Air versus Shiny New Pro2

[Mavic Onbekommerd]

At This stage of my ‘droning’, portability is very important. I travel a lot by air, and the MA (no pun intended) with all its stuff (including 3 batteries) inside the travel bag that comes with the Fly More Combo fits very nicely in the bottom of the Thule backpack which I use as my carry on luggage.
And also (and again at this stage), the MA fits my price / performance requirements very well.
So although the specs of the MP2 are impressive, I’ll stick with my MA for now. But I would have liked it to have Occusynch.....

 

[CanadaDrone]

Small drones are not better than bigger ones by default.

Mavic2 is better than ma, in every field.

Portability is an advantage, but it's not the same for everyone. For example, I usually take with me my spark, or my ma, or my MP, in the same small DJI bag.

Mavics are smaller than inspires, but not better.

Of course time will show how good are new Mavics, but I'm sure that they are the best portable drones ever.

Nobody is saying smaller better by default. I don't think I have ever even read that in my time on these forums. The size difference between an Air and a Mavic Pro / Mavic 2 though is enormous (literally double + accessories), as shown above. Depending on what you plan to do or where you plan to go, there are plenty of scenarios where you can take an Air with you but not a Mavic Pro / Mavic 2, including laws which restrict drones above 500g and you can't even legally fly a Pro. We're lucky to have so many choices, and I think a lot of people will opt to own both the Air and the Mavic 2 Pro (I am considering it but I will wait a few months after seeing the Mavic 2 Pro gimbal is apparently glued on poorly).

In the case of the original Mavic Pro, there was little reason not to get the Air unless you regularly flew beyond 4KM (which legally requires a separate spotter long before that point), or needed more than ~20 min flight time. Valid reasons for sure, but not everyone needs that. The Air also had vastly superior image quality which for many is priority #1. Even with the Mavic 2 out now, the Air still offers the most features for the size and dollar, which is an important market segment to be in.

The Mavic 2 Zoom does appear to be better than the Air in every area except size/portability and cost, which to some people is everything (even the difference between being able to fly or not at all) and to others not an issue at all. Image quality has yet to be determined as they both use 12MP 1/2.3" sensors, 100Mbps bitrates, and there are optical compromises any time you introduce a zoom which could potentially negate progress made in other areas (again, this is yet to be tested thoroughly).

 

[CanadaDrone]

Ma and M2, are both small size, so M2 wins, in case of portability with best characteristics.

The only situation in which air is better, is when for a few cm, cannot carry a M2. But in this situation, maybe spark is best of all.

There is a heck of a lot more than a few cm separating the two. It's literally double the size, volume and weight, never mind the batteries and accessories and controller which are also significantly larger. You would need an entirely different bag assuming you were using the smallest one possible for each, which I think most people try and do. It's pocketable vs not pocketable. Then there is the weight issue, where in some countries flying drones over 500g is so restrictive it's pointless to even try unless you do it for a living. The size difference isn't an issue for everyone but since the size difference is so significant in this case, it's an important consideration especially when traveling or hiking.

 

[mjbok]

To me this is a relatively cheap hobby and a lot of bang for your buck.

Try flying RC jets - the turbines alone cost more than a whole drone. My last jet (Eurofighter with 35lb thrust turbine) which I built in 2008 cost over US$ 10k.

Tell that to my wife. The idea of buying an Inspire 2 with the best camera would cost what, 4k? If I said that in a pitch to buy it the laughing would be audible for miles.

The fact that you can buy a drone for under $400 that can deliver aerial footage usable in broadcast TV (after being processed, color corrected, etc) is nothing short of amazing. Most of us (drone buyers) are hobbyists. We don't make money from this and do it because it is fun and it is cool. However, anytime you break into 4 figures on a hobby it is no longer cheap. I probably have at least 5k laid out in this hobby, and I can afford it, but even I recognize it is excessive for what it is.

The new Mavics sound cool and if I could get them cheap (1k or less) I probably would even though I have no reason to. If someone was getting a new drone and asked me what kind to buy I would ask what they want to do. For most people a Breeze is more than enough. For those that the Breeze isn't quite enough for them the Spark would probably fulfill the need. For those that the Spark doesn't quite have enough, the Air, then either the original MP or the Evo. Starting with a MP2 would be dumb, just because you don't know if the hobby will stick and if you have no flying experience you are risking quite a lot to start with a 1500 dollar drone.

 

[CanadaDrone]

Tell that to my wife. The idea of buying an Inspire 2 with the best camera would cost what, 4k? If I said that in a pitch to buy it the laughing would be audible for miles.

An Inspire 2 with the best camera and all the bells & whistles is WAY more than $4K. It can easily cost over $20K+ USD for a professional setup. Most people (including myself) will never even have a chance to use such a drone Compared to renting a helicopter and putting a camera operator in it with a $50-$250K USD++ camera setup though, it is the bargain of the century and has saved filming companies millions upon millions of dollars. Not to mention it can also fly in lots of places helicopters cannot. Pretty cool when you think about it, even though it seems absurdly expensive to the average hobbyist

 

[lmel2005]

Nobody is saying smaller better by default. I don't think I have ever even read that in my time on these forums. The size difference between an Air and a Mavic Pro / Mavic 2 though is enormous (literally double + accessories), as shown above. Depending on what you plan to do or where you plan to go, there are plenty of scenarios where you can take an Air with you but not a Mavic Pro / Mavic 2, including laws which restrict drones above 500g and you can't even legally fly a Pro. We're lucky to have so many choices, and I think a lot of people will opt to own both the Air and the Mavic 2 Pro (I am considering it but I will wait a few months after seeing the Mavic 2 Pro gimbal is apparently glued on poorly).

In the case of the original Mavic Pro, there was little reason not to get the Air unless you regularly flew beyond 4KM (which legally requires a separate spotter long before that point), or needed more than ~20 min flight time. Valid reasons for sure, but not everyone needs that. The Air also had vastly superior image quality which for many is priority #1. Even with the Mavic 2 out now, the Air still offers the most features for the size and dollar, which is an important market segment to be in.

The Mavic 2 Zoom does appear to be better than the Air in every area except size/portability and cost, which to some people is everything (even the difference between being able to fly or not at all) and to others not an issue at all. Image quality has yet to be determined as they both use 12MP 1/2.3" sensors, 100Mbps bitrates, and there are optical compromises any time you introduce a zoom which could potentially negate progress made in other areas (again, this is yet to be tested thoroughly).

I have MP and Air, and can say that folded and in case, the difference is little.
DJI Mavic case is very small, and fits all fly more combo with Mavic.
Also, spark's DJI case, is a spark/Mavic case. As I said, I carry my drones in this case almost all the time.

Mavic's dimensions also are not the double than ma.

As for the differences, M2 zoom has a new camera, new gimbal and h265. Nothing to compare with ma.

Ocusync was always an advantage, and nothing to do with 4km flight. My ma in CE mode, had disconnections in 200m. Mavic never had issues. Ocusync 2.0 is even better.
Wireless connection of goggles, and second RC, and RC itself with all telemetry on screen, are advantages too.

But if someone thinks that Air is the best drone for him, for any reason, then this is it.

 

[mad monkey]

I'm going to say based on folded size the MA to me is actually smaller than the Spark. Because of sparks always out arms making awkwardness..

It's really a good thing dji decided to make 6-7 variants of drones so they can appeal to various tastes

 

[CanadaDrone]

I have MP and Air, and can say that folded and in case, the difference is little.
DJI Mavic case is very small, and fits all fly more combo with Mavic.
Also, spark's DJI case, is a spark/Mavic case. As I said, I carry my drones in this case almost all the time.

Mavic's dimensions also are not the double than ma.

As for the differences, M2 zoom has a new camera, new gimbal and h265. Nothing to compare with ma.

Ocusync was always an advantage, and nothing to do with 4km flight. My ma in CE mode, had disconnections in 200m. Mavic never had issues. Ocusync 2.0 is even better.
Wireless connection of goggles, and second RC, and RC itself with all telemetry on screen, are advantages too.

But if someone thinks that Air is the best drone for him, for any reason, then this is it.

If you read my post I agree that the Mavic 2 is better than the Air in every way except size/weight/price. The point there is that for some people, the significant size and weight difference between the Air and the Pro can easily mean being able to use it vs not being able to use it at all. If you are in a CE area you can just take 30 seconds to put it in FCC mode and get all the range back, I imagine 99% of owners do that based on the multiple 300+ post threads on every forum doing exactly that. Occusync in a CE area also roughly halves its range - there is no free lunch there. I don't know every country's drone laws, but in North America you need a dedicated spotter to fly farther than visual line of sight which for most people is not more than 100-200m so even the range of the Air in CE mode is about the maximum any one person can fly it alone (legally anyways).

The photos, measurements, and objective data are there for anyone to see - the size difference is very significant, and actually more than double that of the Air. Whether or not that matters to you personally is one thing, but one cannot make the argument that the difference in size is little when you can just look at the measurements or comparison photos and see that it is over twice the overall size plus having significantly larger/heavier accessories that need to be brought along (people often forget about this when doing size comparisons).

Mavic 2 Dimensions:
214 X 91 X 84mm
905g
Approx. Volume: 1,635,816 mm3

Mavic Air Dimensions:
168 X 83 X 49mm
430g
Approx. Volume: 683,256 mm3

A lot of people seem to ignore the height dimension, which is probably the most limiting when trying to pack it. It makes a huge difference.

The Mavic 2 occupies approximately 2.4 times the space (approximate as neither are the same shape or a perfect rectangle) and weighs 2.1 times as much. The Air also has less protruding elements when folded and a completely protected, mostly hidden gimbal which also makes it easier to pack. There are countries where the Air is legal to fly in virtually unrestricted and the Pro is not due to weight.

To reiterate, I am not trying to say one is better than the other and I think the Mavic 2 is better in almost every way except size/weight/price. We are lucky to have so much choice all within the best drone brand out there. I suspect I will buy a Mavic 2 Pro to compliment my Air once I am comfortable it is issue-free, but it will also mean I need to completely reevaluate my packing/bag and travel plans compared to the Air. I respectfully disagree that there is not much size difference between the two when the objective data clearly shows that there is a very significant difference in size/weight, never mind the much larger batteries and accessories.

 

[lmel2005]

If you read my post I agree that the Mavic 2 is better than the Air in every way except size/weight/price. The point there is that for some people, the significant size and weight difference between the Air and the Pro can easily mean being able to use it vs not being able to use it at all. If you are in a CE area you can just take 30 seconds to put it in FCC mode and get all the range back, I imagine 99% of owners do that based on the multiple 300+ post threads on every forum doing exactly that. Occusync in a CE area also roughly halves its range - there is no free lunch there. I don't know every country's drone laws, but in North America you need a dedicated spotter to fly farther than visual line of sight which for most people is not more than 100-200m so even the range of the Air in CE mode is about the maximum any one person can fly it alone (legally anyways).

The photos, measurements, and objective data are there for anyone to see - the size difference is very significant, and actually more than double that of the Air. Whether or not that matters to you personally is one thing, but one cannot make the argument that the difference in size is little when you can just look at the measurements or comparison photos and see that it is over twice the overall size plus having significantly larger/heavier accessories that need to be brought along (people often forget about this when doing size comparisons).

Mavic 2 Dimensions:
214 X 91 X 84mm
905g
Approx. Volume: 1,635,816 mm3

Mavic Air Dimensions:
168 X 83 X 49mm
430g
Approx. Volume: 683,256 mm3

A lot of people seem to ignore the height dimension, which is probably the most limiting when trying to pack it. It makes a huge difference.

The Mavic 2 occupies approximately 2.4 times the space (approximate as neither are the same shape or a perfect rectangle) and weighs 2.1 times as much. The Air also has less protruding elements when folded and a completely protected, mostly hidden gimbal which also makes it easier to pack. There are countries where the Air is legal to fly in virtually unrestricted and the Pro is not due to weight.

To reiterate, I am not trying to say one is better than the other and I think the Mavic 2 is better in almost every way except size/weight/price. We are lucky to have so much choice all within the best drone brand out there. I suspect I will buy a Mavic 2 Pro to compliment my Air once I am comfortable it is issue-free, but it will also mean I need to completely reevaluate my packing/bag and travel plans compared to the Air. I respectfully disagree that there is not much size difference between the two when the objective data clearly shows that there is a very significant difference in size/weight, never mind the much larger batteries and accessories.

Of course it is obvious that Air is smaller than other Mavics, there is no need to measure them.
But all foldable drones are highly portable, and believe me, when you put them in a case, the differences are not huge.

Don't forget, that you need 4-5 Air batteries, to achieve same flight time with 3 M2 batteries.

I fly my Air (and my Spark too) in FCC mode, but it's illegal, and if our children fly our drones, legality is essential.

Anyway, if portability and weight count most of everything for you, Air is a very capable little guy. No doubt of it.

 

[dewr83]

I have MP and Air, and can say that folded and in case, the difference is little.
DJI Mavic case is very small, and fits all fly more combo with Mavic.
Also, spark's DJI case, is a spark/Mavic case. As I said, I carry my drones in this case almost all the time.

Mavic's dimensions also are not the double than ma.

As for the differences, M2 zoom has a new camera, new gimbal and h265. Nothing to compare with ma.

Ocusync was always an advantage, and nothing to do with 4km flight. My ma in CE mode, had disconnections in 200m. Mavic never had issues. Ocusync 2.0 is even better.
Wireless connection of goggles, and second RC, and RC itself with all telemetry on screen, are advantages too.

But if someone thinks that Air is the best drone for him, for any reason, then this is it.

how could you carry them in same size ???

i can put 3 battery, controller, air, cables, cleaner brush into small bag.. how could you do this with mp ?

 

[CanadaDrone]

Of course it is obvious that Air is smaller than other Mavics, there is no need to measure them.
But all foldable drones are highly portable, and believe me, when you put them in a case, the differences are not huge.

Don't forget, that you need 4-5 Air batteries, to achieve same flight time with 3 M2 batteries.

I fly my Air (and my Spark too) in FCC mode, but it's illegal, and if our children fly our drones, legality is essential.

Anyway, if portability and weight count most of everything for you, Air is a very capable little guy. No doubt of it.

The only reason I looked at the measurements because you said the Mavic Pro is not double the size but as we can see it is even more than that at ~2.4 times the size and over double the weight. That is a big difference any way you look at it. If the Pro was double the size and twice as heavy as it is would you consider that a big deal? If you are saying that putting them in a case makes the difference less significant, that case has to be over double the size and will weigh a lot more than twice as much (with accessories), so I personally would call that a very significant difference. If it were a few mm's bigger and a few grams heavier, sure, but it's far more than that, to the extent that it is illegal in some countries where the Air is not due to it being under 500g. The Air even inside it's included hard case is significantly smaller than the Pro.

I have had a Mavic Pro with me before (I spent several days with one), I can tell you that none of the various carrying cases I have for my Air will fit my Pro (and definitely not with accessories). I can also tell you that none of my camera bags (I am also a photographer) will fit the Mavic Pro in it along with my camera gear, when I can easily fit the Air + accessories in alongside everything else. I can even fit the Mavic Air in my coat pocket or the water bottle mesh on a backpack if I want to - neither of which would even come close to holding the Pro. I can appreciate that the Pro is still very compact for what it is, but it requires an entirely different set of considerations for packing and/or travel.

Fair point about the batteries, but for me 3 is plenty (45min of flight, and I am never needing more time before I can charge up again). I understand that may not be the case for everyone and flight time is undoubtedly a primary advantage of the Pro (about 50% more than the Air). I also suspect 4 Air batteries still take up less space than 3 Mavic Pro batteries but I'd have to double check the dimensions.

I am not sure about the drone laws in Greece but assuming you are also not allowed to fly a drone outside visual line of sight without a spotter (who also has to be able to see the drone with a spotting scope or something similar), nobody can fly much beyond Mavic Air CE range legally unless you have a second person with binoculars or a spotting scope, which is doable but very inconvenient. If you do not require that, consider yourself lucky

Anyways, as much as I have enjoyed our friendly discussion, my only real points are these:

1) The Mavic Air VS Mavic Pro/2 size difference is rather significant at ~2.4 times the size and over 2 times the weight, and the Pro batteries, remote, and accessories are all larger and heavier on top of that. Whether that matters to you or not is entirely subjective, but the significant size difference is very much an objective one.

2) We are very lucky that a manufacturer like DJI who has a complete monopoly on the drone market makes enough drones to keep everyone happy. I think a Mavic Air would compliment a Mavic 2 Pro perfectly, which is what I plan to add within the next few months.

 

[lmel2005]

how could you carry them in same size ???

i can put 3 battery, controller, air, cables, cleaner brush into small bag.. how could you do this with mp ?

Buy Spark/Mavic Pro Shoulder Bag (United States)

This is the spark FMC bag. It's for spark or Mavic.

 

[Just_nick]

Poor Air owners, trying so hard to justify their inferior device.

 

[lmel2005]

The only reason I looked at the measurements because you said the Mavic Pro is not double the size but as we can see it is even more than that at ~2.4 times the size and over double the weight. That is a big difference any way you look at it. If the Pro was double the size and twice as heavy as it is would you consider that a big deal? If you are saying that putting them in a case makes the difference less significant, that case has to be over double the size and will weigh a lot more than twice as much (with accessories), so I personally would call that a very significant difference. If it were a few mm's bigger and a few grams heavier, sure, but it's far more than that, to the extent that it is illegal in some countries where the Air is not due to it being under 500g. The Air even inside it's included hard case is significantly smaller than the Pro.

I have had a Mavic Pro with me before (I spent several days with one), I can tell you that none of the various carrying cases I have for my Air will fit my Pro (and definitely not with accessories). I can also tell you that none of my camera bags (I am also a photographer) will fit the Mavic Pro in it along with my camera gear, when I can easily fit the Air + accessories in alongside everything else. I can even fit the Mavic Air in my coat pocket or the water bottle mesh on a backpack if I want to - neither of which would even come close to holding the Pro. I can appreciate that the Pro is still very compact for what it is, but it requires an entirely different set of considerations for packing and/or travel.

Fair point about the batteries, but for me 3 is plenty (45min of flight, and I am never needing more time before I can charge up again). I understand that may not be the case for everyone and flight time is undoubtedly a primary advantage of the Pro (about 50% more than the Air). I also suspect 4 Air batteries still take up less space than 3 Mavic Pro batteries but I'd have to double check the dimensions.

I am not sure about the drone laws in Greece but assuming you are also not allowed to fly a drone outside visual line of sight without a spotter (who also has to be able to see the drone with a spotting scope or something similar), nobody can fly much beyond Mavic Air CE range legally unless you have a second person with binoculars or a spotting scope, which is doable but very inconvenient. If you do not require that, consider yourself lucky

Anyways, as much as I have enjoyed our friendly discussion, my only real points are these:

1) The Mavic Air VS Mavic Pro/2 size difference is rather significant at ~2.4 times the size and over 2 times the weight, and the Pro batteries, remote, and accessories are all larger and heavier on top of that. Whether that matters to you or not is entirely subjective, but the significant size difference is very much an objective one.

2) We are very lucky that a manufacturer like DJI who has a complete monopoly on the drone market makes enough drones to keep everyone happy. I think a Mavic Air would compliment a Mavic 2 Pro perfectly, which is what I plan to add within the next few months.

Air range in CE mode is terrible. It always chooses 5.8g, with max range in real life 150 to 250 m. So, it disconnects, even within VLOS.

In Greece regulations are very strict. We must register drones above 200gr (toy drones too), and must have permission for every flight beyond 50m.

 

[mad monkey]

I stand by my Choices for mavic air. Here in Canada the drone may be more expensive but the battery's are cheaper. And size , and the additional sensors..

Now, if the mp2 and the air are on the shelf together I think I'd have to seriously consider buying the mp2. Upgrade? No. 1st purchase Probably

 

[CanadaDrone]

Poor Air owners, trying so hard to justify their inferior device.

Inferior to what? Your comment suggests that anyone who doesn't have the same list of priorities/values as you is wrong, which is not only ignorant, but hypocritical as you are putting down others in an attempt to justify your own decision.

If I bought an Inspire 2, should I then go to the Mavic Pro forums and **** on everyone for buying an inferior product? Or do you think maybe there are legitimate reasons people might want to own one instead of the other? It sure sounds like your definition of inferior simply means something different than whatever you bought.

You also seemed to glaze over the fact that many Air owners think adding a Mavic 2 Pro to their kit as a compliment sounds like a great idea as they have very different skill sets.

 

[thebigbaddan]

After using my Mavic Pro 2 for the last few days, I'm not sure when I'll be flying the Air. However, the Air is a $500 device that I can throw in my backpack snowboarding. The Pro 2 is not. Also, it's like 1/4 the price of the pro.

I'm just sharing my experience-- the Air is a FABULOUS drone. It's just night and day difference flying the Pro2 vs. the Air. However, I'm SUPER pleased that I opted for the Air versus the Mavic Pro... as there would be no reason AT ALL to keep the Mavic Pro when you have a Pro 2. Air plus the Pro 2 though is a great combination, and I couldn't be happier. Kids can fly the Air when I fly the Pro.

 

[CanadaDrone]

After using my Mavic Pro 2 for the last few days, I'm not sure when I'll be flying the Air. However, the Air is a $500 device that I can throw in my backpack snowboarding. The Pro 2 is not. Also, it's like 1/4 the price of the pro.

I'm just sharing my experience-- the Air is a FABULOUS drone. It's just night and day difference flying the Pro2 vs. the Air. However, I'm SUPER pleased that I opted for the Air versus the Mavic Pro... as there would be no reason AT ALL to keep the Mavic Pro when you have a Pro 2. Air plus the Pro 2 though is a great combination, and I couldn't be happier. Kids can fly the Air when I fly the Pro.

Sounds about right - I think that is what many of us will do. Add a Pro 2 for the 1" sensor and keep the Air for when traveling light is a priority or legal requirement. Perfect combo that saves you from buying an even larger Phantom Pro 2.0 just for the 1" sensor, though the Phantom does have a mechanical shutter and 4K/60P which seems to be how DJI is continuing to differentiate it.

 

[THE WOMBLE]

Heres another size comparison of just the batteries... View attachment 44381

In the pic it shows 3 MA batteries being charged with a unit that shows voltage etc. I have a similar unit and the other day it came up with an error message, Have you any manual etc that lists the error messages. Mine said ERROR 1, It now won't charge. THANKS

 

[ed956]

I have a MP and MA with a M2P in the post somewhere. I’ll be selling the MP but will definitely keep the MA. Due to its size I am never without a drone. Yes the MP or M2P are portable but the MA really travels light, even with a couple of batteries.