It also has an impressive 30-minute battery life, which beats the 10-15 minutes offered by most drones of this size, and captures very smooth aerial video thanks to that three-axis gimbal. The Mavic Air 2 can record video up to 4K at 60 frames per second, twice that of the Air, which maxed out at 4K/30 fps. It can also record 4X and 8X slow-motion video, as well as 1080p video at 240 fps. The Air 2 can also capture HDR video, but the max resolution for this mode is 4K/30fps. The Mavic Air 2 features new motors, new electronic speed controllers, improved battery technology and enhanced aerodynamics. These combine to provide increased flight speeds of up to 42mph in Sport Mode and a flight time of up to 34 minutes. The Mavic Air 2 uses a quad-bayer half-inch CMOS sensor affording it the ability to snap slightly sharper images at the same 12 megapixels or to output 48-megapixel Raw files should you want the extra data. For what it’s worth, there seems to be a lot to be said for using the 12-megapixel mode, which allows the system to take advantage of the extra data for dynamic range and saves on file size. The Mini 2 uses a more typical 12-megapixel camera but the stills are crisp enough for most circumstances. Another highlight feature is the ability to shoot 48MP stills with the 12MP sensor. The output images taken in this mode are in JPEG format, and the results are unfortunately much softer than Raw files and standard size JPEGs, plus images appear washed out and desaturated in comparison.

Trust me, you can handle the Mavic Mini without the collision-avoidance sensors. You'll just have to do it the old-fashioned way: by practicing and becoming a better drone pilot. I strongly suggest starting in an empty field, well away from obstacles. As you get better you can attempt more difficult scenarios. The Mini 2’s 83-degree (24mm equivalent) field of view means the drone’s framing isn’t dissimilar to that of a human eye, if slightly wider. Meanwhile, the f/2.8 aperture fixed-focus lens is wide open, but still narrow enough to keep skies from blowing out too easily. There are some basic camera controls on the remote too. You'll find the control wheel on the left shoulder; it tilts the camera up and down. The Photo/Record button is at the right shoulder—use it to snap an image or start a video from the remote. If you prefer to control recording via the app, you can do that too. Get past these niggles, though, and you’re in for a treat. The modes are simple enough to get your head around, and the three speeds, which we'll come onto in the next section, are a doddle to toggle between and offer plenty of versatility. The Mavic 2 Pro's images are more lifelike and show more depth. A longer focal length and Hasselblad color science are important, but so is physical aperture—you can stop down and snap shots with well-defined sunstars with the Mavic 2 Pro, something that you don't get with the Air 2's lens. Smooth, Stable Video

The Mavic Mini is still a fine drone if you don't need 4K video

DJI claims the Mavic Air 2’s flight time is 34 minutes under ideal conditions; that’s 14 minutes longer than the Mavic Air, and a few minutes longer than the Mavic Mini. Both the Mini 2 and Air 2 sport 3-axis mechanical gimbals which means they’re able to soak up bumps, turns and vibration from the flight and produce silky smooth video. In addition, the pilot can control the camera’s angle remotely, the most useful being the ability to tilt the lens down (panning, after all, can be achieved by turning the drone). DJI's Fly app has been refreshed since we first used it, and now comes complete with guides and example videos, so that you can see what kind of footage you'll be capturing in its various modes. You can dive into the menu to adjust other settings—you can swap out imperial units for metric, add a framing grid to the camera display, or set up a virtual geofence to keep your drone within a set distance.

Mavic 3 features a totally upgraded transmission system that provides a perfectly clear and stable 1080p/60fps live feed at distances of up to 15 km. The bump in video resolution from 2.7K to 4K is welcome. Sure, technically, there’s no reason we can think of that 4K capture wasn’t built into last year's model, but in well-lit scenes, the extra recorded pixels mean more scope for zooms and crops.Finally, there are three different options for creating a panorama. "Sphere", which resembles a tiny planet, captures twenty-six images. "180º" captures seven images for a landscape perspective while wide captures a 3x3 tile consisting of nine images. Unlike the Mavic Air 2, there isn't an option to create a vertical panorama. When plugged in, the controller charges your phone, with its 2,600mAh battery delivering ample juice for a couple of hours of flight time. As for the Mini itself, its batteries are 2,400mAh, with a quoted flight time of 30 minutes, depending on environment and usage. We found this to be roughly on the money, though flying primarily in Sports mode shaves a few minutes off the flight time. There is also an 'Aeronautical Knowledge and Safety Test' being developed for recreational drone pilots, but it's not yet clear when this will be introduced. Raw images are a bit flatter, color-wise, and retain more data. They're what you'll want to use if you want to fine-tune the look of your images, but it does mean you'll need to take some time to edit them before sharing. As happy as I am to see Raw added for serious photographers, it would be nice to include more tools those who want to add some artistic flair to their aerials when capturing ready-to-share JPGs.

For photographers and videographers who need a highly portable drone that can be easily carried alongside other photographic equipment to shoot Raw stills, 4K/60p video and slow motion FHD video, the Mavic Air 2 sets a new benchmark for what we can expect from DJI drones now and in the future. Mavic air is just a great drone for short range flight 500m flight especially at ground hugging altitude. While it has the same 12MP resolution as the Air, the Mavic Air 2 has a larger 1/2-inch image sensor (versus 1/2.3-inch sensor on the Air). This is a big boost over the original Mavic Air's 21-minute flight time and is even three minutes longer than the Mavic 2 models. While that doesn't sound much, you really do notice the increased flight duration and slower battery drain. The controller also provides increased battery life compared to its predecessor.The Mini 2 proved just as nimble, stable, and easy to fly as every other drone from DJI that I’ve flown. The Mini 2 took off and hovered in the air, remaining as motionless as if it were still on the ground. The DJI Fly app is a well-balanced combination of simple to use, but powerful enough to offer depth to more experienced fliers. In practice, for a family vacation or clips to add to your social media stream you’ll find very little difference in the quality, though the Air 2 clearly has an advantage capturing outdoor sports thanks to its higher frame rate, and especially in situations which might need some color grading – a snowy landscape for example.