Small Enough

The Mavic Air 2 is a bit bigger all around than its predecessor, the Mavic Air, but you probably won’t care. At 3.3 by 3.8 by 7.1 inches (HWD) and 1.3 pounds, it’s slim enough to find a space inside most photographer’s gear bags.

The footprint is larger when the arms are extended and the drone is ready to fly, but the profile is still pretty low. You may not be able to take off from a lawn if the grass isn’t freshly cut, but you can typically find an appropriately flat patch of dirt or asphalt to launch.

Remote Control

DJI went back to the drawing board for the Air 2’s remote. It’s completely redesigned, dropping the LCD and moving the phone clip from bottom to top. It’s a bit bigger all around and finished in an attractive gray plastic.

There are a number of built-in features to improve safety when flying. Forward and rear sensors detect and avoid obstructions—you need to turn them on in the app. There’s a downward-facing sensor, used to help keep the drone hovering in place when low to the ground and flying indoors, without the aid of GPS.