allows it to have a small profile making it easy to pack and travel with.
New Aircraft Design: DJI has updated the design of the aircraft to give it that iconic Mavic look. I know there are many who loved the look of the original design, as did I, but this new aircraft has a beautiful sleek build and feels solid. Although the airframe is a little larger it still nice and compact when folded up. The longer arms will improve performance and make it more stable in the air while still retaining a small profile which is important for many who travel.
Price and Packages of the Mavic Air 2: Like many DJI Drones the Mavic Air 2 will come in 2 packages. The first is the base package that includes the drone, controller, and one battery and will cost $799 US. They also have a fly more combo package that includes extra batteries, ND filters, charging hub and a case to help you get the most out of the drone and has a price of $988 US.
Should You Upgrade To The Mavic Air 2
There are going to be many pilots wondering if they own the original Mavic Air or perhaps a Spark or Mavic Mini if this is a worthwhile upgrade. I think definitely it is but, of course, it depends on what your needs and budget are. Having the Ocusync 2.0 built in the Mavic Air 2 is more than enough reason for me to upgrade. Just the confidence that you feel when flying a drone with Ocusync is well worth the upgrade price. When you factor in all the other new features it really does make for a compelling upgrade. If you purchased a Mavic Mini as your first drone and have been enjoying the capabilities of it, now could be a good time to upgrade and take your piloting skills to the next level.
I think the DJI Mavic Air 2 is going to be a very popular drone because it checks most boxes for things new and existing drone customers are looking for.
- Easy To Use – Quick To Deploy
- Quality Product with Powerful Features
- Portable and Easy To Travel With
- Good Value
If you are interested in the Mavic Air 2 make sure you check my website and YouTube channel often as I will be uploading many new videos featuring the Mavic Air 2 over the coming weeks. I will have a full video review with sample footage and more detail uploaded to YouTube in a few days, so stay tuned for that.
Buy Mavic 2 Air: https://bit.ly/3aEkkiI
