DJI mavic air 2 guide

The Mavic Air 2 features new motors, new electronic speed controllers, improved battery technology and enhanced aerodynamics. These combine to provide increased flight speeds of up to 42mph in Sport Mode and a flight time of up to 34 minutes.

This is a big boost over the original Mavic Air's 21-minute flight time and is even three minutes longer than the Mavic 2 models. While that doesn't sound much, you really do notice the increased flight duration and slower battery drain. The controller also provides increased battery life compared to its predecessor.

Flying the Mavic Air 2 is just as easy as any other DJI drone thanks to the smart technologies employed. Not least the inclusion of OcuSync 2.0, which is a vastly superior method of transmission between the controller and drone than that used by the original Mavic Air.

OcuSync 2.0 supports 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz frequencies and can switch between the two when necessary. Anti-interference technology also helps block unwanted signals.

Despite all this new and improved technology, which keeps the drone and controller connected at distances of up to 10km, the video feed of the Mavic Air 2 still stutters and locks momentarily while the drone continues to move.

This was a problem with the original Mavic Air, and while it’s not the end of the world, it can slow you down when framing shots. This might be down to the pre-release version of the new DJI Fly app that we used for this review, so may be ironed out with firmware or app updates in the future – we'll update this review if that's the case.

In terms of safety features, the Mavic Air 2 provides obstacle sensors of the front and rear of the drone that, when switched on, can help to avoid collisions. These are turned on by default, and for most people keeping them turned on is the best option.

There are also sensors on the bottom of the drone alongside an auxiliary light to help with automatic landing and these are similar to those found on the Mavic Pro models. Another safety feature is geofencing, which will stop the drone from flying close to high-risk and secure locations such as airports and critical infrastructure.

That's not the end of the safety features either. You also get Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) 3.0, which when enabled will reroute the drone when obstacles come into its path. The idea behind this is that pilots can confidently fly in more complex locations without fear of crashing.

And then there's AirSense technology – a first for a DJI consumer drone – which uses ADS-B aviation technology to receive signals from nearby airplanes and helicopters and displays their locations on the on-screen map on the DJI Fly app. This technology has been employed to help reduce the risk of air incursions, though it will sadly only be available in Mavic Air 2 units in North America initially. DJI says that "a version of Mavic Air 2 will be available outside of North America without ADS-B" and that these models are otherwise identical.

Beyond the safety improvements, the Mavic Air 2 has inherited many advanced features from both the Mavic Pro 2 and professional drones to provide smart capabilities in automated flight modes for capturing still and video.

These include FocusTrack, Hyperlapse (up to 8K) and four flight options; Free movement, Circle, CourseLock and WayPoints.

Then there are the 'QuickShot' automated flight modes (the drone equivalent of a camera's 'auto' mode), which help you create visually interesting videos at the touch of a button. These include Rocket, Circle, Dronie, Helix, Boomerang or Asteroid.