It is compact, lightweight, and equipped with sufficient technology to make flying and shooting with it enjoyable. This legacy is continued by the brand-new Mavic Air 2, which is currently up for preorder and will ship on May 11. Even after adding in necessary extras like extra batteries, it still costs less than a grand despite having more technology on board and a better camera system. The Air 2 is an improvement over the Air in almost every way: it is smarter, hovers for a longer period of time, and can record video that is on par with DJI’s more expensive Mavic Pro models. The DJI Mavic Air 2 is similar to earlier Mavic drones in terms of both appearance and functionality, which is the first thing you’ll notice about it. Since the release of the Mavic Pro in 2016, we have been supporters of the recognizable Mavic folding design, despite never criticizing the original Mavic Air for being unique. Despite the similarities, we regret to announce that the Mavic Air 2 is made entirely of original components. Propellers, batteries, and remote controls cannot be switched between the different Mavic models. also you will learn our article on DJI Mavic Air 2 review.
Design
The Mavic Mini felt wonderfully toy-like in comparison to the much bigger and heavier Mavic Air 2 when they were held in opposite hands. Both drones have the same grey color and DJI’s recognizable folding-arm design, but the Mavic Air 2 is significantly larger. For better or worse, the Mavic Air 2 resembles the Mavic 2 Pro (and the Mavic Mini) much more than the original Mavic Air. The all-gray Mavic Air 2 is less eye-catching and sleek than the original Mavic Air, which had a smoother top and was a blend of black, white, and silver, even though this now unifies the design language of the Mavic line. Additionally, the Mavic Air 2’s dull grey color makes it much more difficult to see while flying, especially on cloudy days. The Mavic Air 2 is heavier than both the Mini (249 grams/8.8 ounces) and the Mavic Air, weighing 570 grammes (1.25 pounds). Because the weight of the Air 2 exceeds the FAA’s weight restriction, you must register this drone. The Mavic Air 2 includes sensors on the front, bottom, and back to assist it avoid obstructions, just like the Mavic Air. (Only the front and bottom of the Mini have sensors.) Additionally, the Air 2 has DJI’s Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS 3.0), the most recent version of the company’s obstacle-avoidance system. When activated, APAS will direct the drone to avoid any object that gets in its way. However, APAS automatically turns off at higher framerates; it is only available when shooting video up to 4K/30 fps. The Mavic Air 2 is also the first DJI drone to be able to receive ADS-B signals from piloted aircraft and display the location of those signals on the controller screen. A version of the Mavic Air 2 without AirSense will be sold in all other regions; however, a version with AirSense will be available globally by this summer. This feature, called AirSense, will initially only be available in North America due to the coronavirus.
DJI Mavic Air 2 review: Controller
Oddly, while the new drone borrows heavily from its bigger and smaller brethren in terms of aesthetics, the controller drastically departs from the traditional compact folding grip design. It was first launched with the first Mavic in 2016 and has since been included with every model in some capacity. We must admit that while the new version may raise some questions, we strongly prefer it. The phone is placed at the top and has greater size flexibility with the new Mavic Air 2 remote. A spring grip that clamps your phone in place slides down from the top. Although we anticipated it, the rubber grips did not continue to press the side buttons on our iPhone Pro. The power indication lights are difficult to see in daytime, if we were to complain about anything. A storage space for your preferred phone connector can be found under the grip. It’s secure and tidy, if a little fiddly. Although we find the remote to be cozy, we definitely prefer having the screen above. The only minor drawback is that you must hold your phone above your hands, but this doesn’t seem to be a big deal given the improved perspective. There is a function button next to all the standard buttons, which by default turns on the LED. OccuSync 2 is a far more significant improvement inside, though. Not something we can test in the UK, but we can say that the gorgeous HD 1080p live feedback never seemed to cut out up to 500m, which definitely wasn’t true of the original Air. It automatically switches radio channels to offer up to 10km range.
Image quality
The DJI Mavic Air 2’s superior image quality sets it apart from its predecessor. The JPEG and RAW files’ quality has left us awestruck. The dynamic range is first-rate, especially when the HDR video function is turned on. It can capture a vivid sunset while maintaining sufficient shadow detail to produce a well-balanced picture. It accomplishes this while maintaining a somewhat natural-looking appearance. You can choose to take standard 12 or 48-megapixel RAW or JPEG files when taking still pictures. The sensor has a 4:3 aspect ratio, therefore taking pictures with a 16:9 aspect ratio would only result in digital cropping, giving you less resolution to work with. We are really thrilled about the possible applications of these files, which enable us to give drone photographs that are more than suitable for practically any circumstance and generate considerably larger prints. They can also be significantly cropped while preserving a tone of detail. We were initially dubious that shooting this large photographs would result in significant quality or dynamic range losses, but we are pleased to report that they are extremely useable and don’t have many shortcomings. also you can check our article on DJI Mavic Air 2 review.
Video quality
When photographing in low light, the hyperlight mode averages and reduces noise by merging many photos. By manually taking many Raw photos and noise stacking them in Photoshop, you may accomplish this. Last but not least, Scene Recognition is a mode that can distinguish between five different scene types—sunsets, blue skies, grass, snow, and trees—and tailors in-camera JPEG processing settings to each. Once more, using raw processing tools like Adobe Lightroom, this can be done manually. Regardless of your level of photography expertise, everyone is catered for here, which is fantastic. The ability to capture 48MP still images with the 12MP sensor is another standout feature. In contrast to Raw files and standard size JPEGs, the output photographs from this mode are JPEGs, and the results are regrettably much softer. Images also appear washed out and desaturated. This would imply that an in-camera interpolation algorithm is used to create the 48MP images. If larger images are needed, Photoshop’s Preserve Details Resample option in the Image Size dialogue offers better interpolation results. The Mavic Air 2 offers features not seen in the flagship Mavic models, including as 4K video at 60 frames per second and slow motion video up to 240 frames per second in 1080p, for videographers. Despite its diminutive size, this drone can nevertheless be used in some circumstances to shoot quality videos. Video can be recorded in Standard format, which is like a JPEG for video, or in the more neutral D-Cinelike profile, which shows more detail in the highlights and shadows and necessitates color grading. At up to 30 frames per second, HDR video is also accessible in 4K, 2.7K, and FHD. Up to 60 frames per second, 4K, 2.7K, and FHD are all available. The maximum bitrate for video in MP4/MOV is 120 Mbps.
DJI Mavic Air 2 review: Fly Performance
This version of DJI’s control software, first introduced with the Mavic Mini, is noticeably less “busy,” making it simpler to locate the features you require. Its layout is simplified for less experienced pilots, and its style is more analogous to a smartphone camera app. Even just for the battery meter, we personally like the DJI GO 4 better. When you switch between camera modes, a pop-up menu with the available options appears, including Camera, Video, QuickShot, Hyperlapse, and Panoramas, albeit you can’t see it right away without scrolling. Camera slips off the top once Pano is visible. Also scrollable are the sub-options. But once you get used to it, it becomes unimportant. On the plus side, the collision sensor “hot spots” at the top and bottom of the screen are helpful without being intrusive, and the mini-tutorials for the QuickShots are convenient and not at all intrusive. It is annoying that you have to save enough battery in the drone and keep it and the controller on for the transfer to the app because the QuickShots can only be captured at 30 frames per second due to the downloading and post-processing requirements. Although it’s not challenging and is a routine procedure for DJI users, it can nevertheless be frustrating. In the end, though, it doesn’t really matter that these very shareable clips are processed in the app because you’ll probably share them from there anyway! You can later download video and photos from the SD card, as well as panoramas and time-lapse videos (which are processed when they are captured), or, if you use the drone’s onboard 8Gb storage, via the USB-C port on the aircraft. By the way, since some features use it, using that memory should only be a last resort.
DJI Mavic Air 2 review: Performance
This drone is enjoyable to fly for both novice and experienced pilots and has a tone of safety features and pre-sets. Even the controller has tutorials that walk you through each flying manoeuvre. Here, safety is given full consideration. The Mavic Air 2 also has the Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS 3.0), which enables the drone to change its course when it encounters something in its path in addition to the avoidance sensing system. Another option is Airsense, which uses aero-technology to detect signals from adjacent planes and display a warning on the control panel. Airsense is only available in the USA. It’s a useful feature at a time when the skies are becoming increasingly congested. All DJI drones have geofencing, which stops this drone from flying in restricted areas like close to an active airport or other risky places. If DJI receives the necessary permissions, it can unlock this feature for particular uses. When shooting video or still photos in the air, the Mavic Air 2’s impressive stability in windy conditions (up to Beaufort Force 5) allows the pilot to focus solely on framing the shots. Additionally, the controller retains its strength for a very long time. If you choose to purchase the Fly More package, you will receive three additional flight batteries, giving you plenty of time to fly the drone and produce your videos and still images.
Battery Life
Since the gadget is considerably smaller than my Phantom 4, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to us, but the increased flight duration has now climbed from what we are used to of roughly 22 minutes (and the Mavic Pro with 27 minutes) to upwards of 30-34 minutes! Even while the Mini 3 has only three minutes greater battery life than its younger sibling, the Mini 2, if you’ve ever shot with a drone, especially during a spectacular sunset or dawn, every extra second in the air is crucial! With three batteries in the Fly More bundle, you’ll have plenty of flight time to get all the shots you need. The charger allows you to charge all three batteries at once, which is faster and easier.
Price and availability
This drone is priced in the middle of the market at $799 or $988 as part of the Fly More Combo. In contrast, the recently introduced Mavic 3 costs $2,199 and has two cameras: one with a four-thirds sensor and the other with a telephoto lens. The Parrot Anafi, which has a 1/2.4″ CMOS sensor, is somewhat more comparable to this model and typically costs only about $700. you can read our article on DJI Mavic Air 2 review.
Conclusion
The Mavic Air 2 was undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable drones we’ve ever had the opportunity to fly. When we are driving normally, we worry about breaking any laws or damaging the equipment, but with this system, it just felt so natural and simple that after the first flight, we weren’t at all concerned. It’s a lot of fun to fly, has a tone of simple photo and video modes, fits perfectly in your camera bag with the rest of your photography gear, and produces some pretty good-looking photos. This system was easy for us to use as a casual drone user, making it a great UAV for new and enthusiastic pilots. Particularly considering how the FLY App is designed, which essentially guides you through every feature with clear instructions for each mode.
