The DJI Mavic Air is an easy-to-fly drone that shoots great 4K video, packed into an impossibly small package.

It's the latest -- and in many ways greatest -- consumer drone from DJI, the name that's effectively become for drones what Apple and Samsung are for smartphones. The Mavic Air effectively combines the best aspects of the company's top-end Mavic Pro -- my go-to consumer camera drone recommendation since it was introduced in October 2016 -- with the portability of its more casual-focused, travel-friendly Spark, while adding some great new capabilities to the mix, including better obstacle avoidance and an improved 4K video camera.

Starting at $799, £769 and AU$1,299, the Air is a clear step up from the Spark, but its position against the $999 Pro is more hazy. The Mavic Pro has a couple features the Air doesn't, but the opposite is also true. Mainly, the Pro has a slight edge on battery life and video transmission range and can record video at a "true" 4K resolution of 4,096x2,160 pixels. There's also a Pro Platinum edition that's quieter and flies a few minutes longer than the baseline Pro model.