Sometimes I think about how I get to take photos and record videos on some of the best drones and I can hardly believe my luck — this is my job.
I fly drones for a living and that thought itself is dizzying. And if you're familiar with my work or have read any of my drone-specific articles, you'll know that I don't go anywhere without my DJI drones (the Air 3S and Neo).
"But Nikita, I live in the United States and the future of DJI is unclear," I hear you say. Well, thankfully, there are alternatives available. If you're on the lookout for a sub-250g drone for travel and the DJI Mini 4K has been recommend to you, fret not.
I've just tested the Potensic Atom 2 whose DJI-rivaling specs make it the ultimate alternative.
The Atom 2 succeeds the Atom and massively improves on its predecessor. You now get 48MP stills, new AI subject tracking and intelligent flight modes, and a refreshed controller and app that make aerial photography a delight.
If you aren't sure about whether it's worth spending upwards of $300 on it, I'm here to show you why you should.
Small but mighty
The rules are fairly straightforward: sub-250g drones aren't subject to as many restrictions by the FAA in the U.S., the CAA in the U.K. and so on and so forth.
The Potensic Atom 2 weighs 8.64oz or 244g, which not only makes it more accessible to fly, but makes it great for travel. I'd still recommend familiarizing yourself with your local and national flight laws before taking off, though.
And though it be but little, it is fierce. The Atom 2 packs a punch with its specs, so don't feel like you need to spend upwards of $1,000 on heavier drones to capture good quality stills and video.
The Atom 2 can record 4K video at 30fps and FHD slow-mo video at 120fps — and boy does the 4K footage look gorgeous, as you can see above. Colors are stunning while the footage is smooth and stable thanks to the three-axis mechanical gimbal.
Stills quality is better than the DJI Mini 4K's too. While the Mini 4K can take only 12MP photos, the Atom 2 can capture 48MP stills, giving you more cropping room while retaining detail.
Powered by AI
AI is such a buzzword these days, don't you think? Potensic hasn't shied away from using AI tech in the Atom 2. It features AI-powered subject detection, which powers six intelligent flight modes and three tracking modes. You can see two of the intelligent flight modes above...
...and two of the tracking modes above. Follow is the one I use most when I'm flying my DJI drones, but it didn't take long for the Atom 2's Parallel tracking mode to become my favorite.
As the name suggests, the Atom 2 will fly alongside you and record you and I can think of a lot of use cases for it: walking on a bridge above a river, a hiking trail, or atop a mountain.
And it doesn't stop there. The Atom 2 also has an AI Night Mode, which bumps ISO up to 25,600, boosts shadows and reduces noise. The DJI Mini 4K doesn't have a dedicated night mode so it's good to see that Potensic's offering does — check out the difference between Normal and AI Mode above.
I wouldn't recommend flying at night or in dimly lit environments, though, because it's difficult to maintain visual line of sight (VLOS) and the Atom 2 doesn't feature any obstacle avoidance so chances of you crashing the drone are increased.
Taking control
Similar to how the DJI Mini 4K uses the smartphone mount RC-N1C controller, the Potensic Atom 2 utilizes the AT2-RC controller and Potensic Eve app — so you'll need a Wi-Fi enabled smartphone. The controller sports a lovely dark grey design, and its build quality feels identical to that of the RC-N1C's.
It also seems like Potensic has taken a leaf out of DJI's books by launching the new and improved Potensic Eve app. While you can't see a map with local flying spots as you can on the DJI Fly app, Eve is easy and intuitive to use and it displays a clear, mostly lag-free live feed. Oh, and it gives you handy tips while you're flying too!
A wonderful thing
I've thoroughly enjoyed testing the Potensic Atom 2. Right now, it's proudly sitting next to my Air 3S and Neo in my home office. If you're finding it hard to get a hold of the DJI Mini 4K, or any other sub-250g drones for that matter, then you won't go wrong with the Atom 2.
It's a massive improvement over its predecessor and the new features are very welcome — they're what make the Atom 2 the bomb.
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