DJI Air 2S drone review

Our Verdict

The DJI Air 2S has meaning improvements in image quality over its predecessor.

For

Easy to fly
Practiced flight time
Larger image sensor

Against

MagicShots feature needs refining

Tom's Guide Verdict

The DJI Air 2S has significant improvements in image quality over its predecessor.

Pros

+
Easy to fly
+
Good flight time
+
Larger image sensor

Cons

-
MagicShots feature needs refining

DJI Air 2S specs

Size (Folded): 7.one x 3.8 ten 3.1 inches
Size (Unfolded): 10 x vii.two ten 3 inches
Weight: 1.3 pounds
Photographic camera: 20MP
Sensor size: i inch
Pixel size: 2.4 nanometers
Discontinuity: f/2.eight
Digital zoom: 8X
Flying time: 31 minutes

Unlike the company's previous drones, the DJI Air 2S isn't a radical reimagining of the platform. Rather, this $1,000 drone boasts a few improvements over its predecessor, the DJI Air 2, while coming in a few hundred bucks less than the DJI Mavic 2 Pro.

What you become is a very capable and maneuverable drone with an fantabulous 20MP, 1-inch camera sensor that tin take video at 5.4K. You also go some innovative flight modes designed to assist capture compelling shots and a long 30-minute flight fourth dimension to make certain you lot have enough time to film what yous want. All of which combines, every bit this DJI Air 2S review will explain, to make one of the best drones you tin can buy.

DJI Air 2S review: Toll and availability

The Air 2S will be bachelor for sale equally of April 15. The Standard packet, which includes the drone, a controller, and a battery, costs $1,000. The Wing More than combo ($1,300) includes the drone, three batteries, a shoulder bag, lens filters, and a charging hub.

The Air 2S' price makes it twice as expensive equally the entry-level DJI Mini 2 ($449), and virtually $200 more than than the Mavic Air ii ($799), which can have larger 48MP photos and a slightly longer flight fourth dimension, just has a smaller 1/2 inch sensor.

DJI Air 2S review: Design

In some ways, the DJI Air 2S is an updated version of the Mavic 2 Pro. Both models have roughly the same design and a 20MP, ane-inch camera sensor. Nevertheless, cheers to some upgraded internals, the Air 2S can record video at 5.4K/30 fps and 4K/sixty fps; the Mavic 2 Pro maxed out at 4K/30 fps.

DJI Air 2S drone review — (Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The DJI Air 2S has a familiar design as most other DJI consumer drones (folding arms, etc), only its frontwards object-collision avoidance sensors have been angled up slightly so that the drone can better run into things in forepart of it while moving forward. It can too detect objects from further away, and while traveling at faster speeds.

However, the Mavic two Pro has side sensors, which make it preferable when maneuvering in tight spaces; the Air 2S has upwardly, forward, downwards and rear sensors. In improver, the Mavic two Pro has a Hasselblad photographic camera and color solutions, and its larger size and weight make information technology more than stable in windier weather condition.

The Air 2S is 0.vii pounds lighter than the Mavic two Pro, though that weight reduction doesn't gain you whatsoever boosted flying time, and information technology's still heavy enough to require you to register it with the FAA.

Similar to the DJI FPV, the Air 2S has O3 (formerly known as Occusync 3.0), DJI'due south long-range digital manual technology. Theoretically, you should be able to control the drone from as far as 7.5 miles away and still receive a 1080p video.

DJI Air 2S review: Camera performance and features

The largest change in the Air 2S is its image sensor, which has doubled in size from the Mavic Air. This new i-inch sensor can take 20MP images and videos at up to 5.4K/30 fps. In addition, the pixel size is 2.4um, three times larger than that of the Mavic Air.

Apart from the physical changes to the camera, DJI also tweaked the internal software. The nigh notable add-on is a characteristic chosen MasterShots, which attempts to make it easier for drone pilots to accept picturesque movies.

When agile, MasterShots will clarify what the Air 2S' camera is looking at, and and then automatically determine the best flight path. It will then set off and create a two-infinitesimal video (you tin can arrange the length) and return, and fix the video to music. In the DJI fly app, y'all tin can and then choose themes and music.

It's designed to take much of the guesswork out of creating a compelling video. In some ways, it's similar to what y'all'll find on the best action cams, such every bit the GoPro Hero9 or the Insta360 One X, which volition have your videos and, using algorithms in their apps, put together a TikTok-worthy video.

However, MasterShots only works with stationary objects, so you tin can't employ the drone's object-tracking with this feature enabled. Unlike DJI's other autonomous modes — which let you know where the drone will be going — I was also a chip uncomfortable with not knowing where the drone was headed.

Carried over from previous drones is FocusTrack, which lets you select a bailiwick that the drone will then follow in a linear or round blueprint. Also making a reappearance is SmartPhoto, which will automatically select the all-time photo settings (HDR, Hyperlight, etc.) based on what the camera sees.

DJI Air 2S review: Battery life

Ane thing that hasn't changed is the flight time. The Air 2S can stay aloft for up to 31 minutes — typically, a few less than that in practise — which is substantially the aforementioned as the Mavic Air 2 and the Mavic Pro 2. It remains to be seen if the next generation of DJI drones can interruption this half-hour threshold.

DJI Air 2S review: Verdict

Different the DJI Mini or DJI FPV, the DJI Air 2S isn't breaking whatever new basis when it comes to drone pattern or capabilities. Rather, information technology's an incremental upgrade to a solid platform.

Equally DJI is not discontinuing any of its other models, the Air 2S represents a $200 upgrade from the Mavic Air two, and a $300 saving over the Mavic 2 Pro. The Air 2S has a better sensor than the Air ii (and is on a par with the Hasselblad camera in the Mavic 2 Pro). The Air 2S besides has more advanced avionics and camera modes, though the Mavic 2 Pro has more collision-abstention sensors, and can stay steady in higher winds.

Ultimately, if yous're looking for a quality drone, you can't go wrong with DJI, and with the introduction of the Air 2S it's all about what features you want, and how much you're willing to pay. Personally, I love the $449 DJI Mini two; while it doesn't have the largest sensor, it tin shoot 4K videos, and it's so pocket-sized and light that you tin can take it about anywhere. Simply, if yous want higher quality videos and some more than advanced tracking, the DJI Air 2S is hard to beat.

Michael A. Prospero is the deputy editor at Tom'due south Guide overseeing the home, smart home, drones, and fettle/wearables categories, as well as all buying guides and other evergreen content. When he's non testing out the latest running watch, skiing or preparation for a marathon, he's probably using the latest sous vide machine or some other cooking gadget.