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DJI Avata 2 review: Lower price, better hardware, insanely fun
This spectacular FPV drone kit provides a flight experience you have to see to believe.
The DJI Avata was one of my favorite products of 2023, a first-person-view (FPV) flight experience unlike anything else. Strap on the goggles, grab the controller and send the drone skyward; you see everything the camera sees. It's genuinely thrilling. Now comes the DJI Avata 2, promising improvements across the board: camera quality, battery life, acrobatic capabilities and more. Most amazing of all: It has a lower price tag. But did DJI fix of any of the original's (admittedly minor) problems? And is the flying experience really that much better? Here's my DJI Avata 2 review. (I recommend reading my original DJI Avata review first for some added insight.)
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VERDICT: It costs less than the original Avata — which was already awesome — and does just about everything better. What's not to like?
- Ridiculously fun flying experience
- Lower price than its predecessor
- Worthwhile improvements to the drone, goggles and controller
- Goggles have lens adjustments to compensate for eyeglasses
- There's still a sizable learning curve
- Can't wear glasses with the goggles
- Flight range can be severely hampered by obstacles
The Avata 2 Fly More Combo with the DJI Goggles 3, RC Motion 3 controller and one battery costs $999; the original Avata debuted a similar bundle at nearly $1,400 (though you can now buy it for $829, a pretty significant discount that's worth consideration). My advice: Spend an extra $200 for the Avata 2 Fly More Combo with three batteries; it also nets you a fast-charge battery dock and zippered carrying case.
Speaking of batteries, DJI promises up to 23 minutes of flight time per, versus 18 minutes previously. Of course, you have to take those numbers with a grain of salt; they're based on zero-wind flights with various features reduced or turned off. In my Avata 2 tests (with everything turned on and set to maximum), flight time typically ranged from 16-18 minutes. That's not bad, but I suspect you'll want at least one spare battery.
Physically, the Avata 2 is both wider and squatter than the original Avata and just a hair lighter as well (377 grams now, versus 410 before). That weight still requires FAA drone registration, which costs just $5. I was glad to see that DJI relocated the USB port and microSD card slot — originally a huge pain to access — to the side body, where they're easy to reach.
DJI also managed to make the Avata 2 a bit quieter (though it's still plenty noisy) and better able to withstand wind — surprising given that it's lighter. I've flown on pretty windy days; the drone barely moved while hovering, and video stayed rock-steady.
Let's take a peek at what's new in the goggles and controller, then talk about what it's like to fly the Avata 2.
DJI Goggles 3: What's new
DJI's new headset gained a few improvements as well. While it incorporates the same pair of micro-OLED screens running at Full HD resolution, the battery pack is now integrated into the headband rather than separate and connected by a cord. While I'm not wild about strapping a battery to my skull, I do appreciate having one less cord to deal with and one less item in my lap. The whole rig is surprisingly comfortable to wear.
Another welcome addition: pass-through video. With a double-tap on the side of the headset, your view switches to external cameras, meaning you can see the world around you without having to take the Goggles off.
Speaking of seeing, I'm pretty much blind without my glasses, and the Goggles 3 (like the Goggles 2) aren't roomy enough inside to accommodate them. Fortunately, the lenses are sideways-adjustable to accommodate different pupillary distances, and there are individual diopter dials to compensate for near- and farsightedness. Net result: While I don't like having to remove my glasses for flights, at least I can see clearly without them.
On the technical side, the Goggles 3 employ DJI's O4 digital video transmission technology, which leverages a total of six antennas for a promised range of up to 13 kilometers (about 8 miles). It even automatically switches between 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz wireless bands, the better to maintain a stable signal.
That said, I've never been able to get anywhere near the Goggles-to-drone range DJI promises. That was true of the original Avata, and it's true of the Avata 2 as well. Yes, there may have been trees and/or houses in the way on some flights, but there were instances when I flew no more than a few hundred feet away and noticed video degradation and a loss of signal strength. On the other hand, I've seen various YouTube videos in which an Avata pilot covered a full mile or more, so I'm not sure why I can't do the same. Chalk it up to interference from any number of sources (power lines, the aforementioned trees, etc.).
The technology is there for pretty amazing long-distance flights. Whether you'll be able to achieve those distances, I can't say.
RC Motion 3 controller: What's new
Part of what makes the Avata so accessible, so easy to fly, is DJI's RC Motion controller. It's motion-sensitive, meaning you angle it left, right, forward or backward to steer the drone accordingly. As before, a trigger controls flight speed, but the RC Motion 3 adds "reverse" to the mix, meaning by flicking your trigger-finger outward instead of in, you can make the Avata fly backward.
Beyond that, Motion 3 is smaller and more intuitive, with a newly added thumbstick that controls altitude, horizontal movement and new acrobatic flips. There's also a function dial for more easily navigating onscreen menus. These are all changes for the better, and I think the RC Motion 3 is also a bit better-suited to left-handed users than its predecessor.
DJI Avata 2: What it's like to fly
I said it before and I'll say it again: It's incredible. It's the closest any of us will get to flying like Superman (unless, you know, your ZIP code is Planet Krypton). The experience is exhilarating, to the point where I feel I could charge admission to onlookers who want to try it themselves.
You can fly fast or slow. You can fly high or low. You can swoop between tree branches or get a bird's-eye view of, well, just about anything. All this while recording pristine 4K video that's about as Instagram- and TikTok-ready as it gets.
I should note that there's still a learning curve to climb. Even if you've flown regular drones before, this is a very different experience, what with the goggles and motion controller and all. DJI provides a very basic — I'd say insufficient — printed quick-start guide; I highly recommend watching the 7-minute first-use tutorial video. Once you learn the basics, though, the Avata 2 is actually very easy to use.
DJI Avata 2: Should you buy it?
Much as I loved the original Avata, I struggled to recommend it because of the $1,400 price tag. The Avata 2 starts at under $1,000, which I find amazing. DJI has taken away nothing and added many worthwhile improvements, yet slashed the price by almost 30%.
Yes, it's still expensive. But if there's room in the budget and you want to see what all the FPV-drone fuss is about, the DJI Avata 2 is well worth it. I'm having a blast with this thing; you will, too.