The new DJI Mavic 2 might be the ultimate drone

There are two models, one with a zoom lens, and one with a Hasselblad camera

DJI Mavic 2

• Stop reading this preview nonsense and make your way to our official DJI Mavic 2 Pro review instead!

The Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom are the newest foldable drones from DJI, both bringing significant upgrades to the original Mavic, Mavic Air, and drones in general.

What exactly are the significant upgrades? The DJI Mavic 2 Pro features a camera with a 1-inch sensor, while the Mavic 2 Zoom sports a camera with optical zoom.

If you're in the market for a drone, your decision just got a lot more difficult.

The 1-inch sensor on the Mavic 2 Pro was co-engineered in partnership with Hasselblad, and promises to capture "outstanding image quality with superior light and color performance". 

The sensor has a 10-bit Dlog-M color profile, and captures four times as many levels of color per channel compared to Mavic Pro. 

The Mavic 2 Pro can capture 20-megapixel aerial shots with incredibly accurate colours thanks to Hasselblad's 'Natural Color Solution' technology.

The Mavic 2 Zoom on the other hand is powered by a 1/2.3-inch sensor, but combines two-times optical zoom (24-48mm) with two-times digital zoom to simulate a 96mm telephoto lens that captures lossless video in full HD resolution.

This allows you to capture a completely different perspective, and get closer to your subject at a moment's notice.

You can shoot 12-megapixel photos or take advantage of the new 'Super Resolution' feature that uses optical zoom to automatically capture and stitch nine photos together for a highly detailed 48-megapixel image, making it an ideal option for landscape photography.

Exclusive to the Mavic 2 Zoom is the new 'Dolly Zoom QuickShot' mode opens a new visual language for storytelling that was previously reserved for professional cinematographers, creating an otherworldly warped perspective by automatically zooming in as it flies away from its subject, keeping the subject the same size while the full background of the scene is revealed.

Check it out below:

Both cameras also feature a new 'Hyperlapse' mode, which produces establishing shots that show the passing of time, and enhanced 'ActiveTrack 2.0' which delivers a powerful combination of autonomous tracking and obstacle sensing capabilities never before seen in a DJI drone.

An improved Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) allows the aircraft to analyze its surrounding environment and automatically fly around obstacles without stopping.

Finally, Mavic 2 has been redesigned to be more aerodynamic, reducing body drag by up to 19-percent compared to the Mavic Pro. This allows the Mavic 2 to fly at speeds of up to 44 mph. 

This is combined with a more efficient, quieter propulsion system and noise reducing propellers

The Mavic 2 has a maximum flight time of up to 31 minutes. 

Both of the new drones look like dead certs for T3's best drone list once we've had a chance to test them.

The DJI Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom are available to pre-order today. The Mavic 2 Pro is more expensive of the two at  $1,500 (around £1,299), while the Mavic 2 Zoom is priced at $1,249 (around £1,099).

Spencer Hart
Style and Travel Editor

As the Style and Travel Editor at T3, Spencer covers everything from clothes to cars and watches to hotels. Everything that's cool, stylish, and interesting, basically. He's been a part of T3 for over seven years, and in that time covered every industry event known to man, from CES and MWC to the Geneva Motorshow and Baselworld. When he's driving up and down the country in search of the greatest driving roads, he can be found messing around on an electric scooter, playing with luxury watches, or testing the latest fragrances.