DJI Mavic Air 2 announced - Great new camera

This post originally appeared on our partner site, Drone Rush.

DJI has unveiled the new DJI Mavic Air 2. It may be a successor to the initial Mavic Air from 2018, but it’s more of a true Mavic drone, than the original. No matter what it looks like, the new camera is something we’ve all been hoping for.

For us, the prime feature of the Mavic Air 2 is the new 48MP camera with 1/2-inch sensor. It shoots 12MP images through pixel binning, and we’re super impressed with the early results.

DJI Mavic Air 2 overview

The DJI Mavic Air 2 is designed very similarly to the majority of other Mavic drones out there. You’re looking at the grey color scheme with the familiar folding design.

The camera hangs off of the front with an articulating, stabilized 3-axis gimbal.

Rear facing obstacle avoidance sensors are added to the forward and downward sensors you’ll find on almost all DJI drones. There’s a downward facing light as well, to help you see the ground after dark, or just as an ambient light for a fun photo shoot below.

The propellers are quick release and the same folding design as the low-profile props on the Mavic Pro Platinum and Mavic 2 series drones. They are not interchangeable with the other drones, but they offer similar high-efficient flight.

With the efficient propellers, and some motor tuning, the Mavic Air 2 is a new leader in DJI’s consumer quadcopter market, offering up 34 minutes of flight time.

The drone itself is almost exactly the middle ground between the Mavic Mini and the Mavic 2 series drones. We’re talking about size, weight, and price. We’ll revisit price later. For now, know that it’ll be a tight fit to put the Mavic Air 2 in your pocket, but it’s still a comfortable weight to slip into your backpack when you go on a hike.

In the sky, the Mavic Air 2 is nimble. It’s unfair to call it overly fast, as it is rated for about the same top speed as the Mavic 2 drones and the Mavic Air before it. Instead, we’ll call it sporty. The Mavic Air 2 accelerates at a surprising rate. You need to be careful on the sticks if flying in tight spots.

The controls are smooth and responsive. You can slowly adjust the orientation of your Mavic Air 2, or you can really jam on the sticks to see it soar at up to 45MPH.

DJI Mavic Air 2 specifications

A quick look at some of the specs of the Mavic Air 2.

• Camera: 48MP sensor, pixel bins 12MP photos. 4K video at 60fps
• Speed: up to 42.5 MPH
• Flight time: 34 minutes
• Range: 10KM (6.2 miles)

To see all of the specifications, check out the DJI Mavic Air 2 on Drone Rush.

Flight modes and safety features include DJI’s Quickshots, as well as APS 3.0, FocusTrack self-piloting modes, and the new AirSense, which is an ADS-B receiver. Scanning local air traffic is a great way to ensure a safe flight, and DJI made this easy for everyone to use.

There is a new remote control for the Mavic Air 2. This new unit holds your smartphone above, instead of below. It also offers up to 10KM of connectivity. Great for staying connected in radio frequency congested environments.

DJI Mavic Air 2 camera

As mentioned, the camera is the premium feature of the new Mavic Air 2. It is a 48MP, 1/2-inch CMOS sensor. Much like a number of smartphones on the market today, it uses pixel binning technology, and produces 12MP stills. You can capture 48MP photos if you wish, they’re not too bad.

The camera sensor takes video to new levels as well. First, we’re really liking the HDR on this drone. It has as nice balance, especially when viewing that 4K video. Turn off HDR, however, and you can bump up the 4K video to 60fps. With a video data rate of 120Mbps, this is some of the best aerial clips we’ve seen in a drone below the Mavic 2 Pro.

Stay tuned for our full DJI Mavic Air 2 camera review to see more.

DJI Mavic Air 2 price and availability

The DJI Mavic Air 2 will go up for pre-order right away, with first shipments due for May 11, 2020.

DJI is offering their normal packages for the Mavic Air 2. That’s the drone alone, and then the Fly More combo.

DJI Mavic Air 2 for $799

• Airframe
• Remote control
• One battery
• Charger
• One pair additional propellers
• All cables to connect

DJI Mavic Air 2 Fly More combo for $998

• Airframe
• Remote control
• Three batteries
• Charger
• Charging hub
• Additional propellers
• All cables to connect
• ND filters
• Shoulder bag

We’re working on a detailed camera review, as well as our full review of the new DJI Mavic Air 2. Go ahead and place your pre-order, then stay tuned for more coverage.