Compare DJI Mavic Air and DJI Mavic Air 2

The distance that a quadcopter can travel in the air on one full battery charge. Simply put, this is the drone's range in kilometers. Note that smaller, lighter drones tend to have a more limited flight range compared to larger, more powerful models. In the latter, it can reach 30 km or more. Also, the maximum flight distance is often influenced by weather factors and the load carried by the copter.

Maximum flight time of a quadcopter on one full battery charge. This indicator is quite approximate, since it is most often indicated for ideal conditions - in real use, the flight time may be less than stated. However, by this indicator it is quite possible to evaluate the general capabilities of the copter and compare it with other models - a longer declared flight time in practice usually means higher autonomy.

Note that for modern copters, a flight time of 20 minutes or more is considered a good indicator, and in the most “long-lasting” models it can exceed 40 minutes.

The speed at which the quadcopter rises up in the air or descends to the ground. Recreational, photo and video models tend to have more moderate climb/descent speeds, while professional or racing drones can rise and fall much faster. This indicator can be used to evaluate how quickly the copter can rise to a height for filming or, if necessary, avoid obstacles, and a high descent rate will be useful if the drone needs to be returned to the ground quickly and safely.

The ability of a quadcopter to maintain and maintain stable flight parameters in windy weather. In this column, it is customary to indicate the wind force in meters per second, which ensures trouble-free takeoff and landing of the drone within the permissible wind speed. Directly in flight, copters can overcome the resistance of even faster winds. But takeoffs and landings with wind strength above the designated level are fraught with unpredictable movements of the drone, loss of control and an increased risk of emergency situations.

The physical size of the photosensitive element of a camera. Measured diagonally, often indicated in fractions of an inch — for example, 1/3.2" or 1/2.3" (respectively, the second matrix will be larger than the first). Note that in such designations it is not the “ordinary” inch (2.54 cm) that is used, but the so-called "Vidiconovsky", which is less than a third and is about 17 mm. This is partly a tribute to the tradition that comes from television tubes — "vidicons" (the forerunners of modern matrices), partly — a marketing ploy that gives buyers the impression that the matrices are larger than they really are.

Anyway, for the same resolution (number of megapixels), a larger matrix means a larger size for each individual pixel; accordingly, on large matrices, more light enters each pixel, which means that such matrices have higher photosensitivity and lower noise levels, especially when shooting in low light conditions. On the other hand, increasing the diagonal of the sensor inevitably leads to an increase in its cost.

Resolution of the matrix in the standard camera of the quadrocopter.

Theoretically, the higher the resolution, the sharper, more detailed image the camera can produce. However, in practice, the quality of the "picture" is highly dependent on a number of other technical features - the size of the matrix, image processing algorithms, optical properties, etc. Moreover, when increasing the resolution without increasing the size of the matrix, the image quality may drop, because. significantly increases the likelihood of noise and extraneous artifacts. And for shooting video, a large number of megapixels is not required at all: for example, to shoot Full HD (1920x1080) video, which is considered a very solid format for quadrocopters, a sensor of only 2.07 megapixels is enough.

Note that high resolution is often a sign of an advanced camera with high image quality. However, this quality is not determined by the number of megapixels, but by the characteristics of the camera and the special technologies used in it. Therefore, when choosing a quadcopter with a camera, you should look not so much at the resolution as at the class and price category of the model as a whole.

The maximum resolution of photos that the standard quadcopter camera can take. This parameter is directly related to the resolution of the matrix (see above): usually, the maximum resolution of a photo corresponds to the full resolution of the matrix. For example, for pictures of 4000x3000 pixels, a sensor of 4000 * 3000=12 megapixels is provided.

Theoretically, a higher resolution of photography allows you to achieve highly detailed photographs, with good visibility of fine details. However, as in the case of the overall resolution of the matrix, high resolution does not guarantee the same overall quality, and you should focus not only on this parameter, but also on the price category of the quadcopter and its camera.

Also note that the high resolution of the camera affects the volume of the materials being shot, for their storage and transmission, more voluminous drives and “thick” communication channels are required.

The maximum resolution and frame rate supported by the aircraft camera when shooting in HD (720p).

HD 720p is the first high-definition video standard. Notably inferior to Full HD and 4K formats in terms of performance, it nevertheless provides pretty good detail without significant demands on the camera and processing power. Therefore, HD support is found even in relatively inexpensive copters. And in high-end models, it can be provided as an addition to more advanced standards.

In drones, HD cameras typically use the classic 1280x720 resolution; other, more specific options are practically non-existent. As for the frame rate, the higher it is, the smoother the video turns out, the less movement is blurred in the frame. In general, values up to 24 fps can be called minimal, from 24 to 30 fps — medium, from 30 to 60 fps — high, and speeds over 60 fps are used mainly for slow motion HD.

The maximum resolution and frame rate supported by the aircraft camera when shooting in Full HD (1080p).

The traditional resolution of such a video is 1920x1080; this is what is most often used in drones, although occasionally there are more specific options — for example, 1280x1080. In general, this is far from the most advanced, but more than a decent high-definition video standard, such an image gives sufficient detail for most cases and looks good even on a large TV screen — 32 "and more. At the same time, achieve a high frame rate in Full HD It is relatively simple and takes up less space than higher resolution content, so Full HD shooting can be done even on aircraft that support more advanced video formats like 4K.

As for the actual frame rate, the higher it is, the smoother the video turns out, the less motion is blurred in the frame. On the other hand, the shooting speed directly affects the requirements for the power of the hardware and the volume of the finished files. In general, values up to 24 fps can be called minimal, from 24 to 30 fps — medium, from 30 to 60 fps — high, and speeds over 60 fps are used mainly for slow motion Full HD.