After eight months away (no, I wasn't dead, I was rebuilding my YouTube studio), I came back in April 2024 to talk about the DJI Avata 2. It wasn't launching until the 11th, but the leaks had already shown us almost everything.
Back in the studio
It had been eight months since my last video. The 3D-printing side of the channel was still going, but I needed time to fix my studio, a project I'd had in mind for a long time. It was finally taking shape behind me, and a studio tour was coming soon. But this video is about a drone.
What the leaks showed
The DJI Avata 2 was set to launch on 11 April 2024, but it had been fully exposed in unboxing and hands-on videos. Aimed at FPV enthusiasts, it looked designed to fix the weak points of the original Avata from 2022, with improvements to obstacle sensing and the app. From what leaked, it would have obstacle sensing on the rear. That's already something, though on the front it would have been even better.
The Fly More Combo shown in the leaks included the brand-new DJI Goggles 3 and the RC Motion 3 motion controller. The Avata 2 also had a larger sensor for 4K video and 48-megapixel photos. A small but practical change: the SD card slot moved to the side. If you've used the first Avata, you know exactly why that matters. The leaks also promised a much quieter drone, around 81 dB, which would be a big improvement over the 2022 model.
The open questions
I wasn't sure what would be in the box. In one unboxing I saw the motion controller in a separate package, and I didn't think it would fit inside the Fly More Combo box, so I suspected it might be a separate purchase. The other unknown was price. The original Avata Fly More Combo was still selling for over a thousand euros in Italy. At launch in 2022, I remembered it at around €629 for the drone alone, with roughly €300 more for the accessory pack. I really hoped DJI wouldn't go above that.
My take
I was sure the Avata 2 would be an innovative drone, probably the best FPV drone of the moment. I just hoped DJI would keep the price down. The more people fly FPV, the more the community grows. And a new Avata means the first one drops in price, so even more people can get into it.