DJI introduces the DJI Avata, a newly developed FPV Drone that comes with a 4K camera, propeller guards, and loads more features. The DJI Avata creates a new paradigm for first-person view (FPV) drone flight, allowing every pilot to race through the skies and feel the performance, agility, and ease of control. Coupled with the new DJI Goggles 2 and the intuitive DJI Motion Controller, DJI Avata delivers a flight experience that is pretty darn cool; seriously, I’m reviewing the DJI Avata now. Now, I am not a super big fan of FPV Drones but testing out the DJI Avata has really piqued my interest in how I may use the Avata in my video work and what it may add.

DJI Avata is a unique and compact design with a striped down chassis of a traditional drone mixed into a body built for speed and agility. Avata weighs only 410 grams while still integrating aerodynamic propeller guards for added safety. DJI Avata’s stabilized camera features a 1/1.7″ CMOS sensor with 48 million effective pixels and delivers premium imaging features like 4K/60fps and 2.7K/50/60/100/120fps video. And with a flight time of up to 18 minutes, it can deliver a thrill ride full of power on every flight. Interestingly, the DJI Avata can fly 10k away from the controller, that’s around 6 miles.

DJI Avata is designed to be paired with DJI Goggles 2 – DJI’s newest flight control technology – and the DJI Motion Controller, which steers the drone according to the movement of your hand. Users can also control the drone with the existing DJI FPV Remote Controller 2 and the DJI FPV Goggles V2. 

DJI’s technology means DJI Avata can hover like a traditional drone, accelerate like a racer, zoom in and out of tight spaces, and stop in a fraction of a second. If DJI Avata is pushed beyond its limits and lands upside down, a new Turtle mode allows it to flip back up and take off again.

DJI Goggles 2: High Resolution and Low-Latency Transmission

DJI Goggles 2 is a next-generation video headset that offers a smaller, lighter, and more comfortable fit, with a crystal-clear FPV image comparable to other DJI drones. DJI Goggles 2 features a clearer Micro-OLED screen with adjustable diopters, so people who normally wear glasses do not need to use them with the goggles. An intuitive touch panel on the side of the goggles lets you easily control its settings with only one hand. When used with the DJI Motion Controller, you can control the aircraft and the gimbal camera freely to meet your shooting needs in various scenarios.

DJI Avata and DJI Goggles 2 connect using DJI O3+ transmission, the most powerful and reliable technology for precise control, ultra-low latency, and detailed video at 1080p/100fps with H.265 decoding. It offers the lowest transmission delay of approximately 30 milliseconds, the longest transmission distance of 10 kilometers, auto-switching dual frequencies, a high bitrate of 50 Mbps, and state-of-the-art anti-interference methods to ensure a reliable feed. DJI Goggles 2 also offers a Wireless Streaming function to view the live feed from your mobile phone or computer on the goggles screen, bringing you an immersive viewing experience.                                          

DJI Motion Controller

The DJI Motion Controller is a completely reinvented flight control device that allows the pilot to precisely fly complex maneuvers based on the natural motions of one hand. The system is so intuitive that even complete beginners can get started quickly and learn to fly in continuous fluid motions, even when swooping close to the ground, whizzing past obstacles, and gliding through tight enclosures into open spaces.

Upgraded 4K Imaging System With Super Stabilization

DJI Avata has an outstanding imaging system that outstrips that on any FPV racer – a 1/1.7-inch 48MP Photo CMOS sensor with f/2.8 aperture and an ultra-wide-angle lens with a viewing angle of up to 155°. The wider field of view enables immersive aerial photography and videography at up to 4k/60fps and slow-motion footage at 2.7K/100fps. Equipped with D-Cinelike color mode, DJI Avata allows a broad color palette that enables detailed chromatic adjustments to your works.

With two flagship stabilization technologies, DJI Avata keeps your video sharp and stable even during high-pressure aerial maneuvers. DJI RockSteady eliminates overall picture shake, and DJI HorizonSteady keeps the picture oriented toward true level. All that data flows to 20 GB of internal storage space, allowing extra freedom and spontaneity when the opportunity for a creative shot arises, even without a microSD card installed in the onboard drive.

Fly Safe With Confidence

 DJI Avata’s built-in propeller guards make the fuselage more durable and greatly reduce the probability of risk, allowing you to fly more confidently with a craft that can withstand minor collisions and even right itself after a flip in Turtle mode.

When DJI Avata is in the air, pilots can rely on a suite of safety features that make flying a memorable and safe experience. A dedicated Emergency Brake and Hover feature is available in all flying modes, stopping the drone and hovering in place at any time during the flight. Failsafe Return to Home brings the drone back to its home point automatically with a press of a button, or in the event that transmission is lost or the battery reaches a critically low level.

Even at its small size, DJI Avata includes safety technology that DJI pioneered and has kept the world’s skies safe in the drone era. DJI Avata uses DJI’s GEO 2.0 geofencing system to advise pilots of airspace restrictions and potential hazards and to automatically prevent drones from flying near certain high-risk locations, such as airports. DJI Avata also features DJI’s AirSense ADS-B receiver system to warn drone pilots when airplanes or helicopters are nearby and broadcasts DJI’s AeroScope signal to help authorities monitor airborne drones in sensitive locations.

The overwhelming majority of drone pilots fly safely and responsibly, and DJI Avata’s high-speed performance can warrant extra attention and care from drone pilots to be aware of their surroundings. Drone pilots flying with FPV goggles should pair with a visual observer to act as a spotter, and many jurisdictions require a visual observer to watch for airspace hazards.

DJI Avata is equipped with both an Infrared Sensing System and a two-camera Downward Vision System. They help the aircraft maintain its current position, hover more precisely, fly indoors or in other environments where satellite navigation is unavailable, and identify areas such as bodies of water that are unsuitable for landing. To remain oriented during flight while wearing goggles, DJI Avata and DJI Goggles 2 also display the Home Point where the drone took off from. This Augmented Reality (AR) perspective gives an extra sense of orientation to help the pilot locate the immediate environment in seconds.

An Immersive Flight Experience for Every Skill Level

DJI Avata allows pilots from beginners to professionals to choose from multiple flight modes to match their skill level:

• Normal (N) Mode: During N mode operation, DJI Avata operates similarly to other DJI drones, hovering in place with the use of satellite navigation and/or visual positioning systems (VPS) on the bottom of the drone.
• Manual (M) Mode (only with the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2): Fly in M mode for complete, limitless control and the full FPV immersive flight experience. Experienced users can customize parameters and enjoy flight and footage unlike anything else.
• Sport (S) Mode: A new hybrid blend of M and N mode, S mode offers some of the dynamic movement capabilities that come with M mode along with some of the key safety features of N mode. S mode is the middle step between the three modes and was developed to give pilots more room to explore their skills as they get accustomed to the drone.

Become an FPV Master With the DJI Virtual Flight App

DJI Avata is controlled with the DJI Fly app, which includes detailed tutorials on how to operate the drone. The DJI Virtual Flight App is a free simulator app that familiarizes new pilots with drone flying movements in an easy, fun and risk-free environment. The simulator allows pilots to fly DJI Avata in various settings using the dedicated controller.

Accessories to Boost Your Flight

An array of new DJI Avata accessories offers pilots extra technology to get the most out of every flight and make the most of their equipment: [5]

• DJI Avata Intelligent Flight Battery
• DJI Avata Battery Charging Hub
• DJI Avata Propellers
• DJI Avata Upper Frame
• DJI Avata Propeller Guard
• DJI Avata ND Filters Set (ND8/16/32)
• DJI 65W Portable Charger
• DJI 65W Car Charger
• DJI Goggles Carry More Backpack

DJI Avata is an exciting FPV immersive flight experience drone for anyone who dreams of flying like a bird. It gives creators a transformational tool to capture the feeling of flight, indoors or out, confidently. For people like me, who produce, shoot, and edit, the DJI Avata can give us another tool to tell our video stories. For example, I film many healthcare videos, and having the DJI Avata chasing an ambulance is a shot we want to do for a cardiology commercial.

Price and Availability

DJI Avata is available today from store.dji.com and most authorized retail partners in several configurations. A standalone version of DJI Avata retails for $629 USD without a remote controller, motion controller, or goggles, which is ideal for those who already have a compatible model to control and view from the drone.

The DJI Avata Pro-View Combo retails for $1388 USD and includes DJI Avata, DJI Goggles 2 and the DJI Motion Controller. The DJI Avata Fly Smart Combo retails for $1168 USD and includes DJI Avata, the DJI FPV Goggles V2 and the DJI Motion Controller. The DJI Avata Fly More Kit retails for $279 USD and includes two DJI Avata Intelligent Flight Batteries and one DJI Avata Battery Charging Hub.