Though drone manufacturer DJI has been at the center of controversies on more than one occasion, it's hard to deny the fact that they make some excellent – if expensive – drones.

Their cheapest device yet, the $499 miniature DJI Spark, launched back in May with an impressive set of features given its size and cost. Now the company has announced a new mid-range drone, the Mavic Air. The Air comes in at $799, putting it directly between the Spark and the company's more expensive $999 Mavic Pro.

As you might expect given its price point, the Air is intended to function as a middle ground between the two previously-mentioned drones, offering enough improvements over the Spark to be worth the upgrade without rendering the Pro obsolete.

Getting down to the nitty gritty, the Mavic Air houses a 4K camera with the ability to capture 24-30 FPS video or 12-megapixel still shots from a wide-angle, 24mm camera lens - a notable improvement over the Spark's 1080p recording capabilities. The Air will also include support for the recording of 1080p, 120 FPS slow-motion video so you can "[capture] all your epic high-speed adventures."

As far as flight specs go, the Air is both lighter and faster than the Pro, with a top speed of 42.5mph. Unfortunately, it is also lacking a bit in the flight duration department. Whereas the Pro can stay in the air for "up to" 30 minutes, the Air is restricted to about 21 minutes of flight time. According to The Verge, the Air has also received a redesigned ventilation system to reduce the risk of the device overheating while in flight.

Finally, the Mavic Air and its included controller are both capable of folding up to a fraction of their full size when not in use for easy transportation.

If you're interested in picking up DJI's latest drone, the device is expected to ship out on January 28. Pre-orders are available now.

Image via TechCrunch