Hi all, I'm looking at getting my first drone and have a question about how Active Track works, even after watching a few videos on the subject. My question is how does the drone maintain altitude in Active Track? Removing the need for obstacles causing the need for altitude change does Active Track try to keep the drone a fixed altitude above the target it's tracking?
I think my most technically demanding use for it would be to follow a vehicle. As I'll only be using this for my entertainment (no commercial use for the video) I don't want to spend thousands so I was looking at the Mavic 2 Air, or Air 2S drones as a top speed around 40mph gives useful flexibility. I understand that using Active Track in Normal mode has all the collision avoidance sensors on, and that for the drone to track at it's top speed it needs to be in Sport mode which disables collision avoidance sensors. That obviously limits where I would use it and I'm fine with keeping it to places devoid of obstacles, or off road etc as I've got a holiday planned that involve snowmobiles and husky dog sleds, and ideas for a safari on the horizon as well. I need it to hold it's altitude relative to the target it's tracking so if I was to encounter a hill the drone wouldnt try and follow without increasing height to compensate.


Finally, yes I'm aware of the UK CAA/EASA requirements and will be looking in to an A2 certificate to ensure I'm appropriately qualified to do some of that stuff. I've got long enough to do the requisite learning.

The MA2 and A2s will maintain altitude while tracking via the VPS or the barometric sensor as it normally does while in non-tracking modes. It uses the altitude at the start. I do not know how that works if the drone is within VPS range and the altitude of the tracking target changes however. I would choose the A2s over the MA2 for active tracking, it is noticeably better IMO.

By the way, you can manually change the drone altitude while the active tracking is in progress, as well as some other movements.

Hello there TVR Will. Good day and welcome to DJI Forum. For additional reference, When using gesture to activate the Activetrack function. The DJI Mavic Air 2 only tracks the people who perform the first detected gesture. The distance between the people and the drone should be 5 - 10 meters and the drone's tilt should not exceed 60 degrees. Thank you.

Thanks all, seems feasible even if it turns out to not do it automatically. Now to get an Air 2 S & Fly More Kit past the wife. or maybe wait for the MAvic 3 and see what that does to prices/ used market.