DJI 'Mavic Air' drone leak ahead of launch reveals foldable legs, 4K camera on 3-axis gimbal

A drone expected to be released by DJI on Tuesday has reportedly leaked ahead of its public unveiling, with alleged images and specifications said to reveal the 'Mavic Air' as a smaller and lighter drone compared to the Mavic Pro, while still offering 4K resolution video and similar functionality to its predecessor.

The "Mavic Air" is reportedly equipped with a 32-megapixel camera with a 1/2.3 CMOS sensor and a new image signal processor, capable of recording 4K-resolution video at 60 frames per second, reports DroneDJ. The camera is attached to a three-axis gimbal, similar to the one used on the Mavic Pro rather than the two-axis version equipped to the cheaper DJI Spark drone.

Like the Mavic Pro, it has four foldable arms that allows it to be packed into a small bag for easier transportation. The external styling appears to be a mix of both the Mavic Pro and the Spark, taking the physical form of the first but with more rounded corners and smoother curves for the casing itself.

On the front, rear, and base of the "Mavic Air" are sensor arrays, which are used for obstacle avoidance. A Visual Positioning System will allow the drone to work better when flown indoors, without access to GPS, with sensors said to help keep control of the craft in the air and to keep its position when hovering in place.

The Spark's gesture control system is also said to be used in this drone, allowing users to perform certain functions using hand gestures aimed at the camera, such as hand signals to take a photograph or change position in the air. The reported flight time for the device will be 21 minutes, though it is unknown what range the "Mavic Air" will be able to safely fly from the pilot in use, but it will apparently be compatible with the DJI Goggles to provide a first person viewpoint while flying.

It is believed the "Mavic Air" will ship in a choice of white, black, and red matte colors. Pricing and a release date are unknown, but it is currently speculated to ship for $699.

AppleInsider will be at DJI's launch tomorrow in New York City, and will try out the drone producer's new devices and accessories during the event.

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12 Comments

epicurus 29 comments · 6 Years

About 6 years ago

i’ve been on the verge of getting a drone, with 4k almost bought a yuneec q500 but been holding out to see what came to market after ces... if that price point is true for this mavic i’ll get this, but i want a controller hate using phone or tablet

jonyo 118 comments · 19 Years

Looks like this may be a replacement for the Spark? Or maybe it's meant to be between the Spark and Mavic Pro? That seems like a crowded product line, but I'm no expert. I'm interested to know more details for comparing this Mavic Air to a Mavic/Mavic Pro, since I've been close to pulling the trigger on the Mavic Pro and a set of the goggles for first-person view flying for some time now, just saving my pennies. This news muddies the waters a bit for my decision until I know more.

nhughes 768 comments · 15 Years

libertykrs said:

Ok, I'll be the first to say it: why is this on appleinsider aside from the fact that DJI drones are sold in Apple Stores?

I'm deleting this comment because "why is this news" posts are against our commenting guidelines, but I am also publicly replying here so I can note: Devices that connect into the Apple ecosystem are very popular with our readers, and DJI has a history of not only supporting Apple devices and platforms, but also partnering with them for retail exclusives. This is extremely relevant to our readers, and you can see a small sample of the DJI coverage we have done over the years in the links below:

http://appleinsider.com/articles/18/01/08/dji-shows-off-iphone-ready-osmo-mobile-2-gimbal-with-better-battery-life-easier-controls

http://appleinsider.com/articles/18/01/08/dji-shows-off-iphone-ready-osmo-mobile-2-gimbal-with-better-battery-life-easier-controls

http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/11/15/alpine-white-version-of-dji-mavic-pro-drone-is-an-apple-store-exclusive

http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/06/16/hands-on-499-gesture-controlled-dji-spark-drone-offers-portability-simplicity

http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/05/24/watch-see-djis-jedi-like-palm-based-gesture-controls-in-action-with-the-new-spark-drone

http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/04/08/first-look-djis-new-phantom-3-drone-is-more-powerful-affordable-integrated-with-apples-ios

http://appleinsider.com/articles/15/08/08/review-dji-phantom-3-professional-ios-connected-drone-with-4k-ultra-hd-camera

Long story short: If you're not interested in a story we publish, that's fine! Just don't leave a comment on it.

bobolicious 1172 comments · 10 Years

I keep hoping for a waterproof DJI iteration: www.swellpro.com

jonyo said:

Looks like this may be a replacement for the Spark? Or maybe it's meant to be between the Spark and Mavic Pro? That seems like a crowded product line, but I'm no expert. I'm interested to know more details for comparing this Mavic Air to a Mavic/Mavic Pro, since I've been close to pulling the trigger on the Mavic Pro and a set of the goggles for first-person view flying for some time now, just saving my pennies. This news muddies the waters a bit for my decision until I know more.

Won't know until tomorrow, but my guess is that this is positioned between the Spark and the Mavic Pro. Considering the Mavic has had "Pro" in the name from the beginning, this makes sense -- a less capable, but less expensive portable model that is a step up from the toy-like Spark. I suspect the Mavic Air might be joined by a refreshed Mavic Pro (would be nice to have those Spark hand controls). Maybe a $750 Air and $1000 Pro? Considering GoPro is throwing in the towel, the timing might be pretty good for DJI to expand the lineup a bit.