Convince me NOT to buy Mavic Air 2

fullbore · Dec 11, 2020

I flew mine over water first day, today.

But don’t buy it. You’ll want to get other items, such as SC, several SD cards, lens filters, etc.

Canuk · Dec 11, 2020

If you fly out in the forest with lots of trees around your old bird will give you a better picture on your phone for a longer range .
I think the built in antenna just don’t work as well . I have both drones and had them both hovering at the same distance and the air2 will have bad signal strength where the old bird is rock solid still . It’s the only place the old bird is better . Fly app kind of sucks . Lol

Starz · Dec 11, 2020

DroneFilmmaker said:
How do you like the Fly app as compared to GO 4 (if you've used that)?

I didn’t. Sold the mavic mini for that reason. If the fly app is involved, I’m out. Call me an old dog that doesn’t like new tricks. Not. I just have too many other aircraft on the Go4 app and it suits my needs and thought there was much to be desired with the fly.

DanMan32 · Dec 11, 2020

I just hope, pray the future M3 doesn't use Fly. Using Fly for MA2 was an iffy decision since the MA1 used Go4.

But with the three most recent consumer drones using Fly, particularly MA2, it doesn't look promising.

fullbore · Dec 11, 2020

I anticipate M3 will use Fly.

Canuk · Dec 11, 2020

Fly app is a disappointment for sure

VenomXts · Dec 12, 2020

fullbore said:
I anticipate M3 will use Fly.

you are correct, Go app is legacy.. they are putting money into bringing more features into fly app as they go.

DanMan32 · Dec 12, 2020

To me it's like building a building, making additions and other improvements to make it useful, then moving 10 miles and starting over again with a new blueprint and all when you already had a well functioning building before.

At least when they split Go it still had all the needed features in the new one that existed in the old one. The split was mainly to offload the drone differences that the app had to contend with.

Crashdummytest · Dec 12, 2020

Ol' Sparky said:
Well, for me, it uses the Fly app instead of the Go app, and I don't need another app. That, and maybe it's just me, but looks like they are still having too many "issues"
Mavic Air 2 dropped out of sky
Mavic air 2 falls to the Ocean!
Mavic Air 2 Appears to Have Crashed Itself
Replacing Lost Drone?
Mavic Air2 Crash
Magic air 2
Crashed my new Mavic Air 2 on small island in lake in Montreal
Mavic Air 2 crash and lost. Error: "Motor is Blocked. Not Enough Force/ESC Error"

That's right, the pro1 is Go.. I agree on that part. I can live with it though, since the Fly app now can run on the Smart Controller. So I can control my MA2 and M2P via the same controller, which makes it acceptable to use both Fly and Go. If I had to use my telephone for the MA2 I would maybe not be so sure about that upgrade, from Pro1.
As for MA2 crashing and all that: Consider it pilot errors. MA2 is perhaps the best drone in the world for the money. The main reasons for all that crashing could be a) people get overconfident since the MA2 is so responsive and controllable, b) there are a lot of MA2's in the world.

fullbore · Dec 12, 2020

I use iPad mini 5 with M2 and SC with MA2. Even with smaller screen, the SC is much easier to see, even with iPad at the brightest.

careless · Dec 12, 2020

I vote M2P With Master Airscrew Props It's quiet and I have flown over 3 miles and back with DJI GO 4 and never a problem. I upgraded from MP and do miss my old bird but this is a great improvement.

DanMan32 · Dec 12, 2020

fullbore said:
I use iPad mini 5 with M2 and SC with MA2. Even with smaller screen, the SC is much easier to see, even with iPad at the brightest.

Why aren't you using the SC for your M2?

dougdez · Dec 12, 2020

sacongta said:
The NOISE. I do not know if Mair2 is noisier m1pro. But my clients (Funeral Services) can’t stand the noise of MAir2.

DroneFilmmaker said:
I'm seriously looking at upgrading from my original Mavic Pro to the Mavic Air 2. I like some of the features and the HDR 4K seems pretty good. BUT...

I want to know all the things that AREN'T good about the MA2 (especially compared to the M1P). Missing features, bugs, things that just don't work well. Convince me NOT to buy it. ?

I have them both. The camera on the air 2 is a little better and it’s range is farther but I think the overall experience is a little better with the pro and the go 4 app. It is a bit more quiet with the platinum pro props then the air also. The main things I don’t like about the Air 2 are all in the Fly app. Icons are hard to see. You can not manually descend while in RTH. There is usually never a weak signal warning before completely losing it. Other then that it is nice!

fullbore · Dec 12, 2020

DanMan32 said:
Why aren't you using the SC for your M2?

I should have typed mini2, sorry.
SC doesn’t (yet) work with mini 2, to my knowledge.

LA 2020 · Dec 12, 2020

Howard70 said:
Hello Drone filmmaker:

I’m not sure what the size of your camera sensor was on the Mavic Pro, but MA2 has a smaller sensor than the Mavic Pro 2 (Mavic 2 Pro?). I have a MA2 and love it, but the camera does best in perfect light conditions. When the scene is well lit the still images are astounding. However, when the lighting is challenging the images are nice, but not stellar.

If landscape photography is something you pursue and you like subtly lit scenes I’d go for the drone with the largest camera sensor I could afford.

I’d also like additional obstacle avoidance (side and top). I find myself trying to wiggle my MA2 into tight conditions to compose shots and additional sensors would make that less stressful.

To be clear - I’m really, really happy with my MA2 and the above comments aren’t complaints. When a New DJI product (Mavic 3?) that addresses them becomes available I’ll add it to my hanger. Until then I’m flying the MA2 as much as I can.

Howard

Just to get your terms correct the Mavic 2 Pro has the Hasselblad 1" sensor camera which gives the best video of all consumer drones so far IMHO. The Macic 2 Zoom is the same drone but with a zoom camera and a smaller sensor so a lower resolution video. I have a M2Pro and love the videos, they blew me away.

LA 2020 · Dec 12, 2020

DroneFilmmaker said:
I'm seriously looking at upgrading from my original Mavic Pro to the Mavic Air 2. I like some of the features and the HDR 4K seems pretty good. BUT...

I want to know all the things that AREN'T good about the MA2 (especially compared to the M1P). Missing features, bugs, things that just don't work well. Convince me NOT to buy it. ?

My advice: Save up or buy 1 year same as cash type financing and get a Mavic 2 Pro (with the 1" Hasselblad camera) Fly More Kit you will thank me. More expensive but easier to fly MUCH better crash prevention, best video of all consumer drones, Using the Litchi APP you can program/perfect a Waypoint Mission at your desk (without the drone being on) then load and fly when you want. Programming a mission gives you much smoother video and you are hands free to do your job while the drone is recording. Also if you are doing the videos for hire you'll need an FAA Part 107 license. It's a very hard test so study a lot or better yet take a study course. If you are videoing for your own personal use for fun you will not need a Part 107.

FlyingFilmmaker · Dec 12, 2020

Wow this thread really blew up (in a good way!) over the weekend. Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts. Some great insights into the two. Seems like the general opinion is that that MA2 is great but the Fly app isn't...

FlyingFilmmaker · Dec 12, 2020

Canuk said:
If you fly out in the forest with lots of trees around your old bird will give you a better picture on your phone for a longer range .
I think the built in antenna just don’t work as well . I have both drones and had them both hovering at the same distance and the air2 will have bad signal strength where the old bird is rock solid still . It’s the only place the old bird is better . Fly app kind of sucks . Lol

This is very good to know because that's where I fly a LOT. Thanks for that bit! ?

FlyingFilmmaker · Dec 12, 2020

dougdez said:
I have them both. The camera on the air 2 is a little better and it’s range is farther but I think the overall experience is a little better with the pro and the go 4 app. It is a bit more quiet with the platinum pro props then the air also. The main things I don’t like about the Air 2 are all in the Fly app. Icons are hard to see. You can not manually descend while in RTH. There is usually never a weak signal warning before completely losing it. Other then that it is nice!

Nice to hear from someone who has both of them! Sounds like there's not a HUGE amount of difference there...

FlyingFilmmaker · Dec 12, 2020

LA 2020 said:
My advice: Save up or buy 1 year same as cash type financing and get a Mavic 2 Pro (with the 1" Hasselblad camera) Fly More Kit you will thank me. More expensive but easier to fly MUCH better crash prevention, best video of all consumer drones, Using the Litchi APP you can program/perfect a Waypoint Mission at your desk (without the drone being on) then load and fly when you want. Programming a mission gives you much smoother video and you are hands free to do your job while the drone is recording. Also if you are doing the videos for hire you'll need an FAA Part 107 license. It's a very hard test so study a lot or better yet take a study course. If you are videoing for your own personal use for fun you will not need a Part 107.

This is what I've pretty much come down on... Keep the Mavic Pro for now and get the 2 Pro in a while. I've flown it several times and really like it. Absolutely great drone!
Don't trust any kind of crash prevention too much but it's a great safety net! I actually have Litchi, but the way I tend to film actually I haven't used it much.

As for the Part 107, I already got it this past spring. I just watched some YT videos and did a few practice test and didn't find it very hard. Actually haven't used it very much since COVID and other things got in the way... Anyhow, it's there and I can get into commercial when I get a chance too.