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There is some rave DJI Air 2S review for good reason.
Released only one year after the DJI Mavic Air 2 drone, the Air 2S is the brand’s new consumer drone. It is neither the most costly nor the least expensive of the type.
As you may realize, this product unit follows the company’s Mini 2 drone’s lead. At the same time, it boasts several critical overhauls.
And do not forget the UAV comes with a camera with a one-inch-type sensor. For your information, in the past, that was exclusive to the brand’s product units at a whopping 1,500 dollars or more.
Pros and cons
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This Air 2S is a bad boy, indeed. It is a tempting option for pretty much anybody. You guys will become amazed by the number of attributes offered in a compact build. In other words, its portability, ease of use, and powerfulness are hardly doubtful.
Especially, as opposed to some previous UAVs, say, the mighty DJI Mavic Air 2, the model is difficult to beat. Are you wondering why? Check out our in-depth DJI Air 2S review for your best answer.
Please note that we also mention the term “drone” as UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), crewless aircraft, flying machines, or flying robots).
DJI Air 2S’s target audience
The mode would be a spectacular UAV for professionals to take to occasions such as weddings. That is partly because of its less noisy props.
Yet, we would not fantasize about using it to shoot around multistory buildings. As you may know, those are where stronger winds appear when you move higher.
Either, the drone is not a fantastic choice for filming boat races. There, it can get whipped around.
Long story short, the product unit tends to fit more casual situations.
For example, there include the user-oriented highlights & attributes & fixed aperture. They allow the drone to serve everyday consumers better. Also, owing to them, people looking for a solid choice to become involved in UAV imaging may be fond of the DJI Air 2S.
The brand will not cannibalize its prosumer UAVs – for example. So, there will not be consumer drones with identical functionality. Rather, a few QuickShots attributes & MasterShots were accessible. They are terrific for content creators & explorers wishing to shoot noteworthy imagery and share it in a flash. Further, the updates from the Fly application enable anyone to add subtitles, etc., effortlessly.
What is in the box?
This product unit is accessible in two configurations. They are the less expensive stand-alone selection and the more costly Fly More Combo.
Speaking of the stand-alone choice, it includes less. They are the UAV, one battery & charger, hand controller, spare screw-in joysticks, and spare props.
When it comes to the Fly More Combo, it boasts more stuff you may like. They are four ND camera filters, a charging hub, two more batteries, and a well-made shoulder bag.
Key features: A summary
- Weighing 1.3 lbs (595 g)
- 31-minute playtime
- 20MP, 1-inch CMOS sensor
- DJI’s most cutting-edge OcuSync 3.0 (aka O3) image transmission technology (incredible12 km range)
- JPEG & raw images taken
- A cinematic sequence of shots thanks to the MasterShots mode
- H.265 & H.264 recording at 150 Mbps
- 5.4K/30fps, 4K/60fps, & 1080p/120fps recordings
- 22mm lens with 88-degree FOV
- Fixed aperture (F2.8)
- HDR video capture
- APAS 4.0
- 10-bit Dlog-M color profile
- 4-way obstacle avoidance
DJI Air 2S review
Design
Let’s start the detailed DJI Air 2S review with its design.
First things first, you may appreciate that the drone is collapsible. In that form state, it measures 180 mm x 97 mm x 80 mm, fitting in your hand’s palm easily.
The model’s frame is well-nigh indistinguishable from the DJI Mavic Air 2. What is more? It boasts obstacle avoidance sensors positioned on top of the robot.
Indeed, the brand has outfitted the model with four-way obstacle avoidance identification. But that is not all. There includes the most updated iteration of the autopilot mechanism. Its name is APAS 4.0 (short of Advanced Pilot Assistance System) that will avoid obstacles automatically when 4K/60fps video gets filmed
Also, an auxiliary light is on the lower part of the drone. It helps in departure & arrival at low-light times.
Even more, it is worth noting that the brand has used the alike remote available in the DJI Mini 2 & Mavic Air 2 drones.
On the one hand, there are no external antennas. It can be hard to connect a cell phone. But, holding the remote is agreeable. Above all, it incorporates all you need to work.
For example, there are the gimbal wheel & buttons. They are great for beginning & stopping taking video & photographs immediately. Also, adjusting between Sport, Normal, & Cine functions is not difficult. As for the Return to Home mode, it is readily available.
Video and stills
First off, according to the DJI Air 2S review, the camera’s twenty-megapixel, one-inch CMOS sensor is remarkable. Placed on a three-axis gimbal, the crewless aircraft has a fixed-aperture F2.8 lens ( 22mm). Its FOV is 88 degrees.
For those who are not in the know, earlier, many people did not afford to have a one-inch sensor on the brand’s UAV. Because that expected you to buy a far more costly unit – say, the DJI Mavic 2 Pro.
So it being currently accessible on a flying robot at below 1,000 dollars is worth addressing. What is the difference between the camera of the DJI Air 2S and Mavic 2 Pro? The unit has excluded the Hasselblad shading profile.
Akin to its predecessor, the model has the brand’s Fly application power it. The ease-to-understand menu covers every photograph mode on the same screen. You will not have difficulty getting to Burst, AEB, SmartPhoto, & Single mode.
Better yet, you may like the shutter. It enables an eight-second exposure. After all, creating nighttime, low-light, & motion blur photographs is as easy as a click of a button.
In fact, the DJI Air 2S review cannot be complete without mentioning the SmartPhoto mode. It counts on computational photography innovation like cell phones. In other words, an incredible image will result from the use of one of the methods below. Of course, that has to do with lighting conditions:
- Scene recognition: Thanks to the mode, your UAV can define a photograph’s significant component. They are the tree, snow, grass, blue sky, & sunset. After making those objects’ analysis, it will ensure color, clarity, & tone maximization.
- Hyperlight: More often than not, images shot in low-light conditions are grainy. And do not forget about its likelihood of containing noise. That is why hyperlight comes in to capture many photographs. Then, it will enable a clearer image by merging those photos.
- HDR photographs: The camera takes various exposures by its own nature. After that, it combines them to generate the more prominent dynamic image.
What is more? The DJI Air 2S drone will enable you to shoot video at many resolutions. For instance, 1080p/120fps, 4K/60fps, & 5.4K/30fps at the video bit-rate of 150 Mbps. The codec is either H.265 or H.264.
Zooming up to 8X, 6X, & 4X is likewise not a problem. That is an improvement from the DJI Mavic Air 2 model. For your information, this predecessor maxes out at 4K/60fps & 120 Mbps (which is amazing in and of itself).
Also, it is worth noting that the Mavic Air 2 and Air 2S are different in HDR & Log video support. What we are saying is, the Mavic Air 2 aircraft is capable of taking HDR video yet restricted to eight-bit. Either, a Log gamma profile is not accessible.
Whereas, the DJI Air 2S boasts a ten-bit HLG capture & ten-bit Dlog. These aside, there includes the eight-bit (normal) color profile for recordings. That is a significant enhancement for avid video shooters.
Likewise, as mentioned before, the Air 2S model takes a 5.4K video utilizing its sensor’s full width. At the same time, there is no pixel binning. So, you can expect video capture in detail.
It is worth addressing, this is an upgrade from the DJI Mavic 2 Pro. This one from the Mavic series leverages the sensor’s full width to capture 4K recordings. However, pixel binning is necessary for it to do as such. So the most fantastic 4K footage on the product unit results from the action of shooting from the sensor’s native crop. Please bear in mind that doing so limits the camera’s FOV as well.
Performance
As per the DJI Air 2S review, the flying machine is super duper quiet. It will be a surprise that you do not get impressed by the electronic speed controllers’ updates.
But that is not all. The brand keeps on making more aerodynamic propellers. You will hence luxuriate in a safer flying experience.
What is more? The drone maneuvers well. Despite that, it fails to maintain its excellent stability when the wind is moderate or high. The UAV’s steadiness in low winds is not doubtful.
And most impressive, the enhanced APAS 4.0 excels at maneuvering the UAV away from obstacles. In comparison, the DJI Mavic Air 2’s APAS is somewhat deficient. Remember, this attribute functions on 4K/30p recordings & below.
By and large, all that feels boosted & more trustworthy. Particularly, Hyperlapse looks far cleaner. And you will not get enough of its stability on the one-inch sensor. Getting seamless footage on a somewhat breezy day is in a breeze, indeed.
The O3 transmission innovation benefits the drone as well. With it, the aircraft flies for a whopping 7.45 miles (twelve kilometers). Such things attained are on the condition of no interference or obstacles. Also, akin to DJI’s previous model, it supports frequency bands of 5.8 GHz & 2.4 GHz. As for the playtime, 31 minutes is the max in ideal conditions. That is comparable to the brand’s Mavic 2 Pro yet not as long as the Mavic Air 2 (i.e., 34 minutes). As another bonus, the model can get a speed of up to 42.5 mph (68.4 km/h) when put in the Sport feature.
Plus, when it comes to the memory card, the product unit supports 256GB cards at max. Its onboard internal storage of eight gigabytes, furthermore, should help. Why? Image the scenario when you run out of space – for example.
ADS-B outfitted in the machine is also worth mentioning. Thanks to it, you will get warned once a crewed airplane is close by.
Even more, the UAV will travel back home automatically in the wake of losing its connection. That model works even if the remote screen stayed dark,
Lastly, we would suggest you think about the Fly More combo option. Because it boasts ND filters. These are useful for capturing recordings & moving time-lapse.
Flight modes and the DJI Fly application
Again, as addressed in this DJI Air 2S review, the model utilizes the brand’s Fly application. Its first introduction was with the DJI Mavic Mini.
As we are on the subject, the brand’s GO 4 application differs by having a full range of features. And it is more appropriate for prosumer UAVs. Meanwhile, DJI made the Fly application in view of newer drone flyers. Navigating it is not difficult. On top of that, all the necessary video & photograph settings are directly on the same screen.
Better yet, when changing to Pro or Manual mode from Auto one, you can count on the sliders. They are on the base-right-hand corner.
For example, they enable tweaking shutter speed, ISO, & white balance. white equilibrium, ISO, shade speed. With the sliders, you can decide between the options of Raw+JPG and JPG imagery.
Talking about resolution, adjusting it is easy on the video end.
What is more? The upper-right-hand corner gives some dots. With them, you will delve more into the major settings.
There, feel free to choose your preferable video color profile. They also let you determine whether to sidestep obstacles or slow down before those. Moreover, select your favorable codec. And settle on the distance or altitude you would incline toward the robot to fly.
MasterShots is another notable attribute. It allows the drone flyer to produce proficient-quality footage. Best yet, you can share them on social media fast.
Why ‘fast’ here? Since some parameters like landscape or portrait orientation are handy for your choice. The final clip shows select shots. And you can share the automatically added music in a flash on social platforms. By how? Just use the brand’s Fly application.
When we are on the subject, we dive deeper into today’s start, MasterShots. It is fantastic for beginning drone flyers & casual consumers. On the one hand, it may not be an attractive option for professionals with access to software such as Final Cut Pro. Yet, the brand does not focus on that target audience, to begin with. At the end of the day, it functions in Auto mode, making for several likely abnormal lighting switches.
What is more? The brand has outfitted the model with Point of Interest 3.0 & ActiveTrack 4.0. They ensure improved accuracy in monitoring subjects during automatic flying experiences.
Yet, that is not all. There are typical QuickShots. For example, Boomerang, Rocket Asteroid, and Helix.
The best alternatives
The DJI Air 2S review makes it safe to state that this drone, the Mavic 2 Pro, & the Mavic Air 2 are comparable.
On the one hand, you cannot deny that the enhanced camera alone guarantees a step-up. Indeed, the DJI Air 2S edges the same brand’s Mavic 2 Pro in a significant factor.
As mentioned above, the Mavic 2 Pro model leverages the sensor’s full width to capture 4K recordings. But, pixel binning is necessary for it to do as such. So the most fantastic 4K footage on the product unit results from the action of shooting from the sensor’s native crop.
In comparison, the Air 2S unit takes a 5.4K video utilizing its sensor’s full width. At the same time, there is no pixel binning. So, you can expect video capture in detail.
In a nutshell, the improved sensor seems to put the Air 2S model comparable to the prosumer DJI Mavic 2 Pro.
Still, on the other hand, those who are not into the Air 2S but favor its core functionalities can opt for alternatives. Let’s check out the table below and decide which one between the Mavic Air 2 and the Mavic 2 Pro fits you better.
Comparison table: DJI Mavic 2 Pro, DJI Mavic Air 2 and DJI Air 2S
| DJI Mavic 2 Pro | DJI Mavic Air 2 | DJI Air 2S | |
| Weight | 907 g | 570 g | 595 g |
| Dimensions | 214 mm × 91 mm × 84 mm | 180 mm x 97 mm x 84 mm | 180 mm × 97 mm × 80 mm |
| Playtime | 31 minutes | 34 minutes | 31 minutes |
| Camera | 20MP, 1-inch sensor 28mm F2.8-11 | 48MP, 1/2-inch sensor Fix 24mm F2.8 | 20MP, 1-inch sensor Fixed 22mm F2.8 |
| Log video | HDR video (10-bit) 10-bit Dlog | HDR video (8-bit) | HDR video (10-bit) 10-bit Dlog |
| Video bit-rate | 100 Mbps | 120 Mbps | 150 Mbps |
| Video resolution | 4K/30p | 4K/60p | 4K/60fps 5.4K/30p |
| Video transmission | OcuSync 2.0 1080p 10 km Dual antenna | OcuSync 2.0 1080p 10 km Dual antenna | OcuSync 3.0 1080p 12 km 4 antennas |
| Obstacle avoidance sensors | Right, left, upward, downward, backward, forward | Downward, backward, forwardD | Upward, downward, backward, forward |
| APAS version | APAS 1.0 | APAS 3.0 | APAS 4.0 |
| Link | See on Amazon | See on Amazon | See on Amazon |
Final words
Now it is time to wrap up the DJI Air 2S review.
The model is a solid sign that the next Mavic Pro or something will witness attribute & functionality-related bumps. Likewise, are you aware of the Remote ID finalization? The brand may have a ton of motivation to begin introducing some new models intended for professionals & hobbyists alike.
We tried the company’s Fly More combo. As mentioned above, it comes with a bunch of ND filters & two extra batteries. Better yet, you can take the whole set around in a bag the same as a small purse in size.
Professional commercial drone flyers tend to favor one of those for entertainment. They also want it for offhand shots, particularly since it boasts a one-inch sensor. After all, the model is an optimal answer for on-the-go content generation and whatnot.
