DJI Avata: New FPV drone launches promising improved usability with a 48 MP camera like the Mini 3 Pro
DJI has lifted the lid on the Avata, its replacement for the DJI FPV drone. The only price announced at today's 'Born to Fly' hardware launch event, the DJI Avata builds on its predecessor with a more robust design and significant camera improvements. Also, the new first-person view (FPV) drone can be ordered with revised goggles, as various leaks suggested would be the case.
Weighing in at 410 g, the DJI Avata is significantly heavier than the Mini 3 Pro, another consumer drone that DJI announced this year. As expected, the DJI Avata relies on a similar camera to the Mini 3 Pro, a 48 MP CMOS sensor with a 1/1.7-inch optical format and a 155-degree field-of-view. DJI states that the sensor offers 100-25,600 ISO on the Avata, as well as 4-in-1 pixel-binning and a shutter speed that varies between 1/50s to 1/8,000s.
Additionally, the DJI Avata can record videos in 4K at 60 FPS, or in 2.7K at 120 FPS. Meanwhile, the new DJI Goggles 2 contain micro-OLED panels that operate at 1080p and 100 FPS. Supposedly, the DJI Avata and DJI Goggles 2 communicate with a latency of just 30 ms too, which should make it possible to pull off intricate manoeuvres smoothly. Unsurprisingly, battery life is rather low, with DJI advertising the Avata as having an 18-minute flight time at 27 metres per second. In short, the DJI Avata should be capable of covering 11.6 km in that time.
The DJI Avata starts at US$629 without a remote controller or goggles. For reference, the FPV Drone is compatible with the DJI Motion Controller, DJI FPV Remote Controller 2 and the DJI FPV Goggles V2. Alternatively, DJI sells the Fly Smart Combo for US$1,168, which includes the DJI FPV Goggles V2 and the DJI Motion Controller. By contrast, the Pro-View Combo comes with the DJI Goggles 2 and the DJI Motion Controller, but for US$1,388. DJI will begin shipping pre-orders on August 30.
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