DJI Avata 2 brings longer flight times, 10-Bit HDR 4K60 video and better safety

DJI has officially announced the new DJI Avata 2 drone (buy here). It’s the successor to DJI’s previous FPV drone, the DJI Avata (buy here), released in 2022. The new update brings with it a number of new benefits and features.

First up, we’ve got an improved image sensor, capable of shooting 10-Bit HDR 4K 60fps footage. It sees an extra five minutes of flight time, bumping up from 18 to 23 minutes. New safety features have also been implemented.

DJI Avata 2 – Lighter and steadier

The DJI Avata 2 is a pretty stellar-looking sequel to the original DJI Avata. It’s a bit lighter than its predecessor. It’s still not quite in the <250g territory, but the reduced weight, along with a new propeller design, means that it’ll fly for longer.

An extra 5 minutes of flight time might now sound like a whole lot. But when you consider the original only had 18 minutes, that’s about an extra 30% more time in the air per battery. It also means you need fewer spares to last you through the day.

It’s shrunk a bit in height, too. This, combined with new propellers, makes it easier for the drone to balance itself in the sky. As well as contributing to the longer flight time, this should help to create a more stable flight with less wobble than was reported with the original Avata during dives.

10-Bit 4K 60fps HDR 1/1.3″ sensor

A new, larger sensor has been put inside the DJI Avata 2. The old 1/1.7″ sensor is out, replaced by a new 1/1.3″ sensor. The sensor swap hasn’t changed much when it comes to resolution. It still shoots 12-megapixel photos but with improved tone and dynamic range – in theory, anyway.

The DJI Avata shot 8-bit 4K at 60fps. The Avata 2 shoots up to 10-bit HDR 4K at 60fps and 2K video at up to 120fps. For both stills and video, you’ve got a maximum shutter speed of 1/8000th of a second. Video goes down to 1/30th of a second at its longest, while photos go down to 1/50th.

This isn’t really a drone designed for photography and filmmaking, though. It’s a drone designed for fun, with the added benefit that it shoots pretty decent video. And to let you capture more of the fun, the supported microSD card capacity has increased from 256GB up to 512GB.

DJI Goggles 3 and DJI RC Motion 3

As well as the new drone, DJI has also announced the new DJI Goggles 3 (buy here) and DJI RC Motion 3 handset (buy here). Like the DJI Goggles 2 (buy here), the DJI Goggles 3 includes adjustable diopters. These allow those who wear glasses – some of you at least – to ditch the glasses and have the headset compensate.

Goggles 3 also brings a pair of 10-bit micro OLED displays for enhanced viewing, with a 100Hz refresh rate and reduced latency. Each headset also features a pair of built-in binocular cameras, which can be superimposed with the view from the drone. It’s displayed as a picture-in-picture to let you focus on the flight while still seeing what’s going on around you.

DJI RC Motion 3 is the latest iteration of its controller. It sports new features, such as One-Push Flip, for instant 360-degree front and backflips. One-Push Roll provides the same 360-degree rotation but in the roll axis. Finally, One-Push 180 Degree Drift lets you flip the drone backwards in an instant.

Price and Availability

The DJI Avata 2 is available to buy now in multiple packages ranging from $489-1,190. The higher the price, the more things are included. $489 is just for the basic drone. Other packages include the RC Motion 3 and/or DJI Goggles 3.

For those users who wish to get the new accessories to use with their existing drones, the DJI Goggles 3 are available to buy now for $499. The DJI RC Motion 3 is available to buy now for $99.

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