The DJI Mavic 3 Pro release is coming – hopefully soon

[MavicPilots News]

If you’re all set with drones for the season, that’s awesome. However, if you’ve been waiting for the Mavic 3 Pro (or whatever it will be called) no word yet.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

8K video... OK, who has computers that can handle that?... who has a TV that is 8K capable... OK, so you can shoot in 8K and crop down to 4K or really 99% of the time now is still 1080 for YouTube. (Maybe) useful in POST production, IF you have the computer to handle it, you can zoom in, pan and do cool stuff.... but really?! I'd rather they spend their energy cleaning up low light issues or better lenses.... or BETTER TRACKING abilities (like the Skydio). To me 8K is sales and marketing, at this point.... flame on....

 

[zocalo]

8K video... OK, who has computers that can handle that?... who has a TV that is 8K capable... OK, so you can shoot in 8K and crop down to 4K or really 99% of the time now is still 1080 for YouTube. (Maybe) useful in POST production, IF you have the computer to handle it, you can zoom in, pan and do cool stuff.... but really?! I'd rather they spend their energy cleaning up low light issues or better lenses.... or BETTER TRACKING abilities (like the Skydio). To me 8K is sales and marketing, at this point.... flame on....

Don't underestimate the potential for silky smooth pans when you are cropping down from a higher resolution, let alone when they are combined with zoom from either a suitable lens or a simple linear movement of the drone. Cropping down from 8k to 1080p gives you a huge amount of scope for panning without introducing any image stability issues from moving the drone, although you may need to be careful with framing so any perspective distortion either works for you or isn't too in your face.

Also, for larger waterfalls or other things that put a lot of dust etc. into the air, being able to drop down from 8K means you can stand off a lot further and still get detailed 1080p "close-up" footage cropped from the frame. That could make all the difference between being able to keep your aircraft relatively dry, or away from the dust thrown up by rally cars and Moto-X. In the latter case, the increased separation between drone and action would makes things much safer for the riders - and potentially specators - too, so there are indirect benefits to consider as well as just the raw specs and the direct potential they offer.

 

[Slade]

Sounds like Drone Derangement Syndrome was let loose from a China lab. Best wear three masks.

 

[Arnold LeVine]

Wish list.
4/3 sensor with great low light capabilities, 3x optical zoom. 8k video, 48 megapixel stills, mechanical shutter.
Snap in changeable gimbals with infrared camera.
Super good tracking.
6 way obstacle avoidance, individually controllable.
Super secure battery insertion, no swelling, higher capacity.
Just call me a dreamer!
Ah, to live in a perfect world

 

[brett8883]

8K video... OK, who has computers that can handle that?... who has a TV that is 8K capable... OK, so you can shoot in 8K and crop down to 4K or really 99% of the time now is still 1080 for YouTube. (Maybe) useful in POST production, IF you have the computer to handle it, you can zoom in, pan and do cool stuff.... but really?! I'd rather they spend their energy cleaning up low light issues or better lenses.... or BETTER TRACKING abilities (like the Skydio). To me 8K is sales and marketing, at this point.... flame on....

I agree that editing for an 8k output isn’t all that practical but the thing is that 8k video means it will take at least 35 MP photos (and realMPs unlike the Air 2) which is welcome. It actually might be kind of a let down it it had a 35 MP sensor but didn’t record in 8k

As far as low light performance 8k can actually be really helpful with 4k video because 8k is enough to do a full 4:1 downsample to 4k which reduces noise and improves sharpness. Some 8k cameras like the Canon R5 can do this in camera.

 

[DroneToJoy]

Wish list.
4/3 sensor with great low light capabilities, 3x optical zoom. 8k video, 48 megapixel stills, mechanical shutter.
Snap in changeable gimbals with infrared camera.
Super good tracking.
6 way obstacle avoidance, individually controllable.
Super secure battery insertion, no swelling, higher capacity.
Just call me a dreamer!
Ah, to live in a perfect world

add, 50 minutes flight time and you have me....

 

[unctucker]

Just started my business and wanted to get the mavic pro 2 to use. Now seeing this, should I wait a couple more months?

 

[zocalo]

Just started my business and wanted to get the mavic pro 2 to use. Now seeing this, should I wait a couple more months?

It's all little more than rumours. We're speculating at a release this year, but it could easily be that DJI is looking at market factors to do with Covid, issues around chip shortages and the on-going martime shipping bottleneck, last minute design issues, and any number of other factors before the determine the actual date. It's not inconceivable that could potentially push the release back into 2022.

I'd be looking at your business plan (you *do* have one, right?) rather than hearsay to make that call. Let's say you buy an M2P now, plus a decent number of accessories, bringing it to a round $2,000 total - what's your projected RoI timeline on that? In simple terms, and assuming you're ready to roll with clients, if that investment will let you bring in $1,000/month, then a ship date anything later than early September on the M3 sees you at a net loss. If it's $500/month, then you're looking at breaking even by November. Ideally you want to be factoring generic risks and other more specific aspects of your business into the calculation as well - and don't forget that no matter how good the M3 might be, your M2P can still continue to generate revenue even after the M3 is available.

P.S. whatever you decide to do, best of luck with the new business!

 

[icecoldgin]

Paging OsitalLV.

Where are you when we need you the most?

?

 

[dirkclod]

Paging OsitalLV.

Where are you when we need you the most?

?

On Twitter.
Don’t care what changes I will buy one when they become available.Got the 2 when it did and not letting up yet. ?

 

[Nobbler]

I'd be looking at your business plan (you *do* have one, right?) rather than hearsay to make that call. Let's say you buy an M2P now, plus a decent number of accessories, bringing it to a round $2,000 total - what's your projected RoI timeline on that? In simple terms, and assuming you're ready to roll with clients, if that investment will let you bring in $1,000/month, then a ship date anything later than early September on the M3 sees you at a net loss. If it's $500/month, then you're looking at breaking even by November. Ideally you want to be factoring generic risks and other more specific aspects of your business into the calculation as well - and don't forget that no matter how good the M3 might be, your M2P can still continue to generate revenue even after the M3 is available.

P.S. whatever you decide to do, best of luck with the new business!

I think you're wildly overestimating with your numbers. If anyone made $1000 a month, it is a result of having most of their business's value rolled up in it's relationships. No one is making a grand out of the gate and ramping up the call-center just for holding a retail store receipt for a consumer drone.

 

[zocalo]

I think you're wildly overestimating with your numbers. If anyone made $1000 a month, it is a result of having most of their business's value rolled up in it's relationships. No one is making a grand out of the gate and ramping up the call-center just for holding a retail store receipt for a consumer drone.

My numbers were more an illustration with round numbers, but it does depend a lot on your situation, what business you're in, and especially on whether you already have existing clients though more conventional photography that you're essentially selling a new product to, rather than starting up from scratch. OP didn't really state what they were intending to do with the drone, who for, and whether they already had a client list, so kinda hard to be more specific on their likely income from the drone, let alone break even timescale.

If you're just doing quick real estate shoots or simple surveys, then I agree - you're going to need a LOT of small jobs like that, and that probably means a lot of clients too, and it's going to even harder if your clients are not going to regularly need your services. If you're doing more interesting bespoke stuff like marketing promo shoots, footage for corporate videos, or supporting TV/movie production, have existing clients from ground based camera work, and some demo drone footage to make your pitch with, then I can confirm it's somewhat easier and absolutely doable.

 

[baddog]

8K video... OK, who has computers that can handle that?... who has a TV that is 8K capable... OK, so you can shoot in 8K and crop down to 4K or really 99% of the time now is still 1080 for YouTube. (Maybe) useful in POST production, IF you have the computer to handle it, you can zoom in, pan and do cool stuff.... but really?! I'd rather they spend their energy cleaning up low light issues or better lenses.... or BETTER TRACKING abilities (like the Skydio). To me 8K is sales and marketing, at this point.... flame on....

I have to Disagree, using 8k footage is easy. You do not need a lightening speed, built to the gills, computer to edit 4k, and/or 8k video. Just use proxies.

The ability to zoom into 8k footage saves time and money. Do not need a drone with a zoom camera and I don't have to fly as far to my POI to get the footage I want or need.

But that is only one hopeful benefit of the M3P if it ever gets here. Interchangeable camera, is one upgrade I am hoping for. Another is 4K at 120fps, maybe 48 mega pixel camera. A built in adjustable ND filter. 48 mega pixel stills, etc...So many wishes

 

[zocalo]

But that is only one hopeful benefit of the M3P if it ever gets here. Interchangeable camera, is one upgrade I am hoping for. Another is 4K at 120fps, maybe 48 mega pixel camera. A built in adjustable ND filter. 48 mega pixel stills, etc...So many wishes

I'd take all those, but I think the only one that is likely (maybe) is the 120fps at 4K. I'd prefer a simple (built-in thread or clip) way of attaching whatever filter the user wants rather than a built in vari-ND, as that could also include CPs and GNDs, both of which I use regularly for stills. Interchangeable lenses, or perhaps camera assemblies, might be feasible, but I would hope DJI would weigh the necessary design compromises against image quality and hardware reliability. Maybe combine the 1" sensor of the Pro with the lens of the Zoom and just have a single model?

Assuming 8K video, then I'd expect the sensor to be just over 8K (or 7,680 photosites) on the horizontal axis to enable a 1:1 pixel mapping in the capture without having too much of a crop around the active video area, the latter being more friendly to on-board processing and image quality, the latter to users who don't like large field of view crops for video. If we then assume a 3:2 aspect ratio for stills, then that gives something in the region of a 40MP sensor, which I think would be sufficient to please a lot of people.

Another couple of things on the wish list:

Process the readout from the 8K-capable sensor to provide some really low-noise 4K footage (this I hope will be a given!)
Provide the super-resolution mode of the M2Z on the M3; with a ~40MP sensor and depending on how many images you sample, that's going to mean at least ~100MP images for those times when you really want high-res stills.

 

[Repaid1]

I think you're wildly overestimating with your numbers. If anyone made $1000 a month, it is a result of having most of their business's value rolled up in it's relationships. No one is making a grand out of the gate and ramping up the call-center just for holding a retail store receipt for a consumer drone.

Oh I don't know, I easily made $1000 a week when I rolled out 4+ years ago. I wasn't even taking "real" Pictures or video. I had one client the first week who asked a favor. That turned to 3 in a few days to 10 in the first week. I was using a P3P on Litchi missions to over fly their farmland/crops, fence lines, Live stock and other properties as needed. I did over flies daily as needed, some twice a week or more. They looked at their daily shots over coffee in the morning or next day for the most part. I would look at areas/downlink first and then call them if I saw a concern.

The time I saved them and fuel or accessing areas that couldn't be seen/accessed except from the air was worth the $100 per day for most. Sure it isn't everyone that can find a market with how it is flooded these days with everyone and their brother having one of these things.

My friends that fly Inspire 2 rigs (Who started with I1's) are netting 6 figures (5K a day just to show up). One had to get into the game early to get decent endeavors such as mine or the big commercial shoots. I can't even fathom someone starting today from scratch with no real talent or flight skill trying to even tap the market and think they are going to make any sort of living at it given again how many are before them....but hey I retired at 48 years old...so there is that market in rural Ohio if anyone wants that.

 

[Claretcass]

I have the MA1, MA2 and Mini2 and the next drone I buy will be the first one that comes out with the new “Certification” that will be required in the UK which means it has the “slow speed” built in to allow me to benefit from less restrictions on distances from objects.
If history is anything to go by the combo will be priced at least 15% higher than the Mavic 2 range so although I don’t doubt it will be out at the forefront with technology it won’t be cheap…£1900/$1900 or so.
Do the FAA intend to implement a similar system of certification in the US because that could be the main factor when it would be released to their biggest market.

 

[unctucker]

It's all little more than rumours. We're speculating at a release this year, but it could easily be that DJI is looking at market factors to do with Covid, issues around chip shortages and the on-going martime shipping bottleneck, last minute design issues, and any number of other factors before the determine the actual date. It's not inconceivable that could potentially push the release back into 2022.

I'd be looking at your business plan (you *do* have one, right?) rather than hearsay to make that call. Let's say you buy an M2P now, plus a decent number of accessories, bringing it to a round $2,000 total - what's your projected RoI timeline on that? In simple terms, and assuming you're ready to roll with clients, if that investment will let you bring in $1,000/month, then a ship date anything later than early September on the M3 sees you at a net loss. If it's $500/month, then you're looking at breaking even by November. Ideally you want to be factoring generic risks and other more specific aspects of your business into the calculation as well - and don't forget that no matter how good the M3 might be, your M2P can still continue to generate revenue even after the M3 is available.

P.S. whatever you decide to do, best of luck with the new business!

Like I said, the business will be a start up but having 30+ years of printing and marketing plus video editing. I feel there is still enough potential in my area to make a decent living. I'm on the east coast of NC. Yes the start up will be challenging but what start up isn't. I'll take a bite out of the market here even if a break even the first couple of years. Planning on FAA certification plus another certification we have to have to fly over the OBX. Any information on the later will be greatly appreciated, and thank you for all comments.

 

[excalibur1814]

8k is fine as long as the application creates a proxy file to work with.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

As far as low light performance 8k can actually be really helpful with 4k video because 8k is enough to do a full 4:1 downsample to 4k which reduces noise and improves sharpness. Some 8k cameras like the Canon R5 can do this in camera.

Let's hope!