DJI Mavic Air Drone Leaks Early With 4K60 Recording, Slots Between Spark And Mavic Pro

Rather than being a spec-bump of the existing Mavic Pro, the Mavic Air appears to be an all-new model that is positioned between the $499 Spark and $999 Mavic Pro. The Mavic Air is supposedly both smaller and lighter than the Mavic Pro, putting it closer in size to the diminutive Spark. It also retains the four foldable legs, which allows the drone to be easily transported when not in use.

The 32mp camera retains a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, but a new Image Signal Processor is along for the ride. The Mavic Air is capable of shooing 4K video at 60fps, which is an upgrade from the Mavic Pro (4K at 30fps). For those looking to make an upgrade from last year's Spark, which shoots at 1080p and has a 2-way gimbal, the Mavic Air includes the 3-way gimbal from the Mavic Pro.

Given its smaller size, there are some downsides compared to the Mavic Pro. The big one is flight time: the Mavic Air can soar through the sky for 21 minutes per charge compared to 27 minutes for the Mavic Pro and 30 minutes for the Mavic Pro Platinum. On the other hand, 21 minutes is a dramatic improvement over the Spark, which can stay aloft for up to 16 minutes.

Other notes of interest include a Visual Positioning System to aide in indoor flying, support for DJI Goggles, and gesture control. In addition, the Mavic Air will be available in white, black and red.

For all the details on the Mavic Air, including pricing and availability, stay tuned for DJI's 10am EST event tomorrow morning.

(Images Courtesy DroneDJ)