Dear DJI, You've done it for the Mavic Mini now make a bigger battery for the Mavic Air, PLEASE!

[Clipper707]

OP himself brought up the two versions of the MM on his first post as an example as to why it should be easily possible with the MA.

It would be very easily possible for DJI to make a battery with less capacity that fits the MA, just like they do for the MM. Yes, there are two batteries for the MM: Standard and lightweight. That's the only valid comparison when saying the MM has two choices but the MA doesn't. But that's not what folks are asking for with the MA.

When DJI improves the Mavic Air, it's likely to be a totally new airframe with almost nothing being retro-compatible. From past experience with Phantoms and Mavic Pros, that means props. The point is to get you to want to upgrade.

Complaining now about the Mavic's flight time is like buying a house near an airport runway and complaining about the noise. If you want substantially more than 14 minutes flight, the Mavic Air was never the right choice.

 

[Deleted member 94047]

If you want substantially more than 14 minutes flight, the Mavic Air was never the right choice.

The thing is, DJI advertised and still advertises the MA as having a flight time of 21 minutes. I know, ideal controlled environment and all, but you would expect a real world flight time of 16 - 18 minutes; at least I did. I was bummed to find out 14 minutes and a few seconds is the absolute best I can squeeze out of it. I did my best to research the product I was buying, but I don't remember reading anywhere the flight time was as low as this. Most reviews I read/watched mentioned 16 minutes.

Also, it doesn't make sense to complain without buying a product. Complaining is resentment without regret - as in look at this fantastic machine - if only it lasted a few more minutes in the air. I don't regret buying the MA, well except when I am shooting hyper lapses during which I regret it every time. I am more or less satisfied with it and it has surpassed my expectation on several occasions. But I still wish it stayed up there a little bit longer. I am not asking for 30 minutes, 18-20 would do.

And lastly, I don't quite understand the negativity with which this topic has been received. OP posted a wish list (with just one wish), everyone ( ok, not really everyone) reaches for their pitchforks.

 

[Clipper707]

Perhaps the negativity stems from the premise of the thread title being a false premise.

"Dear DJI, You've done it for the Mavic Mini now make a bigger battery for the Mavic Air, PLEASE!"

From a purely factual standpoint, DJI has not "done it for the Mavic Mini," if one defines "it" as making a bigger battery.

 

[anotherlab]

And lastly, I don't quite understand the negativity with which this topic has been received. OP posted a wish list (with just one wish), everyone ( ok, not really everyone) reaches for their pitchforks.

Disagreeing with a premise isn't negativity, it's just having a different viewpoint on the subject. If I was new to DJI drones and was trying to decide whether or not to buy a Mavic Air, I would not want to get a false hope that DJI could release a larger battery for the MA. It's just not going to happen, for many of the reasons that have been posted on this topic.

 

[old man mavic]

in the not to distance future,battery tech is going to leap forwards and give us increased flight times ,this will probably make all our drones flight times seem inadequate ,it is a fact for most electronic ,products produced now ,stuff is obsolete even before it is released some times, we can choose whether we carry on with what we have ,or buy the latest offering

 

[DanMan32]

Perhaps the negativity stems from the premise of the thread title being a false premise.

"Dear DJI, You've done it for the Mavic Mini now make a bigger battery for the Mavic Air, PLEASE!"

From a purely factual standpoint, DJI has not "done it for the Mavic Mini," if one defines "it" as making a bigger battery.

That's what I've been trying to get across. DJI started with a maximum battery capacity for the intended overall design criteria, then downsized the battery to get the weight down for the Japanese market.
OP is projecting, if not intentionally stating, that DJI started with the Japanese battery, then sought to improve it with what we all have.

Now if OP used the Phantom 4 as an example where DJI in fact did come out with an extended capacity battery for it, then maybe. But then Phantoms have much more wiggle room than Mavics.

 

[Deleted member 94047]

So the wording is the problem, got it! If OP had said "Dear DJI, please make a bigger battery for the Mavic Air!" everyone would have been fine with this post?

 

[WithTheBirds]

So the wording is the problem, got it! If OP had said "Dear DJI, please make a bigger battery for the Mavic Air!" everyone would have been fine with this post?

Probably not. The question was a reasonable one no matter how anyone night play with what you think the wording might mean.

DJI seems to have a limited interest in this forum so an expectation they might answer here is the only real problem I see.

There are more silly answers than questions.

 

[Deleted member 94047]

Probably not. The question was a reasonable one no matter how anyone night play with what you think the wording might mean.

DJI seems to have a limited interest in this forum so an expectation they might answer here is the only real problem I see.

There are more silly answers than questions.

Agree completely on the reasonableness if the OP. Unfortunately, people seemed to be caught on the reference to the Mini's two battery configuration. So DJI, please make an optional bigger capacity battery for the MA, PLEASE

 

[Clipper707]

So the wording is the problem, got it! If OP had said "Dear DJI, please make a bigger battery for the Mavic Air!" everyone would have been fine with this post?

Exactly. The original wording distracts with its false premise. There is no bigger battery for the Mini.

 

[hiflyer201]

The point is that there are options for the MM but not for the MA.
A larger battery option the MA would give us a decent flight time, which we dont have at the moment.

I'm with you...I'd like more time too, but I'm not expecting it any time soon. I'm kinda thinking that the Air with it's little short arms and screaming motor's...it's probably like the bumble bee..it shouldn't even fly

 

[MrChris]

For the few of you that said effectively "DJI could just add another cell to the pack and let it overhang" the cells in the Mavic Air battery are oriented horizontally not vertically, they'd have to redesign the cells inside to lengthen them, not simply add a cell vertically at the end of the battery box.

Here is a Mavic Air battery teardown, there really isn't a lot of extra room and I don't see them spending the R/D dollars on redesigning the cells to lengthen them for something that is likely near the end of it's retail life cycle.