First timer here, picked up Costco's spring 2018 Mavic Platinum Pro (MPP) with DJI Goggles US$1299 bundle last week at my local store, and subsequently read/watched reviews to decide whether 1) it's a good deal, and 2) would I prefer the smaller/smarter/cheaper Mavic Air (MA), as suggested by many of the latest reviews.
TLDR: Costco bundle is a good deal for several reasons. Anyone most interested in FPV "flight-seeing" should choose MPP. Choose MA for the coolest dronies, sports videos (e.g. mtn biking), long hiking/backpacking, or drone racing.
Below is my newbie Mavic buyer thought process -- again, only three days in -- I thought I'd share now, in case it's useful to other newbies making this evaluation.
On question #1, Costco deal: Yes, Costco's bundle is a solid deal, even vs. DJI's Fly More Combo, esp. if you're willing to try decently reviewed third-party accessories on Amazon, at substantially lower costs than DJI accessories.
Quick math: DJI's MPP Fly More & Goggles combo is currently $1,698, vs. my $1423 Costco total with WA state sales tax. On Amazon, that $275 savings can purchase two addtl third-party MP batteries ($118), car charger ($17), charging hub ($20), and low-noise propellers ($15), and still have nearly $90+ to spend towards insurance and accessories. Not to mention, Costco bundle includes the DJI Sling Bag ($79) large enough for drone + RC + goggles, and propeller guard ($15).
Also importantly, Costco's 90-day return is valuable to having enough hands-on time to decide on MPP vs. MA, and whether DJI Goggles are worth owning. By comparison, I believe DJI online return is only 7 days, and Fry's Electronics won't return any open box drone.
Question #2 -- MPP vs. MA -- has been a much harder question to answer based just on written and YouTube reviews, since it really requires hands-on and goggles-on with both products to compare capabilities, and contemplating what type of flying matters most to you. So far, none of the comparison reviews I've seen have been adequately in-depth (or even accurate, frankly). It took several hours yesterday comparing MPP flight modes and goggles experience alongside a friend and his Mavic Air to get a clear understanding of the real user experience differences, vs. spec on papers.
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1) FPV Experience: DJI Goggles are *much* more interesting with MPP/MP, for some key reasons that aren't super clear in the reviews I've seen.
First and foremost, you can steer MP with head movement in DJI's "Fixed Wing Mode" (airplane experience simulation), and look around with full directional camera control (Head Tracking Gimbal) and aircraft rotation (Head Tracking Flight). In comparison, MA head tracking is limited to up/down gimbal only, no left/right, and no Fixed Wing Mode. So the MA goggles experience is essentially bigger screen video, vs. simulated flying experience on MP/MPP.
Another important MA limitation: There's no simultaneous smartphone video feed, so you can't safely pilot while someone else enjoys the FPV goggle view.
I believe but would need to confirm that MPP/MP's wireless Ocusync connection delivers higher resolution video streams (1080P?) to DJI Goggles, vs. MA's wired USB connection (720P?).
Thus, if FPV flight-seeing with friends and family is your most desired flying experience, as it is for me (I think), you'll want an MPP, assuming you enjoy the DJI Goggles experience at all (fyi, they do pose focus challenges for 40+ year old eyes, addressable with reading glasses or pop-in lenses)
For further reasons mentioned below, MA seems more optimized for sports uses, like active tracking (e.g. mountain biking) and drone racing.
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2) Noise: Based on reviews alone, I was uncertain whether noise mattered to me, esp. given the small difference in absolute decibels. But in person, the MPP is definitely easier on the ears, not just in loudness but also pitch. The oft-cited "swarm of angry bees" description is spot on for MA, esp. loud at selfie height, and still weed-whacker distracting at typical video and 100-200ft flight-seeing heights. In comparison, MPP is loud but tolerable even at selfie height, more of a loud buzz/whirr than whine/screech, a lot less noticeable 100ft directly overhead, barely noticeable at horizontal distance.
No doubt, I'll feel much less self-conscious flying MPP around neighbors, hikers, boaters, beach goers, etc.
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3) Gesture Control: Flying a close-in MA with only hand gestures is "Jedi mind trick" fun MP/MPP can't do. Impressive to demo, but I can't think of any new use scenarios it creates vs. using the DJI mobile app to position selfies. And on all models, you still need the app to initiate the more useful QuickCapture modes like Dronie, Rocket, Helix, etc.
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4) Obstacle Avoidance: MA has clear tech advantage with rear sensors and intelligence to fly over obstacles, vs. just stop in front of them. If you're low altitude flying or auto-tracking in forested trails or around structures, you'll want the MA (just note, various video review crashes demonstrate it's not infallible). But if your flying interest is more flight-seeing above trees and buildings, I don't see MA's extra obstacle avoidance as of big value, except infrequent space constrained landing and QuickCapture situations.
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5) Size/portability: As a frequent traveler, I've agonized on this factor the most. No doubt, MA packs up smaller and lighter than MP. But, that's mostly in a relative sense -- on absolute comparison, folded MPP is still impressively compact, and its' extra weight is more an issue when packing multiple spare batteries. So I'd say MA's smaller size/weight is optimal for long hikes or biking with other gear in tow, but no substantive advantage for easy hiking, driving, or packing a suitcase to your drone flying destinations. That said, like choosing your smartphone or laptop, this is a highly subjective, personal preference.
--------------
All of above notwithstanding, after more hands/goggle-on flight time, esp. after getting proficient with FPV Fixed Wing Mode. I may feel differently about these pros/cons within a few weeks, or after packing the MPP on a trip. I'll update this thread along the way with any new thoughts.
I'd especially love to hear what others FPV experiences with the goggles.
TLDR: Costco bundle is a good deal for several reasons. Anyone most interested in FPV "flight-seeing" should choose MPP. Choose MA for the coolest dronies, sports videos (e.g. mtn biking), long hiking/backpacking, or drone racing.
Below is my newbie Mavic buyer thought process -- again, only three days in -- I thought I'd share now, in case it's useful to other newbies making this evaluation.
On question #1, Costco deal: Yes, Costco's bundle is a solid deal, even vs. DJI's Fly More Combo, esp. if you're willing to try decently reviewed third-party accessories on Amazon, at substantially lower costs than DJI accessories.
Quick math: DJI's MPP Fly More & Goggles combo is currently $1,698, vs. my $1423 Costco total with WA state sales tax. On Amazon, that $275 savings can purchase two addtl third-party MP batteries ($118), car charger ($17), charging hub ($20), and low-noise propellers ($15), and still have nearly $90+ to spend towards insurance and accessories. Not to mention, Costco bundle includes the DJI Sling Bag ($79) large enough for drone + RC + goggles, and propeller guard ($15).
Also importantly, Costco's 90-day return is valuable to having enough hands-on time to decide on MPP vs. MA, and whether DJI Goggles are worth owning. By comparison, I believe DJI online return is only 7 days, and Fry's Electronics won't return any open box drone.
Question #2 -- MPP vs. MA -- has been a much harder question to answer based just on written and YouTube reviews, since it really requires hands-on and goggles-on with both products to compare capabilities, and contemplating what type of flying matters most to you. So far, none of the comparison reviews I've seen have been adequately in-depth (or even accurate, frankly). It took several hours yesterday comparing MPP flight modes and goggles experience alongside a friend and his Mavic Air to get a clear understanding of the real user experience differences, vs. spec on papers.
---------------
1) FPV Experience: DJI Goggles are *much* more interesting with MPP/MP, for some key reasons that aren't super clear in the reviews I've seen.
First and foremost, you can steer MP with head movement in DJI's "Fixed Wing Mode" (airplane experience simulation), and look around with full directional camera control (Head Tracking Gimbal) and aircraft rotation (Head Tracking Flight). In comparison, MA head tracking is limited to up/down gimbal only, no left/right, and no Fixed Wing Mode. So the MA goggles experience is essentially bigger screen video, vs. simulated flying experience on MP/MPP.
Another important MA limitation: There's no simultaneous smartphone video feed, so you can't safely pilot while someone else enjoys the FPV goggle view.
I believe but would need to confirm that MPP/MP's wireless Ocusync connection delivers higher resolution video streams (1080P?) to DJI Goggles, vs. MA's wired USB connection (720P?).
Thus, if FPV flight-seeing with friends and family is your most desired flying experience, as it is for me (I think), you'll want an MPP, assuming you enjoy the DJI Goggles experience at all (fyi, they do pose focus challenges for 40+ year old eyes, addressable with reading glasses or pop-in lenses)
For further reasons mentioned below, MA seems more optimized for sports uses, like active tracking (e.g. mountain biking) and drone racing.
---------------
2) Noise: Based on reviews alone, I was uncertain whether noise mattered to me, esp. given the small difference in absolute decibels. But in person, the MPP is definitely easier on the ears, not just in loudness but also pitch. The oft-cited "swarm of angry bees" description is spot on for MA, esp. loud at selfie height, and still weed-whacker distracting at typical video and 100-200ft flight-seeing heights. In comparison, MPP is loud but tolerable even at selfie height, more of a loud buzz/whirr than whine/screech, a lot less noticeable 100ft directly overhead, barely noticeable at horizontal distance.
No doubt, I'll feel much less self-conscious flying MPP around neighbors, hikers, boaters, beach goers, etc.
--------------
3) Gesture Control: Flying a close-in MA with only hand gestures is "Jedi mind trick" fun MP/MPP can't do. Impressive to demo, but I can't think of any new use scenarios it creates vs. using the DJI mobile app to position selfies. And on all models, you still need the app to initiate the more useful QuickCapture modes like Dronie, Rocket, Helix, etc.
--------------
4) Obstacle Avoidance: MA has clear tech advantage with rear sensors and intelligence to fly over obstacles, vs. just stop in front of them. If you're low altitude flying or auto-tracking in forested trails or around structures, you'll want the MA (just note, various video review crashes demonstrate it's not infallible). But if your flying interest is more flight-seeing above trees and buildings, I don't see MA's extra obstacle avoidance as of big value, except infrequent space constrained landing and QuickCapture situations.
--------------
5) Size/portability: As a frequent traveler, I've agonized on this factor the most. No doubt, MA packs up smaller and lighter than MP. But, that's mostly in a relative sense -- on absolute comparison, folded MPP is still impressively compact, and its' extra weight is more an issue when packing multiple spare batteries. So I'd say MA's smaller size/weight is optimal for long hikes or biking with other gear in tow, but no substantive advantage for easy hiking, driving, or packing a suitcase to your drone flying destinations. That said, like choosing your smartphone or laptop, this is a highly subjective, personal preference.
--------------
All of above notwithstanding, after more hands/goggle-on flight time, esp. after getting proficient with FPV Fixed Wing Mode. I may feel differently about these pros/cons within a few weeks, or after packing the MPP on a trip. I'll update this thread along the way with any new thoughts.
I'd especially love to hear what others FPV experiences with the goggles.
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