Mavic 2 improvements – DJI upgrades make it a better drone

The Mavic 2 Zoom and Mavic 2 Pro were game-changing drones upon their release. In typical DJI fashion, the Mavic 2 was released a bit hastily, with some issues yet to be worked out with firmware updates. DroneDJ and others have filed some complaints and it looks like DJI has been listening. These two drones are better drones today then they were upon their release. 

Don’t get me wrong. Both the Mavic 2 Pro ($1499) and Mavic 2 Zoom ($1249) are excellent drones, perhaps the best two models DJI has ever created. But they aren’t perfect. They have their pros and their cons.

We pointed out a dozen improvements that we thought DJI could address quickly and easily. (Read about those here).

New firmware updates have addressed a handful of our gripes and as DJI continues to release updates these two drones will continue to get better.

Here is what we asked for, and here is what DJI has already done.

Improved Obstacle Avoidance

Initially, the “all-sides” obstacle avoidance was very limited in when it was active. The side sensors were deactivated in almost every flight mode with the exception of the super slow tripod mode.  This was likely because DJI was still working on getting the algorithms correct with the new wide angle lenses for their new Mavic 2 models.

This limitation was incredibly frustrating because the modes that you would need it most were normal free flight, Quick Shots like Boomerang, and Point of Interest.  DJI has solved this issue so now you have the peace of mind flying with “all-sides” obstacle avoidance using a variety of flight modes.

Added Customizability

Another improvement related to obstacle avoidance that we asked for was the ability to be able to turn avoidance on and off using one of the C1/C2 buttons. Often times we want to fly close to trees or other obstacles to get cinematic shots but have to go through menu options to turn off the annoying beeps that come with obstacle avoidance. Even landing can become a hassle with the obstacle avoidance picking up nearby chairs or other objects. Now you can quickly turn it off and on by setting it to a button. Just make sure you know your status during flight.

We would also like to be able to customize gimbal settings. Having slow cinematic settings at the push of a button would be nice. Hopefully, DJI is still working on this one.

Delivery Issues

Some people thought our complaining about FedEx delivery was ludicrous and others agreed wholeheartedly. We have had plenty of issues with FedEx. Packages not showing up on the correct day. Not having the ability to sign ahead of time. Not having the ability to change delivery options. There have been countless issues. It seems DJI is starting to listen and how there are some delivery options. We noticed this when we ordered our new Osmo Pocket. We had multiple delivery options and could choose to have a signature upon delivery or not if we chose.

More Internal Storage

The Mavic Air ($699) was the first DJI drone to have internal storage when they included 8 GB on board. The Mavic 2 models followed with their own 8 GB of onboard storage. With the low cost of storage, why did DJI only include 8 GB? We understand this isn’t meant to be the sole way to store video, but if you are filming in 4K you can fill that up pretty quickly. DJI seems to have recognized the error of their ways and now includes 24 GB with all of the Mavic 2 Enterprise drones. Perhaps when they release their Platinum model it too will have 24 GB of storage.

Precision Landing

Precision landing is something that wasn’t included initially with the Mavic 2 models. We suspect they were working out the kinks related to the new LED lighting system on the bottom of the drone. It is now there and the Mavic will land precisely where you want it to.

Other Improvements

Some people like the small and compact Fly More bag. It can hold all of the necessary things you need to fly. However, everything is tight and compact. There are now some really good aftermarket cases. We really like our GPC case. It is bigger but can hold a lot more accessories. The GPC case is super durable and even waterproof. If you are like us and you value safety over small packaging for your prized Mavic then check out this GPC case.

There are a couple of other improvements that DJI has made to their Mavic 2 drones. They are continuously working on it to improve Active Track and the new firmware helps it work even better. You can also take even longer exposure pictures using hyperlapse now. I’m particularly excited to try this out as I enjoy using this feature at dusk to capture scenic photos. We are excited that DJI continues to improve their products and the Mavic 2 lineup is better today then the day they were released.

Mavic 2 vs Phantom 4

One issue that wasn’t corrected and won’t be changed is the quality of 4K in certain modes, specifically when it comes to using the Mavic 2 Pro. Some people think that DJI is holding the camera back intentionally but we believe that it is due to a limitation with the processor. We have done some testing and the Phantom 4 Pro camera is still better.  Interestingly we haven’t seen the same issues with the Mavic 2 Zoom. If you want more details you can read about that here.

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