The DJI Mavic 2 Pro is armed with a powerful, precise Hasselblad camera that shoots high-resolution stills and 4K video, both with a color range and contrast that go beyond what any other Mavic quadcopter can deliver.
If you’re looking for extremely sharp 20MP stills in a compact, consumer-priced drone, the Mavic 2 Pro, its Hasselblad L1D-20c camera and a big 1-inch CMOS sensor are the way to go. Video capabilities include 4K ultra-high definition and Full High Definition (FHD), which enhances colors and contrast without editing on an HLG TV.
Like all Mavic quadcopters, the Mavic 2 Pro is portable, fast and maneuverable, with a half-hour maximum flight time. The Mavic 2 also boasts longer range than any of its stable mates.
Mavic 2 Pro with 20MP Hasselblad features:
- Lightweight: Under 2 lb.
- Foldable: Body, propellers, remote controller
- Compact: 8.4 x 3.6 x 3.3 in. (folded); 16.7 x 9.5 x 3.3 in. (flight mode)
- Fast: 44.7 mph top speed
- Long-range: 5 miles
- Stabilized: 3 axis mechanical gimbal
- Versatile: JPEG, DNG (RAW)
- Capable of sharp imagery: 20MP stills; 4K, 2.7K or FHD video at 100Mbps
- Fully controllable: DJI Go 4 with built-in navigation programs
- Safe: Omni-directional obstacle avoidance, Return to Home
Mavic 2: Sturdier, More Capable, Foldable Drones
Mavic 2 drones boast many improvements over the original Mavic Pro and Mavic Platinum, many of them subtle but effective.
Start with the aircraft. Both Mavic 2 quadcopters have a sturdier build, noticeable the moment you unfold the arms and click them into place. They are more solidly built than the arms on earlier Mavic drones. The newest Mavics remain ultra-portable, with arms that fold against the body and propellers that fold against the arms.
The gimbal hangs from the nose of the aircraft as before, but it doesn’t extend as far below the body. That affords the gimbal and camera more protection on landing and during mishaps. The gimbal cover is one piece and easily removed/replaced.
Sensors are on every surface, not just some, to enable Omni-directional Obstacle Avoidance. (More on that below.) You’ll also find bright built-in LED lights on the bottom surface, which help fly and land in low-light situations, including indoors.
The motors are more powerful than on the original Mavic Pro, and the propellers are quieter than even the props designed for the Mavic Platinum.
The remote controller also folds, so it’s easy to carry in a pocket or purse. The joysticks unscrew for extra portability.
Hasselblad Camera
Your Mavic 2 Pro doesn’t have the technology needed to fly to the moon. But it’s equipped with a new camera from Hasselblad, the Swiss firm whose renowned precision cameras captured images of the moon landings. Trust in this: Your Mavic 2 Pro images will be out of this world.
Shoot in fully automatic mode or rely on an adjustable aperture, from f2.8 to f11.
Stills: The Hasselblad L1D-20c camera and a big 1-inch CMOS sensor on the Mavic 2 Pro combine to capture images with quality never before possible on a Mavic series quadcopter. Contrasts are better defined, and colors are richer. Still photos are recorded at 20MP. The 1-inch sensor has a million effective pixels, more than double the pixels on a Mavic Pro. Shoot in 3- or 5-shot-per-second bursts.
If you can’t decide between JPEG and RAW, save images in both formats simultaneously on a microSD card and achieve the results you desire in the editing room. Mavic 2 has 8GB of internal memory and accepts a card with up to 128GB of storage. High Digital Range (HDR) ensures richer photos with greater contrast. The Hasselblad
Video: In addition to shooting 4K video, 2.7K video or FHD, the Hasselblad has 10-bit Dlog-M color for a higher dynamic range that results in more flexibility in grading. Play back your video on a 4K TV with HLG and grading isn’t even needed to experience the wider color range. See greater contrast along with more vivid colors and more natural tones—immediately. Dlog-M has billion-color capability.
New on Mavic 2: Hyperlapse
Mavic 2 is the first Mavic with Hyperlapse capabilities. The drone’s camera shoots quality aerial photos and automatically edits them together into a timelapse with a twist: The drone can move while shooting and not just hover. Pre Programmed modes help.
The Free setting lets you control the drone manually. Circle lets you draw a circle around your subject and follow that course after determining the interval of shots and the duration of the shoot. With Course Lock, select a point on the map, fly to it automatically and make adjustments you may want along the way. Using Waypoint, designate multiple points on the map, and the Mavic 2 flies to each, making a timelapse of each and of the whole flight.
If you’re concerned that you’re too low on power to complete the task, relax. OcuSync 2.0 warns you as you set the program if you won’t have enough power to take the shots and complete the flight.
Enhanced HDR
Mavic 2 Pro’s 4K video can be recorded in 10-bit HDR, or High Dynamic Range. This DJI software upgrade produces more vivid colors. See the results on an HLG TV, even without editing.
3-Axis Gimbal
DJI’s high-performance gimbals cancel out drone movement, mechanical vibrations and wind effects, and the Mavic 2 gimbal is no exception. Go into difficult situations with confidence that the 3-axis mechanical gimbal will provide stable, shake-free video, even though conditions prevent smooth flight.
Omnidirectional Obstacle Avoidance
The Mavic 2 Pro has 10 sensors, with some of them on every surface for advanced obstacle avoidance: front, back, top, bottom, and both sides. The Mavic 2 Pro thoroughly avoids obstacles while flying forward or backward by using the sensors and Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems. The drone doesn’t sense obstacles over a complete 360 degrees, and the right and left sensing operate only in ActiveTrack and Tripod modes. Still, the obstacle avoidance on the Mavic 2 Pro performs at a level you might expect only on much more expensive drones. And for low-light situations, including indoor flight when GPS is not in use, bright built-in LED lights assist downward sensors. The lights are visible during flight, even in daytime.
Powerful Video Transmission, Long Range
The Mavic 2 Pro’s live video transmission is beamed at 1080p from as far away as 5 miles, which is full range, using Ocusync 2.0. It delivers strong signals, avoiding interference with automatic switching between 2.4 and 5.8 GHz frequencies.
Complete Control, Pilot Aids
Mavic 2 provides the pilot with navigation and photography/videography aids to make flying and operating the drone easier.
First, there’s satellite positioning—GPS and GLONASS are recognized—so that you can send your drone back to a precise spot to resume a shoot. The Task Library allows you to save a shoot so that you can repeat it almost exactly—the route flown, the altitude, the drone movements and the photos/videos recorded.
The Advanced Pilot Assistance System augments obstacle avoidance when flying forward and backward. Once an object is sensed, the Mavic 2 flies over or around an object in its path without stopping.
Point of Interest, Tripod, Waypoint 2.0, Asteroid, Helix, Dronie and Boomerang enable the Mavic 2 Pro to perform preprogrammed flights and aerobatics while filming points designated onscreen by the pilot. ActiveTrack 2.0 allows the drone to lock on and follow subjects, now including fast-moving subjects, such as cars. It has trajectory assistance to help determine where the subject is heading, then follow it.
Mavic 2 Pro also has programs to shoot timelapse photography and hyperlapse, which allows the drone to move while shooting and automatically processing a timelapse sequence.
Battery, Charger
The Mavic 2 is powered by a DJI Mavic 2 Intelligent Flight Battery, with spares available from Drone Nerds. The battery delivers the longer flight time of Mavic 2 and fits the new Mavic’s sleek body. It has four LEDs to indicate battery reserve, although the DJI Go 4 app also displays battery reserve onscreen.
DJI Go 4 Flight App
DJI Go 4 is downloadable online. The most capable flight system yet for a DJI consumer drone, DJI Go 4 operates without the need for a WiFi signal, making it more responsive.
In addition to packing all the special effects and pilot/photographer aids mentioned above, DJI Go 4 makes it hard to lose your Mavic 2—especially important with the extended 5-mile range. If Mavic 2 loses command signals, it automatically turns around and returns to a point within range. If battery reserve becomes critically low, it activates Return to Home, turning the drone around and retracing its safe route until it reaches its takeoff point, where it lands. There’s also a Find My Drone function in the highly unlikely event that the Mavic fails to return.