DJI has announced a new upgrade for its FPV drones, the DJI O4 Air Unit Series. It’s a new digital camera and transmission system designed to replace the one that came fitted to your drone.
O4 Air Unit Series
There are two options to choose from with DJI’s new system. The DJI O4 Air Unit weighs just 0.29 ounces (8.2 g) and features a 1/2-inch image sensor. It can shoot video up to 4K at 60 fps. There’s also the DJI O4 Air Unit Pro which delivers an enhanced imaging capability from its 1/1.3-inch image sensor. It can also record up to 120 fps in 4K. In addition, the Pro offers a 10-bit D-Log M color mode and a 155° ultra-wide field of view.
Improved transmission
DJI says that the O4 Air Unit is the smallest and lightest 4K digital video transmission solution available. It offers a maximum transmission distance of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) with a low latency of only 20 ms. In addition, by attaching it to a one-inch drone, you can create the world’s smallest racing drone capable of recording in 4K. The O4 Air Unit has 23 GB of built-in storage but does not support microSD card expansion.
Ultra-low latency
The DJI O4 Air Unit Pro features a dual-antenna design which achieves a maximum transmission distance of 9.3 miles (15 kilometers). It’s also equipped with the DJI O4 video transmission system which delivers an ultra-low latency of 15 milliseconds. In addition, the system automatically selects the most stable frequency. This ensures you can fly with precision whether you are soaring over mountains or navigating indoor spaces. The O4 Air Unit Pro only has 4 GB of built-in storage but you can use microSD cards to boost your recording times.
H265 video encoding
The DJI O4 Air Unit Series utilizes H.265 video encoding for the video transmission system. This delivers supports high-frame-rate transmission at 1080p and 100 fps. It has a maximum video transmission bitrate of 60 Mbps. In addition, RockSteady stabilization mode ensures that even high-speed flights can maintain steady video capture. It’s also compatible with Gyroflow software for offline post-stabilization.
Other features
Both DJI O4 Air Unit Series models support Canvas Mode and Betaflight OSD. You can use this to customize the real-time data and layout on your FPV goggles screen to enhance flight control. In addition, the brand-new Racing mode on the DJI O4 Air Unit Series supports up to eight aircraft racing simultaneously. Despite this, it still maintains the low 20 ms and 15 ms latency of the respective O4 Air Unit models.
Compatibility
The DJI O4 Air Unit Series is compatible with DJI Goggles 3 and DJI Goggles N3. You can also use it with the DJI FPV Remote Controller 3. In addition, the O4 Air Unit Series is compatible with DJI Goggles 2 and DJI Goggles Integra. It supports use with the DJI FPV Remote Controller 2 as well.
What we think
The DJI O4 Air Unit Series Units can give a real boost to the video quality that you can capture with your FPV drones. In particular, the larger sensor and 10-bit D-Log M color mode of the Pro model will deliver great quality video. In addition, the low latency high-frame rate video transmission means you can fly with more control for even better shots. If you use an FPV drone, the DJI O4 Air Unit Series Units can take your video to the next level.
Pricing and availability
The DJI O4 Air Unit Pro includes a camera module, transmission module, three-in-one cable, and two antennas. It retails for $229.
The DJI O4 Air Unit also includes a camera module, transmission module, and three-in-one cable, but only has a single antenna. It costs just $109.
Both models are available to order from store.dji.com and authorized retail partners now.
