The DJI Mavic Air 2 Review: Worth It Years Laters?

Mike Dewey @mike_dewey

April 8, 2024

DJI brings high-end drone features to a mid-range drone at a super affordable price point.

9MomentScore

DJI’s latest drone is impressive. With an entirely new look and a vastly improved list of specs, there’s no reason any moderately experienced aerial photographer or filmmaker wouldn’t add this bad boy to their gear repertoire. Unless you’re a significant pixel peeper, this is the drone to get.

💫 Click HERE to download files we shot in the desert of California to test out the footage and images yourself!

To Know:

It’s the classic DJI brand name, but new and improved. The Mavic 2 Air is the direct result of years of experience and passion for drone technology. They listened to thousands of customer feedback on the first rendition of the Mavic Air to improve the Mavic Air 2 in every aspect. It’s brighter, safer, more optimized, and more capable than ever. It offers more than the Mavic Mini and can provide something more affordable than the Mavic 2 Pro. It’s the middle ground between the two drones, offering advanced intelligence and functions you need to dive deeper into the editing game.

What We Love:

Great Deal

With a 48MP photo and 4K 60FPS video, there’s no reason why any beginner should feel the need to drop thousands of dollars on a drone pricier than this.

Longer Drone Time

It’s small enough to fit in a backpack but durable enough to fly for a full 34 minutes in the air.

More Like A Sibling to the Mavic 2 Pro

To put this drone into perspective, the Mavic 2 Pro shoots 20MP photos, so the Mavic Air 2 is double that! This essentially makes this THE drone to have if you’re into aerial photography.

The Details:

Brand: DJI

Product Type: Drone

Best For: Aerial photography and filmmakers looking for lightweight gear.

DJI Drone Cine CPL Filters - Mavic 2 Pro

Moment

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DJI’s second coming of an almost-pocket-sized drone that captures stunning 48MP images and video in 4K.

Because this drone is the latest mid-range flagship for the best value in DJI’s overall lineup — it’s made for aerial creatives who want to take their content to the next level. The Mavic Air 2 is created to capture outstanding footage and provide quick and easy built-in tools to make your flying experience easier. There’s also an entirely new controller design, making it a little bit bigger than before, but it feels better in your hand and has a better system up top for attaching your iPhone.

The Mavic Air 2 is DJI’s second drone that features 4K at 60 frames per second, providing even more creative freedom inside your editing room. The only other drone that can shoot such capabilities is the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, with shots focused on fast-moving subjects or outdoor activities that can be slowed down in post for a juicy cinematic effect. HDR mode, or “The Quay Bayer Filter”, encourages users to shoot photos and videos in an ultra-high-dynamic range. The Mavic Air 2 offers a myriad of different features consisting of panorama, HDR video, and HDR images. No other DJI drones offer all three HDR capabilities. That’s huge. The Mavic Air 2’s FocusTrack also combines three advanced tracking features: Point of Interest 3.0, ActiveTrack 3.0, and Spotlight 2.0. The ActiveTrack 3.0, arguably the most advanced and prestigious feature, correctly follows targets while avoiding obstacles smoother than ever before. It can re-identify your subject after they have been lost and encourage a more accurate prediction of your target’s latest position.

Hyper-lapse Mode: Coming directly from our top-tier Mavic 2 lines, the Mavic Air 2 supports the same advanced Hyper-lapse mode to capture the passing of time in multiple unique modes. As the pilot, you can choose which direction or mode the drone can run on, giving you full creative jurisdiction.
High-Quality Images: A whopping 48MP increase emphasizes crisp detail for wide cinematic landscapes under different kinds of lighting conditions.
10km Video Transmission with OcuSync 2.0:Inherits the reliable OcuSync 2.0 video transmission from Mavic 2.
APAS 3.0: Utilizes an advanced mapping technology for smooth following and reliable obstacle avoidance in complex scenarios.
Larger Battery: Alongside the increased weight of 570g comes a larger battery with 3,500mAh capacity for a 34-minute flight time.

In Detail

The Mavic Air 2 now has a reliable OcuSync 2.0 video transmission, featuring 2.4/5.8 GHz auto-switching to cut through interference and provide a live stream from the drone up to 1080p. DJI has optimized algorithms to cut our signal fading more than ever before. OcuSync 2.0 can also support image transmission with H.265 encoding for a smoother, higher-quality image using the same bandwidth. There’s a maximum 34-minute flight time, a dramatic increase compared to the first rendition of the Mavic Air. The particular range of the drone has been dramatically improved by using radio frequencies comparable to the Mavic 2 Pro. This addition is what takes this drone from beginner to more advanced. These significant improvements make this one of the biggest reasons for someone to upgrade from the original Mavic Air.

What It Has:

ActiveTrack 3.0: Following targets while avoiding obstacles is smoother.
Spotlight 2.0: Fly freely while the camera remains locked on the subject with this convenient mode.
POI 3.0: Point of Interest 3.0 uses advanced positioning technology to create an automated path for Mavic Air 2 to fly around a fixed point, rotating the camera so the target stays centered.
HDR: The Quad Bayer filter provides the ability to shoot photos and videos in HDR.