THE DRONE OF DRONES

There are unmanned aerial vehicles and there are unmanned aerial vehicles. DJI’s Mavic 2 Pro is the kind you want for more-funless- screw-ups play. First, the fun part: It’s bigger than most (the width of a 12-inch pizza) – giving it (and us) a we-are- serious-aboutour-game vibe. It also offers the longest fl ight time for any drone, at 30 minutes. After it’s connected to DJI’s Go 4 app via your mobile (Android or iOS), its seven Intelligent Flight Modes kick in. Two standouts: Active Track, for the narcissist, programmes the drone to track just the face, whether you’re trekking through New Zealand or riding camels in the Sahara; and Circle in Hyperlapse Mode, which sets it to fly in a circular pattern around any subject while creating a time-lapse video.

Now, for the less headache-y part: To ensure its 4K videos and 20-megapixel photos are more NatGeo than homemade, the Mavic 2 Pro has sharpness, clarity and improved colour accuracy sorted with a Nasa-approved Hasselblad lens (the Swedish camera makers’ product documented the fi rst moon landing in 1969) – which means you can now spend more time outdoors instead of being desk-bound, editing.

To prevent the drone from crashing into anything, all its six sides are covered in sensors designed to help it avoid or fly around obstacles.

At major electronic stores for $2,149; it requires Android 5.0 or above, and iOS 9.0 or above to operate.

PHOTOGRAPHY VERONICA TAY STYLING SHAN Slot your phone into the controller to connect the drone to DJI’s Go 4 app for its seven Intelligent Flight Modes. All four legs of the Mavic 2 Pro are foldable for easier storage and portability. And its remote control has removable joysticks, which also makes it easier to store and transport.