American skies remain barren for now. Everywhere else, the revolutionary DJI Mavic 4 Pro has landed but not here. Tariffs by Trump, impending bans, or a chaotic market-resting on any excuse will do. The reason is inconsequential. The drone enthusiasts in the US find themselves grounded, left to watch while the craziest and most advanced consumer drone ever made cruises the skies all over the world, just out of reach. Still waiting for the release, price speculated, frustration mounted.
Forget everything you thought you knew about aerial cinematography: DJI has unleashed a beast-a drone with a revolutionary triple-camera setup within a radical round gimbal. Prepare for truly gorgerous footage: 6K at 60 fps with an insane 16 stops of DR. This drone just throws the competition to the curb, leaving behind other drones and, well, many pro cameras. But wait, there is more to it. It is a bit faster now; battery life has been stretched from what was impossible before, and above all, you can fly it at unreal distances. Flying in a pseudo-twilight atmosphere? The crisp Lidar cuts through the darkness in the freshest manner-ever for obstacle avoidance. And wait till you get to grips with the all-new RC Pro 2 controller with its mind-blowing foldable design that places unprecedented control right within your fingertips. This is not a drone; this is a flying masterpiece.
Within two weeks past, the Mavic 4 Pro has not just remained in the realm of mere expectation; this drone has broken that realm. The spec sheet points toward genius, yet in reality, the drone soars far above it. So, a little price hurts-the price is to be paid for that aerial experience of its kind. To put it in simpler words, the Mavic 4 Pro is not just playing the drone game; it isthedrone game. Everything else is just trying to keep up.
DJI/Engadget
DJI Mavic 4 Pro
The DJI Mavic 4 Pro is not just any drone-it actually emblematizes the heights of future-level aerial cinematography. It brings revolutionary enhancements to video quality, a near-mystic obstacle detection system, and endurance that redefines battery life-an obstruction to others being airborne. The restriction is that for now, U.S. skies remain too tantalizingly away.
Pros
- Outstanding video quality
- LiDAR improves obstacle detection at night
- ActiveTrack 360 produces cool tracking shots
- Class-leading battery life
- Longest transmission range of any drone
Cons
- Sometimes fails to detect small obstacles
- Lacks agility
$2,360 at DJI
Design
Remove from your mind what you know about a smartphone camera. Leaks and teasers are hinting at a revolution: the “Infinity Gimbal.” Picture a monstrous, spellbinding triple-lens camera module across the entire front of the phone, rotating and tilting to fiddle grand angles with the world, permanently out of reach of any human imagination. This is not stabilization-the direct conversion here is “cinematic creativity portal.” For instance, tilt it upward by a splendid 70 degrees rather than by the usual 60 for unconventional sky framing. Want some counterclockwise, bashing “Dutch” angles? The Gimbal is your stand-in. For TikTok feeds, a smooth 90-degree rotation unlocks vertical video in full resolution-a whole new chapter to make social media stories stand out.
Forget meticulously numbered propeller arm deployments! The Mavic 4 Pro shaves off the frustration with a new, any-order folding design. While packing a punch with enhanced housing and a bigger battery, this powerhouse drone only gains a negligible 0.2 pounds, tipping the scales at a mere 2.3 pounds. Plus, a sleeker, more aerodynamic body slices through the air, boosting both speed and efficiency.
Night vision, redefined. The forward-looking LiDAR of this drone sitting on the left propeller arm peers into darkness, making midnight flights intuitive. Six omnidirectional fisheye sensors take low-light vision to the next level, operating with an illumination of 0.1 lux-an intensity far above an ocean of moonlight-to guarantee a safer and confident flying experience.
Gigabytes? You think of a paltry figure? Leave that back in the days of Mavic 3 Pro, which comes with a paltry 8GB. The Mavic 4 Pro sets off with a really respectable base version of a 64GB onboard storage option (42GB of which could be filled with your epic footage). But for the crème de la crème of filmmakers, the Creator Combo raises the stakes for high-speed storage, granting a staggering 512GB (460GB is available for use). And because a giant still knows when to be restive about choices, both versions pack a microSD card slot for memory expansion.
DJI’s new RC2 Pro screen controller folds up and flips sideways.
(Steve Dent for Engadget)
No more squinting! The RC2 controller comes along with all regular kits of the Mavic 4 Pro, just like with the Air 3. But DJI just unleashed the bombshell: the RC2 Pro. Picture a bright 7-inch HDR screen, one that folds for the best possible viewing angle-but wait-it eventiltsfor a full 90 degrees! And the best part of the feature? It can auto pivot Mavic 4 Pro’s camera for flawless vertical video. Get ready to shoot in ways you’ve never even dreamed of.
Forget fiddling with joysticks! Upon folding the screen back, these controllers automatically retract and flush against the stylish frame of the controller. The idea was beyond neat storage and contemplated being able to set it up in a snap. The best RC2 Pro has a full controller cockpit control flight and camera along with a dedicated button for instant 90-degree camera flips. Got to wreck some more awe-inspiring footage? HDMI and USB-C ports have been waiting for you, going hand-in-hand with Wi-Fi 6’s rapid transfer speeds.
No tension waiting by the clock! With 95Wh batteries, we unlock 51 transforming raw-flying minutes. Expect anywhere around 40 to 45 minutes in actual scenarios, an elevation of quite a bit from the Mavic 3 Pro’s 30 to 35 minutes. But the real trick is lightning-fast charging. A USB-C charge can power a battery fully in 51 minutes. If you have the Fly More, then charge tripled in 90.
Performance and features
With the new speed boost that the Mavic 4 Pro has got, things now pace up immensely in the “Sport” mode at 56 mph (90 km/h) – vying a very tall height against 47 mph, making it easier to shoot fast-paced car chases. In “Normal” mode, with all tracking and obstacles avoidance activated, it runs a strong 40 mph.
And do keep in mind: this drone is no lightweight. Consider the cargo truck of the drone world: all power and yet not all that agile at least when compared to the Mini 4 Pro. And a word of caution: those unprotected propellers mean it’s best to steer clear of crowded areas and tight spots – leave those daring maneuvers to the Avata 2.
There is an 83 dB roar of the Mavic 4 Pro drone, just like the 3 Pro. But here’s a welcome twist-gone are the days of a high-pitched whiny noise. The noise it lets off is now a deeper rumble, and that means less noise pollution when it flies over crowds. So, a thumbs-up to DJI for making this somewhat neighborly drone.
Unlimited Signal Strength: The O4+ transmission system in Mavic 4 Pro revolutionizes limits with a video transmission range of 18.6 miles (30 km) double that of the Mavic 3 Pro. No more range anxiety. While such distance is hardly ever explored, what really matters is the immensely strong connection. No more interference or signal dropout. Live 10-bit HDR 1080p feeds with crystal-clear recording backup visibility in scorching bright sunlight!
Steve Dent for Engadget
ActiveTrack 360 portrays the capability to keep the viewpoint fixed on the subject. From the Mini 4 Pro, one can realize an intelligent feature that lets one orchestrate cinematic camera movements while remaining locked onto a chosen focal point. If anything ever momentarily obstructs the way, ActiveTrack 360 won’t stop for a second in keeping the focus sharp: This puts the subject inarguably on center stage!
Let me push the Mavic 4 Pro. Chasing a car at 30 mph while keeping with obstacle avoidance fully engaged, the drone stayed loyal to its promise. Mountain biking became a dance with life, with the Mavic 4 Pro weaving breathtakingly and somewhat recklessly through the trees. The near-hit with the branch proved it was resilient enough to stay unharmed. Vlogging became easy storytelling, where ActiveTrack 360 turns an otherwise boring walk into exciting tracking shots.
Dusk signalier a beautiful dawn for the Mavic 4 Pro. I unleashed it into the dark, and it was a perfect perfomance-a ballet of swirling sensors and quiet rotors, against the urban canvas. Past drones would have trembled in fright, but this one galloped fearlessly through trees, there even brushing building facades. In the dead of night, after all, LiDAR paints the cityscapes into precise detail, dodging phantom limbs that rise out of the cityscape below. Who cares about fumbling for a landing pad in the dark when you have low-light sensors acting as your co-pilots home? Just remember it’s a forward gaze, a focused beam in the abyss! And if worse comes to worse and the GPS lets you down, the Mavic-4-Pro shrugs it off, the recollection of paths becoming its secondary wilderness memory, retracing them with the proficiency of an explorer who so dearly knows terrain by heart-return-home untethered: the epitome of intelligent flight.
Video quality
Steve Dent for Engadget
While the Mavic 4 Pro may not only elevate consumer drone video to great heights but destroys the established standards of video diffraction, it is indeed one of the most incredible creations. The machine, boasting the name “Hasselblad,” has a wide 28-mm focal range, with a 100-megapixel, dual ISO 4/3 sensor that captures breathtaking footage in 6K at 60fps, and slow-motion beauty in 4K at 120fps. Anyway, forget those washed-out skies-DJI’s D-Log and D-LogM modes bring out a dynamic range that lets your footage sing. And with stills-an astounding 100MP. The real magic lies in its variable aperture (f/2.0 to f/11), which is a rare blessing to have. It allows you to have creative control over your depth of field while also taming the sun at its harshest, turning even bleak situations into opportunities for brilliance.
Imagine a world where distance just melts away for you. The Infinity Gimbal doesn’t just allow the spectator to view the scene; it thrusts them into it using the magic of its two lens system. First up would be the lightweight 70mm telephoto lens, with a 1/1.3-inch sensor-the very same sensor found in the Mini 4 Pro. It films deathly crisp 4K/60p video, bathed with D-Log/D-LogM nuances and HDR. And behold the splendid glide from the 168 mm lens! This bad boy, with its bigger 1/1.5-inch sensor and 2.8 aperture, wields all the might to bring first-rate distant subjects into focus, superb for bordering on a silent wildlife encounter. Both lenses are in the same headline: buttery smooth 4K/60p, HDR for days, subject-tracking AF that really targets, and dual native ISO for low-light environments. The Infinity Gimbal. Looking far, feeling close.
Hasselblad 6K and 4K video do more than mere recordings; they sculpt the actual reality. Razor-sharp detail meets colors so true that they perhaps feel alive. The skies explode with nuances and the clouds melt with breathtaking subtleties, thanks to this camera’s stellar dynamic range. If you needmorelatitude, D-Log awaits to answer your call for shadow and highlight detail. Proceed with caution: color grading with D-Log requires skills! D-LogM is just right for the cut between flexibility and ease: It offers enough range for some impressive work but does not drown you in color correction.
The actual Mavic 4 Pro slightly streams lovely crisp H.265 video at a bitrate of 180 Mbps. If you want to go beyond, opt for the Creator Combo. That in-house storage actually opens up all the editing workflows for you with direct 1,200 Mbps of H.264 All-I codec. One step forward, one step back: DJI removed the much-loved ProRes 4:2:2 HQ option from the Mavic 3 Pro, almost a shoo-in for the cinephiles.
Steve Dent for Engadget
When twilight embraces the city or dawn whispers its secrets, that’s the precise moment when the Mavic 4 Pro reveals its true powers. Forget muddy shadows or a burnt-out sky; the native dual ISO snuggles in the scant light, capturing details others miss. At a crazy 6400 ISO, a bit of noise reduction converts a gritty grain into smooth cinematic magic. Whether that’s dawn or dusk, D-Log graciously opens the door to a dynamic range worthy of the attuning contrasts between the luminous sky and shadowed earth. The Mavic 4 Pro doesn’t just see low light; it dominates it.
Then, hook up your 100MP mode and prepare to host an amazed audience. The detail is so intense; you would feel that you are opening hidden worlds within your photos by zooming closer to that which cannot be seen. When the sun sets, take clean 25MP shots to wipe out all the noise and keep all the crispness in your pictures. About those tricky, high-contrast scenes? DJI’s RAW DNG capture allows you to sculpt the image that brings your creative vision to life.
The 70-mm (3x) telephoto camera is great for zooming into interesting portrait shots or scenic landscapes. Equipped with an impressively large 1/1.3-inch sensor, it captures stunning detail with supreme presence, while 4K video up to 120fps in D-Log or D-LogM video mode allows seamless integration with your main camera footage. The night-guy it is not, but in good-light situations, it delivers results of excellence.
Want to get closer? The 168mm lens has this very tempting feature of focusing with pin-sharp clarity on faraway wildlife. While its video quality is just so-so, its reach is just too good to nail that elusive moment in the life of nature.
Wrap-up
Steve Dent for Engadget
DJI’s Mavic 4 Pro isn’t just any other drone; it is a statement. A strong assertion that DJI is not just ahead of the pack, it is zooming past the competition. Forget tiny, incremental improvements; the Mavic 4 Pro is a quantum leap from the Mavic 3 Pro. It stands alone, while the rest are pretenders. Autel’s Evo II Pro 6K does throw a wrench in the works, but it cannot fly too far with only one camera, a smaller sensor, and less flight time-a mere shadow to the Mavic 4 Pro.
In the States, the unwind-the-hat scenario is unfolding for all to witness, and a frenzy of outrage is brewing. Another name for this is the DJI drought. But a worldwide ban on DJI? Now that’s nightmare fodder. DJI further goes on to say that it is a perfectly safe technology, and anyone interested is welcome to have a look under the hood. Is DJI telling the truth? Or is it all a peaceful calm before the coming storm?
Drone enthusiasts, prepare for takeoff! There comes a time when, for now, this time without the United States, along with the global launch of the Mavic 4 Pro. A warrant of having aerial photography experience, starting at €2,099 or £1,879 (roughly $2,360) for the best RC2 controller, that cannot be missed at any cost.
If your drone operations stretch to that level, then the Fly More kit is a must-have, offered at a price of £2,459 or €2,699 ($3,040 or so). In essence, it contains the RC2 controller, an exclusive bag, three intelligent flight batteries, and a multi-battery charging hub.
For the apex aerial filmmaking experience, the Creator Combo is your golden ticket. Clocks in at €3,539 or £3,209 (roughly $3,980), this monster houses everything in the Fly More kit, alongside the RC2 Pro controller, giant 512GB storage, and All-I video recording capability.
Desire expertise at-the-touch-of-your-finger? The revolutionary Hawk RC2 Pro controller can be bought separately for €999 or £879 ($1,125) Inc. VAT. Find extraordinary general flight perfection and ascend a notch in the car control hierarchy.
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