DJI Air 2S, Drone Quadcopter UAV with 3-Axis Gimbal Camera, 5.4K Video, 1-Inch CMOS Sensor, 4 Directions of Obstacle Sensing, 31 Mins Flight Time,…

I love this drone! I bought my first drone about 6 or 7 years ago and it was massive, low quality camera, very short range and short flight time.

I bought the DJI air 2S fly more package to basically check the back fields and fences and it’s all it says it is. Longer flight times, great camera, and easy to fly.

I’m still learning the ins and outs of the full use, and I haven’t used the auto tracking yet. I’ve had it reach out to 2kms while obstruction free in line of sight, but there’s a slight pixelated lag with the camera. It’s depending on the skies, Clear skies and it has almost zero lag but seems to have more on cloudy overcast days.

But to check the back fields and fences I get much less distance and more lag where the image freezes then jumps to the next view a bunch of frames forward due to interference from trees. I’ve had the drone lose its connection a few times and have scrambled to move closer to regain connection to cancel the return to home, but knock on wood……so far so good! It’s expensive but I would recommend this, if you have the money.

So that’s the only reason it never hit 5 stars, I don’t see this being able to reach to extreme distances they advertised. Unless I’m doing something wrong I would say that 2kms is the max operating distance using line of sight and easily a half km less if you need to fly without line of sight or below the tree line.

One last note, it handles the wind very well for its size, it tells you if the wind is to much. I simply lowered the altitude and it was fine.

I had the WORST EVER experience with this drone. I consider what has been done here as fraud and will assert my rights with the consumer association .

Here is the horror story about two transactions including this drone .

First , I bought a drone by a special offer on Amazon monthly payments. It was very attractive to pay only 104$ by month without more taxes on a drone so I bought it as I was too short to pay in one shot.

I received the drone in january but it had to be stored until the end of the winter. I checked pretty quick inside home as everything seemed to work off flight at first view. I was just surprised at the start that there was no motors protectors on the drone and I’ve heard DJI gives that with their new drones.

After a quick inspection , I let it in the box until some days ago. First flight , I already noticed strange blurry spots on the videos but as I was new to 1 inch sensor drones and this brand , I tried to figure what was going on with this drone and in a carefull way like a collector so I didn’t hit it anywhere or scratched , dropped etc. I’ve tried to troubleshoot , testing in different conditions , refreshing the firmware , doing all that I could do to find the source of that. As I filmed in 10 bits , first I thought it may be an effect I don’t know caused by that but no . I’ve been anxieux for 2-3 weeks testing everything some days when conditions were good. Same bad results on a lot of scenes with a clear feeling that the sensor was dirty inside. The lenses were cleaned like a videograph does , with high precision , still these horrible blurry zones appearing in a lot of scenes in places where it is not normal at all according to the focus I was trying. In the inside , it was less notceable as the focus range was short so I didn’t see it in my off flight checking. Just ensured the camera was showing an image and that it seemed good on my cellphone…. but the blurry thing is sometimes not seen on a low resolution phone with small display.

It was an horror story to test all that , to be sure I don’t resend to DJI because of a human misundurstanding. It took around 7 flights to determine there is a hardware problem.

Yesterday , after trying many troubleshoot on around 7 flights … I invited a pro of electronics to look at the drone maybe with a pro light to reveal what my 40 watts lights inside may have missed on the drone. We found nothing on the lens properly said but we’ve found 2 traces suggesting that the camera was hit 2 times on it’s lens gray frame. Two clear bump traces. After that , even worst , we’ve inspected all the plastic around the drone with the electronic light. Inside the memory card socket , there were big scratches I first identified as a logo because I have a poor proximity view. This is like a total idiot had forced his memory card in and failed … scratching all around. It’s totally revolting. It’s clearly a used model Amazon sold me as new at the price of a new in a montly payments promotion. That’s not all. We’ve checked the controler with the same light and it has 2 mega long scratches on it , almost the same color than the controler but very noticeable like someone scratched his controler … like with a key or something . At the minute we put light in the good angle we see it and it’s not dirt or oil that leaked … it’s scratched.

It was clearly a used drone + it was defect . To add to the frustration , while winter passed , I prepared all my stuff and bought 2 more batteries etc so I’m stucked with this , paying monthly for a drone that was a fraudulous transaction or an error but it’s the second error I have with the same mega promotion Amazon had on DJI products. 2 defects items on 2 and clear traces of a used one on the second. 3 coincidences ?

That’s not all. As I wasn’t insultated enough , DJI awnsered me today they would send me a refurbished drone te replace mine. I almost fell off my chair . The client has been frauded and the constructor offers to replace an item bought as new to the price of a new … with a used one . Referbished is still considered as used by our laws. So I don’t know which to blame . DJI that offers me an insultating solution to a real problem or Amazon that sold me 2 defects items used as new in a promotion . It looks a lot like DJI or Amazon tries to get rid of defect models by replacing them with refurbished instead of new. Both may make money frauding clients like that. I don’t know which one is faulty but it’s not normal.

Amazon perfectly know in Canada it was -20 Celcius outside and we could not test the drone until the end of the winter … and knew the Amazon warranty would be passed , then I’d be forced to go to DJI …. then DJI offers me to solve a fraud by sending me a used drone.

I’m so frustrated , I don’t know what to say. I’m a multimedia producer that makes documentaries and this is the worst ever transaction I made . Shame on Amazon. I’m still in communication with DJI , I informed them I want a brand new drone cause it’s what I bought and that canadian law is clear , referbished models shall be identified as refurbished when we buy , if not it is considered as a used poduct.

I’m shocked , sick of being in this infernal circle of disrespect of the consumer. On a 1400$ item sold fraudulously as new … I’m planning to file a complaint with the consumer office regarding Amazon and DJI if both continues to let the client pay for sellers bad behaviors. It’s illegal to sell used items as new.

It always happens to poor people doing artistic things on their own budget, not to riches . … and my damned documentary has one season less in it yet … damages to my production are a already a mess. It would be nice it ends correctly.

Now I’m arguing with DJI to get a brand new as on my selling contract. You can’t redefine a selling contract to refurbished after the transaction . Amazon solves this and replace me this entire drone for a new or I’ll have to bother DJI , both if needed by a complaint to the consumer office to have the full brand new drone I paid at full price … I still pay by monthly payments. Law is clear , you can’t sell refurbished products as new ones. It must be mentionned. This selling contract is fraudulous or an error and in both cases, I feel Amazon is responsible . Now that my warranty had only one month and that we don’t fly drones during winter , I stored it and discovered the …. horror of the thing after Amazon’s warranty is issued.

How I call that ? Selling 2 different cameras in a special promotion to poor people …. defective items … showing signs of usage ? It’s REVOLTING. After the first camera came defect , I finally told to myself it could be a simple random error that can happen but 2 in a row and the second sold as used clearly … I don’t believe very much this is not intentionnal. It perfectly looks like villainous sales like you see in the banana republics where the poor rob the poor to eat or live in luxurious palaces, where warranties doesn’t really exist on anything.

I really am frustrated by Amazon because before realizing their drone too was defect + used , I wrote them compliments about their idea of montly payments without any additionnal fees , I was happy I started filming with my DJI pocket that DJI exchanged , my case had been solved so I pardonned what happened … but when I saw my drone too bought in the same promotion had dirty sensor and scratches …. I felt like the stupid naïve client that got caught by an itinerant seller . It’s not an SDF , it’s Amazon , the company that is possessed by a rich billionnaire able to almost buy the planet earth entirely. It’s like the worst nightmare of my life and I bet if I would be able to get something from Amazon , they would refuse to send me a real new drone … offer only a refund but I don’t need a refund , I need a drone to continue my documentaries and this monthly payment offer was my only solution do I need a drone that is brand new, that correspond to what I paid for as law is clear.

I’m very irritated. This drone is supposed to be the best thing I will buy yet in terms of drones and it has become so painful experience … just to have what I paid for.

Lo he usado en diferentes ocaciones y es de muy buena calidad para grabar videos. A pesar de no tener perfil tan plano para Color, aun asi puedes editar bien el etalonaje sin perder calidad.

Si desea subir de gama en drones a calidad y precio, esta puede ser una buena inversion.

Contras: Al probarlo por primera vez demoró un tiempo con el error de las baterias, luego se arreglo pero me preocupé.

One of the batteries didn’t work out of the box. Everything else is perfectly fine, but when I contacted customer service to explain there was a battery that won’t charge no matter what I tried, they said my options were to return the whole thing and buy another drone kit, or just deal with it. I use the drone almost every day, and I didn’t want to be without it for however long the return process would take. So I’m just running it minus a battery. If you can afford it, check everything and be ready for a mediocre customer service solution if something happens not to work. I use DJI products often, and in the years I’ve used drones and gimbals this is the first time I’ve ever had this issue… well that and the time a phantom fell out of the sky into a busy parking lot, but that’s a different issue. Over all the dji drones are highly reliable and a great value for your money, so I’m not going into fits of rage over loosing a battery.

 Okay let me start out with the stuff I don’t like. There’s not much…
I don’t like how it doesn’t have rear obstacle avoidance. I wish it went just a little faster/more power for better air control. I also wish it had an adjustable aperture. Wish the EXP’s for yaw were lower and more yaw range in the gimbal. Wish it had slightly more dynamic range too.

Okay now what I do like!
Coming from an Inspire 2 with X5s, the size is the biggest advantage overall. The fact it folds down so small is amazing. No longer needing to carry around a 50lb pelican case for my drone is quite convenient lol. The Air 2S is much more low key and quiet for “sketchy” quick flights or through tight obstacles. Plus, the Air 2S shoots higher resolution than the Inspire. Yes, given it’s not Cinema DNG RAW, but the D-Log and 10-Bit H.265 files from the Air 2S are very workable (Especially with the new Mac M1 processors). It has maybe 12.5-13 stops dynamic range from my eye and color grading tests in Resolve. As for color grading the footage, the shadow recovery is much better than highlight recovery so try and always expose your image for the highlights as they cannot be recovered nearly as much in post. The files are a good bitrate 5.4K 24fps 10-Bit, meaning you have the resolution to zoom in without loss and they have better color tonality. The colors can be a little strange especially blue midtone shadows. Fixable in post though.

You just have to understand how amazing it is to have a camera that you can put virtually anywhere in the air with a detailed 5.4K video. With three batteries charging you can get a lot of flights in one day with this guy, maximizing your opportunities for creative shots in many different locations. The size of the drone is amazing. Like legit the size of a large camera lens. The controller also fits nicely as the thumb sticks come off and store in it making it more flat. Also, the controllers battery life is just simply amazing. It lasts forever. The bag the drone comes with is extremely nice and great if you are just doing a trip with it. Everything fits in there. The included ND filters are very nice and honestly required for most flights. No noticeable color shift on the filters and they balance on the gimbal perfectly. I did order myself some additional CPL filters that helped quite a bit when shooting water and such. You may need something darker than ND32 for mid day shooting FYI.

Battery life is roughly 20 mins of spirited flying while still leaving plenty reserve and not letting them go below 20% to extend their life. Plenty for some fun hyperlapses, which is an awesome included feature. The master shots feature (will the drone will fly itself and get some base level shots) is good to just do as a base level and completes in a couple mins. Results are good for zero effort.

Finally, the range on it is superb. 9/10 situations it will have no problems. Staying within line of sight keeps signal the best (and legal). Flying behind objects will sometimes lose the connection. Also in cities (areas with lots of wifi signals) it has less range. But I would say it has better signal than the Inspire 2. The Inspire 2 was more “nimble” and “smooth” given the better power envelope of the motors, 360 spin of the gimbal, and second operator all adding to smoother footage of hard to track items, but could not go nearly as far. With the Air 2S line of sight becomes a TINY speck on the horizon.

For a single man band this drone is only beaten by the Mavic 3, which is several times the price ($5k for the good “cinema” version). In my 10+ years of videography I haven’t been this stoked on a new tool in a while and it will be used a lot when the bigger cinema drones cannot fly or are not practical.

Okay let’s compare the drones I have flown/used: Mavic Air 2S ($1000) vs Mavic Air ($500) vs Phantom 4 Pro ($1600) vs Inspire 2 X5S ($10,000) vs Freefly Alta 8 RED Monstro Zeiss CP3 ($175,000)

When I compared the top dogs like an Inspire and a flying cinema camera (Alta 8), the Air 2S surprisingly holds its strengths pretty well. They are different tools for different jobs and are not apples to apples AT ALL but the fact the Air 2S and everything in the bag is about the same size as the MoVI (Alta 8’s Gimbal) Controller is kind of funny.
The image quality on the Air 2S is much better than the Mavic Air and the P4P both in resolution and dynamic range. The resolution is comparable to the X5S camera but the dynamic range of the Air 2S is noticeably worse than the X5S. Obviously, if you are shooting something with budget and need 8K with good lenses, the Alta is your best bet. But that is 2 huge 80lb boxes, has a 10 min flight time at 45lbs with massive batteries. Minimum of 2 operators. Whole different beast. Can’t really compare the Alta to the Air 2S.

If you’re into travel vlogging, weddings, real estate, landscape this is the perfect drone if you can’t quite stretch to get the Mavic 3.

Also to compare this to the “48mp” Mavic Air 2, the pictures are actually much sharper because of the 1 inch sensor and better lens. Plus the Air 2 is a 12MP camera with pixel shift it’s marketing talk. Megapixels are not everything and the true 20 MP of the Air 2S will be enough for most uses I think.

Also note 4K 60 has a crop where 5.4K does not. Can be pretty useful actually IMO.

Amazing where technology is going and excited to see when the Mavic line comes out with interchangeable lenses someday! Great product DJI!

Included is a video I made along the California Coast with exclusively the Mavic Air 2S and the included ND filters. Enjoy!