Is a Mavik AIR suitable for an almost beginner?

[jarnie]

Hello
I sort of got interested in drones a year ago and purchased a (toy grade) JJR/C Daiman and had some fun with it and sort of mastered it although it was difficult with such a short battery 'life' of about 5 minutes which caused me to loose interest in it.
I have been looking at the Mavik AIR drone as it seems to have a decent camera (I main interest in owning a drone and I would want to record video at 1080p) plus it seems to have a reliable HOME function and has detectors to avoid obstacles.
BUT am I 'aiming' too high with purchasing a Mavik AIR drone as I am almost a beginner?
Thanks

 

[lannes]

The Mavic Air or the Mavic Pro are probably the safest beginner DJI drones as they can handle a range of different wind conditions.

The Mavic Mini cannot handle strong winds as well as it's less powerful

 

[Dakarenduro]

Agreed. The Air would be a perfectly worthwhile drone for a novice as well as a "pro". The camera is 4k and the drone is very portable. It is able to hand wind much better than the Mini and the software is rock solid (as compared to the Mini). You wont go wrong with the Air.

 

[jarnie]

Thanks,
I had researched the Mini and although quite a bit cheaper, it doesn't have detectors to avoid obstacles which I though would make flying easier and safer. I get the opinion though that the AIR probably won't be available soon as it has been replaced by the AIR2 which is more expensive. Is that correct?

 

[lannes]

Thanks,
I had researched the Mini and although quite a bit cheaper, it doesn't have detectors to avoid obstacles which I though would make flying easier and safer. I get the opinion though that the AIR probably won't be available soon as it has been replaced by the AIR2 which is more expensive. Is that correct?

The MA is no longer in production according to the DJI online store

 

[Dakarenduro]

WOW, I did not realize that. That sucks in my opinion. The size of the Air2 is a negative when wanting a capable yet small footprint device. The Air1 vs. Air2 size wise for both the drone and the controller is a no go for me. The Air1 wins hands down.

However the wifi connection on Air1 is not in the same league as the Occusync (air2). So my Air1 flights are typically under 1000m in distance, whereas Mavic 2 flights are 3 or 4x that regularly.

 

[Dakarenduro]

Maybe you can find a good used Air1 fly more kit with DJI care active? good luck.

 

[WithTheBirds]

In contrast to the traditional RC models the current DJI offerings take almost zero skill to fly. Come unstuck/loose your nerve or orientation and if will just patiently hover in place averting your next command.

A reasonable commitment to learning the functions and behaviour, especially understanding what to expect and how to handle the situation when things go wrong is required.

 

[THE CYBORG]

Could be a good time to find a used Air at a good price as people maybe upgrade to the 2

 

[msinger]

BUT am I 'aiming' too high with purchasing a Mavik AIR drone as I am almost a beginner?

The great thing about DJI drones in general is they are easy to fly. And while all of them have different features (you can compare them here), they fly about the same control-wise no matter which drone you're flying.

Which drone should you start with? That depends on your budget and needed features (see the comparison I linked above).

I couldn't really recommend the Mavic Mini to any to-be single drone owner since the build quality isn't great and it's the lightest drone DJI makes (which makes it less capable in windy conditions). The DJI Spark would be a budget-friendly drone to start with if it's slower speed and limited set of features meet your needs. If budget is not a factor, then the Mavic Air or Mavic Air 2 would be a nice middleground.

 

[jarnie]

Thanks
I made up my mind a while back that I will not consider the Mini.
There are a few sellers on Ebay (Australia) and two Australian stores still listing/offering the Air for $A1199 and $A1299. The Air2 is being offered around $A300 more than the Air and I can't see how it is $A300 better.
At $A1199 I really don't want to spend any more unless someone can suggest a worthy competitor for around or less than $A1199.

 

[msinger]

I really don't want to spend any more unless someone can suggest a worthy competitor for around or less than $A1199

Do you mean a non-DJI drone? If so, you're probably not going to get a great answer here since this is a forum of people flying mostly nothing but DJI drones.

 

[WithTheBirds]

Thanks
I made up my mind a while back that I will not consider the Mini.
There are a few sellers on Ebay (Australia) and two Australian stores still listing/offering the Air for $A1199 and $A1299. The Air2 is being offered around $A300 more than the Air and I can't see how it is $A300 better.
At $A1199 I really don't want to spend any more unless someone can suggest a worthy competitor for around or less than $A1199.

Can’t see how it is better? Have you compared features? Higher bitrate, H265, higher frame rate, 8K hyperlapse, longer flight time, greater range, improved OA etc etc. it is better. Question is if you need/will use the additional features performance.

 

[jarnie]

Sorry I should have phrased it better. Really meant for the features which are better which would interest me.
Longer flight time yes, image size No, Bit rate - didn't check but as I edit with Corel Videostudio Pro I remember something about bitrate when rendering so not sure if I would benefit from the higher bit rate, I am happy with1080p even tholugh my GoPro will record at 4K, higher fps maybe (would only benefit me if I want to replay in slow motion which I don't think I would do very often if at all). YES I did compare.
Maybe Mavic 2 or Mavic Pro but haven't compared them or checked out their prices. What is the consensus there?

 

[jnatt]

I got the mavic Air 1 as my first drone and it has been amazing so easy to fly and great fun. Later I added a mini but just for ease and lightweight when walking.. but my air is my go to drone..

 

[mmlaverman]

I started with the Mavic Air 1 and could not be happier. It's been such a great machine with zero issues that I have decided not to upgrade to the Air 2 currently.

 

[Geekser]

I am definitely a "beginner" and am extremely pleased that I started with the Mavic Air 2. While it makes flying easy, it also allows me to grow into more challenging missions as my skills improve. It is a little expensive for a starter drone, but then as long as I fly safely, it should last many years. I love my Mavic Air 2 and look forward to new adventures every day!

 

[Motorcycle Rider]

Welcome to the forum.

Confused by your understanding of the Air vs Air 2 though.
My girlfriend is a total newbie to drones, and loves her Air 2.

 

[Dale D]

Hello
I sort of got interested in drones a year ago and purchased a (toy grade) JJR/C Daiman and had some fun with it and sort of mastered it although it was difficult with such a short battery 'life' of about 5 minutes which caused me to loose interest in it.
I have been looking at the Mavik AIR drone as it seems to have a decent camera (I main interest in owning a drone and I would want to record video at 1080p) plus it seems to have a reliable HOME function and has detectors to avoid obstacles.
BUT am I 'aiming' too high with purchasing a Mavik AIR drone as I am almost a beginner?
Thanks

I don't think so. My first drone was the Mavic Air (red) and I loved that little guy! It's not that hard to learn with all of the You Tube videos and this forum and it certainly is quite capable. Go for it!

 

[1bad]

Hell Yea!!!! Mavic Air is an awesome drone to get started with and even use at a high level. I use it when I travel, around the house, even to do some pretty solid real estate shots.

Lots of fun!