Dozens of reviewed Among drones of all shapes, sizes and prices, I recently concluded that 90% of consumers can use smaller, lighter, and cheaper drones. Advanced drones and all their equipment and flight regulations make no sense. But then, DJI launched the new premium giant flagship consumer drone, the Mavic 4 Pro, which made me fall in love again. Yes, this drone is impressive.
However, before I delve into the phenomenal camera and long distances, it is important to note that the Mavic 4 Pro will not be officially used in the United States. However. A DJI spokesman told Wired that besides ongoing issues surrounding flight restrictions and safety, “Like many global companies, we have to adapt our market strategy to the development of local conditions and industry environments. Although we don’t have a timeline when we can introduce the product to the U.S. market, we are still closely monitoring the situation and actively exploring all possible solutions.”
However, the Mavic 4 Pro is listed on the B&H photo for $2,699, which is very optimistic. It’s not for sale yet, but at least it has hope.
Focus Hero
So, what makes the Mavic 4 Pro great? It depends mainly on the camera. Or camera, I should say. Just like its predecessor, the Mavic 3 Pro (9/10 wired recommendation), the Mavic 4 Pro has three cameras. There is an ultra-high specification wide-angle camera with a slightly lower medium nature and telephoto camera. The equivalent focal lengths of the three are 28mm, 70mm and 168mm respectively.
They are all improved over the Mavic 3 Pro’s cameras. The show’s star comes with a new 4/3 sensor that offers 100 MP photo and 6K video capture, up to 60 fps (or 120 fps, 4K, for smooth slow motion playback), a stunning 16 dynamic range. It also has an adjustable aperture, allowing the pilot to choose anything between f/2.0 and f/11.0.
The sensors of other cameras are slightly smaller in size, video is limited to 4K resolution, and their aperture is fixed at f/2.8, but all three cameras can capture video in 10-bit quality using D-LOG, D-LOG M or HLG color profiles. In other words, all of this was built to promote quality aerial film production.
Even better, they are all mounted on a brand new world design, capable of free rotation and tilting. Not only does this mean it can point directly upward, but it can also be rotated to capture portrait-oriented content and designed perfectly for Tiktok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube shorts, etc.
All of the above makes the Mavic 4 Pro’s creativity worth mentioning. In almost any lighting conditions (for example, Hasselblad is particularly capable at night), this is an excellent aerial camera, with its range of motion and focal lengths that make its versatility incredible. If there is something else in a consumer drone, i.e. the wiseness of image quality, I haven’t encountered it yet.
Flying Club
The drone’s flight capabilities are also impressive until the new time-saving touch is the fact that it automatically drives when unfolded. Now with a battery life of 51 minutes, a significant improvement over the Mavic 3 Pro’s 43 minutes, while the drone’s aerodynamic design is faster, making it faster and quieter.
The 4 Pro is also the first MAVIC model with a front-light radar sensor, which makes the drone even bigger when paired with a low-light vision sensor, when poked out in all directions, even under less than ideal lighting conditions. This works well with its tracking feature, allowing it to accurately focus the camera on people, boats and vehicles while flying manually or autonomously.
Return to home features have also been upgraded. Now, the drone’s enhanced visual skills allow it to automatically fly back to the takeoff point without using GP. I’ve also been able to move the main point to the current controller position, rather than the takeoff point, which is a handy feature if you’re driving a drone from a moving car or a boat.
Controller upgrade
DJI sent me a regular RC 2 controller and a new RC 2 Pro controller ($1,299) to test with the Mavic 4 Pro, and while the former works well, the RC 2 Pro really improves the experience. Its screen is larger and brighter, can rotate at 90 degrees to be more like a smartphone (running on Android, so you can install third-party apps) and will automatically work when you lift the screen off your body. The action also causes two thumb sticks to pop up, meaning you don’t have to tighten them every time you use the controller.
Photo: Chris Haslam
All in all, the Mavic 4 Pro represents a major upgrade to its otherwise impressive predecessor and makes having a bigger drone very attractive again. Indeed, heavier drones are subject to many (usually tiring) restrictions compared to the ultra-lightweight model, but the extra paperwork and care around the flight position seems to be worth the price to pay when performing the effect.
As for the actual price of the Mavic 4 Pro, I call it expensive but good value – proof that you will actually take advantage of the vast amount of features of this drone. If you’re just looking for something to play and capture some good-looking shots, you’ll just need the much cheaper DJI Mini 4 Pro (recommended by 8/10 Wired). If you want the flexibility and ability to create something special, the Mavic 4 Pro has it, and there are more.
I just hope DJI can navigate the ongoing uncertainty of the Trump administration’s tariffs, because it would be a shame if the U.S. doesn’t have this great drone available.
