DJI will start to ship its latest consumer drone, the Mavic Air 2, from mid-May.
The new model features a larger, half-inch sensor camera with 4K video at up to 60fps, HDR up to 30fps, and a new, 8K hyperlapse mode. It also films slow motion footage at up to 240fps in 1080p HD.
The imaging improvements come alongside extensive changes to the aircraft’s design and functionality. Despite weighing only 570 grammes, DJI claims a 34 minute flight time on single battery. The camera’s HD video feed has a range of up to 10kms.
The Mavic Air 2 has new obstacle avoidance technology, with new sensors at the front and rear. New sensors and lighting also make automatic landing easier in low-light conditions.
The flight control system is based around DJI’s Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) 3.0, and AirSense, which gives warnings of other aircraft in the area. This includes an aviation industry standard ADS-B receiver. APAS 3.0 allows the Air 2 to detect objects and map a new path round them. Geofencing prevents the aircraft from flying over airports or other sensitive locations.
The drone can also fly following points of interest, subject tracking, or a Spotlight mode which keeps the subject centre frame as the operator moves the drone around.
The base model Mavic Air 2 costs £769 or €849 and the Fly More pack £949/€1,049. Models with AirSense, however, will only be available in North America initially.
