Late last night, DJI released its latest drone, the DJI Air 2S, an upgraded version of the Mavic Air 2 with a 1-inch sensor, 5.4K video, 12km transmission, and quad-direction obstacle sensing.
Safety
A significant improvement this time around is safety. The DJI Air 2S now has obstacle sensing in four directions; top, bottom, forward, and backwards. The new top-facing sensors are slightly angled towards the front, allowing you to use them when flying at full speed, complimenting the forward-facing sensors nicely.
Another welcomed edition is DJI's AirSense technology, also known as ADS-B. AirSense notifies you when there is a crewed aircraft flying nearby. The module can only read data from nearby aircraft, meaning the drone's location is not broadcasted. DJI AirSense can also be found in DJI's higher-end drones.
Camera
The new 1-inch CMOS sensor on the Air 2S can capture 20MP photos and 5.4K video at 30fps. Slow-motion footage can be captured at 1080p. Rather than DJ improving the frame-rates of the other video modes, the main focus of the update is the new 1-inch sensor, which has the following benefits:
- Improved low-light performance
- Increased dynamic range
- Increased background blur
Smart modes
DJI has also added MasterShots, an updated version of QuickShots that will automatically decide what the drone should do based on the subject selected and the location. While MasterShots is active, the drone will complete ten different maneuvers allowing you to get the shot while not worrying about making sure the footage looks good.
DJI's tracking technology has once again been improved with the introduction of ActiveTrack 4.0. The drone will now better track and keep the subject in the centre of the frame while reducing the camera movement.
Pricing and availability
The DJI Air 2S is available right now for pre-order from Sphere Drones. The standard version is $1,699, while the Fly More Combo costs $2,099, including two extra batteries, extra propellers, and ND filters. A range of accessories are also available for pre-order right now.
