DJI Mavic Air
With the DJI Mavic Air, the Chinese drone manufacturer “DJI” released another drone for the consumer market at the beginning of January 2018, which is somewhere between the entry-level drone in terms of price and functionality.DJI Spark" and the one that is highly sought after by drone lovers "DJI Mavic Pro" The drone has been officially available since January 2018 and has an RRP of €849 for the standard model or €1049 for the so-called Fly More Combo. Before we look at the functions and features of the Mavic Air, let's first say one more thing Overview of the most important DJI consumer drones.
Foldable design
Already based on the design of the drone, it is noticeable that the DJI Mavic Air is the best of the DJI Spark and the DJI Mavic Pro want to combine. The Mavic Air is designed in such a way that it can be folded up like its big brother. Despite the rigid propellers, the arms can simply be folded up towards the housing. According to DJI, the folded drone is no bigger than a conventional smartphone. The compact design of the Mavic Air is a practical matter, especially from a mobility point of view, which means that the drone hardly becomes an obstacle even when traveling. DJI has adopted the variety of colors from the smaller Spark. The drone is available in the colors polar white, fire red and onyx.
Camera and gimbal
One of the most important features of a consumer drone, in addition to the fun of flying, is of course the recording quality of the camera. DJI has once again decided on a 12 megapixel camera (1/2.3" CMOS), which is supported by a 3-axis gimbal. The Mavic Air records videos with a maximum 4K resolution (3840 x 2160) at 30 frames per second What is remarkable is the video bit rate, which is even 100 Mbps Mavic Pro surpasses. A higher bit rate naturally means a higher information transfer, which means better video quality is possible, especially with fast recordings. The recording format for videos is MOV or MP4, encoded in MPEG-4 AVC / H.264.
The drone takes photos with a resolution of 4056 x 3030 pixels. The recording format for photos is JPG, and recordings can also be saved in the raw data format DNG. The recordings are saved as usual on a microSD memory card. A unique selling point of the Mavic Air is an internal memory of 8GB. If you don't have an SD memory card at hand, recordings can simply be saved on the internal memory. Further features of the camera are a field of view of 85 °, a fixed focus (Infinity Focus) and an aperture f / 2.8. Special recording modes are also on board. For example, slow-motion recordings can be made in FHD at 120 frames per second. In just 8 seconds, the Mavic Air is also able to take a 25 megapixel panorama image consisting of 32 individual images. New HDR algorithms also ensure an improved dynamic range.
Speed, range and sensor technology
In terms of airspeed alone, DJI has found a new leader in the Mavic Air. Ideally, the drone flies a full 68.4 kilometers per hour and of course only with active sport mode. The maximum rate of climb and descent is 3 and 2 meters per second, respectively. The wing height is also impressive and is a possible 5 meters. This value is of course only a theoretically possible value. The CE-compliant transmission range is 000 meters. FCC-compliant even a whopping 2000 meters would be possible.
The drone is powered by a 2375 mAh lithium polymer battery. DJI specifies the maximum flight time as 21 minutes. Thus, the Mavic Air is placed between the smaller one DJI Spark and the bigger one DJI Mavic Pro. According to initial practical experience, a longer flight duration is even possible, which further reduces the distance to the DJI Mavic Pro. The battery can be charged either directly via the newly introduced USB-C socket on the drone or in the classic way using the charger or charging dock provided. The price of a replacement battery is given by DJI with an RRP of € 79.
Flight modes and sensors
Like the previously released DJI drones, the Mavic Air is equipped with a variety of autonomous flight modes and functions. In "ActiveTrack" mode, the drone is able to track up to 16 objects or people and follow them completely autonomously wherever they go. So-called “QuickShots” (Rocket, Dronie, Circle, Helix, Asteroid, and Boomerang) make it possible to put the Mavic Air into an autonomous flight maneuver at the push of a button in order to take the right snapshot. The "SmartCapture" mode allows you to control the drone purely using hand gestures. With “TapFly”, the Mavic Air can also be operated via the connected mobile device. The control is carried out using virtual joysticks or touch gestures.
The “FlightAutonomy 2.0” sensor system ensures a precise and, above all, safe flight. A total of 7 forward, downward and rear-facing cameras and sensors monitor the surroundings of the Mavic Air. Trees, bushes or other obstacles are automatically detected and safely flown around or avoided. Of course, the drone also orientates itself using GPS and GLONASS, which means that in an emergency or at the push of a button it can automatically return to the departure point (Return-To-Home (RTH)).
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The DJI Mavic Air is a mix of Spark and Mavic Pro. For all those for whom the Mavic Pro is a size too big, but who also don't want to do without high-resolution 4K recordings, DJI has put together an extremely interesting overall package. DJI has also improved a few things compared to the previously released consumer drones. Among other things, additional sensors ensure even better flight safety. Videos are recorded at an even higher bit rate and there are also many other minor improvements, such as collapsible landing feet or unscrewable joysticks. In addition to the review that will appear here soon, you will find attached the best deals currently on various DJI drones and what to consider when buying abroad. The offers are updated regularly. It's worth taking a look!
DJI Mavic Air cheap from China?
The basic Mavic Air package is available from the DJI online store from € 849. The Fly More combo with two additional batteries, a multiple charging station, a battery to power bank adapter, additional spare propeller and a larger travel bag is available directly from DJI from € 1049. If you compare the prices with other countries, such as the USA, the DJI Mavic Air appears comparatively expensive despite the pre-tax price. The basic model costs $ 799 in the US and $ 999 in the Fly More Combo. It is therefore popular to order the drone from a third country straight away. Online shops from China are often used, some of which sell DJI products a few hundred euros below the recommended retail price.
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Buy DJI Mavic Air - Warranty and Guarantee?
If you look around in the more well-known China shops, such as GearBest, TOMTOP, Banggood or Geekbuying, some of the drones can be found for less than 700 €. These prices sound tempting at first, but what about the dealer's warranty or the manufacturer's guarantee?
Dealer warranty
Many retailers from China often offer a free exchange if the goods are “dead-on-arrival”, i.e. have already arrived defective. What initially sounds positive is, however, much more complicated in practice. The dealer's "dead-on-arrival" guarantee usually means that you send the product, in this case the Mavic Air, back to China at your own expense. However, since the beginning of 2018, the most popular retailer “GearBest” has also started providing a return address based in Spain. Further information can be obtained from the respective customer service of the shops.
DJI warranty
In addition, you are protected by PayPal if you choose this payment method. The more interesting question is the extent to which you can also make use of the manufacturer's guarantee. You can read many times on the internet that the DJI manufacturer's guarantee only applies to the country in which the Mavic was purchased. However, that is not true! There are no disadvantages when ordering DJI products from China. The guarantee can be claimed directly from the German DJI customer service and is also processed through them. You are also free to register the drone for the DJI Care Refresh program, which is completely independent of the place of purchase.
Buy DJI Mavic Air - Customs and EUSt?
One of the most popular places to go for DJI products is the online retailer GearBest. This shop has pretty much every DJI consumer drone and accessories listed and offers them with shipping from China, but now also with shipping from European warehouses well below the DJI RRP. Of course, you should pay attention to the respective customs duties and applicable tax charges (19% EUSt). The delivery time from China is usually between 10 and 20 working days. If you order from one of the EU warehouses, you usually have your drone in your hands after 4-7 working days. There are of course no additional charges when ordering from an EU warehouse.
Many shops have also started to reimburse customers for the corresponding duties when ordering from China or to send them using “Delivery Duty Paid”, meaning that they pay any customs duties and taxes directly at their own expense. Other shops also offer the shipping method often referred to as “Priority Line” or “Germany Express”. The shipment is first sent to a logistics provider in another EU country, who in turn imports it in accordance with the regulations of the respective country. The shipment is then sent within the EU to a German logistics provider, who in turn sends the shipment to an association service provider. Here too, the respective shop takes over the import.
