DJI has once again send out a teaser about the ONE. What could it be this time. We all know at this stage DJI has refreshed the newly launch Magic Air 2 to the 2s version boosting longer range and some upward facing sensor for better obstacle avoidance. And also upgrading the camera sensor to ONE inch.
But what could be this “ONE”? Could it be the Magic Air 2s with the ONE inch sensor? Will the 2s kill off the Mavic 2 pro?
Let’s wait for DJI to make the latest announcement on 15 April 2021!
Finally Sony has showcased and revealed their UAV during the CES 2021. It is a quadcopter capable of carrying its Alpha Range of cameras. Like the Inspire 2, it carries 2 batteries for redundancy and safety purpose.
Although Sony has not release the specs of the drone, it is likely to have a flight time of 15-20mins based on the payload and size of the batteries. It should also be capable of flying at least 70-80km/h. This drone also allows dual pilot system where one person controls the flight the other controls the main camera gimbal.
As for the price range, it should be around the price of the Inspire 2 Advance Kit. My guess will be about US$9500 if it is released. It will be interesting to see what kind of lens can fit onto the gimbal.
So where does this drone fits into the industry? In my opinion, Airpeak tries to hit one level above the Inspire 2 series like the m600, but with a smaller footprint and a lower cost. As an aerial videographer, I often received request to film footages using the same camera as the ground shots. With only Inspire 2, Phantom 4 pro and Mavic 2 Pro in our inventory, we are unable to provide that service. Technically, we can deploy the m600, but the size and high maintenance cost makes it not practical. I am excited to see how the Airpeak can bridge that gap, and at what cost?
Sony has indicated her intention to enter the UAV filming industry, going to compete with DJI directly. Sony has traditionally been supplying imaging sensors to DJI’s camera, and now she has decided to make her own flying camera. Will Sony be successful or will she crash and burn like GoPro?
Personally, I am really excited and believe that Sony has the ability to make their own UAV and also to make their own processor and sensors without relying on a 3rd party. If Sony can bring their industry leading camera technology to their flying cameras, it may potentially bite off a big chunk of business from DJI. Now filmmakers can shoot with the same color profile from their ground cameras to their flying cameras.
Beating DJI in this industry is not going to be easy. DJI has already deeply captured the market and has many years of experience in making the world best gimbal. Can Sony create the same or better gimbal?
This is going to be exciting. Competition in the market is always good for consumers. It will bring about new innovation! Let’s see what Sony can offer in Spring 2021! Check out: https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/airpeak/ for more details.
There are lots of leaks online about the DJI Mini 2 already. There are also some people in the USA who manage to buy it from BestBuy ahead of the launch. How did that happen? Nobody knows.
Here are the key features of the DJI Mini 2:
Are these features enough to make owners of version 1 upgrade to version 2? Will you buy it for US$585(Fly more combo)?
UPDATES:
Specs
Today we have the full specs of that the Mavic Air 2 can do. I believe this is somewhat a response to Skydio R2 with the new FocusTrack which is said to be much more effective than the Mavic 2 active track 2.0. From the demo we can see that the Mavic Air 2 can navigate through a forest trail avoiding the trees and etc. See the video here
Is it worth for owners of Mavic 2 Pro / Zoom to buy the Mavic Air 2?
Well, I must say I was really tempted by the 4K60p video and the 48MP camera. But without the ability to adjust aperture, to do dolly zoom is a huge sacrifice for me. Also, a 1″ sensor vs a 1/2″ sensor is also a big sacrifice for night video. You notice there is no night video of the Mavic Air 2 produced by DJI, except for the hyper-lapse video which is a series of still photos and not video. HDR Video is a plus point if the user wants to use the footage straight out of the drone. However, for most production house they rather shot in D-log and do color grading in post-production.
There are definitely some nice cool features and a huge upgrade from the first Mavic Air, but compared to Mavic 2, it may not be a real upgrade in some sense for the pro videographer who wants more control. But for those who want to have their first UAV, the Mavic Air 2 is a great choice.
What is DJI going to show us this time? They have recently introduced the DJI X-Port which can be added onto the Mavic M series UAV. Will this launch be about the new M200 replacement?
Personally, I have been waiting hard for the new Inspire 3 to have a more reliable control signal as compared to the current Inspire 2. Anyway, let’s wait for 27 April to see what DJI has for us.
Let’s look at some leaked photos of the Mavic Air 2. It doesn’t look like it will have a 360 obstacle avoidance like the Mavic 2 series. But does look very similar to Mavic 2 in the shape and design.
Some dealers are said to have already gotten stocks of this new drone and will be ready to sell them when DJI officially release it end of February 2020.
This update is critical as it addresses some of the key problems that the 200 series have. One of which is the transmission and control problem. There are many reports that the 200 series loses control from the pilots very often resulting in crashes. The 300 series will allow 2 pilots to be separated kilometres apart and one pilot can hand over control to another pilot remotely. This is a fascinating idea, it means the drone can fly from point A to B without returning to A to land.
Personally, I do hope that this drone can use the Zenmuse X7 DL lens mount. Then this drone can also be used for filming and not just industrial application. Another feature I will like to see is an all-round obstacle avoidance like the Mavic 2 pro.
What do you hope to see in this new revision?
Had the chance to have a maiden flight at Banyan tree Lang Co,Vietnam. Like flying all new drones I tend to be a bit more cautious in the beginning. The Mini jitter a bit when it took flight due to the strong wind, but it held it’s position.
Gaining a bit more confident, I started to push the drone forward to fly towards the sea. The image ways surprisingly stable, no drop in signal and etc. (Note that you have to keep the remote controller’s antenna perpendicular and face the mini directly.) I flew for about 1km and decide to turn it around as I am unsure if it can handle the monsoon wind. The speed is significantly slower then Mavic 2 pro but it is very stable.
One thing I notice that is really strange is the mini seems to report different height as it fly level. This is unlike Mavic 2 Pro’s experience. Not sure if this is a bug?
What I missed most from Mavic 2 pro is the ability to shoot panoramic photos, RAW photo and time lapse video.
Click here if you like to purchase the DJI Mini.
This is a welcome move by CAAS to make the airspace of Singapore safer and for drone operator to fly more responsibly. Parents should also understand that UAV more than 250g is not a toy and can kill if not operated with care. It should not be bought as a present for young kids who do not understand what kind of harm it can cause to public. The question now on hand is, how difficult will it be for the general public to register their UAV? How much will it cost? Will this move cause Singapore to slow down in adoption of new technology?
Only time will tell. Let’s wait and see. Mean while, please fly safe!
Due to launch 30th October 2019.
This new Mavic mini is meant to replace the spark @US$399. A drone slightly larger then most mobile phone, capable of flying for about 25 to 30min, shoots 4K@30fps, a range of about 4km and weighs only 245g (means can fly leisurely in most places in Singapore without permit).
Will you buy one? Essentially, is a Mavic Pro in a small form factor.
Update:
Video is actually 2.7k@30fps
Still Photo: 12MP
Weight: 249g
pricing: US$375