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I'm Furious! Mini 3 Pro Can't Fly Waypoint Missions

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I purchased a Mavic Pro many years ago when they first came out. I LOVED IT! I found that the most valuable and most used feature was to fly waypoint missions using Litchi and DroneDeploy for automomous mapping and scenic smoothly flowing cinematic videos. When the Mini 3 Pro came out, I was excited about the new technology, smaller size, excellent camera capability etc and so I bought one. Now that I am becoming more familiar with the Mini 3 Pro, I find that DJI no longer provides waypoint capability and THAT MAKES ME FURIOUS!!!

There was nothing made clear in DJI's marketing of the mini 3 that waypoints were no longer included. Why did DJI eliminate that capability? I've seen many discussions on the possibility of DJI providing it in the future but can DJI confirm that it is in the works? If yes, when? This is a serious downgrade in DJI drone capability and if not addressed, I'm going to get rid of my mini and stick with my mavic pro.

Thoughts??
Litchi on my Mini 2 has waypoints..!
 
I purchased a Mavic Pro many years ago when they first came out. I LOVED IT! I found that the most valuable and most used feature was to fly waypoint missions using Litchi and DroneDeploy for automomous mapping and scenic smoothly flowing cinematic videos. When the Mini 3 Pro came out, I was excited about the new technology, smaller size, excellent camera capability etc and so I bought one. Now that I am becoming more familiar with the Mini 3 Pro, I find that DJI no longer provides waypoint capability and THAT MAKES ME FURIOUS!!!

There was nothing made clear in DJI's marketing of the mini 3 that waypoints were no longer included. Why did DJI eliminate that capability? I've seen many discussions on the possibility of DJI providing it in the future but can DJI confirm that it is in the works? If yes, when? This is a serious downgrade in DJI drone capability and if not addressed, I'm going to get rid of my mini and stick with my mavic pro.

Thoughts??
I am a little confused. Did any of the Mini's ever offer waypoints through Litchi or DD? I always thought the mini was a hobbyist at best drone for family and vacation events. Why any professional would use this drone to do anything for a client. Specially since now that the Air 2S with a 1-inch sensor is available for use with those exact apps...
 
Thanks, they popped up after I replied.

Hey, I feel your pain. I bought the Mavic 3 in the hopes of them releasing the info to use those programs. Never thought they would re-release the same drone with an Enterprise label on it and only allow that one to do the waypoint missions. I have a $3000 drone collecting dust right now.
 
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Well, it certainly takes the bloom off the rose.

Various people are going to respond in various ways... from feeling sour & leaving their toy to collect dust in the box, to trying to sell it, to looking elsewhere.

Regardless, it undeniably leaves DJI in much less of a positive light than they were.

If nothing else, we all get a more clear idea as to just what DJI is all about. Some might just buy elsewhere, if for no other reason than out of spite.

Drones made in the USA: the American drone companies you should know
 
Conversely was there anything to suggest it WAS INCLUDED?

A lot of people seem to assume that because something was available in previous Apps it will continue to be available in future Apps but if you compare each new app with its predecessor you will find that, with each new app, functions have been removed as well as others added.
There must be loads of posts all over the internet complaining about the freatures that have been lost in the transition to the FLY app.
Sorry but realistically you should have done a bit of web surfing before buying and not have bought "in expectation", I know that is harsh but it would have saved you a lot of heart ache.
Conversely was there anything to suggest it WAS INCLUDED?

Everything is writing, simple, logical, etc.
Seem people ver read sepc BEFORE buying something.
 
Why is it so difficult for some people to look for spec/possibility before buying ??

You buy your TV or byke, car or anything without collecting information BEFORE then you complain about "missing" feature ??? (that are not included in the product)
A little bit like starting your first fly drone without reading manual than crash it because YOU did wrong thing and accuse the brand ?

Sorry but this is a "nonsense attitude" not the brand fault.
 
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Why is it so difficult for some people to look for spec/possibility before buying ??

You buy your TV or byke, car or anything without collecting information BEFORE then you complain about "missing" feature ??? (that are not included in the product)
A little bit like starting your first fly drone without reading manual than crash it because YOU did wrong thing and accuse the brand ?

Sorry but this is a "nonsense attitude" not the brand fault.
Are you under the impression that waypoints are an advanced, premium feature that's only available in some drones? If that were true -- if we were talking about 4K video or ActiveTrack, for example -- of course one should be expected to know that and to check before buying. But what we're discussing here is that it's a completely unique and generally unexpected DJI "marketing innovation" to make GPS-enabled drones that can't do waypoints, and only since the Mini. Going back to their invention, even the cheapest GPS-enabled drones have always done waypoints, and I challenge you to find a non-DJI drone today that doesn't. Someone familiar with drones would be even more likely than a novice to make the assumption that a modern DJI drone would do waypoints. Did you check your current car for a horn before you bought it? If your car is relatively new and you've never tried the horn, are you sure it has one?

Excuse me, but if I'd paid over $3000 for a Mavic 3 and then found that it can't do simple mapping and never will be able to, I'd call it something stronger than "brand fault."
 
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Mini 2 is supported by Litchi and Drone Link.
Air 2 S is supported by Litchi, Drone Link and Drone Deploy. Note Drone Deploy does not support the Mini Series.
From my research Air 2 S has more capabilities than Mini 3 Pro. Is that correct?
I have a Mini 2 (12mp) but looking to upgrade to Air 2 S (20k) specifically for mapping missions. I would ideally like a Phantom 4 Pro as it has a mechanical shutter, but maybe a bridge too far at this stage. Sadly it seems that you get what you pay for.
 
und that it can't do simple mapping and never will be able to, I'd call it something stronger than "brand fault."
Despite all what you said, YOU buy thing without reading first what the product offer from the package. that is a FACT.
Someone else already said if you buy a little car that do not have integrated gps (exemple) do not cry afterward because it is not present.
The problem that this is logical or not is not the question.
When I spent 3000$ for a drone I certainly first check if this drone will do what I expect. Not after doing a blind décision.

Another FACT is that now you have a drone that do not meet your requirement, not really good decision isn't it ?
 
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I purchased a Mavic Pro many years ago when they first came out. I LOVED IT! I found that the most valuable and most used feature was to fly waypoint missions using Litchi and DroneDeploy for automomous mapping and scenic smoothly flowing cinematic videos. When the Mini 3 Pro came out, I was excited about the new technology, smaller size, excellent camera capability etc and so I bought one. Now that I am becoming more familiar with the Mini 3 Pro, I find that DJI no longer provides waypoint capability and THAT MAKES ME FURIOUS!!!

There was nothing made clear in DJI's marketing of the mini 3 that waypoints were no longer included. Why did DJI eliminate that capability? I've seen many discussions on the possibility of DJI providing it in the future but can DJI confirm that it is in the works? If yes, when? This is a serious downgrade in DJI drone capability and if not addressed, I'm going to get rid of my mini and stick with my mavic pro.

Thoughts??E58 Has Waypoints.png
Try the E58 looks like good range from the picture :rolleyes:
 
Regardless, it undeniably leaves DJI in much less of a positive light than they were.
Not so much. Not even noise.

It's remarkable how so many people here seem to think they understand DJI's market better than the army of MBA's and engineers they pay lots of money to understand these things.

I've been there. I recognize this behavior well.

The market of professionals that need waypoint functionality is small, and can afford the Enterprise products. For the rest of you, like me, who want this functionality but don't make money with the feature can pound sand. If all of us abandoned DJI they literally couldn't measure it in the bottom line.

If you have a mapping business, the cost difference of the Enterprise version is mouse nuts. If $2k can't be amortized over a few years of use, barely affecting prices for services, you are not making it in the business.

The vast, vast majority of DJI's consumer market neither knows, nor cares about waypoints.
 
Guys, give @RogerDH a break. He was hardly unreasonable. DJI ships new product all the time with an incomplete feature set, and a public promise to fill out those features in a firmware update. They then DO follow through.

This was no different, Roger provided the evidence.
 
...Someone else already said if you buy a little car that do not have integrated gps (exemple) do not cry afterward because it is not present.
...
If that were a valid analogy, you might have a point. I'm sorry you don't understand why it's not, but thank you for your opinion.
 
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As the OP and after reading so much of the above, my thoughts:
  • I am not a ortho mapping commercial drone user. When videoing a point or area of interest, I found that I could create much smoother and technically more complicated cinematic videos using waypoints and "points of interest" rather than flying by hand.
  • Pilots flying waypoint missions typically use Litchi or similar and, if mapping, use DroneDeploy or DroneLink. I don't believe that DJI has comparable waypoint capability to equal those. So,,,,,,, I can understand that DJI does not want to market their drone capablility to use third parties like those. Therefore, it is hard to research the various DJI drone specs to see if they are compatible with those 3rd party waypoint management providers.
  • I believe DJI did include waypoint capability in all their earlier drones like the Mavic Pro which I purchased several years ago which led to my erroneous assumption that it was included with the Mini 3 "Pro".
  • I believe the waypoint users are much more numerous that some of the posters above have thought.
  • In any event, DJI graciously agreed to accept the return of my Mini so, other than time, confusion and faith in DJI, nothing lost.
 
Not so much. Not even noise.
...

The vast, vast majority of DJI's consumer market neither knows, nor cares about waypoints.
How about the people who bought a DJI drone not knowing or caring about waypoints until they found out how useful they are? Before the Mini, those were surprised and happy users. Starting with the Mini, those are users who found out too late.
 
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How about the people who bought a DJI drone not knowing or caring about waypoints until they found out how useful they are? Before the Mini, those were surprised and happy users. Starting with the Mini, those are users who found out too late.
How about them?

Vanishingly few.

Admittedly, I'm speculating having done no research on this topic at all (market for waypoint feature in DJI consumer drones), but I suspect you are no better informed.

I base my opinion on what DJI is doing, and I don't think they are uninformed or foolish about it. I think they spend a lot to get it right.

I'm every bit as unhappy about this as the other handful here on the forum. Doesn't make me unrealistic.

The tiny dearth of members here that care passionately about this should tell you something right there.
 
I wish I had your previous experience and, I agree. I never would have bought the mini 3 had I known. Waypoint capability is an incredibly valuable feature once you've experienced it. This should be a warning to anyone else who is considering the purchase of a mini 3. I did a search to find that the only DJI drones with waypoint capability right now are:
Add to the list Mavic Air. I use it all the time.
Any drone using Go4 app supports uploading mission to it.
Have a good flights.
 
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