DJI Mavic Air 2 review

The DJI Mavic Air 2 takes performance and portability to a new level, offering the best features in a compact size. Smart shooting features and very good image quality make aerial masterpieces possible.

This article is about to the DJI Mavic Air 2 Review. Mavic Air 2 takes power and portability to an advanced level, offering greatest features in a compact size. Intelligent shooting functions and very good image quality put aerial masterpieces at your fingertips. Safer, smarter flight allows you to up your game while fully enjoying the creative process.

DJI drones latest foldable , the Mavic Air 2, is a huge improvement over its predecessor, so much so that it’s the perfect drone for most people. The Mavic Air 2 is the middle child of DJI’s drone lineup, falling between the smaller, lighter, but less capable Mavic Mini and the extra powerful, extra capable, but also extra expensive Mavic 2. If you’re new to drone flying, the inexpensive Mavic Mini, our previous top drone for most people, may be a better choice.

However, the Mavic Air 2 offers better collision avoidance systems, higher quality photos and videos, and a wide range of automated flight features that both newbies and seasoned veterans will appreciate. The Mavic Air 2 is slightly larger than its predecessor, at least on paper. In practice, we didn’t notice the difference. The foldable design remains compact, and at 1.3 pounds, the drone is very manageable. When folded, it takes up about as much space as a medium-sized telephoto lens. It fits nicely in a variety of camera bags and cases, which we also tested. The camera sensor is also larger this time around.

The Air 2’s lens is still 24mm equivalent, with an aperture of f/2.8, but DJI has upgraded to a larger half-inch sensor on this drone, resulting in much sharper images. The camera shoots 12 megapixels per frame, but there is also an option to create 48-megapixel images that are automatically stitched from multiple shots. Provided the conditions are right for a composite image, meaning the drone is able to cleanly capture multiple images of the same scene without the wind swirling it around too much, the 48-megapixel images are impressive.

Design

The Mavic Air 2 is very attractive just by looking at it. It simply looks the business. If there’s one small criticism, it’s that the uniform gray color doesn’t make for good visibility in all circumstances. However, it is quite low, so you will either need to use a landing pad or buy extension legs that will lift it off from near unmowed grass. Drones of this size are quite finicky when it comes to their cameras. Any kind of tampering will result in damage.

The same goes for the drone’s overall construction. The MA2 is built to be fairly sturdy, but heavy handling, such as taking it out of the case or stowing it away, would not be a good idea. Rugged cases with integrated padding are available, but they are a bit bulky. With the MA2 comes a new controller, unfortunately without a display, but with a cable connection to a smartphone and thus to the DJI Fly app.

The controller itself is solid and lightweight. In addition to the two toggle switches, which are housed in neat cutouts on the back when not in use, there is an on/off button, a mode selector, an RTH button, a function button, and one to switch between video and camera with a click. There is a shutter button on the right front and a gimbal control wheel on the left front.

Photo and video quality

The image quality of the Mavic Air 2 is significantly improved compared to its predecessor. This is partly thanks to the new 12MP Quad Bayer sensor, which delivers noticeably sharper images at all ISOs. However, as with all drones with small sensors, there is noticeable image noise even at ISO 100, so ISO 400 is realistically the highest setting you should use. The camera lens offers a focal length of 24mm (equivalent to full-frame) and a fixed aperture of f/2.8, but despite this limitation and the lens being set to hyperfocal distance, the depth of field is wide enough to keep close-ups and even deep landscape shots sharp throughout.

For photographers, several functions are designed to help you easily take better images. But like the scene modes on compact cameras and entry-level DSLRs, if you’re an experienced photographer, you can get better results shooting Raw and using point-and-shoot techniques. manual editing instead of features. All of the following features produce JPEG files rather than raw files. One thing to note is that the sensor has a 4:3 aspect ratio, and capturing images at the 16:9 aspect ratio will digitally crop your shots, leaving you with less resolution to work with.

HDR photos capture seven bracketed exposures which are then merged in-camera to produce an image with detail from shadows to highlights. This can also be achieved by taking raw photos and using Auto Exposure Bracketing mode before processing the images in software HDR. For videographers, the Mavic Air 2 brings with it some firsts for DJI and even features not found in flagship Mavic models, like 4K video at 60fps and slow-motion video up to 240fps at 1080p.

So despite its small size, this drone certainly has room for professional video use in certain situations. Videos can be recorded in the standard format, which is the video equivalent of a JPEG, or in the more neutral D-Cinel-like profile, which shows more details in shadows and highlights and requires color correction. HDR video is also available in 4K, 2.7K, and FHD at up to 30 frames per second. 4K is available at up to 60 fps, 2.7K at up to 60 fps, and FHD at up to 240 fps. Videos can be recorded in MP4/MOV with a maximum bitrate of 120 Mbps.

Controller

Unlike the foldable controller design used by all previous and current Mavic drones, the Mavic Air 2 controller is larger and does not feature a foldable design, it is like a smaller version of the DJI Smart Controller, but unfortunately without the ‘screen. This leatest shape is comfortable to hold thanks to the contoured handles on the back and its weight of 393 g.

The controller also starts and connects to the aircraft faster than the previous controller. With this new design, the phone attaches to the top of the controller via telescoping handle that will comfortably accept phones of all sizes, including phablets. The phone connector cable snaps into the cavity where the top of the phone stand stores when not in use, and there is a slot to insert the phone end when not in use to keep the cable tidy and out of the way.

It’s a nice idea, but the cables are a bit too long for the design, so inserting the end of the phone cable into the storage puts pressure on the cable which could potentially damage the lighting cables at the over time. The thumb sticks are stored in rubberized sections at the bottom of the controller, and there are two additional spares in the box.

In terms of direct access controls, the controller only offers a handful, including flight control sticks, a flight mode switch to switch between tripod, normal and sport modes, a return button on the home page, a button to switch from still images to video a FN button, a shutter button, a gimbal control wheel and a button to turn on and off the controller.

Features

DJI increased the flight time even by increasing the weight. The Mavic Air 2 weighs 570 grams. This weight makes it a third heavier than the original Mavic Air. The extra weight didn’t slow the drone down though. It hits the same 68.4 kilometers per hour as its predecessor and is just a hair slower than the Mavic 2’s 72 km/h. The DJI Mavic Air 2 can shoot in 4K at 60 frames per second.

The new camera also records video at a bit rate of 120 Mbps, outperforming other DJI consumer models. The other improvement DJI has made is in obstacle avoidance. It appears to be more responsive and effective at avoiding collisions by detecting obstacles in front, behind and below it. When it comes to flying drone, there are some accessories that are also important.

Additionally, the camera can capture 1080p slow-motion video at 120 and 240 fps. Pilots can choose this new feature, and using advanced scene recognition technology, Mavic Air 2 will optimize camera settings and automatically choose one of three modes to apply. General Scene Recognition or Hyper Light for low-light scenes where the camera takes multiple variable exposure frames and merges them for one high-light image quality with low noise or HDR image.

Performance

Easy to fly, with lots of safety features and presets, this drone is fun to use for beginners and advanced pilots alike. It even offers tutorials on the controller, to guide you through every step of the flight. Attention to safety is complete here. Along with the Avoidance Sensing System, the Mavic Air 2 comes with Advanced Pilot Assistance System 3.0 which allows the drone to change its route when it encounters something in its path.

There’s also Air Sense, an aerodynamic technology that picks up signals from nearby aircraft and displays a visible warning on the control screen. At a time when the skies are becoming more crowded, this is a smart addition. All DJI drones are equipped with a geofencing feature that prevents the drone from flying in a restricted area, such as near an active airport or other dangerous areas. This feature can be unlocked by DJI for specific purposes if the necessary permissions are applied for and granted.

In the air, the Mavic Air 2’s impressive stability in windy conditions means that when shooting video or stills, the pilot can focus solely on composing shots seen. The controller also retains its power for a very long time. If you opt for a Fly More package when purchasing, you will get three additional flight batteries, which means you will have enough time to fly the drone and create your videos and photos. The overall performance of the DJI Mavic Air 2 is impressive. Along with the image quality details listed above, it has some impressive specs.

Battery Life & Charging

This shouldn’t surprise us, as the device is much smaller than our Phantom 4, but the increase in flight time from what we are used to by around 22 minutes, has now jumped up 30-34 minutes! While only 3 minutes longer life than its little sibling the Mini 2, if you’ve ever shot with a drone, especially during an epic sunset or sunrise every extra second in the air account.

The Fly More pack includes a total of 3 batteries with a charger that lets you connect all 3 at once for faster and easier charging, and with 3 batteries you’ll have tons of flight time to capture all the footage which you need.

Final Words

The best drone for most people, the DJI Mavic Air 2 is a significant upgrade over its predecessor and our latest favorite flying camera. It offers improved range, noticeably longer battery life, very good 4K/60p video and a host of latest shooting features, all for the same introductory price as its predecessor. Small details aside, it’s a greatest choice for photographers and filmmakers.

The DJI Mavic Air 2 is an amazing drone and because of that we will definitely add it to our camera bag. This makes our old Mavic Pro almost obsolete when it comes to photo and video specs. For the price, the DJI Mavic Air 2 can not be beat. It offers such good quality at such a good price that we think it’s the current champion in the DJI lineup. We will be using this drone until the Mavic Pro 3 comes out.

John Brister
John Brister
Meet John Brister, the prolific content writer renowned for his perceptive comparison articles on Bollyinside. Specializing in topics ranging from TVs to headphones and other accessories, John's knack for breaking down intricate details into reader-friendly insights has garnered him a dedicated following. Beyond his literary pursuits, John is an avid swimmer and equally passionate about tracking, often exploring new trails and routes, feeding his sense of adventure.

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The best drone for most people, the DJI Mavic Air 2 is a significant upgrade over its predecessor and our latest favorite flying camera. It offers improved range, noticeably longer battery life, very good 4K/60p video and a host of latest shooting features, all for the same introductory price as its predecessor.DJI Mavic Air 2 review