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M2Pro vs M3E - should i upgrade?

mikegrad

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I currently use my M2P for photo mapping missions. as its supported by Dronedeploy and some others. However depending on the overlap parameters and area, sometimes these missions take forever, and multiple batteries. I've flown mapping missions that have taken up to 10 batteries to complete! I'm considering replacing this with the M3E - i'm thinking at a minimum the mechanical shutter will allow me to fly similar missions at a higher speed and reduce the time to complete. I know right now that drone deploy doesn't support the M3E and I will be stuck with DJI pilot for awhile. Other than that, are there any other disadvantages i should be considering? Note I also have an M3 for standard photo and video missions, and the M2P is just for automated mapping work.
 
Is mapping available for the M3E? I haven't been following. If so it would seem a no brainer. What is DJI pilot? I have an M3 and not in the market so have not been keeping up with the M series. If DJI Pilot provides waypoints for the M3E that would be interesting. OK...I'll go off and do some looking around. In the meantime....tell me more about DJI pilot and mapping and such...please.
 
DJI Pilot 2 is the app that is standard on the M3E controller. You can do mapping missions, waypoint, oblique, and linear flight modes. Page 74 here https://dl.djicdn.com/downloads/DJI_Mavic_3_Enterprise/20221115/DJI_Mavic_3E_3T_User_Manual_EN.pdf
pretty much every enterprise drone uses Pilot 2. I have used it often with the M2EA as Dronedeploy was not supported for that one either,

One thing i just thought of was that there are no self-heating batteries available for the M3 yet, so thats a con for winter flying.

I see that dronedeploy has a beta version of support for the M3E now as well.
 
That is a very good question and one that interests me. Although tangential to mapping, the camera capabilities apply. I believe I see an improvement with the MFT sensor on my M3C over my MP2 however tests from Pilot Institute (which I consider astute) counter my impression. Then of course is the global shutter. I'm not sure how this would effect mapping as I perceive mapping as a series of stills and rolling shutter only comes into play during panning in video (overlapping of scans which constitute a frame). So far, from a very small sampling, I don't see any rolling shutter effects in my recorded video. DJI obviously does not publish scan rates so there is no information there to help out.
 
That is a very good question and one that interests me. Although tangential to mapping, the camera capabilities apply. I believe I see an improvement with the MFT sensor on my M3C over my MP2 however tests from Pilot Institute (which I consider astute) counter my impression. Then of course is the global shutter. I'm not sure how this would effect mapping as I perceive mapping as a series of stills and rolling shutter only comes into play during panning in video (overlapping of scans which constitute a frame). So far, from a very small sampling, I don't see any rolling shutter effects in my recorded video. DJI obviously does not publish scan rates so there is no information there to help out.
Quick correction, we tested the Mavic 3 Classic and not the Mavic 3 Enterprise, they are different sensors and glass.
 
Quick correction, we tested the Mavic 3 Classic and not the Mavic 3 Enterprise, they are different sensors and glass.
I am confused. I thought I watched a comparison between the mavic 2 Pro and the Mavic 3. Unfortunately, I can not find it now. It was a video where the camera on the MP2 was tested with resolution charts as was the Mavic 3. The MP2 had finer detail and less aberration. My statement above was based on that video whereby the Mavic 3 may not provide better resolution than the Mavic 2P and even if there is mapping provided for the MP3 in the future there may be no benefit beyond longer battery life with the MP3. And yes, I understand that it is with the Enterprise that you are getting a global shutter, different sensors, and glass, however I do question the benefit of a global shutter for mapping. My overall conclusion is that there may be no substantial benefit to moving to any of the M3 line-up for mapping over the MP2.
 
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I am confused. I thought I watched a comparison between the mavic 2 Pro and the Mavic 3. Unfortunately, I can not find it now. It was a video where the camera on the MP2 was tested with resolution charts as was the Mavic 3. The MP2 had finer detail and less aberration. My statement above was based on that video whereby the Mavic 3 may not provide better resolution than the Mavic 2P and even if there is mapping provided for the MP3 in the future there may be no benefit beyond longer battery life with the MP3. And yes, I understand that it is with the Enterprise that you are getting a global shutter, different sensors, and glass, however I do question the benefit of a global shutter for mapping. My overall conclusion is that there may be no substantial benefit to moving to any of the M3 line-up for mapping over the MP2.
We did compare the Mavic 2 Pro and the Mavic 3 Classic but not the Mavic 3 Enterprise, which is a different drone with a different camera. Global shutter for mapping is a known positive and helps fly missions faster without getting motion blur.
 
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We did compare the Mavic 2 Pro and the Mavic 3 Classic but not the Mavic 3 Enterprise, which is a different drone with a different camera. Global shutter for mapping is a known positive and helps fly missions faster without getting motion blur.
I think we are getting closer to being on the same page and I see your point. The OP did not involve any M3 except the Enterprise in his query. It is interesting to hear that the global shutter is a known positive. This is a part of mapping that I am unfamiliar with. I can see this if mapping is done with video using frame grabs. I can't see the the benefit if the drone is taking stills without panning. Maybe if the drone is taking stills while the drone is in motion vs hover but then the physics and math are not available to qualify this without scan rate of the sensor, speed of the drone, shutter speed used, Motion blur and rolling shutter jello are two different considerations. One is a function of exposure duration and the other is a function of scan speed while both are a function of target speed of motion.

Edit::: Please do not construe this as argument. I am simply thinking "out loud" here for the benefit of better understanding this operation.
 
I think we are getting closer to being on the same page and I see your point. The OP did not involve any M3 except the Enterprise in his query. It is interesting to hear that the global shutter is a known positive. This is a part of mapping that I am unfamiliar with. I can see this if mapping is done with video using frame grabs. I can't see the the benefit if the drone is taking stills without panning. Maybe if the drone is taking stills while the drone is in motion vs hover but then the physics and math are not available to qualify this without scan rate of the sensor, speed of the drone, shutter speed used, Motion blur and rolling shutter jello are two different considerations. One is a function of exposure duration and the other is a function of scan speed while both are a function of target speed of motion.

Edit::: Please do not construe this as argument. I am simply thinking "out loud" here for the benefit of better understanding this operation.
Just to be clear - i use my mavic 3 standard to do any specific photo taking and videos. ITs my go-to for that use case. I keep my M2P for when i need to do a photo mapping mission - its supported by dronedeploy and can run automated waypoint missions. Its been discussed extensively in other posts that the Mavic 3 will probably never publish its SDK. So i'm thinking of the Mavic 3 Enterprise to replace mu M2P, only for mapping and automation.

I have no issues with the Mavic 3 for photos and videos. Does anyone think that the M2P camera has advantages over the M3 standard camera for pure photo/video missions, like real estate or other marketing photos? I know there isnt a comparison with the M3E camera and thats a different use case for me.

thanks
Mike
 
Just to be clear - i use my mavic 3 standard to do any specific photo taking and videos. ITs my go-to for that use case. I keep my M2P for when i need to do a photo mapping mission - its supported by dronedeploy and can run automated waypoint missions. Its been discussed extensively in other posts that the Mavic 3 will probably never publish its SDK. So i'm thinking of the Mavic 3 Enterprise to replace mu M2P, only for mapping and automation.

I have no issues with the Mavic 3 for photos and videos. Does anyone think that the M2P camera has advantages over the M3 standard camera for pure photo/video missions, like real estate or other marketing photos? I know there isnt a comparison with the M3E camera and thats a different use case for me.

thanks
Mike
I totally agree with you. To my eye the M3C produces a better video than the MP2 but that could be psychological as the tests I saw on video indicated differently. Regardless, psychological or no, I use my M3C as my go to drone and the MP2 has now been relegated to back up. So to answer your question, I SEE no advantages to the MP2 for simple video or still work.
 
I think we are getting closer to being on the same page and I see your point. The OP did not involve any M3 except the Enterprise in his query. It is interesting to hear that the global shutter is a known positive. This is a part of mapping that I am unfamiliar with. I can see this if mapping is done with video using frame grabs. I can't see the the benefit if the drone is taking stills without panning. Maybe if the drone is taking stills while the drone is in motion vs hover but then the physics and math are not available to qualify this without scan rate of the sensor, speed of the drone, shutter speed used, Motion blur and rolling shutter jello are two different considerations. One is a function of exposure duration and the other is a function of scan speed while both are a function of target speed of motion.

Edit::: Please do not construe this as argument. I am simply thinking "out loud" here for the benefit of better understanding this operation.
Mapping is done while the drone is moving (if you want to be efficient). For the same shutter speed, a drone with mechanical shutter will be able to fly faster than a drone without.
 
When I first used the DroneDeploy beta, I missed the speed setting, and the M3E took off flying the site at 18 MPH!

The photos were all usable, and I successfully created a map.

More surprisingly, I shoot JPG+RAW, and all the files were successfully written to the SD card. On the P4P and P4Pv2, I have to keep the speed below 10 MPH, or photos will be missed because they can't be written to the SD card fast enough.

I'm considering replacing this with the M3E - i'm thinking at a minimum the mechanical shutter will allow me to fly similar missions at a higher speed and reduce the time to complete.
 
I have never used ten batteries on a project, but I have used that many P4P batteries when flying multiple projects on the same day.

A 10 battery project is time to consider using a fixed wing UAV for mapping.
 
DroneDeploy beta app quit on the first flight for me with the M3E. I am currently using the Pilot 2 mapping function to fly sites now. I'm still having DD do the maps like before, but the accuracy has gotten a boost with RTK. Speed has not increased dramatically since my missions are flown at just under 400 feet. The P4P flew at 31 mph and the M3E flies at 33 mph, however fewer battery changes are nice. Generally, go through 14 batteries a day split between four sites.
 
A good question and one I probably should have investigated more before investing in a M3E!

I have had a M2Pro for around four years and would have flown 60+ flights on 25+ DD Projects. I was always pretty happy with the results which were mainly mapping rural properties for base layers for site plans for events/festivals that were being held on the properties. Usually altitude around 100-120 metres, with the default speed/overlap etc, area ranging from 5 to 100 acres.

I recently took the plunge and purchased a M3E and have flown a couple of projects ranging from 60 to 120metres altitude, again default settings in DD. From first impressions I am not all that impressed. I think I will have to try looking into more manual/custom settings, but even just looking at the original individual files, the photos do not look that sharp/crisp/detailed/high resolution. And so the exported orthomosic maps are unsurprisingly definitely not clearly a big step up from the M2Pro.

But I will endeavour to look at my process more and see what I may be doing wrong / ways to improve. And then I will fly from projects with before drones on the same day and see how the outcomes differ, before hopefully then selling the M2Pro!!
 
I think I will have to try looking into more manual/custom settings, but even just looking at the original individual files, the photos do not look that sharp/crisp/detailed/high resolution.
Can you post a few original, full-size images?
Perhaps they will help understand what the issue might be.
 
I've been using Pilot 2 to fly large, multi-battery, RTK mapping missions for some time now. Pilot 2 works better than the Drone Deploy flight app ever did. Pilot 2 has never missed a beat, never lost a resume point after a battery change, the app never hung or quit during flight. The Drone Deploy Flight app always had problems quitting during flight and losing its resume point after a battery change at least several times a day. I look forward to what app Drone Deploy releases but at least I have options that work well now.
 
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