DJI, News

DJI launches the new Mavic Air 2

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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.

DJI, Events

DJI launching Mavic Air 2?

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https://www.dji.com/sg/teaser?site=brandsite

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.

Is smaller then Mavic 2
Sensor at the bottom
Sensor behind
No sensor at the side
48 Megapixel camera!

DJI, News

DJI Matrice 300 in late Feb?

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Image result for DJI MAtrice 300

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?

Aerial Videos, DJI

DJI MAVIC Mini test flight at Danang

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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.

DCIM\100MEDIA\DJI_0063.JPG
DCIM\100MEDIA\DJI_0057.JPG
Still photo has little lag between the time the button is press till photo is taken. Much better respond then Mavic 2 Pro
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More regulated airspace in Singapore from 2 Jan 2020

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https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/parliament-compulsory-registration-for-drones-from-jan-2-next-year-penalties-to-be-raised?xtor=CS3-18&utm_source=STiPhone&utm_medium=share&utm_term=2019-11-04%2017%3A11%3A34

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!

DJI

Mavic Mini

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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

News

Skydio R2

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Skydio 2 drone

Skydio released their version 2 of their autonomous drone. This drone is priced at US$999 (No controller) to compete with DJI Mavic Pro 2.

The selling point of this drone is in its ability to fly autonomously in a highly cluttered environment like the forest. It has no problem navigating the complicated and narrow flight path through the tree branches.

Quick Specs: (Click here for detailed specs)

Main Camera: 12.3MP 1/2.3″ Sony CMOS sensor, capable of recording 4k/60p @ 100mb/s

Flight Time: 23min

Speed: 36mph

Weight: 775g

Sensor: 6 x 4K 1/3″ 200 degree camera for 360 degree sensing

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Skydio R2 teaser

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Skydio released their R1 sometime back, featuring a drone that can fly through forest tracking a person autonomously. This time they are going to release the R2 in the fall of 2019. What kind of feature can we expect, and most importantly at what cost? Can this be a true competitor for DJI?

With AI and machine learning getting more and more advance, I think the trend in future for UAV pilots is more of plotting the waypoints to design the flightpath and the actual flying will be done by the drone itself. Would you agree?

DJI

DJI Ronin SC

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DJI launched a more compact version of their Ronin

Today, DJI launched a more compact version of their RONIN S. They called it the RONIN SC, target at the mirrorless camera user. This SC version weighs only 1.1 kg and can sustain a payload of 2kg. It can comfortably hold a Sony A7 series camera with a 24-70 GM. The Pro version also comes with the focus motor and focus wheel that allow user to pull focus easily and accurately. Personally, I have already ordered one myself and can’t wait to see how well it works.

Ronin SC Pro Combo

Just received the Ronin SC today (22 July 2019), DJI shipped within a day to me after placing the order. The feel of the gimbal is solid and I will do a full review in another post.