DJI Mavic Air 2 - good enough for 2022?

DJI Mavic Air 2 is still a very mighty drone by the end of 2021

It is highly likely that we see the new Mavic 3 at the end of this week after we got a Imaging Above Everything release message from DJI yesterday. If that is the case, it will probably be a game-changer in the high-end camera-drone segment. 

And of course we have the Mini 2 which was released in the beginning of 2021 which instantly became one of the best-selling drones around the world. 

Still, many content creators rely on the Mavic Air 2 which has an almost iconic status among drone owners.

And since we are using the Air 2 almost on weekly basis, here are our comments for what is good and what isn't.

Flight experience and controls

While I was piloting the Air 2 the other day I was thinking for how good this drone really is in regards to flight control and ease of use. This bird is not only really fast but also quite maneuverable. Whenever I bring some friends with me for a drone photo-session I don't miss the opportunity to show-off with the amazing speed that the Air 2 achieves in sport mode... it is really, really fast, sometimes even frightening. 

The remote control looks like new

One thing I don't like though is the Tripod mode which after the last updates I installed started behaving differently - not as slow and smooth as once I first tested it. I am not sure if that was done intentionally or it is just my impressions.

DJI Mavic Air 2 still worth buying in 2021?

Other than that I don't have any bad comments in regards to flight experience and controls. The remote control is comfortable and all buttons function well (after more then a year with the Air 2).

The OcuSync 2 technology is probably one of the key features when the Air 2 was first released and almost 2 years later that is one of its biggest qualities. I lost connection with the drone only during one flight and to be honest it was quite scary but managed to recover and bring the bird back to home location. 

Camera

The F2.8 48MP camera of the Air 2 always delivered high-quality images which were good enough for professional work. For amateur photography it is probably one of the best drone cameras in the segment. The gimbal is also quite good and stabilizes the sensor very good. 

Also, the variety of options and modes give a lot of versatility for content creators.

One of the latest photos I took with the Air 2 (not edited jpeg)

Video quality is also on a very good level and in many occasions I was amazed by the 4k videos that I recorded with the Air 2. Unfortunately I never spend the time and money to get some good filters which are a must for high-quality drone videos, so in case you think of using this drone for video - please buy some. 

I also had some issues figuring out some issues with choppy videos, related to frame rates and memory card speed and performance.

Durability

Thankfully our Air 2 is still in very good condition. Here we have to mention that this drone is made of high-quality plastics which makes it quite durable. All the hardware works fine and I hope that will remain for many flights to come in 2022 as well. 

And if I need to answer the question directly - yes, DJI Mavic Air 2 is still a mighty drone and I believe that its owners shouldn't worry throwing their money for a new model since this one is still on par with the best in class.

Choppy videos and FPV from the DJI Mavic Air 2