A leaked photo has given us the first glimpse of "Mavic 2," the newest aerial drone being developed by Shenzhen-based DJI (Dà-Jiāng Innovations) that controls 70 percent of the world's commercial drone market.
Mavic 2 is the newest member of a series that includes the Mavic Pro and Mavic Air, which are hugely popular for aerial videography and photography work in the music, television and movie industries. It's DJI's newest drone since Mavic Air hit world markets last January.
Judging from the high quality leaked image, Mavic 2 should handle better than the Mavic Air because of its more refined aerodynamic design. Mavic 2 also appears sleeker than its brother while retaining the same overall shape and color.
But it's the capabilities of this new unmanned aerial vehicle that count, and what we do know about the Mavic 2, and what we see in the photo, gets our nod. The new aerial machine includes a removable gimbal for a wide-angle lens, probably similar to the one mounted on the Phantom series, DJI's top-selling model.
But what's a lot more exciting are rumors Mavic 2 will come with full 360-degree obstacle avoidance to better avoid crashes, a huge leap from the limited capabilities on other models such as the Mavic Air. The Mavic Pro features multiple redundant sensors and obstacle avoidance to help prevent crashes.
Needless to say that 360-degree avoidance means the addition of more sensors on the bottom and back of the drone to complement those on the front and side. Like its two brothers, Mavic 2 can be folded for easy storage and transport.
Based on past experience, leaks are a prelude to a launch and Mavic 2 would make for a great Christmas present.
