Key Features of the Mavic Air 2S Are NOT Available at Any Video Resolutions Above 30 FPS!

[TheMann58]

Unfortunately, based on information posted on DJI’s website, the following key features of the DJI Mavic Air 2S are NOT available at most high-quality video resolutions (see details in DJI website notes below), especially those video modes above 30 FPS, which severely limits the usefulness and value of these features in my opinion:

• “FocusTrack” Features, which include:
  • Spotlight 2.0
  • ActiveTrack 4.0
  • Point of Interest 3.0
• APAS 4.0

From DJI website page: DJI Air 2S - All In One - DJI

”*** FocusTrack is not available while recording in 5.4K/30fps, 5.4K/25fps, 5.4K/24fps, 4K/60fps, 4K/50fps, 4K/48fps, 2.7K/60fps, 2.7K/50fps, 2.7K/48fps, 1080p/120fps, 1080p/60fps, 1080p/50fps, and 1080p/48fps. FocusTrack is not an option when shooting 5.4K video.
**** APAS 4.0 is not available while recording in 5.4K/30fps, 5.4K/25fps, 5.4K/24fps, 4K/60fps, 4K/50fps, 4K/48fps, 2.7K/60fps, 2.7K/50fps, 2.7K/48fps, 1080p/120fps.”

 

[Sayenah]

Unfortunately, based on information posted on DJI’s website, the following key features of the DJI Mavic Air 2S are NOT available at most high-quality video resolutions (see details in DJI website notes below), especially those video modes above 30 FPS, which severely limits the usefulness and value of these features in my opinion:

• “FocusTrack” Features, which include:
  • Spotlight 2.0
  • ActiveTrack 4.0
  • Point of Interest 3.0
• APAS 4.0

From DJI website page: DJI Air 2S - All In One - DJI

”*** FocusTrack is not available while recording in 5.4K/30fps, 5.4K/25fps, 5.4K/24fps, 4K/60fps, 4K/50fps, 4K/48fps, 2.7K/60fps, 2.7K/50fps, 2.7K/48fps, 1080p/120fps, 1080p/60fps, 1080p/50fps, and 1080p/48fps. FocusTrack is not an option when shooting 5.4K video.
**** APAS 4.0 is not available while recording in 5.4K/30fps, 5.4K/25fps, 5.4K/24fps, 4K/60fps, 4K/50fps, 4K/48fps, 2.7K/60fps, 2.7K/50fps, 2.7K/48fps, 1080p/120fps.”

Pretty much expected. Moral of the story is that if you want to do relatively fancier things you must learn to drone better instead of relying on built in gimmicks.

 

[Yeunglings]

Pretty much expected. Moral of the story is that if you want to do relatively fancier things you must learn to drone better instead of relying on built in gimmicks.

I agree but when DJI is flaunting all these capabilites as major reasons to buy this drone only to read the fine print that they don't work in roughly 80% of the situations it's a little disheartening. We're not talking claiming 31 minutes of flight( perfect conditions) and realistically only getting 20 to 25 by keeping 20% as a safety reserve. This is more like the cheap Banggood drones claiming 60 minutes of flight¹
¹When using 10 batteries in a closed space and each 6 minute battery takes an hour to charge.
Not really THAT BAD but close enough. If my camera was advertised as being able to go to iso128000 but in the fine print it told me only when I'm wearing a green shirt on alternating Thursdays otherwise it's 6400 I'd be a bit disappointed. I bought it for the advertised capability, not the hidden away limits to said feature.

 

[Dave Maine]

The tradeoffs between video features and high frame rate performance comes down to battery life. To get the cpu performance to do active track etc at 60 or 120 FPS requires a faster more capable processor. It will require more power, and hence shorten battery life.

which do you prefer? There is no free lunch.

 

[Wild Drone Pilot]

I agree but when DJI is flaunting all these capabilites as major reasons to buy this drone only to read the fine print that they don't work in roughly 80% of the situations it's a little disheartening. We're not talking claiming 31 minutes of flight( perfect conditions) and realistically only getting 20 to 25 by keeping 20% as a safety reserve. This is more like the cheap Banggood drones claiming 60 minutes of flight¹
¹When using 10 batteries in a closed space and each 6 minute battery takes an hour to charge.
Not really THAT BAD but close enough. If my camera was advertised as being able to go to iso128000 but in the fine print it told me only when I'm wearing a green shirt on alternating Thursdays otherwise it's 6400 I'd be a bit disappointed. I bought it for the advertised capability, not the hidden away limits to said feature.

Reminds me of the time I read the fine print to find out I had NO obstacle avoidance at higher camera settings

 

[Yeunglings]

I thought I did a good job of reading through the manual and I dont remember seeing that for my MA2, did I miss something that blatantly important or was this from an older or different brand drone?

 

[TheMann58]

I thought I did a good job of reading through the manual and I dont remember seeing that for my MA2, did I miss something that blatantly important or was this from an older or different brand drone?

I'm afraid the lack of key features at frame rates above 30 fps was also the case for the DJI MA2, which I also own. See Note 6 at the bottom of this DJI web page on the Mavic Air 2: Mavic Air 2 - Up Your Game - DJI

"6. APAS 3.0 and FocusTrack are not available while recording in 4K at 60, 50, and 48 fps, 2.7K at 60, 50, and 48 fps, and 1080p at 120 and 240 fps."

 

[TnDronePilot]

The tradeoffs between video features and high frame rate performance comes down to battery life. To get the cpu performance to do active track etc at 60 or 120 FPS requires a faster more capable processor. It will require more power, and hence shorten battery life.

which do you prefer? There is no free lunch.

Holy crapo! I didn't even think of the tracking using up more battery time. I've been doing a ton of fire department training Active Tracks with my MA2 and even though it's probably a minimal amount of CPU energy, every second counts. In between rounds while they're resetting equipment, I've been swapping out batteries with less than 8 minutes left as I can't tell them to stop what their doing when it wants to do a force-land. I have 5 batteries and I still don't think I have enough. I can't wait for Graphene batteries.