Aerial shots are always spectacular to see, whether in movies or still photography; there always seems to be something fascinating about seeing our world from above. It tends to make us somewhat jealous of the birds flying overhead. It sort of makes us wonder how they do see us below.
True, man has for a long time now been able to see from a ‘bird’s eye view’ with the development of airplanes and then drones. But never since before drones became available for civilian use did it become possible for professionals videographers and enthusiasts alike to slake their thirsts for making aerial videos.
Today, it seems that no video graphic process is complete without an aerial shot using drones. Shots that before now were only possible with the use of either crane (which had limited range and angles), or with helicopters (which was a rather expensive venture). But with the development of small and portable drones; professional aerial videographers and enthusiasts are now taking to the skies to make fascinating videos and take breathtaking shots.
Since the advent of the first civilian use drones, more and more technical and technological improvements have been made to them to satisfy the growing demands for their quite varied uses. This, of course, includes professional filmmakers and videographers.
This is why the #Air2SDrone, the latest offering from the staple of SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd or Shenzhen DJI Sciences and Technologies Ltd. in full, more popularly known by its trade name DJI, must excite all professionals. The DJI Air 2S Drone promises to be a dream come true for professional videographers because of its very advanced technology features.
The new product comes with a 1-inch 20MP sensor capable of shooting 10-bit 5.4K video up to 30fps as well as 4K up to 60fps at a maximum bitrate of 150MB/s. The built-in 22mm (equivalent) lens has a fixed f/2.8 aperture that produces a FOV of 88°. Additionally, DJI Air 2S users can pick from three different picture profiles – Normal (8-bit), D-Log (10-bit), and HLG (10-bit); with the benefits of recording options of H.264 and H.265 codecs available to them.
Also, the DJI Air 2S Drone supports 4X zooms at 4K 30fps, 6X at 2.7K 30fps, 4X at 2.7K 60fps, 6K at 1080P, 60fps, and 8X at 1080P 30fps. The drone also comes with forward and backward as well as upward and downward sensors along with APAS 4.0 technology enabling it to avoid obstacles in a wide range of environments.
Besides the regular manual flying, Air 2S brings a variety of pre-programmed flying modes such as MasterShots, FocusTrack, Point of Interest 3.0, ActiveTrack 4.0, Spotlight 2.0, QuickShots, just to name a few. Additionally, the DJI Air 2S offers up to 30 minutes of flight time with over 4 hours of remote battery life while using the same 3500mAh battery found on the Mavic Air 2. The drone also has 8GB of internal storage while the onboard OcuSync 3.0 provides a stable, live view of up to 7.5 miles away.
The DJI’s AirSense system, on the other hand, warns drone pilots of nearby airplanes and helicopters transmitting ADS-B signals, which is an improved Return-To-Home (RTH) feature, and the GEO 2.0 geofencing system to help keep the drone away from restricted areas. DJI Air 2S is also supported by the latest version of the DJI Fly app.
Other highlights of the DJI Air 2S Drone include:
- Compact & Foldable Design
- 20MP Stills or up to 5.4K Ultra HD Video
- 3-Axis Gimbal with 22mm Lens & 1″ CMOS
- MasterShots Automated Themed Filming
- FocusTrack Subject Tracking Modes
- QuickShot Aerial Effects
- Hyperlapse Modes for Timelapse Videos
- 4-Antenna Remote with 7.5-Mile Range
- 4-Direction Obstacle Avoidance
- D-Log 10-Bit Color & 12.6-Stop RAW
- Weight: 595g (1.31lbs)
The DJI Air 2S is retailing now for $999 but can set you back as much as $1,299 if you want to get Fly More Combo comes with some additional accessories such as two additional batteries, ND filters, a charging hub, and a shoulder bag.
