DJI Mavic Air in Depth Series – Part 2 – Aircraft Safety

Specifications

Let's have a look at the specifications of the Mavic Air's Sensing System.

Sensing System

Sensing Systems

The Mavic Air features the high standard of sensors we have come to expect from DJI in their latest drones. Dual vision sensors give three directions of obstacle detection. These can be found in the front, rear and base of the Mavic Air. This number of vision sensors is the most advanced from DJI in the consumer side of their drones, especially at the low price point. In addition to this the vision sensors, a downward infrared sensing system is in place as well as the use of the forward facing camera on the Mavic Air. These sensors work with a group of computing cores in the Mavic Air to help sense and avoid obstacles in flight and accurately identify the exact position of the Mavic Air. All of these sensors work automatically in all modes except the Mavic Air's Sport Mode. Keep reading for additional safety features of the Mavic Air's FlightAutonomy 2.0.

Visual Inertial Odometry (VIO)

3D Map Building

Harnessing the power of the Mavic Air's seven built-in cameras, infrared sensor and dual IMUs, the Mavic Air processes the information to create a 3D map of the surrounding terrain. The 3D map is used to assess the Mavic Airs's location and increase flight safety in flights in all terrain. The real-time map of the Mavic Air's location helps it avoid obstacles and recognise the surrounding terrain.

Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems (APAS)

via GIPHY From testing out APAS in action, it's worth noting that it is hypersensitive to obstacles and may stop the Mavic Air from moving even if you think you're free from danger. This may be a hindrance to some shots but you can have peace of mind that your flight will be incident free. This is especially beneficial for pilots learning how to fly, especially around obstacles.

Return to Home (RTH)

The RTH function is a great feature from DJI which brings the aircraft back to its designates home point when selected on the remote controller or smartphone, the battery level reaches a specified level or there’s interference with the aircraft's signal. For the Mavic Air, the RTH system has been developed to improve its reliability and functionality resulting in the safest flight path during the RTH. The Mavic Air records its flight path during flight in order to fly to the specified home point. The Mavic Air will also detect obstacles during the RTH and choose its route dependent on the presence of obstacles. When landing during the RTH, the Mavic Air will compare the images taken of the ground during takeoff to the real-time images it receives. Additionally, further scanning will take place to identify any obstacle or water at the home point. If detected, the Mavic Air will hover and await instruction from the pilot. The development of the RTH gives pilots the reassurance that even if the battery runs too low, the aircraft will return to their home point whilst actively avoiding obstacles. Remember to set your desired home point before every flight and make sure you set the RTH at an appropriate time period that you’re comfortable with. These can be controlled through the DJI GO 4 app under.

Multiple Redundancies

Summary

The Mavic Air has been packed full of safety features to help keep pilots of all experience levels safe during flight. It features the most advanced sensors for a drone made for the consumer market which are used in the various safety features like APAS, VIO and a developed RTH function. Flight safety was clearly a leading factor for DJI whilst designing the Mavic Air, building on the systems incorporated into their existing products, and advancing them to a new level. In the next edition of our in-depth series on the Mavic Air, we will be exploring the new features of the camera including its Intelligent Flight Modes.

To discuss the new DJI Mavic Air, or any DJI or Freefly product, please give one of our team a call on 0191 296 1024 or email us at info@heliguy.com.

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