MavMount not perfect (what is right?)

[Syphon]

I flew 3 batteries on the beach today with my Mavmount XL, did not find it too heavy. I even hand caught and launched (since I was on sand) holding the controller, Mavmount and iPad Air 2 and was able to do it. I am not in shape at all, more mush than muscle.

The only complaints I have after 3 weeks of the MavMount is really just the cost. It is pretty expensive considering most of it is cheap items you can find on Amazon. The only custom part is the metal plate.

The weight does not bother me too much, really the heavy part is the iPad Air2 but I am not willing to drop $300 on an iPad Mini when I already have an Air2 just sitting around.

I guess the only other plus would be a lanyard clip on it to help with the weight.

 

[dv8ed]

Directly below pause button there's an indent/groove. Maybe revised MavMount version will have a bump to slide into that groove.
Mean time for your fix 3D print something and epoxy to top of MavMount so it slides into notch/groove.

 

[Aerial West]

I think the weight is there to counter balance the weight of a iPad..... so it puts more weight at the base (wings) of the controller....

This is the correct answer. An improperly weighted controller will fatigue your hands quicker than anything, resulting in crappy footage.

Also I shouldn't have ordered the XL version as the larger iPads are just too unwieldy but this is my fault. I should have done more research.

Many people ask what i use professionally, and I tel them the iPad mini 3. I use it for the heavier Inspire 1 controller, and I use it for this. I feel like the iPad Air is overkill for my needs professionally. But a smaller ballhead would fail. Trust me, i went through about 12 different ball head designs. This controller is lighter than an inspire or phantom controller... you'd hate the weight of those.

I will personally be making my own with wood for the base that is the proper thickness with a ball mount and iPad Air holder.

Sounds just like my very first revision.. good luck. i obviously decided against that, but it worked ok for a bit.

I would expect it to not wobble in the controller.

The fact is, the soft pads inside the clamps were meant to hold a cell phone.

For example, take your hand, grab some foam, and pick up a book with it. No matter how hard you try to hold the book, the foam will give. This is a design feature of the controller, not the mount.

So as long as you're not rocking your controller back and forward, which is obviously not something a good pilot would be doing, you shouldn't have an issue flying.

That being said, I'm already working on something that might help that actually started to offer more functionality. I think i can combine them.

 

[skypros]

I don't like the price of the XL mavmout either.... But with that said.... The ball is $20, the iPad mount is $9, I don't know how much a custom CNC anodized aluminum is... But I am sure it is not exactly cheep.
The designer put allot of thought into this mount..... and for now it is the best one available in both looks and use ability.

The only complaints I have after 3 weeks of the MavMount is really just the cost. It is pretty expensive considering most of it is cheap items you can find on Amazon. The only custom part is the metal plate.

 

[F6Rider]

I've tried inserting the mini 4 in the legs and I get the looseness like that too. Seems to be a lot of these mounts surfacing. That one sure looks nice other than the wobble.

Any real dialogue from the maker?

Actually the maker, @Aerial West is on the thread, and I am sure he is looking into it, I have found a simple way to stop the little wobble I had, so not a problem, it is still WAY better than the 3d printed ones I bought. If you look at the gripper pads in the arms they are very soft rubber, so there is going to be some play unless you can lock the top of the base into the bottom of the RC in some way.

 

[F6Rider]

The weight does not bother me too much, really the heavy part is the iPad Air2 but I am not willing to drop $300 on an iPad Mini when I already have an Air2 just sitting around.

I guess the only other plus would be a lanyard clip on it to help with the weight.

Same here, no Mini but I had an Air2 from my P3. As for the lanyard I added a ring to the neck of the ball mount, to which I can snap my neck strap if I am somewhere I can't set the controller down, like sand, or if I just feel like using it.

 

[joekulis]

If you have a 3D printer this was my solution.

Mavic Base Mount by leenanj

This mount is thicker in the front so it locks into the RC controller and
does not wobble like the Mavmount.

I replaced the aluminum mount with this and its lighter and more solid.

Is there anyone that is selling the mount you mentioned?

 

[woodbutcher50]

I love my new MavMount but I don't like the play in the connection to the RC controller. Is anyone else with a MavMount having the issue I show in this video?

Yes, had to put 1/8" shims on the little ears on each side and wrapped
black electrical tape on ends of aluminum plate so it doesn't slide out from
handling and moving.

 

[woodbutcher50]

Is there anyone that is selling the mount you mentioned?

Wood love the link and/or pic of what ur talking about.

 

[RobP62]

I love these forums just for this reason. Learning and working out bugs.

I'm still waiting for the Mavic so I'm holding off on the Mavmount XL. I am not buying a new tablet and instead intend to use the Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 I have. I will add the gorilla tape if needed. I suspect though a modified version is already in the works.

Also, I recently saw a modification to add a camera neck strap to the tablet directly. It seemed like it would provide a great deal of stability, and at that point the controller is hanging and your hands can rest on it. This was easily accomplished by using velcro. Another mod I would not have a problem doing.

For me and my excessively large tablet, the Mavmount is still the best on the market. Also, the creator is an avid community member, and if he makes a buck on me, good for him, he earned it.

Rob (not a troll)

 

[noone]

See this-

Mavmount alternative

CNC aluminum.

It looks perfect for my needs which involve an iPad Air since I already had a DJI Phantom 3 OEM tablet holder lying around collecting dust.

It's only $20 shipped on eBay and you can clip a harness to it.

I'll reply back with a review on fit and finish once I receive it.

 

[phemmert]

I ended up putting 2 thin strips of Gorilla tape along the top edge and that fixed it, and that stuff is strong. The need to make the top edge a bit thicker.

Did you do that on the short sides or the long edge of the mount? I'm not seeing precisely how that helps to stop the wobble. There's not material on the controller along the top edge of the mount to rest against, so wondering exactly where you put the tape..thanks for your help!

 

[F6Rider]

Did you do that on the short sides or the long edge of the mount? I'm not seeing precisely how that helps to stop the wobble. There's not material on the controller along the top edge of the mount to rest against, so wondering exactly where you put the tape..thanks for your help!

The tape was folded over the top edge to thicken it up, but still didn't 'lock' the mount in the controller arms the way I wanted as the weight of the heaver Air2 still had it wobbling back and forth a bit. So I took a length of 3/8" clear vinyl tubing and sliced it lengthwise and placed it over the top edge, no more wobble. I will point out that some of the wobble in my case was from modding the rubber grips in the arms to accommodate my iPhone case so as not to have to remove it from the phone every time. But now the mount no longer moves at all, and I leave it on the controller all the time, only removing the iPad holder from the mount for storage in my bag,

 

[phemmert]

I love my new MavMount but I don't like the play in the connection to the RC controller. Is anyone else with a MavMount having the issue I show in this video?

I ended up using washers and shimmed it from the top, and added two thicknesses of gorilla tape underneath. There is zero wobble now.

 

[Chris J]

As a guy who does a fair amount of machining in his home shop, I can attest to the fact that making quality parts is not cheap. Some of you guys are complaining about the price of the mavmount. If it's not in your budget, simply buy one of the alternatives. The one I am looking at for $70 (on sale for $55) is not unreasonable, nor do I think any of the guys other prices are.

I'm a bit surprised that someone would pay $1000+ for a new Mavic and then mount some piece of hacked up plexiglass or wood to his controller. Personally, I care about functionality as well as aesthetics, but that's just me. Others have different ideas of what works for them and that's cool.

How about we all just buy what we want and stop ripping Aerial West for the price he charges for what is obviously a quality product.

 

[F6Rider]

I ended up using washers and shimmed it from the top, and added two thicknesses of gorilla tape underneath. There is zero wobble now.

Post above yours "So I took a length of 3/8" clear vinyl tubing and sliced it lengthwise and placed it over the top edge, no more wobble." works great.

 

[noone]

I'd feel better about paying $70 for a MavMount if I didn't have to use washers, vinyl tubing and tape to shim it up. But I guess I'm a perfectionist.

I paid $20 for my mount which is also CNC machined which works just the same.

We all have options, and value is important to me.

 

[Neto]

I love my new MavMount but I don't like the play in the connection to the RC controller. Is anyone else with a MavMount having the issue I show in this video?

Here's what i've done:

Two silicon adhesives in each corner to make it firmer did the job for me.
The only problem is that instead of sliding the mavmount, I have to open the RC legs and put it in the final position.

A bunch of velcro tapes to hold the usb cable.

Sent from my iPhone using MavicPilots

 

[noone]

I finally got my Mavic and was able to audition the F-Stop $20 CNC plate where you add your own OEM DJI tablet mount. It also has the very slightest amount of wobble to it toward the front of the plate closest to the controller bottom, I imagine similar to the MavMount. However, it actually doesn't bother me and I regret bashing the MavMount for having this ever slight slack in the front (it probably rocks about 1mm in the front when I let it hang from my harness) because it's not really a big deal. This particular plate is well made, keeps the cord off my hands, easily supports my iPad Air 1, allows me to easily clip a harness, and is a great value. I rate it 9 out of 10. Taper the plate at the front or add rubber pads to eliminate the small amount of slack in the front of the plate and it's a 10 of 10. I might try the rubber door pads that @Neto showed above. Great idea!

 

[Chris J]

noone, thanks for posting thise photos. Looks like another viable option and I like there is a dedicated place for a lanyard, something I feel the mavmount is missing. The combination of the Fstop unit and the DJI tablet mount is the same price as the mavmount I'm looking at, but options are good!