Product Comparison: GoPro Karma vs DJI Mavic Air

Advertiser Disclosure

This site is a free online resource that strives to offer helpful content and comparison features to its visitors. Please be advised that the operator of this site accepts advertising compensation from certain companies that appear on the site, and such compensation impacts the location and order in which the companies (and/or their products) are presented, and in some cases may also impact the scoring that is assigned to them. The scoring that appears on this site is determined by the site operator in its sole discretion, and should NOT be relied upon for accuracy purposes. In fact, Company/product listings on this page DO NOT imply endorsement by the site operator. Except as expressly set forth in our Terms of Use, all representations and warranties regarding the information presented on this page are disclaimed. The information which appears on this site is subject to change at any time. More info

Best Pick

GoPro Karma with HERO5 Black

Check Price

DJI Mavic Air Quadcopter with Remote Controller

Check Price

General Specifications

Brand

GoPro

DJI

Model

Karma

Mavic Air

Origin

China

About the Product

Karma captures amazingly smooth GoPro footage in the air, handheld or body mounted. The Karma Drone is foldable and fits into its own lightweight case that’s comfortable to wear during any activity. A game-style controller featuring an integrated touch display makes it easy and fun to fly.

A marvel of engineering and design, the Mavic Air was built to go wherever adventure takes you. Inheriting the best of the Mavic series, this ultraportable and foldable drone features high-end flight performance and functionality for limitless exploration.

Key Specs

Indoor Or Outdoor Use

Outdoor

Integrated Camera

Yes

Integrated GPS

Yes

Maximum Flight Time

20 min.

21 min.

Wireless Range

9840 ft.

262 ft.

App-Controlled

Yes

What customers say about "Key Specs"

GoPro Karma with HERO5 Black

I'm getting about 18 minutes of battery life. However, the Karma will return to you with about 2 minutes of battery remaining, so expect about 15 minutes of useful flying time. (Let's see, 18-2 = ... you get the idea).
The Karma drone takes fantastic videos and photos. Having the camera on the front of the drone means that propellers DO NOT end up in the photo, as they frequently do on competing drones.
The camera of course can be used separate from the drone; and the camera is pretty cool. It is waterproof to 30 feet without a case, can be voice controlled, touch screen (with on screen editing functions), and of course video that rivals more expensive camera systems.
Overall Karma is a great drone that can use improvements but for the price and the hand stabilizer like I was saying is a game changer and brings to the table no other drone company can. Nice work on that GoPro!
I was concerned about losing the GPS signal and the other reviews and YouTube posts of the drones flying away uncontrolled after losing the GPS signal.

DJI Mavic Air Quadcopter with Remote Controller

On the good side: the aircraft, gimbal and camera are all really good in high wind, and the resolution is very acceptable though not as good as the Phantom 4 Advanced or Pro.
Compared to a spark: this thing is smaller when folded up, has a much better camera, and longer flight time.
Otherwise, the combo offers best value, especially when you consider how small the actual flight time is for this little beast.
The battery lasts what you'd expect for a drone of this size and caliber, and, despite crashing a couple times, it has held up very well.
However 21 minutes with the size of the battery is impressive. Just the sheer fact that I can carry this in a small soccer bag and still have room for plenty of other gear makes it all the worth.

Size & Weight

Height

4.6 in.

3.26 in.

Width

16.2 in.

6.6 in.

Depth

12 in.

7.2 in.

Weight

2.2 lbs.

0.95 lbs.

What customers say about "Size & Weight"

GoPro Karma with HERO5 Black

Portable, you can take the drone anywhere with you, the backpack is nice, and also the bundle comes with the karma stabilizer just in case you want to get some ground footage.
If you are only looking for a fantastic drone, look elsewhere. At this price-point, there are other better, more portable, and feature rich options out there.
This drone is in a league of its own. The build quality is exceptional.
The Karma Drone is heavy in comparison with other drones. It also has a large footprint, but sits much closer to the ground than other similarly sized drones, making me worry more about grass, dust, and sand affecting future performance.

DJI Mavic Air Quadcopter with Remote Controller

Great little drone. I have a few DJI and this one is worth it’s weight in gold.
I've owned the Phantom 1-4, the Inspire, and the Mavic Pro. That being said, the Mavic Air is probably the best drone I've owned so far. Although I'm not going to get the same quality that I would on the Inspire, the size factor is a big plus.
Seasoned pilots may also want it because of its capability and size. I have only had this, my first drone, for 30 days.
The controller design and the size of the drone are awsome. It is very easy to travel with this drone compared to my old one.
It's compact size, features and the carrying bag included with the fly more combo are awesome.

Flight

Maximum Speed

35 mph

42.5 mph

Number of Rotors

Directional Controls

Rotate left, Rotate right, Fly higher, Fly lower, Fly forward, Fly backward, Fly left, Fly right

Forward, Backward, Rotate left, Rotate right, Up, Down, Left, Right

Autonomous Flight Modes

P-mode (positioning), S-mode (sport), ATTI mode, Return to Home, Dronie, Circle, Helix, Rocket, Boomerang, Asteroid

Maximum Speed
Number of Rotors

What customers say about "Flight"

GoPro Karma with HERO5 Black

The hand stabilizer is a game changer. What a special addition that takes the stabilization from the air to the ground.
Video and footage is nice. And the drone is easy to fly. I would advise anyone to try the flying tutorial on the remote control if you have never flown a drone before, but for anyone who is used to flying a drone then you can skip the tutorial.
The Karma Drone is very easy to set up and launch. The briefcase/backpack included with the Karma system will carry everything you need to fly the drone, including extra batteries as needed.
The controller is VERY easy to use, and the big bright touchscreen shows a very clear image during flight with virtually no lag or delay.
Has no sensors to prevent it from hitting obstacles in its path.

DJI Mavic Air Quadcopter with Remote Controller

The biggest thing is that if you let go of the controls, the drone hovers in seconds.
The intelligent flight modes make getting great cinematic shots a breeze.
Flight is amazing, the ability to fly it while watching the video or by looking at it is amazing. The GPS built in allows you to hover it about anywhere.
Everything looks pretty good, first couple flights went off flawlessly.
The control systems in the drone are excellent. This is a good entry point for me as it is small enough to take anywhere and I can learn to use a drone and expect good video and stills.

Features

Camera and Memory

12MP photo, 4K video

12MP photo, Internal Storage 8 GB

Landing Gear/Legs Included

Yes

Additional Accessories Included

HERO5 Black, Karma Controller with Touch Display, Karma Stabilizer, Karma Harness (HERO5 Black), Karma Grip, 6 Propellers, Karma Mounting Ring, The Frame (HERO5 Black), USB-C Cable, Karma Case

Remote controller, Battery, Charger

Intended Use

Professional video shooting & Entertainment

Extras

Waterproof 33FT, Advanced Wind Noise Reduction, Voice Control, Video Stabilization, Auto Upload To Cloud, LED light

LED light, 32 MP Sphere Panoramas, Foldable & Portable, 3-Axis Gimbal & 4K Camera, 3-Directional Environment Sensing, SmartCapture, Slow-Motion Video, Foldable Remote Controller

Recommended Minimum Age

Landing Gear/Legs Included

What customers say about "Features"

GoPro Karma with HERO5 Black

Is it missing some fancier features that other drones have? Sure. It doesn't have follow-mode, or collision detection - but I knew that going in.
No it doesnt have a bunch of sensors or features, but I dont fly in a way where I really need those anyways..
All the safety features make it near impossible to lose carelessly. I have flown her in heavy wind and she has taken a few less than soft landings and handles like a champ.
By the way it doesn't have the follow feature which I didn't need or want. But it can be programed to do certain routs. I tried to load a movie but don't know how.
I purchased the drone after the recall, but on the third flight it fell from the sky. I can see from the video that the lights were off, it completely lost power on a full battery.

DJI Mavic Air Quadcopter with Remote Controller

The camera quality being 4K 30fps or 2.7k 60fps is absolutely stunning. I would definitely recommend this drone to anyone looking to get a great drone to travel with.
So far ive only recorded video at 4k; expect some stutter in most of your videos. Overall this thing is a beast. Cant believe I can buy something this awesome for this price and convenience.
Amazing photos, amazing videos, range is great. Works amazing in rural areas, being closer to the city can break up signal a little but that's expected.
The wide angle lens does a great job of capturing landscape shots, and it takes clear, high quality stills and video.
It's so damn small and portable! And the 100mbps and slow motion features are a plus as well.

Warranty / Certifications

Manufacturer Warranty

1 year(s)

Certifications

Other Information

MSRP

599.99 $

Manufacturer

Link

Manual

Download

Power