Having reviewed dozens of drones of all shapes, sizes, and costs, I would not too long ago come to the conclusion that smaller, lighter, and cheaper drones have been the way in which to go for 90 p.c of shoppers. Premium drones, with all their gear and flight rules, simply did not make sense. However then DJI launched its new premium-priced, jumbo-size flagship client drone, the Mavic 4 Professional, and made me fall in love once more. Sure, this drone is critically spectacular.
However earlier than I deep-dive the phenomenally good digicam and ridiculously lengthy vary, it is essential to notice that the Mavic 4 Professional won’t be formally out there within the US. But. In addition to ongoing points round flight restrictions and safety, a DJI spokesperson informed WIRED, “Like many world firms, we have now needed to alter our market technique as native circumstances and the business setting have advanced. Whereas we shouldn’t have a timeline for after we can introduce the product to the US market, we’re carefully monitoring the state of affairs and actively exploring each doable answer.”
The Mavic 4 Professional is, nevertheless, listed on B&H Photograph for $2,699, which is teasingly optimistic. It’s not on the market, but, however there may be no less than some hope.
Focal Hero
So what makes the Mavic 4 Professional nice? It is largely all the way down to the digicam. Or cameras, I ought to say. Similar to its predecessor, the Mavic 3 Professional (9/10 WIRED Recommends), the Mavic 4 Professional has three cameras. There’s an ultra-high-spec wide-angle digicam partnered with barely lower-spec medium-telephoto and telephoto cameras. The trio’s equal focal lengths are 28 mm, 70 mm and 168 mm, respectively.
They’re all enhancements over the Mavic 3 Professional’s cameras. And the star of the present incorporates a new 4/3 sensor able to 100 MP pictures and 6K video seize at as much as 60 fps (or 4K at 120 fps, for slick slow-motion playback), with an astounding 16 stops of dynamic vary. It additionally has an adjustable aperture, permitting pilots to select something between f/2.0 and f/11.0.
The opposite cameras’ sensors are just a little smaller in measurement, their video is restricted to 4K decision, and their apertures are mounted at f/2.8, however all three cameras can seize video at 10-bit high quality utilizing the D-Log, D-Log M, or HLG colour profiles. In different phrases, all are constructed for pro-quality aerial film making.
And higher but, it’s all mounted on a very new design of gimbal that is in a position to freely rotate and tilt. Not solely does this imply it may be pointed immediately upward, it could additionally rotate to seize true portrait-oriented content material, completely formatted for the likes of TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts.
All the above makes the inventive capabilities of the Mavic 4 Professional one thing to behold. It’s a improbable aerial digicam in nearly any lighting circumstances (the 28-mm Hasselblad is especially succesful at night-time, for example) and its vary of movement and selection of focal lengths makes it extremely versatile. If there’s one thing else this completed in client drones, image-quality sensible, I’ve but to come across it.
Flight Membership
The drone’s flight capabilities are spectacular, too, proper all the way down to new time-saving touches like the actual fact it robotically powers on when unfolded. Battery life is now 51 minutes, a notable enchancment over the Mavic 3 Professional’s 43 minutes, whereas the extra aerodynamic design of the drone makes flight each sooner and quieter.
The 4 Professional can also be the primary Mavic mannequin to return with a front-facing Lidar sensor, which, when teamed up with the low-light imaginative and prescient sensors that poke out in all instructions, provides this drone much more situational consciousness and anti-collision functionality, even in less-than-ideal lighting circumstances. This works nicely with its monitoring capabilities, which permit it to precisely preserve the digicam focussed on individuals, boats, and autos whereas being flown both manually or autonomously.
Return to dwelling capabilities have additionally been upgraded. The drone’s enhanced visible expertise now let it robotically fly again to its take-off level with out using GPS. I used to be additionally in a position to transfer the house level to the present controller place reasonably than the take-off level, which is a helpful characteristic to have when you’re piloting the drone from a transferring automotive or boat.
Controller Improve
DJI despatched me each an everyday RC 2 controller and the brand new RC 2 Professional controller ($1,299) to check with the Mavic 4 Professional, and whereas the previous works nicely sufficient, the RC 2 Professional actually improves the expertise. Its display is bigger and brighter and may rotate by means of 90 levels to behave extra like a smartphone (it runs on Android, so you possibly can set up third-party apps), and it powers on robotically whenever you elevate the display from the physique. This motion additionally leads to the 2 thumb sticks popping up, which means you don’t need to screw them on every time you utilize the controller.
{Photograph}: Chris Haslam
All in all, the Mavic 4 Professional represents a significant improve over its already spectacular predecessor and makes the thought of proudly owning a bigger drone as soon as once more very interesting. Whereas it’s true that heavier drones are topic to plenty of (typically tiresome) restrictions in comparison with ultra-lightweight fashions, however the additional paperwork and care round flight areas looks like a value price paying once they carry out in addition to this does.
As for the precise value of the Mavic 4 Professional, I’d name it costly however good worth—supplied you’re going to truly make use of this drone’s huge array of capabilities. For those who’re simply in search of one thing to get within the air and seize a couple of handsome pictures, the less expensive DJI Mini 4 Professional (8/10 WIRED Recommends) is all you want. If you need the pliability and energy to create one thing particular, the Mavic 4 Professional has it—and extra.
I simply hope DJI is ready to navigate across the ongoing uncertainty of the Trump administration’s tariffs, because it’d be a real disgrace if this good drone weren’t out there within the US.
