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Take Your Aerial Photography to New Heights with the DJI Mavic Air 2S: An In-Depth Review

🤘 Are you in the market for a new drone? Look no further than the DJI Air 2S, the latest offering from the renowned drone manufacturer. Packed with impressive features and capabilities, this drone is a significant upgrade from its predecessor, the Mavic Air 2. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at the DJI Air 2S, including its design, flight features, camera capabilities, and more. Whether you're a seasoned drone pilot or a newcomer to the world of drones, you won't want to miss this comprehensive overview of the DJI Air 2S.


🍿 But before anything, let's start by watching the official trail video of the DJI Mavic Air 2S, which is created by the drone's manufacturer, DJI. Get ready to indulge in this brief and thrilling video by grabbing some popcorn!


How does it look?


The Air 2S has a familiar design to the Mavic Air 2, with a few subtle variations. It has a foldable design that allows the front arms to swing out, while the rear arms rotate down and out, making it highly portable. When folded, the Air 2S is small, measuring only 180×97×80mm, and 183×253×77mm when unfolded. It weighs just 595g, which is slightly heavier than the Air 2, but still impressive considering its larger camera.


About its remote


The controller is the same as the one that comes with the Mavic Air 2, but it isn't foldable and is larger, weighing 393g. It connects to the aircraft quickly, but unfortunately, it doesn't offer a simple screen displaying basic flight and camera information. The phone attaches to the top of the controller using a telescopic grip, and the control sticks are stored in rubberized sections at the bottom of the controller. While it's a comfortable controller to use, it's a bit larger and heavier than the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom's controller, but this isn't a significant issue.


Mavic Air 2S remote
Credit: DJI

Overall, the Air 2S is highly portable, and the combined size and weight of the drone and its controller are low. While a screen to display information and additional programmable buttons would be useful, they aren't necessary.


Camera and Gimbal of the DJI Air 2S


One of the standout features of the Mavic Air 2S is its camera. With a 1-inch CMOS sensor and a resolution of 20 megapixels, this drone is capable of capturing stunning images and videos with incredible detail. It can shoot 5.4K video at 30 frames per second, as well as 4K video at 60 frames per second, making it perfect for capturing high-quality footage for a variety of applications.


The Mavic Air 2S also comes with a 3-axis gimbal that helps stabilize the camera and provides smooth footage, even in windy conditions. Whether you're capturing aerial landscapes, filming action sports, or shooting cinematic footage, the Mavic Air 2S has you covered. Its SmartPhoto mode is an excellent feature for those new to photography who want to capture high-quality images with minimal effort. However, for more experienced users who prefer more control over the image processing, this feature may not be as desirable. Nonetheless, if you choose to capture stills in raw+JPEG mode, the JPEG image will be processed as a SmartPhoto, while the Raw file remains unprocessed, allowing you to edit it to your liking.

About its zoom


The Mavic Air 2S is equipped with a range of features that can help drone pilots comply with regulations. For instance, the drone comes with a digital zoom function that allows users to zoom in on subjects without getting too close to them, which is especially important since drone laws generally prohibit flying within 50 meters of people. With digital zoom, you can get up close while keeping a safe distance, which can be particularly useful for professional pilots and hobbyists alike, as it enables them to capture more creative and engaging photos and videos. The zoom function starts at 4x with 4K at 30fps video and goes up to 8x zoom with 1080p at 30fps, providing flexibility and versatility for capturing stunning shots.


Flight Performance and Batteries of the DJI Air 2S


Flight Time and Range


Another impressive feature of the Mavic Air 2S is its flight time. With a maximum flight time of 31 minutes, this drone can stay in the air longer than many other drones on the market. This means you can spend more time capturing footage and less time worrying about recharging your batteries.


The Mavic Air 2S also has a maximum transmission range of up to 12 kilometers (7.5 miles), although this may vary depending on local regulations and environmental conditions. This gives you the freedom to explore and capture footage from a wide range of locations.


Obstacle Avoidance and Intelligent Features


The DJI Air 2S is equipped with advanced flight features that make flying it a breeze, whether you're a beginner or an expert. Its flight modes, automated video modes, collision avoidance, and manual flight control provide the perfect level of assistance. Safety is also a top priority with the Mavic Air 2S, featuring obstacle sensors on the front, rear, bottom, and top that can detect objects from further away when traveling at speed.


MAvic Air 2S Obstacle Avoidance
Credit: DJI

The Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) 4.0 can be set to fly autonomously around, under, or over obstacles when detected. The drone is also equipped with AirSense, a feature that displays nearby plane and helicopter locations on the on-screen map, and the GEO 2.0 geofencing system helps keep the drone away from restricted areas. The Air 2S has a maximum flight time of 31 minutes, which is slightly shorter than its predecessor, and actual flight times may vary depending on weather conditions and use of the Return-To-Home function.


Find out more about DJI Intelligent Flight modes.


Potential Problems with the Mavic Air 2S


Some of the potential problems or inconveniences of the DJI Mavic Air 2S drone could include:

  1. Cost: The Mavic Air 2S is not an inexpensive drone and may not fit within everyone's budget.

  2. Filters required: its images may appear slightly softer at the edges, and the drone's fixed aperture at f/2.8 means that controlling exposure while recording video requires the use of ND filters.

  3. Larger and heavier controller: Compared to some other DJI drones, the Mavic Air 2S comes with a larger and heavier controller, which may be less convenient for transportation.

  4. Compatibility with DJI Goggles: The Air 2S is not currently compatible with the DJI Goggles V2.0, which may be a disappointment for some users.

  5. Noise level: The Air 2S can be relatively loud when flying, which may be a concern for some users who want to maintain a low profile.


The Benefits of the DJI Mavic Air 2S

  1. High-quality camera: The 20-megapixel camera with a 1-inch CMOS sensor can shoot 5.4K video and capture 20-megapixel still images. It also supports 4K video at 60fps and HDR video at up to 4K/30fps, making it a great option for both professional and hobbyist photographers and videographers.

  2. Easy to fly: The Mavic Air 2S has several flight features, such as automated video modes, collision avoidance, and manual flight control, making it easy to fly for both beginners and experts.

  3. Safety features: The drone has front, rear, bottom, and top obstacle sensors that use binocular zooming technology to recognize objects from further away. It also has Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) 4.0 that can stop the drone or fly it autonomously around, under, or over obstacles. Additionally, AirSense uses ADS-B aviation technology to display nearby planes and helicopters on the on-screen map.

  4. Portable design: The folding design of the Mavic Air 2S makes it highly transportable. When folded, it is just 180×97×80mm, and 183×253×77mm when unfolded. It weighs only 595g, making it easy to carry around.

  5. Long battery life: The Mavic Air 2S has a maximum flight time of 31 minutes, allowing users to capture footage for longer periods without worrying about battery life.


Where can I buy my DJI Air 2S?


While the Mavic Air 2S is a popular drone, we suggest looking for the most affordable option. Spare parts are widely available in several countries, and you can buy them in stores or compare prices online. Therefore, the best place to purchase it will depend on your location and where you can find the best deals.

✅ Purchasing the Mavic Air 2S Fly More Bundle is a great value for money. The bundle not only includes everything from the standard kit but also comes with two extra batteries, a three-battery charging hub, a shoulder bag, and a set of four ND filters. Buying all of these items separately would cost much more, making the Fly More Bundle an excellent deal. Additionally, the bundle provides all the essential accessories that a drone pilot needs, as one battery is often insufficient, and ND filters are crucial for maintaining control over shutter speed when shooting video. The included shoulder bag also provides a convenient way to transport your drone and accessories safely.

Our thoughts of the Mavic Air 2S


🏆 Overall, the DJI Mavic Air 2S is an excellent drone for aerial photography and videography. With its advanced camera and gimbal, long flight time, obstacle avoidance sensors, and intelligent features, this drone is perfect for capturing stunning footage from a variety of angles and perspectives. Whether you're a professional filmmaker, a drone enthusiast, or just looking to capture some amazing aerial shots, the Mavic Air 2S is definitely worth considering.


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✅ We hope you enjoyed this review and that it helped you understand a little more about your next exciting purchase. Please leave a comment or update Drone Forum when you receive news and/or gain experience with your drone! Have fun and safe flight!


Disclaimer: Although great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information researched, we take no responsibility for any loss, harm or damage caused as a direct or indirect consequence of relying on this information. It is your responsibility to seek advice from qualified local & relevant authorities for needed information about local drone rules and regulations.


Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links meaning we will get a commission if you decide to purchase via them. This has no costs for you but helps Dronemade stay free for all.

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