Table Of Contents
Specs
DJI Mavic Air vs Mavic Air 2
 DJI Mavic Air |  DJI Mavic Air 2 | |
WEIGHT | 430 g | 570 g |
MAX FLIGHT TIME | 21 min | 34 min |
CMOS SENSOR | 1/2.3" | 1/2" |
PHOTO RES | 12MP | 12 MP (and 48 MP single shot) |
VIDEO RES | 4k Ultra HD (30 fps max) | 4k Ultra HD (60 fps max) |
LIVE VIEW RES | 720p | 1080p |
AUTO FLIGHT MODES | QuickShots and FocusTrack | QuickShots and FocusTrack |
TRANSMISSION DISTANCE | 6.2 miles (10 km) | 7.4 miles (12 km) |
SENSOR SYSTEM | Forward, Backward, and Downward (APAS) | Forward, Backward, and Downward (APAS 3.0) |
DJI Mavic Air
Quick Flights
The battery life was a bit of a disappointment. On the other hand, the Fly More Combo bumps your total flight time up to 60+ min.
Premium A/V Modes
Even though the Mavic Air has a fun Sports Mode to fly in, the camera is the real reason to choose this drone. Shoot in up to 4K Ultra HD at 30 fps max, or capture some super-slow motion in FHD at 120 fps max.
The ActiveTrack is where the video camera really shines. Get those dramatic aerial action shots without the need for a helicopter and camera crew. You’re going to want to be careful around trees and abrupt elevation changes, though.
When it comes to still shots, you get handy modes like burst shot, interval, and even Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB). The automated flight capabilities are also used in this mode to get wide-angle, sphere, and other unique panoramic shots.
Conclusion
The DJI Mavic Air was an instant classic when it was first released. Years later, it’s still one of the best all-in-one camera drones available. Perfect for business AND pleasure, it features plenty of automated video modes and panoramic modes.
With the DJI Mavic Air Fly More Combo now under $1,000, there’s not many better options for newbies to the drone world. Plus, if you’re a budding photographer, you’ll still find plenty of advanced camera features to help you grow into a skilled aerial photographer.
DJI Mavic Air 2
Back In Style
The first installment in the Mavic Air series wasn’t ugly, but it was a departure from their traditional design style. With the DJI Mavic Air 2, they brought back the traditional Mavic look.
No more color options like the original Mavic Air either. Just plain old boring grey. That’s where the boring part ends though.
Better Battery
My favorite upgrade on the DJI Mavic 2 is the battery life. The slightly larger battery combined with more efficient components and software, push the max flight time from 21 min to 34 min.
If you really want to enjoy your Mavic 2, I still recommend the Fly More Combo. The extra batteries, extra propellers, and premium travel bag are essential, especially if you’re traveling.
Upgraded Auto-Pilot
The Mavic Air 2 still has the same forward, backward, and downward sensing system, but the sensors themselves come with some nice upgrades. The field of view, detection range, and effective sensing speed were all upgraded by at least 50%.
To put it simply, the Mavic Air 2 is a lot better at avoiding obstacles whether you’re driving it manually or using one of the automated flight modes.
ActiveTrack was the best beneficiary of the sensor upgrades. That way, when you’re hitting the slopes or the trail, your Mavic Air 2 won’t be hitting trees or the ground (as much).
The ActiveTrack mode still has a hard time locking on to subjects, but the overall performance is a noticeable improvement over the Mavic Air.
Wider Wingspan
The larger size of the Mavic Air 2 is worse for traveling with, but it’s one of the main contributors to the improved handling and stability. This is great news for any of you looking to get the most out of the camera system.
The increased wingspan gives you better control of the drone, especially in Cine mode. That alone makes the overall experience of shooting photos and videos more enjoyable than with the Mavic Air.
Oldie But Goodie
We’ve seen the Hyperlapse mode (Timed Shot) for a while with DJI drones, but this time the feature received a nice upgrade. Using the 48 MP mode, the Air 2 stitches together beautiful hi-res hyperlapse videos.
Just like in the past, the Hyperlapse mode is dependent on the wind, but this is where the better handling comes in.
Conclusion
Even though the improvements on the camera weren’t much to write home about, the DJI Mavic Air 2 is a huge upgrade overall. Going from 21 min – 34 min max flight time is enough for me.
Yet, the much-improved flight performance and safety is what really makes the Mavic Air 2 worth considering over the first Mavic Air. Especially if you plan on using the ActiveTrack feature a lot.
DJI Smart Controller
The DJI Smart Controller is around the same price the DJI Mavic Air 2 itself, so it may not seem practical. On the other hand, if you have (or plan to have) 2 or more drones that are OcuSync 2.0+ compatible, it’s worth the investment.
Besides the convenience of having a phone-free flying, you’ll also be able to fly all of your compatible drones with this one controller. Plus, there’s plenty of little luxuries, like auto-connect, VR compatibility, and detachable control sticks.