Mavic 3 Waypoints are here, is that a sign of the SDK to come?

[Coskier]

Got an email about 20 minutes ago announcing waypoints for Mavic 3/ Classic. I wonder if this is a precursor to the SDK?

Video at web player

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

If anything I would think it reduces the likelihood of the SDK being released since aren't waypoints a major selling point for after market apps? I.e. DJI have removed a major selling-point/need for aftermarket apps.

 

[SmilingOgre]

I just got that e-mail as well. Waypoints have been out for awhile now. Seems like a delayed announcement.

 

[Coskier]

If anything I would think it reduces the likelihood of the SDK being released since aren't waypoints a major selling point for after market apps? I.e. DJI have removed a major selling-point/need for aftermarket apps.

I think for the Mavic 2, the waypoints came out just before the SDK, but I don't recall...

 

[Coskier]

I just got that e-mail as well. Waypoints have been out for awhile now. Seems like a delayed announcement.

Ah, I wasn't aware, haven't been flying the M3 as much of late.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I think for the Mavic 2, the waypoints came out just before the SDK, but I don't recall...

Ah fair enough. time will tell lol

 

[Dougcjohn]

This is great news for the Non-Enterprise Mavic 3 models... The Waypoint ability was released with Enterprise models initially. I was considering a M3Ent solely for the WP & On-Board processing, now I'll wait a bit.

Another super point mentioned, is that WP Missions if RC connection is lost, default is RTH, although 1 option is to have Mavic3 continue its WP Mission. That is outstanding, it indicates it does have "on-board" processing like the M2P & M3Ent. It was indicated initially that when the Mavic3 SDK was released, it would be like the Air2S using "virtual sticks" for WP, lacking on-board processing, and if RC connection lost RTH, no ability to continue WP mission.

On the SDK, I do hope this is released to 3rd Party quickly... definitely a certainty!
The marketing question of release to 3rd Party Developers or hold for its own App in my opinion is poor business sense & marketing if not open to 3rd party.

The 3rd party Developers & SW App support for the DJI crafts has been one of DJI's major strong points! The 3rd party SW has added so much more value to DJI over other Brands, many have selected DJI over other Brands based on the 3rd Party support. Plus many FW enhancements have been developed based on 3rd Party software & communications with DJI on most older crafts. The 3rd Party Relationships has been a Win-Win outcome for DJI in multiple tangents, to change that relationship wouldn't be a long-range positive decision.

Providing WP and On-Board processing to the Mavic 3 is a timed marketing decision. To stimulate more sales on a aging product, WayPoint was activated and included. That same market strategy continues with 3rd Party, more sales will result for the Mavic 3 if supported by 3rd Party Developers. Some major players: DroneDeploy, DroneLink, Litchi, UGcS, and Drone Harmony to mention a few. Several Mapping Software solutions would also benefit.

This single act; activating On-Board processing & Waypoint will do more to encourage M2P Owners to upgrade to the Mavic 3 and gain the MFT Sensor. Many M2P Owners haven't adopted the Mavic 3 specifically due to lack of WP & On-Board processing.

Personally, I continue to use Inspire 2 and M2P for construction. When drone moves behind a large building recording a construction progress video loop, they'll consistently loose RC connection and continue WP mission. The use of Air2S or Mavic 3 hasn't been used for this purpose due to lack of WP & On-Board processing.

 

[Dougcjohn]

Another benefit for Mavic 3 and SDK to 3rd Party is for the Owners of Mavic 3.
It allows using the Mavic 3 with much more sophisticated and feature rich Software compared to the Fly App.
Those missing GoApp3 or 4 abilities would enjoy 3rd Party SW for the Mavic 3.

On a side thought, other than model identification and specific feature limitations within each craft. When releasing the Mavic3 Ent SDK to 3rd Party indirectly releases SDK for all Mavic 3 models. The SDK is a library, not unique to 1 craft, it's a collection of all their Crafts in 1 large Library. Adding a Crafts SDK simply means adding it the DJI SDK Library, so when adding M3Ent many of the program calls and subroutines are identical to for all Mavic 3 crafts.

That may have been a market decision all along, not to release Mavic 3 SDK until M3Ent crafts, then add to all Mavic 3 crafts. Knowing it wouldn't take long for 3rd Party Developers to use the SDK for all Mavic 3 crafts.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Providing WP and On-Board processing to the Mavic 3 is a timed marketing decision.

Is definitely was. They waited until after the poison pill of RID broadcasting and anti-rollback FW to make it available. Can't get it without first accepting RID broadcasting 9 months early in the U.S..

 

[GadgetGuy]

If anything I would think it reduces the likelihood of the SDK being released since aren't waypoints a major selling point for after market apps? I.e. DJI have removed a major selling-point/need for aftermarket apps.

Based upon recent DJI statement that they have no current plans for an SDK on their consumer line of drones, including the Mavic 3, and will instead be prioritizing all SDK's for their Enterprise line, I'm as pessimistic as you are. Hope springs eternal, though!

 

[Dougcjohn]

Based upon recent DJI statement that they have no current plans for an SDK on their consumer line of drones, including the Mavic 3, and will instead be prioritizing all SDK's for their Enterprise line, I'm as pessimistic as you are. Hope springs eternal, though!

It’ll be interesting to see outcome, other than new Mini & FPV the SDK is already released for older crafts: Air2S, etc. With SDK out for Enterprise… read that as included in DJI Libraries, it’s essentially out for all of Mavic 3 series… 1 consildated Library for all DJI crafts. They all share 80+ % identical program calls, and Mavic 3 platforms share majority of identical program calls.

My bet as of current events, it’s not far out for Mavic 3 consumer series.

 

[Dougcjohn]

Is definitely was. They waited until after the poison pill of RID broadcasting and anti-rollback FW to make it available. Can't get it without first accepting RID broadcasting 9 months early in the U.S..

Interesting dilemma for RID activation… yet to be explored a bit.

Although, it’s inevitable, a certainty going forward. Plus, Since the Mavic 3 FW never had a hack to circumvent NFZ & Altitude limitations backward FW isn’t a high concern.

Unlike the Air2S, Air2, Mini2, and M2P that do contain such hacks and thus haven’t accepted any FW in last year. So I believe Air2S is 2 versions down, but it has its role if needed.

 

[GadgetGuy]

It’ll be interesting to see outcome, other than new Mini & FPV the SDK is already released for older crafts: Air2S, etc. With SDK out for Enterprise… read that as included in DJI Libraries, it’s essentially out for all of Mavic 3 series… 1 consildated Library for all DJI crafts. They all share 80+ % identical program calls, and Mavic 3 platforms share majority of identical program calls.

My bet as of current events, it’s not far out for Mavic 3 consumer series.

I hope you are right!

The Mavic 3 should never have been lumped in with the Consumer line with the Mini's and the Mini 3 Plus. It is certainly at least a Prosumer drone and really a commercial aircraft, especially at the price point of the Mavic 3 Cine at $5000, and a fully kitted Mavic 3 with the Mavic 3 Kit and the RC Pro at $4000! It's certainly as Pro as the Mavic 2 Pro.

All DJI needs to do is lump the Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Cine, and Mavic 3 Classic in with the Enterprise category to justify releasing the SDK for them, too, or expand the supported SDK drones to the Prosumer Mavic 3 series, and segregate off all sub $1200 drones like the Air 2S and Mini drones to the unsupported Consumer line.

 

[SkyeHigh]

I hope you are right!

The Mavic 3 should never have been lumped in with the Consumer line with the Mini's and the Mini 3 Plus. It is certainly at least a Prosumer drone and really a commercial aircraft, especially at the price point of the Mavic 3 Cine at $5000, and a fully kitted Mavic 3 with the Mavic 3 Kit and the RC Pro at $4000! It's certainly as Pro as the Mavic 2 Pro.

All DJI needs to do is lump the Mavic 3, Mavic 3 Cine, and Mavic 3 Classic in with the Enterprise category to justify releasing the SDK for them, too, or expand the supported SDK drones to the Prosumer Mavic 3 series, and segregate off all sub $1200 drones like the Air 2S and Mini drones to the unsupported Consumer line.

Any drone can be used professionally if it is suitable for the task at hand. It’s not the price that makes something professional, as I’m sure you are aware, it’s the person that’s using it.

The ‘Pro’ on the Mavic 2 and Mini 3 are just marketing gimmicks. As is DJI’s use of Hasselblad on the cameras, which are not made by Hasselblad. But when you are the majority shareholder in the camera maker, you can say what you like.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Any drone can be used professionally if it is suitable for the task at hand. It’s not the price that makes something professional, as I’m sure you are aware, it’s the person that’s using it.

The ‘Pro’ on the Mavic 2 and Mini 3 are just marketing gimmicks. As is DJI’s use of Hasselblad on the cameras, which are not made by Hasselblad. But when you are the majority shareholder in the camera maker, you can say what you like.

Absolutely! However, in the past DJI has made distinctions between Consumer models and Professional models based upon price, and it would seem that the Mavic 3 line certainly was priced and marketed in such a manner that the professionals would buy the Cine version, and the prosumers the Mavic 3 standard. However, that was deceptive, as the $110 RC-N1 was a joke of an RC compared to the Mavic 2 RC, forcing any serious Mavic 3 user to upgrade to the RC Pro for $1200 more and either buy the $3000 Combo, or create their own Combo with two additional batteries and a hub, so even the Prosumers were spending $4000. That's twice the cost of any other DJI prosumer drone at release, which hovered around $2000 max with a Combo kit.

Pro is indeed being loosely used by DJI, especially on the Mini 3 Pro! Previously, other than the original Mavic, it denoted at least a 1” sensor, as on the P4P and M2P.

If any high end DJI drone, that isn't an Enterprise model, deserves an SDK, it is the Mavic 3 line. DJI? What say you? LOL!

 

[SkyeHigh]

Absolutely! However, in the past DJI has made distinctions between Consumer models and Professional models based upon price, and it would seem that the Mavic 3 line certainly was priced and marketed in such a manner that the professionals would buy the Cine version, and the prosumers the Mavic 3 standard. However, that was deceptive, as the $110 RC-N1 was a joke of an RC compared to the Mavic 2 RC, forcing any serious Mavic 3 user to upgrade to the RC Pro for $1200 more and either buy the $3000 Combo, or create their own Combo with two additional batteries and a hub, so even the Prosumers were spending $4000. That's twice the cost of any other DJI prosumer drone at release, which hovered around $2000 max with a Combo kit.

Pro is indeed being loosely used by DJI, especially on the Mini 3 Pro! Previously, other than the original Mavic, it denoted at least a 1” sensor, as on the P4P and M2P.

If any high end DJI drone, that isn't an Enterprise model, deserves an SDK, it is the Mavic 3 line. DJI? What say you? LOL!

Price doesn’t really create a divide between consumer and professional. It’s a matter of what you can afford and what features you need for the job at hand. I know of many photographers using the top-end Canon and Nikon cameras and lenses. None of them are professionals but all are very keen enthusiasts.

Taxicabs are used by professionals but they are just cars. We all use cars. Would a Ferrari driver be a professional based on price? Would an Uber driver therefore be a semi-professional?

I’m not saying DJI aren’t targeting two different markets but providing a choice of features for what people would like or need. If we were to class models as being ‘professional’ then that would first be an Inspire 1 or 2 with camera and then the entire Matrice series, which are large, heavy, industrial-based drones designed for specific tasks and to carry large/heavy loads. Availability of spare parts, professional support services, robustness and ease/speed of repair would be critical requirements for any professional device.

As a ‘consumer’ drone I would target convenience, ease of use, portability and simplified feature set as the definition. The Mavic 3 is a mixed bag of a consumer oriented drone but with the option for the serious enthusiast/semi-professional… or a professional that needs the quality of Apple’s ProRes but wants the portability that an Inspire cannot provide.

The SDK may be released to third-party developers but I wouldn’t be holding my breath quite yet.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Price doesn’t really create a divide between consumer and professional. It’s a matter of what you can afford and what features you need for the job at hand. I know of many photographers using the top-end Canon and Nikon cameras and lenses. None of them are professionals but all are very keen enthusiasts.

Taxicabs are used by professionals but they are just cars. We all use cars. Would a Ferrari driver be a professional based on price? Would an Uber driver therefore be a semi-professional?

I’m not saying DJI aren’t targeting two different markets but providing a choice of features for what people would like or need. If we were to class models as being ‘professional’ then that would first be an Inspire 1 or 2 with camera and then the entire Matrice series, which are large, heavy, industrial-based drones designed for specific tasks and to carry large/heavy loads. Availability of spare parts, professional support services, robustness and ease/speed of repair would be critical requirements for any professional device.

As a ‘consumer’ drone I would target convenience, ease of use, portability and simplified feature set as the definition. The Mavic 3 is a mixed bag of a consumer oriented drone but with the option for the serious enthusiast/semi-professional… or a professional that needs the quality of Apple’s ProRes but wants the portability that an Inspire cannot provide.

The SDK may be released to third-party developers but I wouldn’t be holding my breath quite yet.

Indeed. The keen enthusiasts are really the target market for high end camera equipment. Wealthy people have almost unlimited budgets for their hobbies, but the professionals have to make a profit and have to be far more practical, and are limited in their budgets. However, DJI has traditionally offered SDK's for almost all drones previously. The new change is no intention to offer them on what they are calling the Consumer line.

DJI is drawing the line in the sand between the label of Enterprise and non-Enterprise/Consumer drones, with no current plans to offer SDK for consumer drones that don't already have them.

IMHO, offering Waypoints with LSMC capability is DJI's compromise for the Mavic 3 series, to appease those who wanted that feature through an SDK, that is now less likely than ever. Time will tell.

 

[Dougcjohn]

Yep, even the Spark had SDK available.
We’ll see on SDK, to add the Waypoints and use on-board processing, those library program calls are already written and in the FW now. To update or bug correct (patch) will in some manor require these libraries to be updated, and they don’t have separate entries for identical calls, the same specific call is for all Mavic 3, not separate Enterprise vs Consumer.

“Adding” the Mavic 3 to the Library list of applicable crafts that can utilize SDK Libraries in 3rd Party Development is the “only piece” missing.

Enterprise vs Professional vs Consumer is a fuzzy line. The Inspire Series and some Matrice (M600pro, M210v1) series were not originally within Enterprise. With the new Inspire 3, I doubt their new high-end professional cinematography drone well be Enterprise. Previously, Enterprise was more Industrial focused… but they have reorganized their lineup categories a few years ago… the Inspire is in Aerial Cinematic Tools (currently single entry).

The 3rd Party Developers provide a lot of market and market exposure for DJI. I’m sure they’re working with DJI to add Mavic3 to the SDK craft list too with the recent FW update. Their products will loose sales & market if popular crafts aren’t supported as older crafts ago out.

 

[PHZ]

I think for the Mavic 2, the waypoints came out just before the SDK, but I don't recall...

I don't know for sure, but I know I was using Litchi with my M2 Pro almost immediately after I got it, and I ordered it from DJI the day of their introductory announcement. Got three of the bad batch of batteries. DJI replaced one.

 

[Dougcjohn]

I don't know for sure, but I know I was using Litchi with my M2 Pro almost immediately after I got it, and I ordered it from DJI the day of their introductory announcement. Got three of the bad batch of batteries. DJI replaced one.

I would agree, all the crafts that released under the Go4App had Litchi and 3rd Party support shortly after release. The delay in my opinion was Litchi adding it to their lineup, not the lack of SDK: Mavic, Phantom, Spark, etc.

When DJI moved to Fly App is when SDK's started to be delayed. That again is associated to the Go4app vs Fly App libraries.