Compare Elios 2 vs Caged Mavic 2 and find out which drone is better for your needs. Learn about their key features, pros, and cons, and decide for yourself which one is the perfect drone for you.
With a galaxy of drone makers flooding the market with their amazing UAVs, choosing the right one for your needs can be very tricky.
No single drone you find in the market today can be the best choice across all situations and expectations. The ideal drone model for you will depend on what you are buying the drone for. Also, you must check if your wallet will support your choice.
Elios 2 and Caged Mavic 2 are two unique and inspiring drone models that have captured the imaginations of a lot of drone lovers.
These two drones have a number of comparable features between them, which put them on a common platform when choosing a drone. Here I have compared the specifications, build, and performance of these two similar drone models to guide your buying decision.
The Elios 2 Vs. the Caged Mavic 2
After Flyability launched it’s Eliot 2 in the drone market, several drone makers attempted to design drones based on this highly touted concept and a new class of caged drones or collision tolerant drones was born. One another good example of caged drones is Caged Mavic 2.
These two drone models trigger a healthy competition among them, especially when people look forward to investing in drones for inspections and surveillance.
While comparing between them within the class of caged drones, you need to understand to what extent these two drones can fulfill the expectations of a caged drone.
At first glance, you might feel Elios 2 and the caged Mavic 2 are similar. However, the truth is on the contrary. Elios 2 has been specifically designed to support inspection missions within confined spaces.
On the other hand, the cage you find surrounding the Mavic 2 is just an external skeleton that is meant to protect the drone caged inside.
Given this fact, let us now explore in detail why you will have to choose the particular UAV among the two if you are buying a drone for surveillance-related tasks.
Why Compare Elios 2 And Caged Mavic 2
These two drone models belong to the class of UAVs known as caged drones. Caged drones are highly suitable for flight and inspection in confined or cluttered spaces, which are otherwise difficult to reach.
Drone cages fulfill the twin purposes of protecting the drone and its propellers from any damage due to collision and protecting people and objects from getting hurt by the drone’s propellers. A good drone cage can let the drone continue flying even after colliding with something.
Putting a cage around a drone opens up several new possibilities and applications. Fundamentally, drone cages enable flying these UAVs inside closed spaces, buildings, and places that are tough to reach.
Initially, Flyability breathed in the concept of caged drones across its Elios series to support the remedial measures when the tsunami invaded Japan in 2011.
Not all drone cages are made equal. Some drone cages are fitted to commercial drones as add-ons, while in some cases of drones, they are designed specifically for flying in confined or cluttered spaces where the risk of colliding is high.
A comparison between Elios 2 and Caged Mavic 2 can help guide a buying decision while you are looking for a caged drone.
In this expert comparison of these two drone models, you will discover which drone is the best tool for commercial inspection or surveillance in places that are hard to reach.
How Do The Specifications Of Elios 2 And Caged Mavic 2 Compare
| Aspect compared | Elios 2 | Mavic 2 Pro |
| Dimensions | Fits within 400mm sphere; 15.75 inches | Folded: 214×91×84 mm (length×width×height)Unfolded:322×242×84 mm (length×width×height) |
| Total takeoff weight | 1450 gms | 907 gms + 230 gms cageTotal weight: 1137 gms |
| Sensor | 1/2.3″ CMOS, Effective Pixels 12.3 M, Optimized for low light performance | 1” CMOSEffective Pixels: 20 million |
| Lens | 2.71mm focal length Fixed focal | 35 mm Format Equivalent: 28 mm |
| Video resolutions | 4k Ultra HD: 3840 x 2160 at 30 FPS, FHD: 1920 x 1080 at 30 FPS | 4K: 3840×2160 24/25/30p2.7K: 2688×1512 24/25/30/48/50/60pFHD: 1920×1080 24/25/30/48/50/60/120p |
| Photo format | JPG | JPEG / DNG (RAW) |
| Video format | MOV | MP4 / MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265) |
| Flight time | 10 minutes | 15 minutes with cage, 31 minutes without cage |
| Flight modes | Pilot Assist, Attitude, Manual thrust + attitude, Sport | Positioning flight mode, Sport flight mode and Tripod flight mode |
Pros And Cons Of The Elios 2
The most important thing you must know about the Elios 2 is that it is specially designed to support confined space inspections. In case of Elios 2, the cage is an essential component of the inspection system, as against being just an add-on.
Elios 2’s surveillance system and camera are designed to tackle the constraints faced within confined spaces. One of the objectives behind its design is to aid a clear vision and accurate data collection.
These two capabilities bestow on the drone pilots several interesting and useful advantages while piloting the drone and while planning repair and maintenance tasks.
- Stability sensors
Elios 2 sports seven stability sensors. There is an altitude mode and motors with enhanced reversibility capabilities. All these three work in perfect combination to ensure the stable flight of the drone.
This technology helps the drone correct its flight path automatically and remain still so that it can capture accurate data and crystal clear images.
- Bounceability factor
The drone is constructed in such a way that it can bounce across the obstacles it may come into contact with in its flight path.
- Improved visibility for pilots
Elios 2 is equipped with a dust-proof lighting system of 10,000 lumens which assures the best line of sight for the pilots even in hazy, dusty, and dark flying environments.
- Oblique lighting system
In an act of inspection or survey, the ability to capture the smallest details is highly important. The oblique lighting system of Elios 2 is meant to do this job very well.
For asset owners, this can help detect even small cracks or a buildup of blockage that can help in proactive maintenance.
One another reason for making Elios 2 one of the best tools for inspection is the ability to switch on its distance lock feature.
Using this feature, the pilot can fly the drone at a fixed range anywhere between 30 cm to 200 cm from an object or wall for the purpose of accurate data collection. This is one another reason why Elios 2 is an advanced tool for inspection.
- Inspection data in real-time
This is an interesting upgrade in Elios 2 over its predecessor Elios 1. Elios 2 makes it possible to analyze its in-flight data in 2D with an accuracy of 0.18m/pixel.
The analysis generates a 3D point cloud that gives a visual representation of the drone’s flying environment. The pilot can also find out the precise location of the point of interest (POI).
Pros And Cons Of The Caged Mavic 2
The cage provided by DJI can be used across all the members of the Mavic 2 series. This is a low-cost option among caged drones. However, this model is not very well suited for flying in tight spaces.
The underlying point is this. In the case of caged Mavic 2, the cage is only an add-on and not part of a holistic solution.
In other words, the cage helps protect the drone in the event of collisions. However, it is not to be considered as a complete solution to operate the drone within tight spaces.
Where Caged Mavic 2 Can Help
If you are looking forward to deploying the drone for outdoor surveillance with only a few obstacles, caged Mavic 2 is a good option.
Elios 2’s cameras cannot be compared with Mavic 2’s advanced thermal and visual camera of 20MP specification.
Nevertheless, making a drone suitable to fly in hard-to-reach areas is not just adding a cage, there is a lot more to go forward along these lines. Caged Mavic 2 definitely falls short in this aspect.
Why Caged Mavic 2 Is Not A Good Collision Tolerant Drone
Here are a few strong reasons why it is not a viable option to fly caged Mavic 2 in areas where visibility is highly reduced like a tight mine shaft.
In order to add the cage, the Mavic 2’s sensing feature has to be switched off. When you have to fly the drone in areas with several obstacles, you will have to depend on a bespoke sensory system.
The fact that you can’t use the drone’s sensory system while adding a cage places the drone as well as the structure in risk.
The addition of the cage nearly halves the Caged Mavic 2’s effective flight time. Whereas Mavic 2 can fly for 30 minutes on a single charge, Caged Mavic 2 can fly only for around 15 minutes, which means the cage significantly impacts its efficiency.
It is also not possible to include any additional lighting. If you want to add up to the visibility, you can at best add a spotlight of 2,400 lumens.
While this can be effective to a good extent, it can hardly be compared to the most effective 10,000-lumen dust-proof lighting sported by the Elios 2.
Final verdict
When you want a drone for inspecting in confined spaces, Elios 2 is the clear winner. However, to some extent, Caged Mavic 2 can fulfill this expectation. In fact, for external surveillance, Caged Mavic 2 is a good option in several regards.
The idea of adding the cage to Mavic 2 while attempting inspection within closed quarters will certainly impact its performance and hence can be counterproductive.
The concept underlying Elios 2 is exclusively developed for constructing a drone suitable for inspection in closed and challenging spaces. Therefore, despite it expensive price tag, it is more sensible to use the drone for such missions due to its exclusive design and capabilities.
Elios 2 sports unrivaled capabilities with regard to missions like tank inspections and mapping of the underground mines and everything that can fall in between such operations.
The pricey nature of Elios 2 is justified due to its highly useful features and capabilities. Especially, people find Elios 2 a great tool to support ongoing maintenance tasks.
However, if you are keen to settle with an economical alternative to Elios 2 and are willing to overlook the shortcomings in the drone meant for closed space inspections, Caged Mavic 2 is a viable choice you can definitely consider.
Also Read:
Jon is a passionate photographer and videographer who has been flying DJI drones for over 5 years. He loves the freedom and creativity that comes with capturing aerial footage and the unique perspective it provides. Jon is always on the lookout for new locations to explore and capture with his DJI drones. His favorite DJI drone is the Mavic 2 Pro, which he uses to capture stunning 4K footage with its Hasselblad camera. Jon is always eager to share his knowledge and experience with other drone enthusiasts and is a member of several online drone communities. When he’s not flying his DJI drone, Jon enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time with his family.
