Well the wait is over and the full details of the new DJI AVATA 360 have finally been revealed. And what a clever little beast it is.
Here are the major points:
The AVATA 360, whilst it can do some clever aerobatic tricks, basically has one role in life and that is to shoot imagery. And I’d say DJI has thought long and hard about how to best achieve this and looked back over all their previous models to do some cherry picking of the very best ideas – and then add to them.
But the AVATA is far from bits banged together from the old parts bin I can tell you.
Twin Lenses
We all knew the AVATA 360 was going to sport a 360 ° shooting capability, but I am not sure how many picked up it was to be a twin lens system taking its cue perhaps from the MAVIC 3 And 4 PRO drones.
The first lens uses 1-inch-equivalent sensors that can capture 360° images in rich detail for 8K/60fps HDR videos and 120 MP photos. With the large 2.4 μm pixels and high dynamic range, light and shadow are also captured with brilliant clarity. Both video and photos can be exported directly or reframed in post-production.
The DJI Studio app has been updated to cater for this.
Meanwhile, the Single Lens mode allows creators to use the classic Avata-style filming in 4K/60fp.
To transmit video, DJI has incorporated the O4 transmission system into the AVATA 360. Consequently, although due to CASA rules due to licencing restraints (see below) the transmission range of 1080p / 60fps is up to 20Km – which I am sure pro, licenced shooters are going to love.https://youtu.be/tgPE1d9LR-E
Flight time is said to be 23 minutes and for storage, the AVATA 360 has 42GB on board and an SD card slot on the side below the USB-C port.
Safety
Full 360 ° omnidirectional obstacle sensing is a standard feature as are propeller guards; I sport a 3cm scar on my left arm after an prop encounter – a GoPro Karma as it turn out – so I especially appreciate this last feature.
However, if the camera module is damaged, it is easily replaced by purchasing a DJI AVATA 360 replacement kit lens that comes all the needed tools to perform surgery in the field if necessary.
As per usual, there are three modes available – Normal, Cine and Sport. In Sport mode, the AVATA 360 is no slouch, honking along at 18 metres / second!
Features
Taking a cue from the much respected Inspire 3, a Spotlight Free mode locks onto a moving subject and assists with camera movement. Spotlight locks onto your subject’s face to effortlessly capture Circle or Dronie shots without manual adjustments.
Intelligent Tracking make it effortless to lock onto and smoothly track people, vehicles, pets, and more, even in 360° footage and a Virtual Gimbal uses a 360° view to enable infinite rotation and tilt for dynamic camera moves. Even when flying in one direction, horizons can be rotated, and perspectives can be shifted to look back or perform a flip.
With GyroFrame, 360° footage can be adjusted to an ideal angle and exported in the DJI Fly app. Both DJI Fly and DJI Studio allow camera movement effects to be added.
Controllers
The standard RC2 and RC3 controllers can be used with the AVATA 360, but if you want the true feeling of FPV flights, then I suggest you have a look at also getting the Goggles and Motion Controller; these add a whole new dimension to the flying experience – just make sure you get up to speed on the DJI Virtual Simulator first and be prepared for lots of practice.
It’s worth it though trust me!
Pricing
Australian pricing and configurations are as follows:
- DJI Avata 360 (Drone Only) retails for $799
- DJI Avata 360 (DJI RC 2) retails for $1,159.
- DJI Avata 360 Fly More Combo (DJI RC 2) retails for $1,619.
- DJI Avata 360 Motion Fly More Combo retails for $1,619.
You can get more info online from the Online Store: store.dji.com
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[…] like many of the drones produced by DJI, the AVATA 360 has built in tracking capabilities, if you want to do some tracking after you have taken you video, […]