In the market for your first drone? Perhaps looking for an upgrade now that you’ve mastered the skies? Drone gurus DJI has released two new models packed with cutting-edge features.
Whether you’re already a droner or you’ve looked on with touches of envy while others take to the skies, the newest models from DJI, the market leader in consumer drone technology, are well worth a second look. Adding to the brand’s now iconic Mavic series, the Mavic Pro 2, the world’s first drone with an integrated Hasselblad camera, and the Mavic 2 Zoom, the world’s first foldable consumer drone with optical zoom capability, have hit the skies.
For flyboys with crystal sharp images in mind, the Mavic 2 is the most advanced DJI camera drone ever built. Designed for professionals, aerial photographers and content creators, the new Mavic Pro 2 incorporates the series’ folding design and features new gimbal-stabilized cameras and advanced intelligent features like Hyperlapse and ActiveTrack for easier and more dynamic storytelling. With an impressive flight time of up to 31 minutes and a more stable video transmission system, Mavic 2 delivers the optimal flight experience for capturing epic shots.
Co-engineered in partnership with Hasselblad, the world’s leader in medium format photography, the Mavic 2 Pro is the world’s first drone with an integrated Hasselblad camera for outstanding image quality with superior light and colour performance. A one-inch CMOS sensor with a 10-bit Dlog-M colour profile allows the drone’s camera to capture four times as many levels of colour per channel compared to Mavic Pro. The new drone can capture 20-megapixel aerial shots with utmost colour accuracy thanks to Hasselblad Natural Color Solution (HNCS) technology, while an adjustable aperture from f/2.8-f/11 provides more control across a wide variety of lighting conditions.
READ: From Potato Farmer to the Pioneer of British Luxury Vodka
The Mavic Pro 2 also boasts a new Hyperlapse feature that produces establishing shots that show the passing of time, which users can share to social media immediately. JPEG and RAW photos can be simultaneously saved on a Micro SD card or the internal storage, leaving more room for post editing, while a choice of time-lapse modes – Circle, Course Lock, Waypoint or Free mode – create time-lapses with a simple tap of a button in the DJI GO 4 Mobile App.
Not to be overshadowed by its sibling, the new Mavic 2 Zoom is powered by a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, and as DJI’s first foldable consumer drone with zoom, provides a dynamic perspective that ushers in a new era of creative storytelling. With the Mavic 2 Zoom, you can get closer to your subject at a moment’s notice by combining two-times optical zoom (24-48mm) with two-times digital zoom to simulate a 96mm telephoto lens that captures lossless video in full HD resolution.
READ: When Sourcing Your Favourite Ingredient is a Crime of Passion
Hybrid auto-focus on the Mavic 2 Zoom combines phase and contrast detection for higher focus accuracy with an increased focus speed of up to 40 percent faster than before. Shoot vivid 12-megapixel photos or take advantage of the new Super Resolution feature that uses optical zoom to automatically capture and stitch nine photos together for a highly detailed 48-megapixel image, making it an ideal option for landscape photography.
The Mavic 2 Zoom also features a new Dolly Zoom QuickShot mode which creates an otherworldly warped perspective by automatically zooming in as it flies away from a subject, keeping the subject the same size while the full background of the scene is revealed.
Both drones are packed with performance improvements, from a more aerodynamic airframe, and a redesigned remote controller, to a quieter propulsion system, as well as pilot-friendly features; a fully upgraded FlightAutonomy system transmits data to a more powerful central processor for more accurate obstacle sensing and safer flight, while ten sensors on all sides of the aircraft automatically detect obstacles in its path and help prevent collisions.
READ: Swiss Made, Japanese Inspired
In addition, a newly-designed OcuSync 2.0 video transmission system enables a more stable connection between the drone and its remote controller, delivering 1080p video transmission feeds at a distance of up to 8km, allowing you to instantly edit and upload Full HD footage directly from the video cache in the DJI app in a wider variety of situations. Original resolution photos in JPEG can be saved directly to your mobile device, so you can immediately share what you create without the need to transfer files from the drone.
For more Technology inspiration click here.