This article originally appeared on ABACUS The Mavic Air is, objectively speaking, a great drone. I reviewed it earlier this year and really liked how much DJI packed into an incredibly small frame. It’s much cheaper than the Mavic Pro with almost as many features. Almost. The Mavic Air’s battery life was a little shorter and its video transmission much more prone to signal interference. They’re minor faults, only made glaring if you’re a Mavic Pro user… which I am. So I’ve been waiting for the Mavic 2 Pro for a while, and it looks like everything I’ve always wanted. Virtually everything about the original has been upgraded for the sequel. As seen at the launch event, there are actually two new Mavic 2 models for consumers: The Mavic 2 Pro and the Mavic 2 Zoom. The unusual thing is that this doesn’t seem to be a “base model/premium model” situation. Both have exclusive features that mean each has its advantages and drawbacks: The Pro has a massive Hasselblad camera and 4K HDR video, but lacks the zoom lens of the, er, Zoom. We were able to get our hands on the Pro, but bad weather meant we couldn’t fly it -- that’ll have to wait for our full review. The new Mavic 2 Pro is bigger than the old Mavic Pro, but the difference wasn’t as significant as I was expecting -- it’s not as big as the difference between the old Mavic Pro and the Mavic Air, for example. It’s taller, and definitely heavier, but the footprint is similar -- and the massive upgrade in other areas feels worth the trade-off to me. The Mavic 2 Pro seems to have upped the stakes in virtually every way. It’s faster. The battery lasts longer. It includes the second generation of DJI’s OcuSync image transmission technology, allowing the drone to roam even further than before. The original had forward-facing obstacle avoidance sensors. The Mavic 2 Pro has them pointing in every direction. And last, but certainly not least, there’s the camera: A massive 1-inch sensor from Hasselblad. There’s a lot to dive into here, so stay tuned for our review where we’ll put it to the test. The best drone for newcomers: DJI Mavic Air review For more insights into China tech, sign up for our tech newsletters , subscribe to our Inside China Tech podcast , and download the comprehensive 2019 China Internet Report . Also roam China Tech City , an award-winning interactive digital map at our sister site Abacus .
