M3 as first drone?

[tlswift58]

All very good points – clearly there's no "right answer" – but none of us have yet had a chance to test how good the upgraded obstacle avoidance is. In my mind, if it works anywhere close to what is promised, the M3 is worth the investment. I've been flying for five years with P4 and now the MPro and, despite flying with care, have crashed both of them from flying too close to tree branches during momentary lapses in concentration or failure to judge proximity to the trees. If the M3 prevented just one of those events from occurring, the added cost would, in my mind, be worth the investment. Though I fly commercially for clients and have a Part 107 license, I think the obstacle avoidance could be even more of a benefit to the newbie who is likely to make some mistakes at the start. If it turns out you don't use it much, you can sell it -- at least you'll have a drone to sell if the obstacle avoidance works!

That is the key - if it does what DJI says it can with OA. With more sensors than say the Air series - hopefully it can and will help avoid many crashes people do make. Tiny tree limbs, telephone lines, etc are harder to detect and SEE by the pilot - so any extra help in that area will be beneficial "should" it pan out.

My Air2 has clipped tree limbs and done a wonderful recovery with no crash. My only crash with it happened 3 feet off the ground as I was practicing flying in a tight space near my house and it went hard pull into the house. I do not know if it was me making the stick input or the drone - as I walked over, picked it up in a small bush, checked it out, replaced props, and off flying again. No major issues since other than when flying in ATTI mode and the drone doing weird things since no real stabilization. Yet, I have done more flying in that condition and way more concentration on the drone versus watching the screen. OA is like RTH - a nice feature to have, yet depending on it way too much is a recipe for disaster. Building actual pilot / flying skills is critical to me versus having a great OA system.

 

[BSauce955]

Just curious, is there anyone else out there brave enough to order a M3 as their first drone? I have to admit, I'm a little bit nervous doing this, but I figure I want the best anti-collision guidance available and good battery life and return to home functions, so I chose this new model over the Air2S. Am I making a mistake?

Wow, you gotta have some serious money to be buying this as a first drone. lol

 

[Coskier]

My first drone was basically a toy, a Hubsan something or other. My first capable drone was the Mavic Air. Great one for learning what this caliber is capable of, and how much you are going to use it, where you will use it, etc. It was also a great size for traveling. When the M2P was announced, I moved up to that. Before investing a lot of money (which I do not have unlimited amounts of), I prefer to start low and see if it is something that interests me. I definitely have the bug. To the point I am debating a mini just for foreign travels and portability. But if this had turned out like 3D Printing did for me, I would have only been out the cash from the Air. Thankfully, I sold my 3D printer for nearly what I paid for it.

 

[BSauce955]

My first drone was basically a toy, a Husband something or other.

Did you mean "Hubsan"?

 

[Coskier]

Did you mean "Hubsan"?

Stupid auto-correct.

 

[Czechvar]

If you can afford it, buy it. It’s really not hugely more than a 2S, it has all the bells and whistles. You aren’t required to crash, but it could happen so buy the refresh plan and take it slowly.

My cars cost a lot more than these drones, and I’ve never crashed any of them.

 

[Craig Notts]

If you rely on obstacle avoidance to keep you from crashing, you are taking the wrong track.
Obstacle avoidance is only a backup, and is not foolproof.
There are always limitations to the technology.
The best obstacle avoidance is to avoid flying where obstacles could be a problem.

The M3 costs more because of its camera.
The questions you need to condiser are:
Do you need that camera enough to pay the extra for it?
Or would one of the more cost-effective models suit your purposes ?

I would get it for the extra flight time meta

 

[tlswift58]

Just curious, is there anyone else out there brave enough to order a M3 as their first drone? I have to admit, I'm a little bit nervous doing this, but I figure I want the best anti-collision guidance available and good battery life and return to home functions, so I chose this new model over the Air2S. Am I making a mistake?

Maybe. Really only you can answer that question. We all start somewhere - as way back in the day if you bought a Phantom 4 - you were paying almost what the basic M3 is today. Huge leap in advances since then; yet understand all the "hype" by DJI does not always work in the real world of droning. If you read many of the posts / comments just since the M3 came onto the forum - you'll see many folks not seeing the big payout - when compared to an Air2S at half the price and that is for a FlyMore kit on the Air - which you will want / need. That pkg on the M3 is an extra $800 smackeroo's - so really you're paying 3 times what you can get an Airs2S for.

Which would you rather crash or lose - a $1,000 drone or a $3,000 drone? Serious - as most every drone pilot does crash their drone. Yes, you can purchase DJI Refresh / Care which seems to be extremely high or I'd go with a 3rd Party like State Farm for probably same price or less and much less hassle to cover me than DJI. That's just me though after dealing with DJI in the past and knowing people who have SF and is was pretty smooth / easy / quick process.

You'll get a lot of comments for sure and I'd guess on this forum - most will / should tell you - go with the Air2S as a first drone. Some will say the Mini2 and that is a decent choice, but not as good as the Air2S or even an Air2 at an even better price point. Several things on the Air2S are better than the Air2, but will it matter to you and what you expect to be doing with a drone. Yeah, the camera is better on the 2S, yet I get very good pictures and video from my Air2 for my purposes. If going 107 - 2S for sure hands down. Rec pilot - the 2 is a good drone for that purpose.

For my money the 2S or even the 2 is the way to go. Save your coin and let others shake down the M3 and if it does pan out to be a game changer - invest in it 6-12 months after learning to fly or a possible M3+ by that time. Maybe DJI will have a really decent camera for the drone like the upgrade they did to the Air2 series by then. Yet - just my opine!

 

[tlswift58]

If you can afford it, buy it. It’s really not hugely more than a 2S, it has all the bells and whistles. You aren’t required to crash, but it could happen so buy the refresh plan and take it slowly.

My cars cost a lot more than these drones, and I’ve never crashed any of them.

I consider 2.5 times a huge coin difference. Air2S FlyMore is $1,299 and the M3 FlyMore is $2,999. The "bells and whistles" are not all that much better than the Air2S (my opine), so why pay a premium learning to fly. Learn to fly first and by the time they get better - there may be a M3+ or something new that they then can upgrade to if they think they need to. I've got an Air2 and did not see the need to upgrade to the 2S and with the price of the M3 - won't happen any time soon if I do decide to do so. I'll also let others work the bugs out of a new drone and see how all those "bells and whistles" really benefit me after they've been put into the real world and not some DJI hype advertising.

3rd Party by like State Farm is about same (maybe a little less) and way easier to deal with than DJI and their "refresh" requirements.

Won't even comment on the drone / car analogy. Not even close to same thing.

 

[Crashdummytest]

Just curious, is there anyone else out there brave enough to order a M3 as their first drone? I have to admit, I'm a little bit nervous doing this, but I figure I want the best anti-collision guidance available and good battery life and return to home functions, so I chose this new model over the Air2S. Am I making a mistake?

Sadly one cannot afford crashing an M3, at least not if you are serious about the hobby or profession. And you will most likely crash a few times in the beginning. I think most beginners crash at some point.
Due to the weight and kinetic energy most M3 crashes could be considered serious.
With a lighter drone such as Mini2 crashes are more often not so serious, in terms of structural damage to the aircraft.
So I would recommend training on a Mini2 or Air2s before getting the M3.
Maybe you should consider the Air2s instead of M3, that camera is brilliant, better than the M2P.

 

[Czechvar]

I consider 2.5 times a huge coin difference. Air2S FlyMore is $1,299 and the M3 FlyMore is $2,999. The "bells and whistles" are not all that much better than the Air2S (my opine), so why pay a premium learning to fly. Learn to fly first and by the time they get better - there may be a M3+ or something new that they then can upgrade to if they think they need to. I've got an Air2 and did not see the need to upgrade to the 2S and with the price of the M3 - won't happen any time soon if I do decide to do so. I'll also let others work the bugs out of a new drone and see how all those "bells and whistles" really benefit me after they've been put into the real world and not some DJI hype advertising.

3rd Party by like State Farm is about same (maybe a little less) and way easier to deal with than DJI and their "refresh" requirements.

Won't even comment on the drone / car analogy. Not even close to same thing.

Costs mean different things to different people. That may or may not represent a significant amount to the OP…but it’s his money to spend as he chooses. A Drone or a Car are both personal possessions that cost money…they are just things...some people like to start with junkers and some people like to start off with something they plan to use for a long time. Not a big deal…whatever makes them happy.

 

[smfry60]

I consider 2.5 times a huge coin difference. Air2S FlyMore is $1,299 and the M3 FlyMore is $2,999. The "bells and whistles" are not all that much better than the Air2S (my opine), so why pay a premium learning to fly. Learn to fly first and by the time they get better - there may be a M3+ or something new that they then can upgrade to if they think they need to. I've got an Air2 and did not see the need to upgrade to the 2S and with the price of the M3 - won't happen any time soon if I do decide to do so. I'll also let others work the bugs out of a new drone and see how all those "bells and whistles" really benefit me after they've been put into the real world and not some DJI hype advertising.

3rd Party by like State Farm is about same (maybe a little less) and way easier to deal with than DJI and their "refresh" requirements.

Won't even comment on the drone / car analogy. Not even close to same thing.

In the past 5 months I've bought a Mini 2 "FLY MORE NEW", then a Mavic Air 2 "Fly more refurbished " and now The Mavic 3.
The mini is good, but didn't do what I wanted it to. But so much to learn from. Same as the air 2.. a lot to learn from but still not everything I want it to do..I've crashed both into walls outside..in low light.. Avoidance doesn't work in low light.. the Mini I replaced a couple blades, The Air 2 I sent in for refresh. Dji's service was quick and friendly.. No problems...It's nice to have the cheaper ones to practice with and if you crash one with the refresh package you still have something to fly.. while the Air 2 was getting fixed I learned more about the mini and what it's really capable of.. I say get a couple..waiting for 1 to get fixed SUCKS.. JUST call me Addicted Rick..

 

[CanadaDrone]

I think there are certainly some instances where someone might buy a M3 for their first drone. In my mind it all boils down to having the right tool for the job.

Let's say you're a photographer or videographer who currently shoots with 4/3 cameras (for example the popular Panasonic GH5 line) or likes to shoot in ProRes, and you want to expand into aerial work. The only way to get 'matching' files or footage in the Mavic lineup is with the M3, so that would be a logical entry point for that type of person. On top of this, they already likely have experience with high-end equipment and good technical knowledge, and an editing system capable of working with similar files.

As a regular hobbyist who has never owned a drone before and is just interested in messing around with one, I think they just need to be honest with themselves with regards to what they want in terms of the final product. If what they want can only be done by a M3, then that is a logical entry point. If they are just making videos to share with friends & family and aren't really interested in getting into the weeds with regards to editing, grading, etc. then they are probably going to be well served by a much cheaper product. Sometimes figuring out where you will end up in a hobby can be difficult though, so there is always some risk involved there. Every new user is going to have a different point of diminishing return. I personally think it's better to buy once and end up with slight overkill than to buy two or three times - that way you have room to grow as well.

As for crashing, I don't think that is much of a consideration. Probably 95% of the crash reports I have seen on these forums and others have turned out to be pilot error, which means they were preventable. How much effort someone wants to put into practicing and researching every aspect of the drone to make sure they understand how to fly safely is entirely up to each individual. The more effort you are willing to put in there, the less likely you will crash. It's all about each person's own risk tolerance, and is something they can directly control in most instances. Drones are getting harder and harder to crash but if someone wants to buy a $3,000 drone and fly it without the necessary preparations, that is their own prerogative and hopefully they have deep pockets.

 

[Ben_McPhee]

Just curious, is there anyone else out there brave enough to order a M3 as their first drone? I have to admit, I'm a little bit nervous doing this, but I figure I want the best anti-collision guidance available and good battery life and return to home functions, so I chose this new model over the Air2S. Am I making a mistake?

Uncrashable.

Yolo.

 

[Rchawks]

I flew rc for over 25 yrs and started with the MM, and the the MA2, and it still took several months to get up to speed and comfort of flying this type of rc aircraft. True it's very stable, but it's also very true there are many ways to mess up and it takes time to develop proper eye and hand coordination to match your moves to what you're seeing on the screen. When you have so much power at your fingertips it's difficult not to overdo a situation you may find yourself in. I learn something new with every flight and after 2 yrs have finally settled in to a comfortable level of confidence while flying. I'm glad I started with the MM first because it helped me to relax more, but I think starting with something like the MA2S as a first drone would be a wise choice as the investment would be less as well as the cost of the refresh. Give yourself time to develop the skills it takes to protect your investment. IMHO. As a side note I haven't had a single crash, and this is without the added avoidance sensors the more expensive models provide.