Introduction
DJI's first product launch of 2020 is finally here and, after a considerable amount of leaks, we now have a full look at the new drone that is the Mavic Air 2. First impressions are that this drone looks considerably more 'mavic-ky' than the old Mavic Air, now looking very much more related to it's baby brother, the Mavic Mini, and it's (considerably) older sibling the Mavic 2 Pro. With DJI making such big changes to it's drone line up, there is the possibility that many consumers will be left scratching their heads when deciding what drone to buy, so we'll be putting together a buying guide with a full comparison of specs to help you decide.
The Mavic Air 2 Spec List
Upon first glance it appears that the Mavic Air 2 is trying to be the perfect travel drone, offering a mix of full on photo and video features in a still compact form factor. According to the press release from DJI, this is the feature list for the DJI Mavic Air 2:
- 48MP 1/2” Quad Bayer CMOS sensor
- 4K video at up to 60 fps with a 120Mbps data rate
- 4K/30p with HDR capability
- 240fps slow mo in 1080p
- New Hyperlapse mode with 8K video
- 12MP stills with 48MP super sampling
- 34 minute flight time on single charge
- More aerodynamic and lighter 570g (1.26lbs)
- Unobstructed range of 10km (6.8 miles)
- DJI Airsense technology
- Updated flight modes - ActiveTrack 3.0, Point of Interest 3.0 and Spotlight 2.0
The DJI Mavic Air 2 will retail for $799, with the fly more bundle retailing for $988, which includes 3 batteries, ND filters, a charging hub, additional propellers and a carrying case.
The Beyond Visuals Verdict
Whilst this drone does seem like a fantastic mix of features and portability, it still seems to be targeting consumers rather than prosumers, to the extent that the launch of the Mavic Air 2 has served to increase anticipation of the Mavic 3 Pro. In our eyes it seems that the Mavic Mini is intended for those who take lots of video and require a few drone shots, the Mavic Air 2 for those who travel and want some drone footage, and the Mavic Pro series for those who are serious about creating content with their drone. Whether or not the Mavic Air 2 is enough to convince hardcore drone photographers to give up the Pro series remains to be decided, but we're inclined to say...wait for the Mavic 3 Pro before making your choice.
Thanks for reading and we'll be back soon with a full on comparison and more info.
The Beyond Visuals Team