Quick Reading
- Mavic Air 2 has a 48MP sensor and a 20MP Mavic 2 Pro
- Mavic 2 Pro 1 "CMOS f / 2.8-f / 11 and Mavic Air 2 1/2" CMOS f / 2.8 sensor
- Mavic Air 2 shoots at 4K 60 FPS, Mavic 2 Pro at 4K 30FPS
- Flight time, distance and more compact size are better on Mavic Air 2
In this article, I will list the main changes between the new Mavic Air 2 and the drones of the Mavic 2 line, especially the Mavic 2 Pro model. The Mavic 2 line so far brought the best technologies when it comes to DJI drones, but now some of them are better on the Mavic Air 2.
Check out our review of the Mavic 2 Pro
With the launch of the Mavic Air 2 drone on April 27, 2020 for $ 799 dollars, DJI created an internal problem, the so-called "friendly fire". The new small drone brings a series of features superior to the Mavic 2 models, such as flight autonomy of up to 34 minutes, control distance of up to 10 km and Active Track 3.0, all of which cost much less.
Currently in the American DJI Store, a Mavic 2 Zoom costs $ 1,349, and the Mavic 2 Pro costs $ 1,599 (excluding fees), that is, the Mavic 2 Pro model costs twice the value, considering the most basic models, on Fly More .
48MP sensor, 4K 60FPS video, 34 minutes of flight and 10Km control distance are highlights
And here comes a basic question: Is it worth buying any of the Mavic 2 models instead of the Mavic Air 2? In this article I will highlight the differences between the drones to facilitate this decision, focusing especially on the Mavic 2 Pro, which is the model that brings the best camera in this line.
As we highlighted above, the Mavic Air 2 arrives bringing great advances over the first generation and other DJI models, even the most expensive. Perhaps the only technology that has not advanced much is related to presence sensors, even with the improvement of the implemented technology, it remains in the same positions as the first generation Mavic Air, probably not to further cannibalize the sales of the Mavic 2 that will certainly happen.
Photos and main specs
We start with some specifications and photos of the two models – first for the Mavic Air 2, and then for the Mavic 2 Pro.
Mavic Air 2 (2020) – Full specifications- Launch price: $ 799 dollars (standard) / $ 988 (Fly More) – 48MP 1/2 "CMOS sensor, f / 2.0- 4K video 60FPS- Flies for up to 34 minutes- Control distance up to 10Km- Sensors front, rear and bottom- Active Track 3.0- Hyperlapse 8K- Weight of 570 grams- Closed size: 180 x 97 x 84mm- Open size: 183 x 253 x 77mm
Mavic 2 Pro (2018) – Full specifications- Launch price: $ 1499 dollars (standard) / $ 1768 (Fly More) – Sensor 20MP 1 "CMOS, f / 2.8-f11- 4K video 30FPS- Flies for up to 31 minutes- Control distance up to 8Km- Sensors in all directions- Active Track 2.0- Hyperlapse- Weight 910 grams- Closed size: 214 x 91 x 84mm- Open size: 242 x 322 x 84mm
NOTE: The specifications are similar in the three drones of the Mavic 2 line, the camera being the big change, with the Mavic 2 Pro the only one bringing one developed by Hasselblad.
What changes?
The Mavic Air 2 innovates in several specifications on the Mavic 2 line, this had already happened in some points when the Mavic Air arrived compared to the Mavic Pro, but now the improvements were bigger and in several specifications, making the Mavic Air 2 a threat It is much bigger for the Mavic 2 models because it also costs a lot less.
Below I list the main changes:
Camera
The camera of the two is the main decision fact for most users! The Mavic Air 2 brings for the first time in a Mavic model a 48MP sensor that records videos at 4K 60FPS, but it has a very important detail, especially when we compare the new Air 2 with the Mavic 2 Pro and its Hasselblad camera. Although the Mavic 2 Pro brings a 20MP sensor and records "only" at 4K 30FPS, it has more versatile specifications especially for those looking for a product that provides greater manual control depending on the scenario, read more or less lighting.
Don't you understand? Come on, explain:
The Mavic Air 2 has a 48MP 1/2 "CMOS sensor with f / 2.0 aperture, that in practice means that the photos taken have a higher resolution by the larger sensor, even 8000×6000 pixels. And in relation to the fixed opening, it means that there is no way to change the light opening time. It has a certain manual control like the Mavic Mini itself, but is limited by the non-variable on the camera itself.
When we talk about the Mavic 2 Pro and its Hasselblad camera with a 20MP sensor and 1 "CMOS with f / 2.8-f11 aperture, we have pictures in the maximum resolution of 54723648 pixels (On the Mavic 2 Zoom with its 12MP sensor the photos reach 40003000 pixels), but here comes the great differential of the Mavic 2 Pro compared to the other models. It has a camera with variable aperture f / 2.8 to f / 11, something that gives a lot of versatility to the drone because, like professional cameras, it can change the aperture of the diaphragm and adapt to different light scenarios, with a larger aperture for seek less depth of field or smaller aperture for moments with lots of light, for example.
Below are some photos taken with the Mavic 2 Pro at night, a situation where a camera with variation in the opening time makes a difference since it allows you to change until you reach the best scenario, in addition to taking the famous photos with a ray of light.
The first Mavic to record videos at 4K 60 FPS (frames per second)
But in addition to the 48MP sensor, the Mavic Air 2 also records videos in 4K 60FPSIt is a very important advance that will please professional users, especially those who need images at a higher speed, as in some extreme sports (it also records videos in slow motion with 240 FPS in FullHD resolution). This detail can make a difference in some types of video and make the new Air 2 more attractive than the Mavic 2 Pro, although the Hasselblad camera still has better manual settings, but limited to 4K 30FPS video.
Both have support for Hyperlapse, but in Air 2 the final videos are in higher resolution due to the camera sensor being 48MP and taking photos with a resolution of 8000×6000.
Flight range
THE flight range of 34 minutes not much higher than the 31 minutes of the Mavic 2 models, but still a breakthrough and more flying time is always good! Everyone who has a drone knows how much flight autonomy makes a difference.
As we already know, this metric is a bit untrue, since normally the real autonomy is at least a few 10% below what companies "sell" as a maximum achieved. In tests we did with the Mavic Mini in a closed room, it was flying for just under 27 minutes – again, in a closed room, standing still, without force and without any wind, situations that act directly against the time of flight autonomy .
Sensors
One thing that is not discussed is that the number of sensors that cover all "fields of view" in 360 is better in the Mavic 2 line. Every Mavic 2 has sensors below, front, back and on both sides, so it can avoid collisions regardless of the direction it flies, since a Mavic Air 2 that has sensors only behind, below and in front, will not be able to avoid a collision when flying sideways for example, as well as not at the top.
It seems to me that DJI has not added more sensors to maintain a strategy of technologies exclusive to some lines, leaving omnidirectional sensors for the Mavic top line, not to complicate the market for this line, which costs much more.
AirSense – ADS-B Sensors
The Mavic Air 2 is the first DJI drone to bring the technology AirSense, which consists of an ADS-B sensor, used in aircraft such as airplanes and helicopters. Thus, the drone that brings support will be able to inform the pilot if any aircraft is nearby. Apparently due to the pandemic, DJI had to change its strategy and ended up launching 2 models: one with and one without the sensor – according to the company, due to the difficulty in producing the model with the sensor.
Understand how DJI AirSense technology works
It has already been confirmed that only drones sent to North America will have this technology (see between the lines at the end of the page in letter 4), this means that drones sent to Brazil are among the models that do not have the system that detects airplanes, and as the Dronemodelismo channel highlights, in Brazil it does not make a difference in several cases since many airplanes do not have the system here either, unlike other countries like the USA. To be effective, it is not enough for the drone to have the system, if a plane that approaches it does not.
Control distance
THE control distance another feature that the new Mavic Air 2 does better, reaching at 10Km – against 8 km from the Mavic 2 models. But here’s a comment on what I think about it: Nothing more than a metric, especially when it comes to this difference from 8 km to 10 km.
Both models support OcuSync 2.0, a technology that includes the transmission of videos in 1080p quality from the drone to the cell phone connected to the control, in addition to ensuring better connection stability between them.
But when it comes to distance, when further away, more stressful to make any kind of image, as some factors will act directly on the flight experience, such as connection drops that vary greatly from the flight location. The more interference, read in an urban location, for example, the more difficult it is to reach the maximum distance. And we have the calculation of distance and autonomy, which varies according to the strength of the wind and also the lifetime of the battery. To take a Mavic 2 up to its 8Km limit, the battery reaches its limit just back and forth, with no stops for photos or video, and of course it will be the same with a Mavic Air 2. I'm not even putting the difficulty of control with the drone over very long distances, which has very compromised commands with delay and connection losses. It is nice to go further, but I do not see it as something so interesting at the distance level that a Mavic 2 already goes.
Control
The control Mavic Air 2's has also undergone a radical change on top of all other smaller controls from DJI. There are two big changes: one where the smartphone is connected and another in size. With this change, some of the buttons also had to be repositioned, staying at the back of the button to take pictures or start a video, in addition to controlling the camera to go down and up. Also notice that in the upper right front part, there is a button that switches between photo and video mode. The antennas are inside the holder that holds the smartphone. To give a better opinion, just test and see what is best in practice.
Size and weight
THE Mavic Air 2 a smaller size Mavic 2 when it comes to appearance, it also makes it a lot lighter, without a practical analysis yet, it seems to me the perfect size, I really liked the size and behavior of the first generation Mavic Air, and I really liked having it slightly bigger, and also heavier.
The perfect size and weight drone for the vast majority of users
With weight jumping from 430 grams to 570 grams, I see this change in a very positive way, because it remains well below the 907 grams of the Mavic 2 Pro. This greater weight of the Mavic Air 2 coupled with better engines than the first generation of it will guarantee more flights efficient even in high wind situations – always a big problem for light drones.
Which to buy?
I don’t think it is a difficult choice for the vast majority of users, Mavic Air 2 the best option. Why? Because it brings many great technologies for drones, with few lower points compared to a Mavic 2 Pro for example, costing much less, half to be exact. Although the Mavic Air 2 camera does not offer manual options, for most situations it will deliver excellent results, including 4K 60FPS video and 8K Hyperlapse. Manual controls are not widely used by most users, so in this respect it will only be more interesting a Mavic 2 Pro for a very specific audience. When we put the Mavic 2 Zoom in the middle, I think the camera becomes even less interesting on the part of this model when compared to the Mavic Air 2, despite the zoom function and the famous Dolly zoom effect, the Air 2 has a sensor that hits bigger photos and a crop can achieve at least close results.
When it comes to sensors, again, it will depend on how the pilot likes to fly, I already had a problem with the Mavic 2 Pro not stopping and hitting a tree even with the sensors activated, so something that is interesting will always be, but due to the cost that drones of the Mavic 2 line have above Air 2, it does not seem justified to me, at least in my opinion.
The Beedrones j site pre-sells the Mavic Air 2 from R $ 7,975
Moreover, the Mavic Air 2 is a perfect drone for the vast majority of users because it combines a competitive price (at least outside, here the dollar has complicated everything), with many optimal technologies, great flight autonomy, combined with the compact concept, a perfect drone for travel. There are already national sites with pre-sale of the drone, costing from R $ 7,965 in the basic version and R $ 9860 in the Fly More combo version, as I put it, unfortunately the dollar threw the values ​​up there, and for everything we are going through, I don't expect lower values ​​this early.
Of course, as I already said in the article comparing the Mavic Air 2 with the first generation Mavic Air, the specifications are impressive in this new drone, but who really sends the practical result and that is just doing an analysis to prove, especially the quality of the compared camera with that of the Mavic 2 Pro. We hope it happens as soon as possible.
Below, the review I made of the Mavic 2 Pro on video, now to see the full text analysis click here.
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