Mavic 3 domestic prices out

[Coskier]

Anyway, if they offered the Fly More + SC2 for the mid $3k range I'd be pretty happy.

Probably going to have to piecemeal it, but I am thinking the same thing. Don't need an onboard SSD for that price differential, but very much want the new SC.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Recent leak shows European prices have been confirmed as shown below on Twitter.

I just wonder what the US price will convert to. Same figures as posted buy changing the currency value or do a conversion of how much that would be in US dollars?

 

[Johnmcl7]

The European prices may include tax but US prices don't normally which makes converting prices tricky, having a quick look on the DJI French store a Mavic 2 Pro with the smart controller is 2000 Euros while the same package on the US site is 2049 dollars. 2000 Euros converts to 2315 dollars so that's about 15% more which is a bit under the 20% tax charged in France but perhaps gives a rough idea.

 

[jonatious]

The European prices may include tax but US prices don't normally which makes converting prices tricky, having a quick look on the DJI French store a Mavic 2 Pro with the smart controller is 2000 Euros while the same package on the US site is 2049 dollars. 2000 Euros converts to 2315 dollars so that's about 15% more which is a bit under the 20% tax charged in France but perhaps gives a rough idea.

Based on that math, 2100 Euros is 1750 Euros before 20% tax. 1750 Euros is $2027. So may be $2000 or $2050 for the base package

 

[NG Wildman]

I am going to wait on the final price. I have several DJI drones and camera gimbles....yet this projected price point leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I will wait on this. Maybe it's time to switch to Autel or Skydio for certain needs.

 

[Rilot]

I think DJI really aren't going for the top-end consumer market with this. It's squarely aimed at video pros, and prosumers.
These are the kind of people who will happily spend $6k on a camera body because it will earn them that 10 times over in the course of its life. Aimed at that market, the price is quite reasonable.

I see it like this:

Entry level - Mini SE
Mass market - Mini 2
Mid-range consumer - Air 2
High-end consumer - Air 2S
Low-end professional - Mavic 3 Pro
Etc.

 

[Mavic-Master88]

I have a Master's degree in Marketing and I have worked in the industry for over 2 decades. These aren't semantics, they are facts. You are either confused or not reading what I am writing. You keep trying to move the goal posts by either putting words in my mouth or suggesting ridiculous hypotheticals which may be fun to discuss, but are not realistic.

Low-margin products are generally not sold into niche markets. Niche markets are by definition much smaller and often specialized or catering to a unique need - if a manufacturer is going to make a low-volume product to cater to these people, they will usually not do so at a loss. Low volume production is much more expensive and margins need to be higher to cover costs.

Nobody in here cares if you have a marketing degree LOL. When you say something totally non-sensical like "DJI won't put a low-margin product into a niche market" then you just confuse people. There is no "textbook definition" of a niche market being only expensive or pro-level products. A niche is simply defined as a particular market segment that has products suited to specific needs and spending budget of a consumer. Don't over-complicate the discussion.

It wasn't a tangent, it was relevant information that sheds light on why prices generally become less granular as the price increases, and a customer's tolerance for price fluctuations is something that is well researched and widely studied for these exact purposes. The simple fact that a large global company like DJI (and many others) are running their product marketing strategies exactly as I am describing rather than what you are suggesting I think speaks volumes. A $500 price increase on an expensive product is easier for a typical customer to stomach than an $500 increase on a cheap product - that is a fact. The great thing about something that has been studied extensively over time and observed in the real world over many decades is that it doesn't matter what your opinion is, it's still correct. DJI doesn't care about the opinions of an individual, they care about broad market trends and objective data.

That's been exactly my point in this entire thread. If DJI cares so much about market trends, they would know the $1200-$1700 price range is VERY fertile market for the many thousands of serious hobbyists out there who have been buying products like the M2Z and M2P for several years. For them to abandon that niche and only serve up the $999 Air 2S as a "one size fits all" for hobbyists is a very bad decision for their bottom line, and betrays many loyal customers who want a competitive product. You seem too focused on "price fluctation tolerances" for high end products and I'm focused on one of the most important niche markets in consumer drones. I guess this is what happens when a marketing grad looks at theoretical ideas instead of actual market data.

It sounds very much like you are creating your own personal wish list and trying to apply that to a much broader market. That may be a fun exercise, but it doesn't work like that. You also don't seem to understand the sensor design and processing requirements necessary to produce 8K video that is more than a gimmick. If you think you know better than the marketing team of a multi-billion dollar company with over 50% of the entire drone market share, why not contact them about this 'lost opportunity' and let us all know what they say? DJI is making decisions based on data rather than opinions, but maybe you can change their minds.

True 8K is a gimmick in any consumer electronic product right now. Even very expensive products like the Red 8K cine-camera is using sensors that are not true 8K and there are further compromises with the software processing. The bottom line is that 8K is the new buzzword in drone technology and you can be assured DJI is on top of it and will be offering it on their product lines by 2022 and 2023 simply because their competitors like Autel are already offering it. They can't follow your advice just because an 8K sensor might seem "gimmicky", because that doesn't matter in the real world of profit margins and free market competition. Autel is selling more and more Evo II's every year and DJI is taking notice of that and will respond with their own 8K drone.

I'm starting to suspect you're a corporate plant employed by DJI? You're immediate and vigorous defense of every aspect of their marketing strategy and product decisions seems suspect. Any customer like me will always view a new product line with skepticism and judge it with a critical eye because that is the responsibility for spending our dollars wisely and getting maximum value from the product. You've done nothing in here except bend over backwards to give DJI glowing remarks about their marketing department and corporate strategy and they can do no wrong when it comes to selling drones. That sounds like a "company man" type of perspective.

 

[Mavic-Master88]

I'd concede that at this point you either know your shtuff or you are a master at googling things. Either way. The argument has been made and ended.

Anyone can google stuff. Just because somebody spews stuff like "low margin product into a niche market" doesn't make them smart or informed, it just makes them seem confused about what point they're trying to make

Gut feeling tells me I'm going to be proven right about DJI suffering loss of revenue and loyal customers if they abandon the all-important $1200-$1700 market niche. This is a niche they spent at least 5 years working hard to cultivate with great products like the M2Z and M2P. CanadaDrone is living in a fantasyland if he thinks serious hobbyists out there will blindly purchase the A2S and ignore the compelling competition like the Autel Evo II 8K, which is garnering fantastic reviews from people who have extensively compared it to the Mavic 2 Pro.

 

[MS Coast]

Does anyone have a rough guess as to the resale value of my M2 Pro, Smart Controller, 4 batteries, 2 carrying cases, multi-battery simultaneous charger, auto charger, and lots of other accessories? All in very good condition. This will help fund my inevitable purchase of the M3 Fly More bundle.

Do a search on eBay and select the completed auction filter.

 

[wco81]

I think DJI really aren't going for the top-end consumer market with this. It's squarely aimed at video pros, and prosumers.
These are the kind of people who will happily spend $6k on a camera body because it will earn them that 10 times over in the course of its life. Aimed at that market, the price is quite reasonable.

I see it like this:

Entry level - Mini SE
Mass market - Mini 2
Mid-range consumer - Air 2
High-end consumer - Air 2S
Low-end professional - Mavic 3 Pro
Etc.

Only flaw in this strategy is that there may be a lot of Mavic and Mavic 2 owners who are unwilling to pay Mavic 3 prices and don't see enough of an upgrade to buy the Air 2S.

Depending on how large a market the Mavic/Mavic 2 installed base is, they could lose a lot of upgrade sales.

Especially with the uncertainty about CE Mark and RemoteID, these new drones that DJI is releasing this year and next year may not be sufficiently future-proof either.

 

[mschaffer66]

Only flaw in this strategy is that there may be a lot of Mavic and Mavic 2 owners who are unwilling to pay Mavic 3 prices and don't see enough of an upgrade to buy the Air 2S.

Depending on how large a market the Mavic/Mavic 2 installed base is, they could lose a lot of upgrade sales.

Especially with the uncertainty about CE Mark and RemoteID, these new drones that DJI is releasing this year and next year may not be sufficiently future-proof either.

I think the thing is, as @CanadaDrone has pointed out, there really isn't anything that DJI could reasonably offer for features better than the A2S and lesser than the M3.

So I'll ask this as a question for all, not calling you out @wco81 so please don't take offense. What could DJI offer in a $1500 hobbyist oriented drone that would make it better than an A2S, but not as good as an M3?

Some of the things I keep seeing people talk about in forums could be:

Better camera - It doesn't seem like there is much to be had between the A2S and the M3 as far as options go. 8K on a small sensor? Someone here seems to think that's the ticket, but others disagree.

More range - It seems like the OS3 is sufficient for pretty much any sort of distances regardless of model.

More battery life - Reasonable. You could offer a better battery, but would you pay $500 more just for a longer flight time or would you just buy a couple extra batteries for an A2S?

Improved Obstacle Sensing - I guess maybe you could focus more on sensing and less on the photography aspect if this is being marketed more towards hobbyists.

Waypoints/Missions - It seems like everyone has wanted that for the Mini's and Air's. Would a hobbyist pay an extra $500 just to be able to fly autonomously? It seems like DJI saves that for the more pro drones and that might dilute some M3 sales.

Thoughts?

 

[Johnmcl7]

I think the thing is, as @CanadaDrone has pointed out, there really isn't anything that DJI could reasonably offer for features better than the A2S and lesser than the M3.

I agree, I can't see any meaningful upgrade for the Mavic 2 without increasing the price. Moving the Mavic 3 up the range and then filling the gap a bit with an Air 2S I think makes a lot of sense.

I question the actual benefit of 8K on sensors like these beyond marketing hype (unlike FF Mirrorless where that is a useful feature) but I don't think they could offer it regardless, Sony only offer the 1in sensor with 20MP resolution which is far short of what's needed for genuine 8K.

On discussions about what would make you upgrade to a Mavic 3 for me the only reason would be a better sensor which they've offered and for that reason I'll certainly consider it. I doubt I'd consider it if they'd stuck with a 1in sensor.

 

[wco81]

I agree, I can't see any meaningful upgrade for the Mavic 2 without increasing the price. Moving the Mavic 3 up the range and then filling the gap a bit with an Air 2S I think makes a lot of sense.

I question the actual benefit of 8K on sensors like these beyond marketing hype (unlike FF Mirrorless where that is a useful feature) but I don't think they could offer it regardless, Sony only offer the 1in sensor with 20MP resolution which is far short of what's needed for genuine 8K.

On discussions about what would make you upgrade to a Mavic 3 for me the only reason would be a better sensor which they've offered and for that reason I'll certainly consider it. I doubt I'd consider it if they'd stuck with a 1in sensor.

If they're seeing good sales on the Air 2S, see that a lot of Mavic/Mavic 2 owners are buying it, then their strategy might be vindicated.

I think the Mavic 3 pricing, if it bears out, is about maximizing revenues in anticipation of shortages.

That is, they can't produce enough of them, because of chip or component shortages, so they are going to see if they can get people to bite.

What were the original Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom prices? They were maybe like $1200-$1500? If the rumored $2050 base price turns out to be true, it's a 30-60% increase in prices over what they were in 2018.

They will probably sell all that they can manufacture in the next year, because people have some pent up demand if they didn't get the Air 2S and a lot of people have cash from pandemic benefits. But will sales continue at higher prices after supplies have caught up in 2023 and after people have spent their savings? That is after they get all the low-hanging fruit?

Ultimately though, the true measure of success is if the Mavic 3 outsells the Mavic 2s. Price it too high and if they don't get at least the same number of unit sales, then they may be risking market share loss to competitors. They may bring in more revenues, with the much higher prices. But they may be leaving some sales on the table by pricing them too high.

 

[thispilothere]

What could DJI offer in a $1500 hobbyist oriented drone that would make it better than an A2S, but not as good as an M3?

Waypoints/Missions - It seems like everyone has wanted that for the Mini's and Air's. Would a hobbyist pay an extra $500 just to be able to fly autonomously? It seems like DJI saves that for the more pro drones and that might dilute some M3 sales.

If it could be autonomous, have an excellent mission editing app and be easily replicated with better precision than I can get using Maven (or the like), then it's a hard yes.

 

[Sky Angels]

Badass drone!

It’s Cine or nothing for me.

Nothing until the system is matured or working properly at the start.

 

[mschaffer66]

Badass drone!

It’s Cine or nothing for me.

Nothing until the system is matured or working properly at the start.

For me its probably an M3 Fly More and adding an SC2 if/when they are available.

Being a hobbyist I'm positive that the M3 itself is way more than I need. Heck a drone in general is way more than I "need" lol. But the Cine is way way way more than I need. The only reason I would be buying the Cine is to get the SC2 right off the bat. Based on rumored pricing M3 Fly More and an SC2 will likely still be substantially less money than getting a Cine. $3700ish compared to around $5000?

The smart man in me says just get an A2S/SC combo and keep the extra $2k in your pocket. haha

 

[wco81]

We're going to have to see some image quality differences between the MFT sensor and the Air2S or the Mavics.

I mean obvious, not cooked up to make the images look better.

 

[RonBower]

My expectation is that the MFT camera will be noticably better in certain situations and conditions. Low light as an example. My original Mavic Pro (1) produced really nice images in good conditions. But when I bought the M2P, the range of very good captures got much broader. I think this upgrade will be similar..... not every shot is going to be WAY better. But some will be. I don't know if the full frame vs. MFT land camera comparison translates to drones, but there is visible difference, at least in the photos I see displayed at shows. Is it worth the money? That is a question everyone will evaluate based on their needs/wants. I'm probably going to buy the M3 Fly More bundle, but my M2P has been a really outstanding camera/drone for me. I have had moments of thinking I should work harder at practicing my skills as a photographer, rather than just throwing money at equipment. But those moments aren't winning the internal argument.

 

[mschaffer66]

I have had moments of thinking I should work harder at practicing my skills as a photographer, rather than just throwing money at equipment. But those moments aren't winning the internal argument.

Its like you're the little voice inside my head... lol

 

[CanadaDrone]

The performance differences between commonly available 1" and 4/3 sensors on the market are already well known, so unless DJI puts in some truly horrible processing, it will be a noticeable difference. RAW still image quality will be noticeably better as it's harder to screw that up. On the video side, if they oversample their 4K from ~6K it is going to be an enormous difference compared to the M2P. I they use subsampling or line skipping, it's going to get a lot more complicated. We will have to wait and see on the processing side. Rumored specs show a 200Mbs bitrate which is already double that of the M2P, so that's a good sign.