mjx mew4

MJX MEW4 or Vivitar Phoenix – A solid GPS drone

January 6, 2020

The new MJX MEW4 is the first folding drone from MJX. If the Anafi and Mavic 2 Pro were to have a baby the MEW4 would be the result. This drone has also been found at Walmart and is sold as the Vivitar Phoenix drone. There is a lot to like about the new Phoenix, MEW4 or MEW4-1 or whatever you want to call it. It is an incredibly stable GPS drone with a 2K camera and a 180-degree rotating gimbal. Not only does it look like an Anafi or a Mavic but it flies like one too! Move over Bugs 3 there’s a new drone in town.

Check out the video above to see the MJX MEW4 in action.

MJX MEW4

mjx mew4-1
The MEW4 definitely borrowed styling cues from both the Parrot Anafi and Mavic 2 Pro. Its shape, camera, and color make it look like a Mavic but its size and the way it folds is very much Anafi. The 180-degree rotating camera is also a feature that is only found on the Parrot Anafi.
mjx mew 4 sensors
The GPS and GLONASS teamed up with altitude hold and optical flow make the MEW4 an impressively stable drone. In fact, it might just be the most stable drone I’ve ever tested in the sub $200 drone market.anafi vs mavic vs mjx

Even the remote of the MEW4-1 is a blend of the Mavic and the Anafi remotes. It very much looks like a Mavic controller with a nice LCD screen that gives important information in the center. The remote has a top mount like the Anafi so you can use your phone as the FPV screen to view a live video feed while you are flying.

mjx mew4 remote

MJX MEW4-1 Flight Modes

The MEW4 uses GPS to help it remain stable but also adds functionality like return to home. The MEW also features orbit as well as follow me and both work quite well. The high capacity 7.6v 2050 mAh battery will give it up to 18 minutes of flight time and you can get a range of up to 800 meters. However, I found my FPV feed was limited to between 100 and 200 meters. The FPV feed is accomplished via WiFi and uses a 5G or AC connection.

mjx mew4-1

MEW4-1 Camera

mjx mew 4

The camera on the MEW4 is a 2K camera. Meaning it shoots pictures and videos at 2048 x 1152 vs a standard 1080p camera which is 1920 x 1080. Most people won’t notice the few extra pixels. Overall I’d say I was a bit disappointed by both the video and the picture quality of the MEW4. It is on par with most drones in the $200 price range but it still cannot compete with the $400 DJI Spark.

mjx mew 4 2k camera
Take a look at this picture taken by the MJX MEW4-1.

If you want better pictures and video I’d highly recommend taking a look at the Ryze Tello. It is a small drone but takes some excellent pictures and video. The Tello is also less than $100. It even has digital image stabilization. It is absolutely worth a look if good pictures and video are what you are after. Learn more about the Tello here.

There is no image stabilization on the MJX MEW4-1. The gimbal is only to move the camera and it does have an impressive range of motion. It can move a full 180 degrees so you can look straight up at the sky, straight down at the ground or anywhere in between. The only other drone we’ve ever tested that could do this is the Parrot Anafi. I would have to say that the quality of the pictures and video is a bit of a disappointment. Hopefully soon we’ll get some better options in the sub-$200 drone category.

mavic anafi mew4

Should you buy an MJX MEW4?

The unit we tested was an early model and I’m sure MJX will make some incremental improvements by the time it is released for sale. Overall this is a very impressive machine. I would definitely recommend this as a beginner drone. The MEW4 might just be the most stable drone I’ve flown that was less than $200. It is a great way to get into the hobby.

mjx mew4-1

Check back soon as we should have more details on the MJX MEW4.

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