DJI’s New Avata 2 FPV Drone Promises More Speed, Video Features, and Fun
Although many photographers look to DJI drones for capturing amazing aerial photos and videos, some users are primarily interested in the flying aspect of drones. The DJI Avata 2 may cater more to the flying enthusiasts, but like its very good predecessor, the Avata 2 can do it all.
The DJI Avata 2 is a compact, agile drone designed for first-person view flying using accompanying goggles. Compared to its predecessor, the original Avata, the Avata 2 has more style, speed, and stamina, all for a lower price than before. It also sports a larger image sensor than the original Avata, bringing the FPV drone series up to a Type 1/1.3-inch CMOS 12-megapixel image sensor that promises a wider dynamic range and improved performance in low-light conditions. The drone’s ultra-wide lens has a 155-degree field of view, like a 12mm lens on a full-frame camera.
The drone can record SDR and HDR video at up to 4K resolution and 60 frames per second or slow-motion video at 2.7K resolution and 100 fps. It also offers a 10-bit log video recording mode for drone pilots seeking more flexibility during post-processing and color grading.
The camera’s shutter speed ranges from 1/30s to 1/8000s for video and 1/50s to 1/8000s for photography. Its ISO is 100 to 25,600. The DJI Avata 2 only shoots JPEG still images though, no RAW files here.
As for battery life, the DJI Avata 2 can fly for 23 minutes, up from 19 minutes on its predecessor. Thanks to improved battery life and more speed — the Avata 2 can fly as fast as 60 miles per hour — the new drone has nearly two miles (three kilometers) more range than the original Avata.
The DJI Avata 2 has five more degrees of gimbal tilt, a more aerodynamic design, 46GB of built-in storage, and supports video live-streaming at up to 30 MB/s bitrates.
Other practical improvements include the new accompanying DJI Goggles 3, which delivers first-person flying. Compared to older DJI Goggles, the new ones now feature a built-in battery and GPS. The headset has dual 1080p OLED displays, defogging functionality, improved video transmission performance, more stable video, and outward-facing cameras for pass-through video.
A new DJI RC Motion 3 controller uses buttons, a joystick, and motion control to pilot the Avata 2. It has a two-stage trigger for throttle control, pre-programmed roll and flip buttons, and a recording button.
By the way, the new Googles 3 and RC Motion 3 controllers are also compatible with some existing DJI drones, including the DJI Air 3 and Mini 4 Pro.
The DJI Avata 2 is available now. The drone itself is available a la carte for $489.
There is also the $999 DJI Avata 2 Fly More Combo, which includes the drone, the new controller, and the improved goggles. For even more flying fun, the three-battery combo is $1,200 and offers all these same items plus another two batteries. (LINKS)
Image credits: DJI
