Let's help DJI design the Mavic Pro 2 (or whatever it's called)

[fiberdude]

Latest rumor from OsitaLV:

 

[Ifti]

I would like something that looks and works like the Air, maybe a bit larger even, with a gimbal design like the Air too.
So, basically the Air with obstacle avoidance on all sides, like the Phantom, a 1" sensor and Ocusync!

 

[floyd]

Latest rumor from OsitaLV:

View attachment 31511

These trickling rumors are driving me crazy! It's like Christmas day but I can't open my present for another month or more.

 

[docster]

If there is a 1” sensor on drone roughly the pro size and foldable, I’m buying.

 

[Nathan Hoover]

Same here!

 

[ToddR]

Being an avid personal photographer I truly want the best camera that makes sense. Meaning cost of course, but just as important is usability and portability. When choosing my digital camera I decided on a 4/3 over full size due to this theory. I have wanted a drone since the release of the DJI Mavic Pro. I should mention I tend to not jump, but rather research the crap out of something before I buy. The release of the Mavic Air followed by early leaks of a new Mavic Pro II has only increased my desire and decision making complexity.

Now my question. As current DJI pilots what is everyone thinking in regards to the size alteration possibility? I am all about having a 1" sensor.. but not surprised by having to "significantly increase" the overall drone size.

 

[Nathan Hoover]

Well, after seeing the state of the art in follow me yesterday at the Skydio demo, DJI better pull something amazing out of their hat. The Skydio drone REALLY works. As in turn it on and let it follow you. You can try to make it screw up and it won't.

 

[msinger]

Looks neat! That might turn out to be a great option if you're main use is follow me.

 

[Nathan Hoover]

Yeah, for me it's a HUGE feature. But the Mavic is more of a "do anything" drone. It was just staggering at how good the optical obstacle avoidance was with the Skydio. Even if I do get the Skydio (expensive at $2500), I will still always have a Mavic or similar. I recently sold my P3P, P4 and Spark so this will be the year of new drones for me!

 

[Hauptmann]

Just goes to show that drone technology is advancing exponentially, such that users will be eager to upgrade every two years or so. Imagine the Mavic V (or whatever it will be called)!

We can be sure that this company will be snapped up very shortly--hopefully by DJI--or maybe by DARPA.

 

[fiberdude]

Yeah, for me it's a HUGE feature. But the Mavic is more of a "do anything" drone. It was just staggering at how good the optical obstacle avoidance was with the Skydio. Even if I do get the Skydio (expensive at $2500), I will still always have a Mavic or similar. I recently sold my P3P, P4 and Spark so this will be the year of new drones for me!

2500 bucks just for a follow-me drone of this HUGE size? You gotta be kidding. No competitor of DJI. Not even close.

 

[AdamP74]

The follow me sucks on the mavic, I've had mine lost a few times when I try to use it alone. A buddy of mine has that sky one and it's got a bracelet and never gets lost. The mavic with it's advanced features could have a very simple locater device so it don't get lost.

 

[JManges]

RUMORED SPECS OF THE MAVIC PRO II

• The official name will be Mavic Pro II instead of Mavic Pro 2
• It will be substantially larger than the current Mavic Pro
• 4820 mAh battery capacity and 15.2 V power (compared with 3830 mAh and 11.4 V for the current Mavic Pro).
• Different battery design than the current Mavic Pro
• Upgraded propulsion with larger motors (slightly smaller than current Phantom 4)
• 33-minute flight time. Maybe longer (current Mavic Pro has 27-minute and Platinum 30-minute flight time).
• 1″ CMOS sensor (current Mavic Pro has 1/2.3” CMOS sensor) with 28mm lens.
• Newly designed 3-axis gimbal.
• Infrared 3D sensing to avoid obstacles even in the dark
• Binocular rear vision obstacle avoidance sensors.
• Same design of remote control as old Mavic Pro but drastically improved
• Will use OcuSync.
• Video transmission frequency is unknown.
• Improved agility and precision.
• Expected to outperform current Phantom 4 Pro.
• Beta testing of the Mavic Pro II ended late January.
• Mass production has started already (early Feb) and will not be impacted by Chines New Year.
• Launch date possibly March 22nd but could be later.
• The Mavic Pro 2 will be controlled with the DJI GO 4 app just like the current Mavic Pro.
• Expected price point: $1299 USD or more. The FlyMore combo will be more expensive.

 

[Just_nick]

Well, after seeing the state of the art in follow me yesterday at the Skydio demo, DJI better pull something amazing out of their hat. The Skydio drone REALLY works. As in turn it on and let it follow you. You can try to make it screw up and it won't.

DJI is years away from having anything that advanced. They're about photography drones that you control, not autonomous drones that follow you. Unless they've just been hiding the technology, which would be odd, we probably won't see them make anything like that in the near future.
Luckily for them, the pricing on it puts it out of competition range for all of their consumer drones.

 

[LivinLarge]

Just goes to show that drone technology is advancing exponentially, such that users will be eager to upgrade every two years or so. Imagine the Mavic V (or whatever it will be called)!

We can be sure that this company will be snapped up very shortly--hopefully by DJI--or maybe by DARPA.

Why would you want that? We need more competition in this industry, not a monopoly.

 

[WilliamG]

Honestly at this point I expect cameras everywhere on a drone. It “should” be essentially self-flying when necessary. These things shouldn’t be crashing unless you’re doing something really, really silly.

The next big innovation looks to be the Skydio, but that’s not enough because it’s clearly not very portable like DJI’s consumer line.

 

[AdamP74]

I don't see any reason to upgrade, I'll wait until the follow me is as good or similar to the stalker drone.

 

[virtualphotographers]

Well, after seeing the state of the art in follow me yesterday at the Skydio demo, DJI better pull something amazing out of their hat. The Skydio drone REALLY works. As in turn it on and let it follow you. You can try to make it screw up and it won't.

Yep, looks pretty sweet for following. Wi Fi range to a device so no real range for non following scenarios. The whole thing is based on video sensors that the computer uses to model the environment, predict paths, recognize individual people... Pretty crazy computing

 

[Gray_seagull]

It seems to be too late to help DJI design it

New post by ositaLV showing what seems to be the mavic pro 2

 

[tjcooper]

how to determine when DJI will release its products.

I bought a Mavic Pro for $688 on 3 March from Fry's Electronics which sells a large number of drones (all kinds). That was a "one day Internet special" which the very next day (when the rumors of delay of Mavic Pro II surfaced) was raised to $877. This was a "clearance sale" from what I got talking to Fry's service manager....they had too many units in stock and did not want to get stuck with them if 22 March was the new model release date. Today is 17 March and the Fry's price for Mavic Pro (full package but not combo package) has gone back up to $979.

What this tells me is that the big distribution channels have a better "feel" for when the real release date is than the pundits who surf the rumor mills. Now that June is the "new truth" for when the product will be released, I think in late May there will be another "clearance sale" for Mavic Pro and that will give real credibility to the final distribution date.

SIDE NOTE: I think the 1" sensor will really limit flight time. I work at Amazon and do a lot of camera design and test. The Sony 1" sensor in a full Optical Image Stabilization lens package (plus autofocus) draws as much power as a standard "mad cat" drone does for a single motor plus ESC assembly. When you add in the ISP power to take that 1" sensor output at 60fps and provide all the "image enhancements" that cell phone manufacturers want for their customers, the net power drain could be worth two out-runner motors plus their associated ESC. What this tells me is that if you run full resolution at 60fps at top ocusyn transmission, you probably will not get anywhere near the 33 minutes people are talking about for Mavic Pro II. I would guess that DJI will have to "throttle back" the video to slower frame rates and less resolution if you want 33 minutes out of the 4S Lipo battery package.

This could be one of the reasons that the Distribution date was pulled back from 22 March. It could be that DJI finally got to do full production tests and all of a sudden discovered that their video processing package was eating their batteries alive! I have been down the same path for battery powered cameras before where we didn't have a real estimate of battery life until all the rest of the hardware was fully tested and operational. Just a personal opinion.
tjcooper