Thinking of buying a Mavic Air ?

[Scoobychief]

Hi guys i have owned a phantom 3 professional in the past and loved it, but then wasn't using it much and sold it on.. and now would like to purchase a new drone but not a phantom as they are a big big and after much thought decided on the mavic air, so i would just like to know are they the bees knees?. initailly probably going to get a used one are there anything i should be looking for with a used one.

 

[brass_monkey]

I have had a Mavic Air for about 6 months. I'm not an experienced drone flier nor do I fly every day. But I'm very pleased with my drone. The camera is very good, it's small enough to carry in a bag, the WiFi range is way beyond visual and the battery life is good enough for everything I want to fly.

My only real criticisms are that being small it's hard to see when is the air and those small props make more noise than larger drones.

 

[Scoobychief]

thanks for reply never thought about the noise side of it, i thought the phantom professional was quite noisy, so just wondering if the mavic air is noisier that the prof 3?. another question is the mavic air wifi?. technology as the professional 3 was light bridge technology?.

 

[Deleted member 3792]

I will suggest and think you comes best out of buying a used Mavic Pro. They are priced about the same, and most important is how many batteries there is in the package you buy. All extras cost money and is valuable. Also if there is any filters equipped. A good backpack or carrying case is also a good buy if it’s included.

 

[brass_monkey]

Yes, Mavic Air is WiFi but it can easily work to way beyond where I can see the drone. I've had mine at about 2km before I got worried and brought it back with no signal drop outs.

I've got the Master Airscrew stealth props on mine. They work well but it's almost certain that a drone with bigger props will have a lower pitch as they will turn slower for the same lift.

Take a look at the other posts in this forum and there are many videos on YouTube that will give you the pros and cons. As someone else pointed out, you can get a second hand Pro if you're happy buying second hand. That's a bigger, heavier but more capable drone.

 

[Dave Maine]

The other big plus to the air, is that it attracts a lot less attention from bystanders. I use mine on international travel, and most bystanders see it as a cute toy and interact wit it, and me, that way. I get a lot of wonderful video without upsetting folks with a “peeping” drone.

I can also pack it with my other camera equipment in a single backpack carried as my cabin carryon.

 

[spamgnome]

Have had an Air for about 10 months and the drone is amazing. I agree with all of the other comments. The one thing that is AWFUL about it is potentially the batteries. From what I can gather, there are 2 manufacturers of the battery for the Air (perhaps others as well). These are:
1) Dongguan Amperes
2) Sunwoda

If you end up with the Sunwoda, I would immediately find a way to get a replacement under warranty. 2 of the 3 that I got with my FlyMore combo started to have a bad cell after just a few months. They are absolute garbage.

 

[mcoulter]

I have the Mavic Air. It is my 1st drone (but I had flown electric fixed wing RC before) and I love it. I can hardly imagine *needing* anything better... (wanting is always different). I bought the basic setup on father's day. I have added one battery for a recent trip and will probably add some ND filters before too long. I have ZERO complaints with it!

 

[DanMan32]

I still own my Phantom 3 Advanced. Even to this day with my Mavic 2 Zoom, I'm fine with recording 1080p.

I agree with Viking. The equivalent upgrade is Mavic Pro. You may even consider Mavic Pro Platinum. Main differences between the two is a more efficient ESC (motor driver) and quieter props. Longer flight time too.

 

[aokusman]

I will suggest and think you comes best out of buying a used Mavic Pro. They are priced about the same, and most important is how many batteries there is in the package you buy. All extras cost money and is valuable. Also if there is any filters equipped. A good backpack or carrying case is also a good buy if it’s included.

He wants something small.

 

[DanMan32]

Compared to a P3, M1 is small.

 

[LeRoytheBoy]

My 1st ever drone was a MA.
Am nearly 70yo and never used a remote controller before.
Bought my MA about 3 months ago and have no issues what-so-ever.
Only things that scares me a little is WIND.
At take off it may be as calm as.
But in flight you may be 50 mtrs up and the WIND is another story.
You get a warning on your screen, but my point is because of its size and weight, it easily gets blown around.
I couldn't be happier, but encourage you to fly with caution, care & the fear of losing it. Concentration.
Never take any flight with too much confidence.
After all, it is an expensive hobby.
All the best of luck.

 

[griffinhart]

Hi guys i have owned a phantom 3 professional in the past and loved it, but then wasn't using it much and sold it on.. and now would like to purchase a new drone but not a phantom as they are a big big and after much thought decided on the mavic air, so i would just like to know are they the bees knees?. initailly probably going to get a used one are there anything i should be looking for with a used one.

I went from the P3A to the air as well. Great drone, and I use it more due to the portability. That said, I think I would hold off until the mavic mini is announced. The same portability, similar camera and gimbal and significantly longer battery life, if rumors are true. Plus under 250 grams. So you don't need to worry about faa regs.

 

[Scoobychief]

Thanks for all your replies guys as above today is the day of the mavic mini release, so i am just holding fire to see reviews etc on this drone, it do know though about the weight so in reality if the weight is less than 250g crumbs the wind could be a serious issue, but other than the mini, i think it will stick to the air when i do go ahead and purchase one.

 

[Gadawg]

I have the Mavic Air and am completely satisfied with it. In reading the comments above, the main two complaints seem to be that the props make too much noise, and the small size makes it hard to see.
look on the positive side. The noise will help you spot it when you lose sight of it. If I hear it, I have a general idea where it is and so far (knock on wood) it has always come to papa when I call it home.

 

[Scoobychief]

i think the mavic air is far quieter than the phantom 3 professional i had.

 

[crosswired]

Got my Air (FlyMore combo) just over 6mths ago and absolutely love it, its very capable even in pretty strong winds. Apart of that, Air got everything which I need, good camera, obstacle avoidance, gesture control ..and cant imagine downgrading it to other drone e.g. Mini.
One upgrade which I've done are Master Airscrew props as noise produced by drone isn't so annoying ..and backpack to carry it around (very handy when going away)

 

[Dan AISCF]

We use Phantom 4 Pros and Standards and just picked up a used MA. Initially added it as a backup to the bigger drones (in a pinch) and to use for fly-through's for client vids... It is actually a FUN drone to fly. Super portable, quick to deploy, stable and doesn't grab nearly as much attention as our 4's do. People actually come over to chat about it, as apposed to complain as with the 4s. Battery life has been a little lower than we wanted, HOWEVER, we expected this and have four batteries and lighter chargers for the SUV. Just about enough for an hour+ of filming. I actually find myself bringing it with me almost everywhere, in case a shooting opportunity presents itself. Very very convenient and capable...