MP vs MA for beginner

[Billmurray13]

I have been wanting to get into the drone game for years now and finally decided to pick one up, I made a hasty decision and would love some help figuring out what to do.
I have purchased a MA (in red becuse it’s obviosuly cooler) and it will be here 5/14. I am looking at the MP though and wondering if I should just get that one. I have watched lots of YouTube videos but want to hear from the “experts” haha.

To provide some context
I have no experince but would like to start off filming my vacations and trips, uploading to fb, Instagram and just for myself. I hope to turn it into a side gig of some sort. I hope to use it at my friends wedding in a few weeks so the pressure is on. Thanks for yalls help!

 

[scott rand]

I think the Mavic Air is good for beginners because it has more safety features and more autonomous filming features. The camera is excellent. I have both, and though I love my Mavic Pro, and won't be giving it up, I enjoy flying my MA more.

Cons of the MA vs the MP, is that the MP will give you more flying time as well as further flying distance. So if that isn't a concern, the MA is great for beginners.

 

[tcope]

Either is find for casual use. The obvious difference to consider is size (MA is smaller) vs limited distance (MS is limited to around 1 mile).

If you want to use commercially you will need to pass Part 107 if in the US.

 

[Just_nick]

I think the Mavic Air is good for beginners because it has more safety features and more autonomous filming features. The camera is excellent. I have both, and though I love my Mavic Pro, and won't be giving it up, I enjoy flying my MA more.

Cons of the MA vs the MP, is that the MP will give you more flying time as well as further flying distance. So if that isn't a concern, the MA is great for beginners.

The Mavic Air doesn't have more safety features. It may have rear OA sensors, but those things are nearly useless. If you're relying on them, it's only a matter of time before you crash. APAS is just as useless, because it will fly into branches due to the OA sensors not being nearly good enough for small objects. In fact, the only real use for the OA sensors in their current form is to prevent you from accidentally mashing the forward stick instead of the up stick, and the precision landing system. They will actually cause lost drone if your drone is RTHing and the sun interferes with the sensor.

Both drones are extremely easy to fly, and are very much beginner-friendly.

 

[tcope]

The Mavic Air doesn't have more safety features. It may have rear OA sensors, but those things are nearly useless

They are a safety feature so the Air _does_ have more safety features and the OP's post was 100% correct.

 

[ChipDjipro]

Just by the Mavic pro. At the end of the day you will be glad you did. Will not take you long at all to become a good pilot. Practically flies itself.

 

[aokusman]

I have been wanting to get into the drone game for years now and finally decided to pick one up, I made a hasty decision and would love some help figuring out what to do.
I have purchased a MA (in red becuse it’s obviosuly cooler) and it will be here 5/14. I am looking at the MP though and wondering if I should just get that one. I have watched lots of YouTube videos but want to hear from the “experts” haha.

To provide some context
I have no experince but would like to start off filming my vacations and trips, uploading to fb, Instagram and just for myself. I hope to turn it into a side gig of some sort. I hope to use it at my friends wedding in a few weeks so the pressure is on. Thanks for yalls help!

I would say gate a visuo drone for $45 and learn with that first. It’s harder to fly than the DJIs but you will learn the basics without financial risk.

 

[microlinux]

I would say gate a visuo drone for $45 and learn with that first. It’s harder to fly than the DJIs but you will learn the basics without financial risk.

What would you learn? Save yourself $45 and just read the manual. Virtually nothing crosses over from a $45 drone to a Mavic.

 

[Mossiback]

A lot of people are very happy with the Air and I am sure it is a very capable machine. I am biased towards the Pro because that is what I have. Besides the longer range and flying time, it has a display on the RC that can save it when the app crashes. Of course, if you keep it in sight the RC display is not needed.

One additional; for the wedding the MPP or MP with the platinum blades is quieter than the Air.

 

[TroutboyNZ]

The pro is more "fiddly" the gimbal is far more susceptible to damage, the Air is more polished, has a better camera (and gimbal protection!) and frame rates and flies very well, just lacks a little less range and is noiser in operation. I would go the Air, it's newer tech. I own both and prefer flying the Air over the Pro.

 

[Mossiback]

...I would go the Air, it's newer tech. I own both and prefer flying the Air over the Pro.

To the OP, I would take the advice of those like TroutboyNZ as opposed to myself. Those that have actual experience with both platforms are your best source of information. Both have their problems but with all the positive I have read about the Air I would guess that you will be happy with it.

Who knows, by the time you wreck your Air the MP 2 will be available, that is my hope .

 

[MavicMo]

If you look at my signature you can see I've got quite a few of the DJI drones. So I have first-hand experience with alot of the current DJI offerings... It does come down to your wants and "needs".

I always say if I could only own one drone to "do it all", It would be the Mavic Pro. So just doing a comparison between MP and MA... The MP has longer flight times, better range and I'm not talking miles away, I'm talking even LOS. The MA's smaller size isn't so much smaller it makes that much of a difference. We aren't talking say the Phantom 4 vs the MP. Sure the camera on the MA is better but if you are only planning on posting on the 'net then the MP is just fine. You can buy a used MP flymore combo for the same price as a new MA. IMO, had both of these drones been introduced at the exact same time. The MP would far outsell the MA for the small difference in price.

What I've found is the MA is much more sensitive to "interference" like you find in wifi dense areas like the 'burbs. In the 'burbs, my effective distance is only 800'. At that distance it's lost connectivity 3 times initiating auto-RTH which it did very well. Video also gets laggy in those environments at maybe 600' out. It also seems to ask for a compass calibration far more than any of my other DJI drones. I'd say 1 in 3 times out even flying from the exact same location. Now I've been able to fly much further in open areas with less population with lag occurring further out and it would be way beyond LOS before I lost connection.

And I don't "hate" the MA, its just when I take a realistic look at my drones, the MP is a better drone for my needs.

I have been wanting to get into the drone game for years now and finally decided to pick one up, I made a hasty decision and would love some help figuring out what to do.
I have purchased a MA (in red becuse it’s obviosuly cooler) and it will be here 5/14. I am looking at the MP though and wondering if I should just get that one. I have watched lots of YouTube videos but want to hear from the “experts” haha.

To provide some context
I have no experince but would like to start off filming my vacations and trips, uploading to fb, Instagram and just for myself. I hope to turn it into a side gig of some sort. I hope to use it at my friends wedding in a few weeks so the pressure is on. Thanks for yalls help!

 

[msinger]

I own both the Mavic Pro and the Mavic Air. If I could only keep one, I'd keep the Mavic Air. Here's why:

• It's smaller than the Mavic Pro (about 1/2 the size when folded up)
  
• It seems to be built better than the Mavic Pro
  
• The camera/gimbal is not as fragile and it's more protected since it sits up inside the aircraft a bit
• The range is fine since I rarely have the need to fly outside of VLOS
• I don't fly in heavy Wi-Fi areas, so interference hasn't been an issue
• The shorter flight time is still long enough for me (and I have multiple batteries)

 

[rsierra54]

I think the Mavic Air is good for beginners because it has more safety features and more autonomous filming features. The camera is excellent. I have both, and though I love my Mavic Pro, and won't be giving it up, I enjoy flying my MA more.

Cons of the MA vs the MP, is that the MP will give you more flying time as well as further flying distance. So if that isn't a concern, the MA is great for beginners.

Side by side is there a big difference in size?

 

[MrRobville]

Side by side is there a big difference in size?

By the looks of it the Pro seems about 1.5 times larger than the Air. It's still ridiculously small though, but if you need that extra bit of space within a cramped up bag (Like I do) then the smaller size of the Air is worth considering. I could fit the Air and controller within the same space that would otherwise just fit the Pro itself. It kind of depends on where you want to use it. If you simply want portability, the Pro is sufficient. If you go hiking in the middle of nowhere, the Air may be more favorable.

If you Google "mavic air pro size" you'll find plenty of comparison photos.

 

[darren6270]

The Mavic Pro was my first "proper" drone. It's a beginners dream. Easy learning curve in both flying and filming.

 

[msinger]

Side by side is there a big difference in size?

 

[Robothamster]

As well as size, weight is to be considered.

I chose the Air because it's 400 grams compared to 800 grams of the Pro. As my plan was to take the drone out with me on my MTB in my backpack, that weight difference was important 'to me'. Add the fact that the Pro's batteries are also heavier and it you want to take a few that all adds up as well.

I also like the more protected gimbal of the Air. I'd have certainly preferred the Air to have Occusync like the Pro, that is my main criticism of the Air, the enhanced WiFi is decent but not perfect when you get interference whilst flying. most of the time it's not an issue but occasionally if there's a loss of signal it can be very nerve wracking for a split second!

 

[Billmurray13]

If you look at my signature you can see I've got quite a few of the DJI drones. So I have first-hand experience with alot of the current DJI offerings... It does come down to your wants and "needs".

I always say if I could only own one drone to "do it all", It would be the Mavic Pro. So just doing a comparison between MP and MA... The MP has longer flight times, better range and I'm not talking miles away, I'm talking even LOS. The MA's smaller size isn't so much smaller it makes that much of a difference. We aren't talking say the Phantom 4 vs the MP. Sure the camera on the MA is better but if you are only planning on posting on the 'net then the MP is just fine. You can buy a used MP flymore combo for the same price as a new MA. IMO, had both of these drones been introduced at the exact same time. The MP would far outsell the MA for the small difference in price.

What I've found is the MA is much more sensitive to "interference" like you find in wifi dense areas like the 'burbs. In the 'burbs, my effective distance is only 800'. At that distance it's lost connectivity 3 times initiating auto-RTH which it did very well. Video also gets laggy in those environments at maybe 600' out. It also seems to ask for a compass calibration far more than any of my other DJI drones. I'd say 1 in 3 times out even flying from the exact same location. Now I've been able to fly much further in open areas with less population with lag occurring further out and it would be way beyond LOS before I lost connection.

And I don't "hate" the MA, its just when I take a realistic look at my drones, the MP is a better drone for my needs.

Thanks for your honest opinion! It is much appreciated.

 

[Billmurray13]

Thank you all for your input! What an amazing forum! Now as far as editing stuff what do y’all use? Editing software do both video and photo? Good SSD’s? And memory cards? Any other tidbits I should know or accessories I might need to get ahead of time. I got the fly more package.