No SDK for the Mini 3 Pro in the near future

[Droning on and on...]

Drone Deploy + Pix4d capture + Dronelink + Litchi.... + probably more I do not even know about means that there is a reasonably sized market that desires the SDK.

Sure... for the M30, M3E, etc.

Anyone actually operating in a profitable capacity doing mapping, ag surveying, etc. doesn't flinch at the cost of the M3E, so if they need it for their business, they get one. With no real complaint.

Do they like spending more? Of course not. Is a few thousand dollars a significant expense, for depreciable capital equipment? Also of course not.

The market for a WP capable drone when professionals are included is significant. Yet, there already is an SDK, a Mavic 3 capable, and plenty of Drone Deploy users quite willing to pay what the feature's worth.

The problem is for hobbyists. WP simply isn't worth to them where the market is pricing it. They won't pay for it. DJI has clearly been separating the professional application from consumer for years with the introduction and expansion of the mini line, in response to these changes in the market.

It's remarkable how all of you, from your desk chair with a bag of Cheetos and no meaningful research, seem to think you know DJI's market better than their army in the marketing department. They have Cheetos too, but access to much much more

To be clear: I am as disappointed about this as all of you are. Where we part is in thinking supporting this feature is trivial engineering and cost-free. I spent my career in tech, first as a support engineer, then development engineer, project manager, engineering manager and ending as COO of a small tech company.

I've seen the product lifecycle in operation intimately, been the decision-maker about exactly these sorts of issues in a growing, evolving market. DJI's decisions in this regard over the last 5 years make perfect sense.

@mightypilot2000 The crying towel suggestion removes you from the Christmas card list.

I feared that might happen, but crying towels are like AA for alcoholics... necessary therapy

 

[RogerDH]

...

To be clear: I am as disappointed about this as all of you are. Where we part is in thinking supporting this feature is trivial engineering and cost-free. I spent my career in tech, first as a support engineer, then development engineer, project manager, engineering manager and ending as COO of a small tech company.

I've seen the product lifecycle in operation intimately, been the decision-maker about exactly these sorts of issues in a growing, evolving market. DJI's decisions in this regard over the last 5 years make perfect sense.

You're forgetting something: DJI does support waypoints in the Mini 3 Pro and the Mavic 3, but only for hyperlapse. What are they saving by not allowing it in normal flight mode?

 

[Droning on and on...]

You're forgetting something: DJI does support waypoints in the Mini 3 Pro and the Mavic 3, but only for hyperlapse. What are they saving by not allowing it in normal flight mode?

At a minimum, on-going engineering to implement the feature, test and validation engineering, customer support. Not trivial, and customer support costs higher than typical because of unsophisticated customers in this market segment.

Then there's the issue of giving away the feature when it is more valuable today than in the past.

As has been said, you want waypoints in a Mavic 3, buy the Enterprise version. Or, stick with the crying towel, it's a lot cheaper.

The bottom line after all these volumes written is really quite simple, and old as the sun rising: You just don't want to pay for it.

 

[RogerDH]

At a minimum, on-going engineering to implement the feature, test and validation engineering, customer support. Not trivial, and customer support costs higher than typical because of unsophisticated customers in this market segment.
...

Um, but they ALREADY ARE supporting waypoints for hyperlapse, and they CAN'T AVOID doing full waypoint development and support for their "enterprise" models, anyway. Sorry, but considering what they're already doing, it would indeed be trivial for them to support waypoints for their recreational users.

Nope, your second rationale is probably closer to the mark: They think they have such control over the market that they can decree that waypoints are henceforth a premium feature simply because they are so useful, not because they are actually expensive to provide, and thereby squeeze another $1000 from potential Mavic 3 buyers, or $2000 or $3000 from potential Mini 3 buyers.

You assume that they've very carefully calculated the value of lost sales and ill will, and you assume that hardly anyone cares. I assume that you and they have made a bunch of assumptions.

 

[MS Coast]

Mapping, photogrammetry. Third party apps such as Litchi which have far better features for things like panoramas, course lock etc.

Mavic 3 still doesnt have the SDK a year after release whereas the M3E had it on day 1. Its essentially the same hardware. That tells you all you need to know about DJIs policy direction now....

That's not really a good comparison. The Mini 3 Pro is a completely new drone. The M3E is essentially just a M3 (SDK already available) with some new bits tacked on. There was less work required to tweak the SDK.

DJI may even have anticipated the M3E features and built them into the M3 SDK release a while back.

In any case, I certainly would like to have the SDK updated for the Mini 3 Pro so I could run Litchi with it.

 

[Meta4]

The M3E is essentially just a M3 (SDK already available) with some new bits tacked on. There was less work required to tweak the SDK.

DJI may even have anticipated the M3E features and built them into the M3 SDK release a while back.

Except there is no SDK for the Mavic 3, and info from DJI indicates thay have no plans to release one.

 

[Cymru]

The main annoyance with Mavic 3 is several offical DJI staff stated pre-launch there was going to be an SDK, for 9 months after the launch there was an SDK on the roadmap (for release in 2022, date changed twice) but then suddenly it went to "no plans for".

Mini 3 was never claimed officially, just assumed but people did buy a Mavic 3 Pro based on the statements by DJI themselves and its roadmap. Those people are justifiably unhappy.
I was about 2 days away from buying a Cine, decided to wait for other reasons and now looks like i dodged a bullet. Now im stocking up on spares to keep my far more capable Mavic 2 Pro flyable instead.

 

[SkyeHigh]

The main annoyance with Mavic 3 is several offical DJI staff stated pre-launch there was going to be an SDK, for 9 months after the launch there was an SDK on the roadmap (for release in 2022, date changed twice) but then suddenly it went to "no plans for".

Mini 3 was never claimed officially, just assumed but people did buy a Mavic 3 Pro based on the statements by DJI themselves and its roadmap. Those people are justifiably unhappy.
I was about 2 days away from buying a Cine, decided to wait for other reasons and now looks like i dodged a bullet. Now im stocking up on spares to keep my far more capable Mavic 2 Pro flyable instead.

Caveat emptor!

 

[RogerDH]

...

Mini 3 was never claimed officially, just assumed but people did buy a Mavic 3 Pro based on the statements by DJI themselves and its roadmap. ...

Since at least last Spring, the Mini 3 Pro was also on the roadmap: On their forum, DJI said it would be in the same SDK release as the Mavic 3. I very nearly bought one based on that expectation.

 

[Cymru]

Fair enough, i only say the roadmap but no guarantee of it from officials.

Ive bought one but without the SDK the advantages for mapping over built up areas (due to weight) have gone so its a photo only toy.

 

[RogerDH]

Fair enough, i only say the roadmap but no guarantee of it from officials.

Ive bought one but without the SDK the advantages for mapping over built up areas (due to weight) have gone so its a photo only toy.

Yes, and I believe a lot of European pros were counting on the Mini 3 Pro as being the most capable drone in the least-limited C0 classification. That's the main reason I expect to see a Mini 3 Enterprise.

 

[Cymru]

Can't see that happening at all. Its already right up to the maximum weight. The only way around that is to reduce, not increase hardware.

 

[RogerDH]

Can't see that happening at all. Its already right up to the maximum weight. The only way around that is to reduce, not increase hardware.

They don't need to add hardware if they're now defining "enterprise" models by software features, too.

 

[MS Coast]

Except there is no SDK for the Mavic 3, and info from DJI indicates thay have no plans to release one.

Well, yes, there are those facts. Post #25 has been duly edited. This is probably a sign that there are too many drones lying about the house and that an afternoon cup of coffee might be a good way to improve mental focus.

Or, in the words of the character Emily Latilla from Saturday Night Live years ago, "Never mind."

 

[jffprc]

What is SDK?

 

[pyrolator]

SDK comes ?

True or just Clickbait ?

 

[Kafftenen]

Mobile SDK

 

[Kafftenen]

DJI announcement as of April 7th

Mobile SDK

Dronelink in Beta for enabling waypoint missions already

https://support.dronelink.com/hc/en-us/community/topics/360001271933-Beta-Test-Feedback?sort_by=recent_activity

 

[BroomRider]

DJI announcement as of April 7th

Mobile SDK

Dronelink in Beta for enabling waypoint missions already

https://support.dronelink.com/hc/en-us/community/topics/360001271933-Beta-Test-Feedback?sort_by=recent_activity

It doesn't appear that is yet available for the M3P – RC controller.

 

[Kafftenen]

It doesn't appear that is yet available for the M3P – RC controller.

Yes that's correct. It will never happen since the architecture of DJI RC doesn't allow installation of any whatsoever third party apps. It's solely designed for the downscaled version of DJI Fly app. DJI RC is a low cost low performance gadget, IMO a toy. Just compare the price tag with DJI RC Pro controller which is a fully Android implementation with great CPU and enough Internal memory to run third party apps. And thus u're able to install third party Android apps too.