DJI Mavic 4 Pro Review A New Benchmark in Consumer Drone Technology

DJI’s highly anticipated Mavic 4 Pro drone has finally been released, but there’s some bad news. Because of Trump’s tariffs and other market uncertainties, such as the possibility of a DJI ban, it’s not available for sale in the U.S. yet, and there’s no information on when it will be or at what price. This will likely frustrate U.S. buyers, as the Mavic 4 Pro is the most advanced consumer drone to date.

Equipped with a unique triple-camera setup in an eye-catching round gimbal, the Mavic 4 Pro can record up to 6K at 60 fps with 16 stops of dynamic range, outperforming not only other drones but even many cameras. DJI has also enhanced the drone’s top speed, battery life, and range, while upgrading obstacle avoidance in low-light conditions with a new LiDAR system. Additionally, the company unveiled the RC Pro 2 controller, featuring a practical new foldable design.

I’ve been using the Mavic 4 Pro for a few weeks, and it performs even better than the specs indicate. While it’s on the pricier side, this drone is so refined and powerful that nothing else comes close to matching it.

Layout

The standout feature, as revealed by leaks and a teaser last week, is the large round triple-camera “Infinity Gimbal” module at the front. This design allows the gimbal to rotate freely, enhancing stabilization and offering unique camera angles. It increases the tilt-up angle from 60 to 70 degrees and enables the gimbal to move at any angle, creating dynamic “Dutch” angles for more creative shots. Additionally, it can rotate 90 degrees to capture full-resolution vertical video perfect for social media.

Thanks to the new housing and slightly larger batteries, the Mavic 4 Pro weighs 2.3 pounds, which is 0.2 pounds heavier than the Mavic 3 Pro. The propeller arms have been redesigned to allow for folding and unfolding in any order, a change from the previous model. Additionally, the body is more aerodynamic, improving both efficiency and speed.

The Mavic 4 Pro features a forward-facing LiDAR sensor and six omnidirectional fisheye sensors for enhanced night-time obstacle detection, working in light as low as 0.1 lux. The standard model offers 64GB of internal storage (42GB usable), while the Creator Combo version includes 512GB (460GB usable), both with a microSD card slot.

The Mavic 4 Pro comes with the RC2 controller, featuring a 7-inch HDR display, retractable joysticks, camera controls, HDMI and USB-C ports, and Wi-Fi 6 for fast data transfers.

Its new 95Wh batteries offer up to 51 minutes of flight time (40-45 minutes with typical use), a big improvement over the Mavic 3 Pro. They also charge faster, taking 51 minutes for one or 90 minutes for three with the Fly More kit charger.

Capabilities and Functionality

The Mavic 4 Pro can reach 56 mph (90 km/h) in sport mode, up from 47 mph, and 40 mph in normal mode with obstacle avoidance. However, it’s still a large drone, lacking the agility of the Mini 4 Pro and not ideal for tight spaces without propeller guards.

Its noise level is 83 dB, similar to the Mavic 3 Pro, but with a less intrusive lower frequency. The O4+ transmission system extends its video range to 18.6 miles (30 km), with fewer dropouts, improved interference resistance, and bright 10-bit HDR 1080p live video.

The Mavic 4 Pro’s ActiveTrack 360 lets you adjust the camera angle while keeping the subject centered, even when partially obscured. It tracked a car at 30 mph with full obstacle avoidance and followed a cyclist creatively, though it had a minor collision with a tree branch. It also performed well for vlogging, smoothly following a preset route.

At night, the Mavic 4 Pro used its LiDAR and low-light sensors to navigate trees and buildings, reliably avoiding obstacles. The LiDAR sensor works only facing forward, and the return-to-home feature now works without GPS in well-lit conditions, as the drone can remember its flight path.

Video Performance

The Mavic 4 Pro features an upgraded camera system with exceptional video quality, including a 28mm Hasselblad-branded wide-angle lens with a 100MP dual ISO 4/3 sensor, capable of shooting 6K at 60 fps or 4K at 120 fps. It supports D-Log and D-LogM color profiles for enhanced dynamic range and offers a variable aperture (f/2.0 to f/11) for better control in varying lighting conditions.

The drone also includes a 70mm medium telephoto lens and a 168mm telephoto lens, both delivering high-quality images. Video is sharp and color-accurate, with strong dynamic range, and the Creator Combo version supports H.264 All-I recording at 1,200 Mbps for efficient editing. However, it lacks the ProRes 4:2:2 HQ option available on the Mavic 3 Pro Cine edition.

The Mavic 4 Pro excels in low light with its dual ISO, capturing cityscapes with minimal grain and balancing bright skies and dark ground in D-Log mode. The 100MP mode offers detailed photos, while the 25MP mode reduces noise in low light. The RAW DNG format allows for easy adjustments in high-contrast settings.

The 70mm telephoto camera (3x) is ideal for portraits and landscapes, supporting 4K at 120 fps with D-Log or D-LogM. While its low-light performance isn’t as strong, the 168mm camera is great for wildlife photography and offers decent video quality.

Conclusion

The Mavic 4 Pro showcases DJI’s dominance in the consumer drone market, outperforming the Mavic 3 Pro in almost every aspect. Its closest competitor, the Autel Evo II Pro 6K, has a smaller sensor, shorter range, and lower endurance.

While the Mavic 4 Pro is unavailable in the U.S. due to potential sales bans, it is available in other regions, priced from €2,099 (£1,879) for the standard RC2 controller model. The Fly More kit is €2,699 (£2,459), and the Creator Combo, with additional features, is €3,539 (£3,209). The RC2 Pro controller alone costs €999 (£879).

Read the original article on: Engadget

Read more: U.S. Drone Outperforms Rivals at Chinese-Level Prices