My Theory- DJI is using the Platinum Esc board for recent Mavic Pros

CyberNate · Nov 6, 2017

I've gone through several Mavics lately due to some poor piloting on my part. One thing I noticed is a pretty drastic difference in efficiency between the different Mavics. My original Mavic was good for around 20 minutes tops and 24 - 25K feet flying in P mode (31mph) prior to modding it. I purchased a newer one a while back, first flight logged in July. That Mavic was good for 23 minutes and close to 30,000 ft with the new Platinum props. I crashed this Mavic on concrete completely destroying all boards. I found a used one with only 6 flight logged, older one like my original. Using the same battery, new platinum props, I'm seeing very similar performance to my older modded Mavic with around 20-21 minutes tops. This 2-3 minute difference is quite a lot.

I started thinking about DJI. If you have new ESC chips that will work on the older product, why bother making 2 versions. If they are similar price, it's actually cheaper to simply use the new ESCs in the Mavic Pro as well. The new ESC chips will meet or exceed the specs of the original so why bother having 2 fabrication lines.

I need to get a magnifying glass out and check the ESC chips for any labeling. It will be interesting to see the ESC board of the platinum as well once someone cracks it open. If my theory is correct, you can simply get a newer Mavic Pro air craft only and slap Platinum props on it. You'll have yourself a Mavic that performs the same as the new Platinum.

dport177 · Nov 6, 2017

From DJI's operations perspective this would make perfect sense. As far as reputation on the business? Maybe not the best idea.

I like the theory though. We must find out!

gnirtS · Nov 6, 2017

Fairly common in electronics. Same physical production and features are enabled/disabled by firmware. Its more cost effective from a mass production point of view. Camera manufacturers do this all the time.
I'd argue the theory that slapping platinum props on will do the job though - in most industries they firmware lock out things like that so it'd likely require a hacked firmware to enable.

CyberNate · Nov 6, 2017

gnirtS said:
Fairly common in electronics. Same physical production and features are enabled/disabled by firmware. Its more cost effective from a mass production point of view. Camera manufacturers do this all the time.
I'd argue the theory that slapping platinum props on will do the job though - in most industries they firmware lock out things like that so it'd likely require a hacked firmware to enable.

True, if it's something controlled by firmware; however an ESC waveform may not be something controlled by firmware. Anyway, it was just a thought. Haven't done too much digging to verify. Too bad I destroyed the good one. It should be quite apparent by running without props. The new ESC is WAY quieter, having no high pitch whine.

LeafPeeper · Nov 6, 2017

I don't recall from the announcement, but if the ESCs are putting out sine waves vs square waves, I'm wondering if they changed the motors as well. My guess would be that this is more than just firmware...like buying a sine wave inverter instead of a cheaper square wave inverter.

LP

Hollow Dog · Nov 6, 2017

I'm far from an electrical engineer but I'm pretty sure the part that changes the sine wave of the motor is a hardware piece called a controller.

LeafPeeper · Nov 6, 2017

Hollow Dog said:
I'm far from an electrical engineer but I'm pretty sure the part that changes the sine wave of the motor is a hardware piece called a controller.

ESC = Electronic Speed Controller. I think the question that is being floated is whether a single speed controller design can be made to put out either square or sine wave output via firmware change. LOL I AM an electrical engineer and I have no idea. Not my knowledge area.

LP

Xtreme Drone Pilot · Nov 7, 2017

If this theory proves true, then the Platinum buyers are paying $100 extra just for different color and props?

Kilrah · Nov 7, 2017

Would be easy to check by reading a firmware update log.

dscline · Nov 7, 2017

Kilrah said:
Would be easy to check by reading a firmware update log.

If it's a hardware change, and the old part / new part (square wave / sine wave ESCs) are completely interchangeable and don't require different firmwares, I don't see why there would be any mention in a firmware log.

Logically, the ESC would receive an input signal to tell it what speed to run at. That signal should be the same regardless of whether the part produces a square wave or sine wave output. How closely the electrical output to the motors follows a true sine wave is is mostly inconsequential to the operation of the aircraft (though not inconsequential to the harmonics generated, and maybe not to the motor heat produced and efficiency)

maximeeso · Nov 7, 2017

Xtreme Drone Pilot said:
If this theory proves true, then the Platinum buyers are paying $100 extra just for different color and props?

Very common practice... Tesla puts the full 75kWh battery packs even in the lower model cars... Only limiting factor is software...

"...temporary access to the full 75 kWh of energy in the battery pack, an upgrade that has cost between $4,500 and $9,000 depending on the model and time of upgrade."

https://jalopnik.com/tesla-remotely-extended-the-range-of-its-florida-owners-1802955287

Kilrah · Nov 7, 2017

dscline said:
If it's a hardware change, and the old part / new part (square wave / sine wave ESCs) are completely interchangeable and don't require different firmwares

But it isn't... I didn't pull that out of a dark place, I said that becasue it IS known that both ESCs report different hardware versions, run different firmwares and are distinguishable in the log.

tictag · Nov 7, 2017

Some people will always upgrade, however slight the improvement. From a business perspective, selling a MP and then a MP-P to the same person nets the company more money than simply upgrading the MP for new customers only.

gppms · Nov 9, 2017

CyberNate said:
I've gone through several Mavics lately due to some poor piloting on my part. One thing I noticed is a pretty drastic difference in efficiency between the different Mavics. My original Mavic was good for around 20 minutes tops and 24 - 25K feet flying in P mode (31mph) prior to modding it. I purchased a newer one a while back, first flight logged in July. That Mavic was good for 23 minutes and close to 30,000 ft with the new Platinum props. I crashed this Mavic on concrete completely destroying all boards. I found a used one with only 6 flight logged, older one like my original. Using the same battery, new platinum props, I'm seeing very similar performance to my older modded Mavic with around 20-21 minutes tops. This 2-3 minute difference is quite a lot.

I started thinking about DJI. If you have new ESC chips that will work on the older product, why bother making 2 versions. If they are similar price, it's actually cheaper to simply use the new ESCs in the Mavic Pro as well. The new ESC chips will meet or exceed the specs of the original so why bother having 2 fabrication lines.

I need to get a magnifying glass out and check the ESC chips for any labeling. It will be interesting to see the ESC board of the platinum as well once someone cracks it open. If my theory is correct, you can simply get a newer Mavic Pro air craft only and slap Platinum props on it. You'll have yourself a Mavic that performs the same as the new Platinum.

I think you are right.DJI made the same before some years with the phantom 3 pro they change the motors and esc's and it was flying 3 minutes more.Today i test my mavic pro standard, i bought it on August, believe it or not i start to hover it with a full battery until to auto land with 10% battery, the flight time was 23:30 minutes! with the standard mavic pro props.And also i was recording all the time with the mavic's camera.

Hotelone · Nov 9, 2017

This is interesting. Two days after I received my MP the MPP was announced and I was a little PO'd. A week after I got my MP, that was manufactured on Friday, August 4th, 2017, I tested with the standard props I got 23:25 out of one battery. I know the batteries were almost brand new but I'm curious what a similar test with the MPP blades would yield now.

tictag · Nov 9, 2017

WOuld be an interesting test - I have noticed that the blade RPM is slower with the new blades, this could translate to longer flight time. Though, as has already been commented, the new more efficient, sine-wave ESCs will likely be the main reason for the additional flight time on the MP-P.

Jimbo40 · Nov 10, 2017

Square wave, sine wave. wasn't dji looking for the longest most efficient drone when they made the mavic pro? It's not like the sine wave was just invented. Just fly the thing and be happy, unless we are all better engineers than DJI's engineers, which I doubt.

nismoz · Nov 10, 2017

This is an interesting topic. CyberNate, what was the manufactured date on your original and new MP? I got a couple MP on hands at the moment and they all have different manufactured date on them. They are all brand new so I can't take them out to test fly but I can keep one for my own.

robrow · Nov 12, 2017

As an exact and direct comparison I checked how thirsty the new MPP blades are compared with my originals. RPM is down 10% hovering and power (current draw) is down 3%-4%.
Difficult to compare long range flight times as conditions can vary so much but it does seem I am getting longer flight times than previously.
Not sure how much power saving the newer speed controllers offer but if someone has an MPP or newer MP and measures the same 2 things then we would have a pretty good comparison.