How well do Mavic Pros and Mavic airs float?

[Dr. Bill 1969]

Let me know when it's ready!

Roger that!
Do you think anyone would be interested in a photo essay of the waterbird's construction? I

Dr Bill

 

[Lady Rover]

Absolutely. I'd think a waterproof drone which could be built DIY (or from parts) would be interesting to many. Especially if it could take good pictures too.

I went with the Mavic Air because we are not full-time cruising yet and it will complement the stuff I am doing business wise well.

If you have a photostory and/or plans and parts, people at www.cruisersforum.org would love to built it as well. I think it might be costly though to get it right.
My approach would perhaps be to use a DJI bird as starting point for the technical equipment (sensors and the like).

The trickiest part might be ventilation and waterproofing the camera/gimbal assembly.

Still Swellpro have worked hard to get better step by step. They surely show that it's not a trivial thing to do. Especially when it comes to saltwater.
If their new SPRY would have better stabilisation and a 3axis gimbal I'd get it.

 

[Lady Rover]

That might help:

Waterproof your quadcopter : A guide - Droney Bee

10 Best Waterproof Drones You Can Fly | All3DP

QuadH2O[emoji769] Kit - Waterproof Drones - The HexH2O and QuadH2O professional waterproof drones

https://www.amazon.com/MC6-1000X-waterproof-commercial-Accessories-hobbyist-white/dp/B075YS96PB

 

[Tridiver]

I agree with you,

I don't fly recklessly over water either, but it is required to get the shots i want. I bought a pontoon kit for myself (hasnt arrived yet) so that if it does crash in water I can at least retrieve it.

This is what I made for care refresh recovery. I do most of my flying over water and off of boats!

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[Lady Rover]

Tridiver, what happens, after a year, when we are out of DJI care refresh?
Can't be extended to my knowledge...

 

[Meta4]

I live on a very narrow peninsula. So unless I want to restrict flying to 500 feet in each direction I'm over water 90% of the time. I've experienced a catastrophic failure over the water and lost a grand in the process. So when my bird is flying over water the floats are on. Their weight cuts about 8 minutes off the maximum loiter time but reduces the pucker factor considerably...cheap drone and mental health insurance.

Those floats that get recommended appeal to nervous flyers but they really are much more likely to cause the loss of a drone than actually save it.
A much better solution is to get over the fear and fly without handicapping your drone.
If you are out here, you need all the ability to deal with wind that you can get.

Maybe you should look into the Swell drone. Waterproof and floats...
Was close to get one, but price was to high for me.

It's not just the price of the Swelldrone that's a negative.
The specs make it sound like it's the equivalent of a very overweight Phantom 3 standard.
The reports from anyone that's flown one aren't particularly good either.

Still Swellpro have worked hard to get better step by step. They surely show that it's not a trivial thing to do. Especially when it comes to saltwater.
If their new SPRY would have better stabilisation and a 3axis gimbal I'd get it.

The Spry is just a toy.
Flight Time = 15~17 mins - so count on 10-12
Max Flying Range: = 800m so count on 300-500
Photo Resolution: = 12MP
Still not released for sale

 

[Lady Rover]

I do not mind the flight time issue that much, one can swap batteries. What concerns me more is the stabilisation of aircraft and camera are not good enough yet for what I need.

At least it's waterproof and floats. That's the big drawback of the others out there not having that.
If Swelldrone improve the image stability and flight stability considerably I might get one.
For now it's an MA.

Regarding floats, I see them as helpful in the first year if you have a refresh contract for the location you are flying in.
No drone to return=no replacement.

A floating waterproof drone is definitely better. Trouble is, that few are willing to invest more than 1500€ for that.
.
Still wonder which one that was, and, how long it lasted after return if it was not waterproof.
Might be a predecessor of the Swelldrone.

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[Meta4]

At least it's waterproof. That's the big drawback of the others out there.
Still wonder which one that was, and, how long it lastet if it was not waterproof.
Might be a predecessor of the Swelldrone

It's a DJI Phantom 4 pro. (same as was used for the photo in post #46)
It's not waterproof but that's not important because it's made to fly, not swim. (and they aren't going back to recover it if it comes down)
In those conditions they probably considered them disposable and well worth the price for the footage they got.
It can fly circles around a Swell drone and is generations ahead in the photographic department.

 

[Lady Rover]

Actually it is important that it is waterproof. Do you see the amount of saltwater spray and rain.
Upon return it will corrode in days. Either they regard them as disposable on the Volvo Racers or they marinized it somehow.

For the average cruising boat owner with normal budget the disposable option is not the way to go.

So if you want to fly in not perfect calm weather and want to avoid wrecking the drone something waterproof is very much desirable, but not for prices above 1800€.

 

[Meta4]

Actually it is important that it is waterproof. Do you see the amount of saltwater spray and rain.
Upon return it will corrode in days. Either they regard them as disposable on the Volvo Racers or they marinized it somehow.

It's a stock standard P4 pro and is not marinised.
Unless you are planning to fly in similar conditions or want to actually land on the water, it's really not worth worrying about.
My current drone has just under 500 flights logged and 90% are at sea in conditions up to 22 knots.
This is what I do rather than something I imagine doing.

 

[bushie]

Much of the time i am flyin g along the beach over t he surf zone. Cant imagine any floats helping there

 

[Lady Rover]

The floats are only useful in dead calm without waves.
I see their only purpose to have something to exchange for a refresh contract. Still, not sure if DJI would honner this if there are non standard parts are attached while crashing...

 

[Tridiver]

Tridiver, what happens, after a year, when we are out of DJI care refresh?
Can't be extended to my knowledge...

Of course it's only for that period. At least you'll get your card back. I lost my mav, but most importantly to me was the footage I lost on the card. HD footage, I had the tablet but it wasn't HD that I wanted.

 

[Dr. Bill 1969]

The floats are only useful in dead calm without waves.
I see their only purpose to have something to exchange for a refresh contract. Still, not sure if DJI would honner this if there are non standard parts are attached while crashing..

Let me know when it's ready!

I've been researching parts, corrosion proofing and the like. As soon as I gather up the bits and pieces I'll begin the photo essay.

As I mentioned before 90% of the time my bird is over the muddy waters of the Chesapeake. She(the Chesapeake) can be mirror smooth one moment then have 3 foot swells the next. In both conditions the floats have functioned as intended.

I live on the tiny sliver of land visible on the extreme left of the photograph

 

[Mike_Flys]

If anyone has had their bird recovered by one of the getterbacks or other post crash flotation devices please let us know the outcome. Thanks in advance.

I crashed my Mavic 2 Pro into Lake Dora with my float kit on. It floated upside down for 40 minutes until I recovered it by boat.
Couple days in a 5 gallon bucket with some rice and the it flys great again.... However the battery is done. I'm not sure why but when I crashed my Mavic Pro into a canal the drone dried out fine but the battery did not as well.
I think DJI must have a fuse in them or something. RC boat guys recover Li-Pos from fresh water all the time.

Anyway after recover 2 Mavics from what surly would have been watery graves I love my float kits.

Mike

 

[Mike_Flys]

I live on a very narrow peninsula. So unless I want to restrict flying to 500 feet in each direction I'm over water 90% of the time. I've experienced a catastrophic failure over the water and lost a grand in the process. So when my bird is flying over water the floats are on. Their weight cuts about 8 minutes off the maximum loiter time but reduces the pucker factor considerably...cheap drone and mental health insurance.

What float kit are you using?

 

[Mike_Flys]

Currently Unavailable on Amazon. $45 on eBay.

Mike Fly kits are available on the website, not ebay or amazon.

 

[PlainErik]

My MA "bounced" when it inadvertently hit saltwater. 48 hours later I pulled it off the bottom with a 10' boathook. DJI "repaired" it for $$$ and now I have Refresh. I'm looking to invest in floats before any more substantial over-water use.

 

[Dr. Bill 1969]

What float kit are you using?

I'm using a set of Arris Raptor floats(Lifetime Defective replacement warranty). Their newest design is due out 07/15/19.(irepairmd ). Been very happy with the floats and service. I've received a set of their new design floats(gratis) The new floats are 10 grams lighter and appear to be better engineered.

I re-read my post. It looks like an advertisement for the Arris Raptor floats. It's not. Other than the "free" pair of skids(part of the Lifetime Defective replacement warranty ) I've paid for everything I've received from I Repair/Md.

 

[Mike_Flys]

Over the past three years, my float kits have allowed me to recover 2 of my drones from the water.