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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1384448
Cockpit Changes The flight characteristics of the Air 2S are virtually identical to the Air 2. It’s smooth and stable when you need it to be and it can get where you want to go with considerable celerity when you put your foot down in Sport mode. As we’ve come to expect, the new bird comes with new software that adds some features and moves enough others around to require time for familiarization before heading out on a paid gig. DJI’s Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems (APAS) has been updated to 4.0 to provide smoother footage and a more natural flying experience. APAS, only available in the Normal flight mode, locks out sideways flight, but allows the pilot to have some control over how an obstacle is to be avoided, over, under, left, or right. Photographers will note, somewhat to their dismay, that the Exposure Lock icon has disappeared from the camera information display at the bottom right. It has been combined with a Focus Lock feature and requires a long press on the screen to activate. The lock indicator is a very tiny icon on a square that outlines the focus/metering area that can be difficult to see in a cluttered scene. Luckily, the function can be easily assigned to the programmable button on the controller, along with a list of others that have been added as options. Getting Smarter DJI’s Intelligent Flight Modes can be a huge help for people wanting professional-looking results before they’ve totally mastered the flight controls. The latest addition, Master Shots, takes a significant leap ahead, albeit not the most graceful one at this point. With it, you select a subject and the Air 2S will independently fly a two to three minute mission to grab the shots it needs to stitch together a 20 – 30-second video. You can preset options for length, speed and distance. When it’s complete, it will be identified by a special badge in your shot library. Applying a template to it will download the footage from the drone, edit it down and add music. Without leaving the DJI Fly app, you can upload it to social media. It’s super-handy for anyone wanting to post as soon as practically possible. There are a few caveats of note with its initial release. The gimbal may do some fancy twisting so the drone’s front vision sensors can keep an eye out for objects, so there are instances where you’ll see a propeller and arm pop into view, especially if it’s windy. There is a menu setting that only appears when you are in Master Shots to instruct the program to prioritize composition over collision avoidance. Not a problem if you keep the drone in sight and have a finger poised over the Pause button. Secondly, the completed video is highly compressed with software that is apparently designed more for speed than image quality. It’s okay for a Facebook or Instagram post viewed on a phone, but it looks rather crunchy on a bigger screen.