DJI unveils Compact, Agile, and Fast Avata Drone with POV Broadcast Support

DJI has announced the Avata, essentially a more affordable version of the FPV model, with which the company first offered a special VR headset with a first-person view from the onboard camera. The new DJI Avata FPV is characterized by compact dimensions, high flight speed, and low weight, despite the seemingly bulky design.

DJI Avata is equipped with a 48-megapixel 1/1.7-inch (9.5 × 7.6 × 5.7 mm) sensor – it is equipped with an ultra wide-angle lens with a 155° field of view. The camera allows you to take photos at a resolution of 4000 × 3000 pixels, as well as shoot 4K video at 60 fps or select other formats, such as 2.7K resolution at 60, 100, or 120 fps. Shooting in standard color or with a D-Cinelike profile is supported, which allows for flexible color correction in post-processing. The standard built-in storage is 20 GB, but a 256 GB version will also be available. Of course, there is also support for microSD memory cards.

The 2420 mAh battery capacity provides up to 18 minutes of flight. DJI Avata dimensions are 180 × 180 × 80 mm with a mass of 410 g – while the drone can accelerate to 97 km / h in a horizontal direction, and during takeoff and landing, the maximum speed is 21 km/h. The drone boasts a whole set of security features: in addition to housings on propellers, this is, in particular, the DJI GEO 2.0 system, which informs the operator about various airspace restrictions and does not allow the car to be launched near high-risk places – for example, near airports. The DJI AirSense ADS-B system notifies operators of approaching aircraft or helicopters.

The drone also has an infrared obstacle detection system and bottom view modules with two auxiliary cameras. The manufacturer claims that these tools allow the drone to hover at one point with high accuracy, navigate where satellite navigation is not available, and detect inappropriate places for landing, such as bodies of water.

DJI Avata offers three flight modes for operators of all skill levels. In normal (N) mode, the drone is controlled in the same way as any other standard DJI model – the vehicle is guided by satellite and visual positioning. Manual (M) mode only works when the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2 is connected, giving the operator full control of the drone. Sport (S) mode combines the advantages of the other two and is designed to allow the operator to practice their skills and get used to the control of the model.

Together with the DJI Avata drone, the manufacturer announced the FPV Goggles 2 controller, which is positioned as a new generation video headset, more compact, lighter, and more comfortable with a clear first-person image. Goggles 2 offers a micro-OLED display with an adjustable diopter. For communication, the DJI O3 + protocol is used, which provides minimal delays and broadcasts of 1080p resolution video at 100 frames per second, and the H.265 codec. The latency is 30ms, the maximum communication distance is 10km, the data rate is 50Mbps, and the advanced anti-jamming features. Another novelty is the Motion Controller accessory, which allows you to control the drone with natural movements with one hand, even when it comes to complex maneuvers. The manufacturer claims that the operation of the device is intuitive even for beginners.

DJI Avata price & release date

The basic version of DJI Avata is available for $629 on the Amazon.com, Bhphotovideo.com, and Amazon.co.uk websites – for this money, neither the traditional remote control, the headset, nor the new controller is included. The company offers multiple FPV drone kit options, including a $1,388 combo that includes the drone itself, DJI Goggles 2, and a DJI Motion Controller. Other options are available, including spare batteries.