Just about to buy a Mavic Air..Some questions that i have.

[plainman007]

Hi Guys,

Im about to buy the Mavic AIR immediately and want to ask some simple questions to you existing owners before i go ahead.

When you shoot in 4k 30fps @100 Mbps what is the actual file size you get ?

Ive asked around and each persons opinion varies. I do understand that no 2 files (ex.34 seconds each) would have the same file size, even though all settings (res/bitrate) are the same, depending on how the compression was done depending on the scene that was shot. This is from my understanding of how codecs work.

So whats the average size of a 1 minute file in 4k/30fps/100 Mbps with fast action shots being recorded.

Will a CLASS-10 msd card suffice for recording smooth 4k on board the Mavic AIR ?

Thanks in advance.

 

[MrRobville]

I can't comment on the average filesize unfortunately, but as for the msd card, make sure that it is a U3 Class 10 card. A U1 Class 10 isn't fast enough.

If you are still deciding on what card size to pick, I'd personally recommend getting two or three 32GB sd cards instead of one big one of 64 or 128. 32GB is sufficient size for a few flights I found, however, you can swap the card together with the battery as well. This way, if you happen to lose the drone in one of your later flights, you haven't lost all footage. This is of course personal preference. If you don't feel like swapping cards you might as well put in a 128GB msd, which is fine as well.

Welcome btw!

 

[plainman007]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the warm welcome. Its good to be here.

I think ill go with 64gb x2 MSD cards because ive seen reviews that the MSD card is a little difficult to pull out for people without sharp nails. And doing that on the go while travelling etc might be a little tought for me since i trim my nails pretty close.

Ill google what the U1 and U2 means and look for that spec when im buying the cards.

Meanwhile how do you view the 4k footage of the AIR ?

On your normal PC with Windows Media Player ?

I downloaded some test footage from a site offering raw samples direct out of the drone. Some would play and some would stutter. Wonder why !

 

[plainman007]

WiFi Connectivity Question

Also my plan is to get a standalone phone for using with the AIR remote. What is the ideal size of phone that sits neatly within the side grips of the remote ? I dont want them jutting out or converged inwards either. Im guessing a 7 inch tablet is the correct size ? Also can i get a tablet with just wifi and no sim cards as i plan to dedicate the phone only for the remote.

Also when flying, the AIR needs to look up satellites for RTH etc to work right ? But does it need active internet wherever i fire it up ?

My guess is i need internet via my tablet WiFi to only register it during first use (i read you need to register else the drone wont activate) and after that onwards we need internet only to update the firmware. Is my understanding correct ?

 

[plainman007]

Handheld Shooting Possible ?

Will i be able to shoot 4k/30fps/100Mbps video without the props running. If i want a table top/hand held shot minus the rotors sound. If this is possible, does it eat batteries equal to flying or lasts longer than flying and shooting ? And during this kind of shooting does the gimbal still work to stabilize the shot as you hold the drone in your hand and walk around etc ?

 

[MrRobville]

Hi Rob,

Thanks for the warm welcome. Its good to be here.

I think ill go with 64gb x2 MSD cards because ive seen reviews that the MSD card is a little difficult to pull out for people without sharp nails. And doing that on the go while travelling etc might be a little tought for me since i trim my nails pretty close.

Ill google what the U1 and U2 means and look for that spec when im buying the cards.

Meanwhile how do you view the 4k footage of the AIR ?

On your normal PC with Windows Media Player ?

I downloaded some test footage from a site offering raw samples direct out of the drone. Some would play and some would stutter. Wonder why !

Makes good sense! The sd card is indeed a bit annoying to get out. Honestly, for that very reason I don't always swap the cards with the battery, especially when I'm above grass.

Granted that your PC isn't cream coloured, you should be able to view 4K files with any player. Funny enough I found that the default Windows 10 player takes 4K better than VLC Media player.
The files are quite heavy though. If you see any stuttering, then your PC is unable to keep up with the data.

Tip, for quick previews there's a setting in DJI Go to cache the video that you are recording, so it'll save a lowres version of it locally. This one you can view on any device. Just be aware that the quality degrades notably and worsens with bad signal strength. But its good for a quick look, or heIl, if something goes wrong you can see what the drone saw last.

WiFi Connectivity Question

Also my plan is to get a standalone phone for using with the AIR remote. What is the ideal size of phone that sits neatly within the side grips of the remote ? I dont want them jutting out or converged inwards either. Im guessing a 7 inch tablet is the correct size ? Also can i get a tablet with just wifi and no sim cards as i plan to dedicate the phone only for the remote.

Also when flying, the AIR needs to look up satellites for RTH etc to work right ? But does it need active internet wherever i fire it up ?

My guess is i need internet via my tablet WiFi to only register it during first use (i read you need to register else the drone wont activate) and after that onwards we need internet only to update the firmware. Is my understanding correct ?

Using a standalone phone is a good idea. I use an HTC One M7, that although deemed incompatible, works like a charm. IIRC, some people managed to fit an Ipad Mini between the controller arms, though at a cost of comfort. So any phone/tablet within that size should fit. If not, you can use a Mavmount instead for larger devices.
Please note that when you buy a phone that the usb charging port isn't upside down. Some phones like the HTC one have the usb port inverted, making the slick cable that comes with the controller useless since it doesn't fit. In such case you'd have to use a larger external cable.

And yes that is correct, the quad uses a Wifi signal, but that's simply the transmission type between the controller and the Air. You don't need any connection with the internet to fly. Only for updates or to sync your flightlogs with the cloud.
In fact, I'd recommend disabling wifi on the phone so you have less potential interference. The phone itself connects through an USB cable.
As for satelites, do make sure that the Air connects to a decent amount so that the app says "Ready to Fly". Also, wait for the voice to say "The homepoint has been updated, please check it on the map" before flying away. Otherwise you might risk the homepoint being set somewhere during your flight path, possibly above an obstacle.

Handheld Shooting Possible ?

Will i be able to shoot 4k/30fps/100Mbps video without the props running. If i want a table top/hand held shot minus the rotors sound. If this is possible, does it eat batteries equal to flying or lasts longer than flying and shooting ? And during this kind of shooting does the gimbal still work to stabilize the shot as you hold the drone in your hand and walk around etc ?

Yes that's perfectly possible, and I've done that a few times as well. The Mavic can serve fine as a gimbal camera. Just boot up the drone, start DJI Go, and press record. You can leave the props attached or even the arms folded. But if you don't feel comfortable with that, there's of course no risk in detaching the props first.

 

[charlas]

Few things, for data sizes (Data size calculator | toolstudio) give you an idea

Walking with the drone, you can actually get holders to hold the drone/smartphone so you can use it as a stabalised camera

SD Cards, don't cheap out! make sure it's a Class 10 U3 (u3 = sustained 30MB/s) MINIMUM, V60 / V90 are a safer bet, I use Samsung Extreme's (128Gb) cards, and have a few that I swap out after every second battery (for footage safety more than anything else)

Here's a guide on Speeds, 2.7k you can sometimes get away with U1 (brand depending), but 4K won't shoot to card at U1 and U3 or better required.



As for phones, I've used S8+ (now S9+), and tablet wise I use a Lenovo Tab 4 8 Pro, that does fit in the grips on the controller (all do in fact)

Oh, and welcome to the fold, stay safe, fly safe and be respectful, that's the best 'laws' we can all stick to to make sure we don't taint the name of quad pilots everywhere.

 

[mad monkey]

Changing micro SD cards in this thing are not easy for those of us with working hands. Fat fingers lol

It's not easy to swap them. But it's easy to pull off the USB and fly again.

I went 64gb to ensure plenty of space and didn't cost that much. I'd be more heartbroken about losing the drone than the SD.

 

[msinger]

My guess is i need internet via my tablet WiFi to only register it during first use (i read you need to register else the drone wont activate) and after that onwards we need internet only to update the firmware. Is my understanding correct?

You only need to connect to the Internet if you want to use features that require an Internet connection. One of the most commonly used features is the maps. If you want to see the maps while flying, you either need to be connected to the Internet while flying (so the maps can download in real-time) or cache them ahead of time like this in a location that has an Internet connection before heading out to fly.

 

[plainman007]

Makes good sense! The sd card is indeed a bit annoying to get out. Honestly, for that very reason I don't always swap the cards with the battery, especially when I'm above grass.

Granted that your PC isn't cream coloured, you should be able to view 4K files with any player. Funny enough I found that the default Windows 10 player takes 4K better than VLC Media player.
The files are quite heavy though. If you see any stuttering, then your PC is unable to keep up with the data.

Tip, for quick previews there's a setting in DJI Go to cache the video that you are recording, so it'll save a lowres version of it locally. This one you can view on any device. Just be aware that the quality degrades notably and worsens with bad signal strength. But its good for a quick look, or heIl, if something goes wrong you can see what the drone saw last.



Using a standalone phone is a good idea. I use an HTC One M7, that although deemed incompatible, works like a charm. IIRC, some people managed to fit an Ipad Mini between the controller arms, though at a cost of comfort. So any phone/tablet within that size should fit. If not, you can use a Mavmount instead for larger devices.
Please note that when you buy a phone that the usb charging port isn't upside down. Some phones like the HTC one have the usb port inverted, making the slick cable that comes with the controller useless since it doesn't fit. In such case you'd have to use a larger external cable.

And yes that is correct, the quad uses a Wifi signal, but that's simply the transmission type between the controller and the Air. You don't need any connection with the internet to fly. Only for updates or to sync your flightlogs with the cloud.
In fact, I'd recommend disabling wifi on the phone so you have less potential interference. The phone itself connects through an USB cable.
As for satelites, do make sure that the Air connects to a decent amount so that the app says "Ready to Fly". Also, wait for the voice to say "The homepoint has been updated, please check it on the map" before flying away. Otherwise you might risk the homepoint being set somewhere during your flight path, possibly above an obstacle.



Yes that's perfectly possible, and I've done that a few times as well. The Mavic can serve fine as a gimbal camera. Just boot up the drone, start DJI Go, and press record. You can leave the props attached or even the arms folded. But if you don't feel comfortable with that, there's of course no risk in detaching the props first.

My desktop PC is 64bit and runs Win 7 64bit and the OS exclusively runs from an SSD drive which is ONLY dedicated for the operating system. RAM is 16gb DDR3. All data is exclusively on my 8 TB of 7200rpm Barracuda drives. All of them are on SATA3 ports too. Still the AIR raw 4k file stutters. That too its saved to and playing from the SSD (which incidentally is only @ 25% capacity used). So AIR files need a very high end computer to run from ?

If you dont mind me asking, how many inches wide is your phone ?

 

[plainman007]

You only need to connect to the Internet if you want to use features that require an Internet connection. One of the most commonly used features is the maps. If you want to see the maps while flying, you either need to be connected to the Internet while flying (so the maps can download in real-time) or cache them ahead of time like this in a location that has an Internet connection before heading out to fly.

Hi There,
Im reading some statements there which hint that android phones dont mix well with the AIR remotes and cannot cache maps properly etc ? Is this true ?

 

[renogeno]

I don't know, but maybe it's your video card that's not able to render 4k. Seems the computer itself should be plenty powerful enough.

 

[CanadaDrone]

Hi Guys,

Im about to buy the Mavic AIR immediately and want to ask some simple questions to you existing owners before i go ahead.

When you shoot in 4k 30fps @100 Mbps what is the actual file size you get ?

Ive asked around and each persons opinion varies. I do understand that no 2 files (ex.34 seconds each) would have the same file size, even though all settings (res/bitrate) are the same, depending on how the compression was done depending on the scene that was shot. This is from my understanding of how codecs work.

So whats the average size of a 1 minute file in 4k/30fps/100 Mbps with fast action shots being recorded.

Will a CLASS-10 msd card suffice for recording smooth 4k on board the Mavic AIR ?

Thanks in advance.

You answered your own question already - 100Mbps That is 12.5 MB/s and you will need a memory card that has a minimum sustained write speed of at least that amount (not to be confused with transfer speeds or read speeds). A class 10 card will not suffice as their write speeds are only guaranteed to 10MB/s. Look for a card with a "U3" and "V30" rating.

I minute at 100Mbps is 6000Mb or 750MB.

WiFi Connectivity Question

Also my plan is to get a standalone phone for using with the AIR remote. What is the ideal size of phone that sits neatly within the side grips of the remote ? I dont want them jutting out or converged inwards either. Im guessing a 7 inch tablet is the correct size ? Also can i get a tablet with just wifi and no sim cards as i plan to dedicate the phone only for the remote.

Also when flying, the AIR needs to look up satellites for RTH etc to work right ? But does it need active internet wherever i fire it up ?

My guess is i need internet via my tablet WiFi to only register it during first use (i read you need to register else the drone wont activate) and after that onwards we need internet only to update the firmware. Is my understanding correct ?

Some 7" tablets fit, otherwise any smaller phone will work just fine. Note that if the tablet does not have GPS you cannot update your home point if you move. You do not need a SIM card for any of this.

The Air does not need Internet/WiFi to work. The WiFi connection it makes between the controller and itself is a dedicated connection and is not like your home WiFi. You do need WiFi access (or cellular if you have lots of Data) to update the firmware, or you can plug it into your computer.

Never fly the Air without at least 13 satellites - this guarantees you have an ideal connection to either GPS or GLONASS.

 

[Astom22]

A little piece of scotch tape on the SD card makes it much easier to get in and out. I added a touch of duct tape to make it even easier to see if it drops on the ground. (Not my idea, saw it somewhere.)

 

[mad monkey]

Drone doesn't need a tail lol

 

[msinger]

Im reading some statements there which hint that android phones dont mix well with the AIR remotes and cannot cache maps properly etc ?

Maybe you're thinking of some Android versions of DJI GO that do not include the feature to download offline maps? All versions of DJI GO should be able to cache the maps (even without that feature).

 

[CanadaDrone]

I've been flying my Mavic Air with an Android phone with zero issues. If anything it's more annoying with iOS devices in some countries because of the FCC bug. Also, note that WiFi-only iOS devices do not have GPS, even the $1000 iPad Pros, which is a joke if you ask me when it is included in $100 android tablets.

The biggest clue is that DJI themselves use Android for their built-in screens like on the Phantom 4 Pro+.

 

[charlas]

iOS was the last version of Go4 that had problems with caching, so it's not an Android thing as such. Remember the 'screens' that DJI Sell are Android based, so make of that what you will. I fly with an S9+ and a Lenovo 4 pro 8 (8 inch tab) and that fits without any problems into the controller as well (you do have to use the rear USB on the remote though)

As for playback, My Laptop I edit on is an i5/32gb with 2 SSD's (one OS/Apps one Footage) and that works fine with the 4K video, my desktop is a monster (twin CPU Xeon /128GB with dual 1070 GPU) and that obviously has zero issues. It's down to if the GPU can do hardware x264 high bitrate decodes in hardware, fortunatly both mine can. I'd say the PC Spec you have should be fine, with the exception of the GPU, if your using the Intel GPU's then need a late 500 or 600 series GPU at least (with latest drivers). I'm just rendering my guide, and I'll upload it shortly (link when it's up)

 

[charlas]

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[plainman007]

I

Maybe you're thinking of some Android versions of DJI GO that do not include the feature to download offline maps? All versions of DJI GO should be able to cache the maps (even without that feature).

I am planning to use an android device only. So im SOOL ?