I think we can all agree that DJI is the king of drones.
After all, they control about 70 percent of the consumer drone market.
But now that they've unleashed their newest drone, the DJI Mavic Air, I wouldn't be surprised if their share of the consumer drone market went higher.
That's because the Mavic Air is full of innovative features, is about the size of a smartphone when its folded down, and it's priced between their existing Spark and Mavic Pro drones, starting at $799.
In other words, this thing might just be a game-changer. Here's why...
For starters, the Mavic Air is a tiny thing, weighing less than one pound, and measures 168x83x49 millimeters.
That makes the Mavic Air slightly larger than the Spark and significantly smaller than the Mavic Pro.
But like its big brother the Mavic Pro, the Mavic Air has foldable arms that give it a small form factor for easy transport - something that other drones cannot claim.
And because it's so small and lightweight, DJI says the Mavic Air can reach speeds of more than 42mph when in sport mode.
That's significantly faster than the Spark (30mph) and even faster than the Mavic Pro (40mph), making this not only an easily transportable drone but a lighting-fast one as well.
Add to that a 2.5-mile flight range (when using the included controller) and flight capabilities in winds of up to 22mph, and you have the makings of one heck of a capable drone.
Onboard is a 12-megapixel camera that sports a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor that's paired with a 24mm f/2.8 lens.
The drone has 8GB of built-in storage and includes a USB-C port for easy transfer of photo and video files.
Speaking of video, the Mavic Air can shoot in 4K up to 30fps and slow-motion 1080p video up to 120fps, and those videos will be ultra-smooth thanks to the built-in three-axis gimbal.
This bad boy can also shoot HDR, and with a 32-megapixel panoramic mode, you can take breathtakingly wide and detailed shots of the landscape as you fly.
The Mavic Air is loaded with features to help you fly safer, too.
DJI's already excellent obstacle-avoidance system has been upgraded with seven cameras as well as infrared sensors that help pilots avoid other drones as well as obstacles like trees, buildings, and the like.
The Air incorporates the Spark's ingenious gesture controls as well, so you can launch the drone and take pictures with specific hand movements.
It also incorporates intelligent flight modes that allow you to take specific types of sweeping shots, like a boomerang mode that whizzes around the pilot in a circular motion and ActiveTrack mode, which allows you to track up to 16 different subjects at the same time, even if they're moving.
With a flight time of 21 minutes, an included remote control (that's foldable!), and a companion app that allows you to immediately share your photos and videos on social media, this drone has all the makings of a game-changer. Get more details about the Mavic Air in the video above by The Verge.
Not only do you get new gadgetry with unparalleled performance, but you also get some of the best features of the Mavic Pro in a smaller, less expensive drone.
This blog post about "The New DJI Mavic Air Drone" was first published on our website here https://www.photographytalk.com/photography-articles/8228-the-new-dji-mavic-air-drone-is-a-game-changer
