DJI Announces Mavic Air 2 Drone With 8K Support, Larger Camera Sensors, and Longer 34 Minute Flight Time

DJI this week announced the Mavic Air 2, a new foldable drone that features 8K functionality, a larger 1/2" camera sensor for higher resolution photos and videos, and upgraded flight modes. The Mavic Air 2 can also stay in the air longer thanks to better battery life.

The company said that this is the first drone in the Mavic family to offer 4K video at 60fps and 120 Mbps. The drone supports HDR video, 4X slow motion in 1080p at 120fps or 8x slow motion in 1080p at 240fps. It can record images with up to 48-megapixels and has a mechanical 3-axis gimbal to create stable footage.

The Mavic Air 2 weighs about 570 grams and features new motors, electronic speed controllers, enhanced battery technology, and an aerodynamic design. DJI said that all of this helps provide a maximum flight time for the new drone of up to 34 minutes. While it's in the air, OcuSync 2.0 transmission technology delivers HD video to a connected smartphone at a maximum distance of 10km.

When connected to an iPhone or Android device, users will be able to take advantage of DJI's updated Fly app, which has more advanced functionality. This includes new in-app editing features for videos and photos, all of which DJI described as user-friendly so that anyone can pick up the DJI Fly app and interact with the Mavic Air 2.

More features of the Mavic Air 2 include:

• HDR photos: Mavic Air 2 automatically captures seven varying exposures of the same photograph, merging them together to bring out a highly dynamic image.
• Hyperlight: Hyperlight is designed for low-light scenarios, taking multiple photographs and merging them to bring out a clear image with less of the noise which usually occurs in low-light scenes.
• Scene Recognition: Mavic Air 2 can recognize five categories of scenes including sunsets, blue skies, grass, snow, and trees, then optimize settings to make the photograph pop by bringing out the highest degree of color, detail, and tones.
• ActiveTrack 3.0: Select a subject for Mavic Air 2 to automatically follow. The third iteration of ActiveTrack uses state-of-the-art mapping technology and new flight path algorithms to offer improved subject tracking and obstacle avoidance, along with the ability to quickly re-engage the subject if it temporarily moves behind an object.
• Point of Interest 3.0: Set an automated flight path around a specific subject. The updated iteration improves surface recognition to better dynamically track subjects.
• Spotlight 2.0: Found in professional DJI drones, Spotlight locks a subject in the frame while the user has free operation of the drone’s movement.

The company also mentioned the safety features of the Mavic Air 2 in its announcement post, including obstacle sensors on the front and rear of the drone. Additional sensors and auxiliary lights on the bottom of the drone assist with automatic landing, and geofencing features help keep the Mavic Air 2 away from high-risk flying locations.

Due to current shipping restraints happening across numerous industries, the Mavic Air 2 is available today in China, while other regions will be able to pre-order the drone today with an expected shipping date in mid-May.

The Mavic Air 2 will be available in two purchasing options: a standard package with the Mavic Air 2, one battery, one remote controller, and all the required wires and cables for $799. Then there's the Fly More option with all items from the standard version as well as a shoulder bag, ND filters, charging hub, and 3 batteries for $988.

There are several DJI drones available to purchase on Apple.com, but it's not clear yet if the Mavic Air 2 will launch on Apple's website soon.

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