REASONS TO BUY
Consistent color and quality
Decent flight time
Intelligent flight features
REASONS TO AVOID
Gimbal overload errors
Small sensor is limiting
Subpar following capabilities
Jittery ride
DJI Mavic Air 2 Review
A mostly capable drone that offers consistent color, 4K video, and intelligent flight features but requires regular gimbal calibration
The Air 2 is a good option for those who don't mind exchanging some performance issues for a friendlier price.
Credit: Laura Casner
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Our Verdict
The DJI Mavic Air 2 is a medium-sized drone that offers decent video. The consistent color and quality are matched with a 4K resolution, it takes off and lands without a hitch, and the controls are easy to navigate. However, the ride is a little jittery, and the gimbal throws error codes relatively often. The small sensor is limiting, and the subpar following capabilities make it difficult to get action shots of moving subjects unless you are a skilled pilot. On the flip side, the 34-minute flight time is pretty good, and the price is a little friendlier than some of its more capable competitors.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Mavic Air 2 performed respectably across most of our metrics, with the exception of some flight and gimbal issues. While shoveling out the extra cash for an aircraft with fewer issues may be worth it, this is still a good option for someone looking to save some bucks.
Performance Comparison
The Air 2 is a good option for those who don't mind exchanging some performance issues for a friendlier price.
Credit: Laura Casner
Video Quality
We pay special attention to image, gimbal stabilization, and propellor intrusion for this metric. The 4k video on the Air 2 offers consistent color and quality, but it is limited by its smaller sensor. The gimbal stabilization is great when it works, but don't be surprised if you receive the dreaded “gimbal overload” message. We received it several times during testing, and it is a well-reported issue. This error can be temporarily resolved by recalibrating the gimbal or updating the firmware, but needless to say, it is very irritating. Propellor intrusion can be avoided by turning off obstacle avoidance and setting the drone to prioritize composition. However, it is very important to ensure that your surroundings are clear when obstacle avoidance is turned off.
Unlike other DJI drones, the Air 2 struggles with consistent gimbal stabilization.
Credit: Laura Casner
Flight Performance
Our tests for this metric include an assessment of intelligent flight, ride, takeoff and landing, and battery life. The intelligent flight works well within the suggested parameters. Return to home is a wonderful feature, and orbit and waypoint work great, but the Mavic Air 2 is still a bit limited by its subpar following capabilities.
The Air 2 ride is somewhat jerky, and the video tends to jump and jitter. It also struggles to take a panorama, which may be due to the continued gimbal errors we experienced. It is very easy to take off and land with this drone and it offers 34 minutes of flight time, but sadly the flight and ride are inconsistent.
The Air 2 does not offer quite as smooth a ride as the other DJI drones.
Credit: Laura Casner
Portability
The Mavic Air 2 is a somewhat compact drone at 11.9 inches diagonally. It folds up very nicely and comes with a small protective plastic bubble to keep the gimbal and lens out of harm's way. It weighs 1.25 pounds and fits easily into a backpack or purse. While it does not come with a carry case, DJI sells one separately.
The Air 2 is small enough to toss in your backpack, but too big for your pants pocket.
Credit: Laura Casner
Ease of Use
Ease of use is an important metric for the average drone pilot. Our testing focused on the setup, control interface, ease of learning, video quality, and image or video downloading.
The DJI Air 2 has a small amount of local storage, everything else is stored on a small SD card.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Mavic Air 2 set up is a breeze. Simply download the app, attach the control to your smartphone or tablet, and you're good to go. The control interface is intuitive, and learning to fly is straightforward. The screen display is realistic and does not lag, meaning you can focus on the fun of flying more than the interface.
The controller connects directly to your smartphone or tablet.
Credit: Laura Casner
Value
The Air 2 is a quality aircraft, but it is not devoid of issues. The gimbal errors are a bummer, and the small sensor is limiting. Though cheaper than many others, it is not what we consider a budget-friendly option. Some higher-quality drones are only slightly more expensive but can offer you a much-improved experience.
Conclusion
DJI is a reputable drone manufacturer, and they do a great job of mainly offering capable products. The Mavic Air 2 has a lot to offer, from high-quality 4K video with consistent color to a 34-minute flight time and intelligent flight sequences. Unfortunately, the gimbal issues and smaller sensor limit the Air 2. It is a little less expensive than DJI's model's with larger sensors, so if your main concern is saving a few hundred bucks, and you don't mind a finicky gimbal, then this could still be a good option.
—
Hayley Thomas
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