First Flight with a Mavic Air 2 observations and the most difficult thing!

[Fishhiker]

I flew my new Mavic Air 2 this morning at two different parks . It was flawless and easy to fly and took awesome videos and I got 3000 ft away.. I know out of line of sight ..but only briefly and it was over no mans land .Everything worked great and it was extremely responsive and rock solid at hovering and hovering close was surprisingly quiet . On RTH is landed right back on the pad which leads me to my biggest problem . ..which was folding up the landing pad. I need to get better at that. I had bought a Mini a few months ago and that was the only problem too. That demonstrates how easy these 2 DJI drones are to fly
So if you are considering a Mavic Air 2 vs the Mini and you are new to drones ..get the 2 now... It handles higher winds better . I truly wish I had bought the Air 2 first. BUT It all depends how much of an investment you want to make vs how much you will fly. both are a great choice .
I purchased mine..the Combo pkg .. from B and H no tax and free shipping and added the Nanak 915 hard case for $10 bucks off.
When I activated it I did add the DJI Care Refresh for $79 . I encourage everyone to do that.
I’ll probably keep the Mini for long hikes.
On another not I live fairly close to a small airport in a class D zone but applied to the FAA for a waiver and it was granted.
I submitted to DJI and they approved an unlock within minutes .
It’s only 600 ft distance and 150 ft height but will allow me to do some proactive maneuvers at home .
And if you are wondering I did register with the FAA for a drone over 250 grams ..for $5 it’s worth not getting into any hassles with any law enforcement .
Be safe everyone.

 

[itsneedtokno]

Welcome Home!

From beautiful New Smyrna Beach!

 

[vindibona1]

Congratulations!
Like you, I bought a Mini first, and should have bought the MA2 first for exactly the reason you said: Ability to fight higher wind. I'd sat out too many days with the Mini. And while I almost bought the MA2 I found a deal on a refurbished M2 Pro, otherwise it most definitely would have been the MA2.

You were smarter than me when I first ran into a NFZ. I had no clue as to how to get DJI to unlock it and ended up going home and applying from my computer. I still don't know how to request an unlock from the Go4 or Fly app. Where is the menu to request unlock?

I had to laugh at your remark about folding the landing pad. As a photographer I owned many reflectors of the same frame construction. I harken back to when I bought my first reflector, a 6 foot rectangle (from Helix Camera in Chicago) and remember that I would not leave the store until I could master folding it. So I recognize your frustation. Just think of twisting it until it looks like makes an "infinity" symbol, then just keep twisting until it you can get all the smaller rings together.

 

[Thomas B]

Welcome to the forum from the deserts of Arizona! Enjoy.
Thanks for your contribution.

 

[Dale D]

Congratulations!
Like you, I bought a Mini first, and should have bought the MA2 first for exactly the reason you said: Ability to fight higher wind. I'd sat out too many days with the Mini. And while I almost bought the MA2 I found a deal on a refurbished M2 Pro, otherwise it most definitely would have been the MA2.

You were smarter than me when I first ran into a NFZ. I had no clue as to how to get DJI to unlock it and ended up going home and applying from my computer. I still don't know how to request an unlock from the Go4 or Fly app. Where is the menu to request unlock?

I had to laugh at your remark about folding the landing pad. As a photographer I owned many reflectors of the same frame construction. I harken back to when I bought my first reflector, a 6 foot rectangle (from Helix Camera in Chicago) and remember that I would not leave the store until I could master folding it. So I recognize your frustation. Just think of twisting it until it looks like makes an "infinity" symbol, then just keep twisting until it you can get all the smaller rings together.

Here is the key to folding it;

1.Folding the round "H" landing pad requires one (left) hand at 9:00 and one (right) hand at 3:00.
2.The left hand is underhanded, and the right hand is overhanded.
3. Twist the left hand clockwise (rotate thumb down) and twist the right hand UP,(or clockwise or thumb up).

Hope this helps.

Dale
Miami

 

[bcfd29]

its like throwing a clove in the middle of a line but different....

 

[Dale D]

its like throwing a clove in the middle of a line but different....

I found several nice You Tube videos
Just got to You Tube and search- this term'How to fold a drone landing pad." and you will find several different ways. Here is a link too

 

[SpitFire]

Welcome from Chicago the Windy City.
I have two landing pads, one of them is the fold up one, which I use when going somewhere to lunch from, so as not to attract attention. The other one made from 1/4 in plywood, 3 feet X 3 feet, painted it red, with big X in white paint, only cost me a few bucks. And, has a little handle on it to carry, it from lunch sites, don't have to mess with folding it up. Still, do a little photography, and dislike setting up the reflected for some fill in light.

 

[Dale D]

Welcome from Chicago the Windy City.
I have two landing pads, one of them is the fold up one, which I use when going somewhere to lunch from, so as not to attract attention. The other one made from 1/4 in plywood, 3 feet X 3 feet, painted it red, with big X in white paint, only cost me a few bucks. And, has a little handle on it to carry, it from lunch sites, don't have to mess with folding it up. Still, do a little photography, and dislike setting up the reflected for some fill in light.

Uh...I think you meant to say "LAUNCH'" rather than lunch??? I grew up in Chicago and we still called it Launch for a boat and lunch for a noontime meal

 

[SpitFire]

Yes, sorry, proof read it, still messed up. Have not met anybody perfect yet, we all mess up. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I only read about one man that was perfect, the greatest man that ever lived. I see your 81
your more alert, then I am. I will be more diligent, try to any way, no guarantee that it will not happen again.

 

[Dale D]

Yes, sorry, proof read it, still messed up. Have not met anybody perfect yet, we all mess up. Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I only read about one man that was perfect, the greatest man that ever lived. I see your 81
your more alert, then I am. I will be more diligent, try to any way, no guarantee that it will not happen again.

I'm sorry. Trying to be helpful. I'll actually be 82 in 2 days! Far from perfect. Never was.

I actually find the Mavic Pilots Forum very hard to type correctly the first time around. Even though I go over everything, it seems to have a mind of its own, and auto-corrects me in a funny way. I usually have to proof it several times.

 

[SpitFire]

NO PROBLEM.

 

[KC2LLW]

Just got my first drone today, also a Mavic Air 2. Charging the batteries one at a time. I hope to fly this week. I got the fly more combo too. Looks like I made the right decision as I was thinking about the mini to but after many YouTube videos I chose the Air 2

 

[Deleted member 133794]

Got my MA2 a few weeks ago now, have been on 3 flights so far and i'm loving it.
Its my first drone so i'm taking it slowly but the MA2 is so nice to fly it gives you
lots of confidence as a new pilot. Enjoy ?

 

[RobertR]

Got my MA2 a few weeks ago now, have been on 3 flights so far and i'm loving it.
Its my first drone so i'm taking it slowly but the MA2 is so nice to fly it gives you
lots of confidence as a new pilot. Enjoy ?

Me too. 12 “flights”, mainly just hovering, taking stills. Max height 170 feet.
I’ll find somewhere treeless for video

 

[Dale D]

Me too. 12 “flights”, mainly just hovering, taking stills. Max height 170 feet.
I’ll find somewhere treeless for video

I have this on MY PHOTOS on my iPhone. I think everyone one of us who gets frazzled if we lose our drone would panic. So I wrote it down and took a photo of it. Here it is for rapid recovery!!! a photo.

 

[Steel63]

Greatings from Ormond beach Florida .i also bought the mini first and then the ma2. But i sold my mini i should have kept it i miss how easy the mini was to set up to fly . im thinking about getting another one soon greatings from Ormond beach Florida

 

[SpitFire]

I have this on MY PHOTOS on my iPhone. I think everyone one of us who gets frazzled if we lose our drone would panic. So I wrote it down and took a photo of it. Here it is for rapid recovery!!!View attachment 112614 a photo.

How did you put the find my drone info on the forum? Attach files? from the picture you took?