What to keep, what to shed

[AndrewM]

I bought a M3 shortly after it was introduced because it got some great reviews and I really wanted the extra flight time. It got returned and the box was never opened based on the initial software/firmware issues and having to wait on the updates that may or may not have resolved the problems. Then came the GPS issues. Seems most of these problems will have been solved with the next update so I may be back on the market. But….



I’ve got a Phantom Pro 4 and a M2 Pro. If do get the M3 the question is what to sell. I was never fond of the M2 and hated the low to the ground landing gear and body. I often work and land in areas where it’s grassy or not generally hospitable for easy landings. With the P4 this has never been an issue. With the M2 always a fear.



But the Pro 4 is getting on in years and while bulky it’s rock solid in the air handling wind really well. I know I’ll have the same landing issues with the M3 as with the M2 but the question at this point is what to keep and what to shed.



Most of my work is wetlands and invasive species. Keep the M2, light and small or the Pro 4 which is a bit of a beast but a great flyer with an ok camera.



Your thoughts and advice?



Thanks



Andrew

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Keep in mind that the Phantom 4 Pro has an excellent camera , and those safety handles will be missed so I suggest you kick the M2 and upgrade to the M3 and maybe consider getting a Rescue Jacket for that for easy landing on the Wet Lands and hand catching.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your M3 in the Rain > Float on the Water.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

If the only thing that wants you to keep the P4 is the landing legs, you can extend the legs on the M2P with after-market extenders.

I still have my phantom, kept in case anything went wrong with the M2P, but I have never used it in the years that I've had the Mavic. It's now on the stack of stuff for sale.


Chris

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Learn to hand catch the M2.
Yes the height of the Phantoms is, in some respects, a good thing (it keeps the props clear of shortish grass) but they need a gimbal guard under the gimbal for a grass landing or at least the P3's do.
Plus their height led to mine flipping quite often in a windy landings so now I invariably hand catch the P3 when landing in wind.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Learn to hand catch the M2.
Yes the height of the Phantoms is, in some respects, a good thing (it keeps the props clear of shortish grass) but they need a gimbal guard under the gimbal for a grass landing or at least the P3's do.
Plus their height led to mine flipping quite often in a windy landings so now I invariably hand catch the P3 when landing in wind.

Exactly! Hand catch!
M2 is in of the easiest and safest craft to hand catch!

 

[manc54]

Keep in mind that the Phantom 4 Pro has an excellent camera , and those safety handles will be missed so I suggest you kick the M2 and upgrade to the M3 and maybe consider getting a Rescue Jacket for that for easy landing on the Wet Lands and hand catching.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your M3 in the Rain > Float on the Water.
View attachment 145310

Never miss an opportunity for a sale lol

 

[RocketBrew]

Still fly the Phantom 4 Pro on most jobs for mapping, but love the M3 for everything else despite the remaining issues and that Fly app.

My biggest hassle now is many of my jobs are currently near airports, so I have to submit separate Unlock Requests for the Phantoms and the Mavic 3s (primary and backup of each model).

 

[GadgetGuy]

Still fly the Phantom 4 Pro on most jobs for mapping, but love the M3 for everything else despite the remaining issues and that Fly app.

My biggest hassle now is many of my jobs are currently near airports, so I have to submit separate Unlock Requests for the Phantoms and the Mavic 3s (primary and backup of each model).

Are the GEO restrictions affecting your jobs true Red NFZ's or merely Blue Authorization Zones that surround the Red NFZ's?

 

[Dale D]

I bought a M3 shortly after it was introduced because it got some great reviews and I really wanted the extra flight time. It got returned and the box was never opened based on the initial software/firmware issues and having to wait on the updates that may or may not have resolved the problems. Then came the GPS issues. Seems most of these problems will have been solved with the next update so I may be back on the market. But….



I’ve got a Phantom Pro 4 and a M2 Pro. If do get the M3 the question is what to sell. I was never fond of the M2 and hated the low to the ground landing gear and body. I often work and land in areas where it’s grassy or not generally hospitable for easy landings. With the P4 this has never been an issue. With the M2 always a fear.



But the Pro 4 is getting on in years and while bulky it’s rock solid in the air handling wind really well. I know I’ll have the same landing issues with the M3 as with the M2 but the question at this point is what to keep and what to shed.



Most of my work is wetlands and invasive species. Keep the M2, light and small or the Pro 4 which is a bit of a beast but a great flyer with an ok camera.



Your thoughts and advice?



Thanks



Andrew

Wouldn't regular HAND CATCHING solve your problem? (I am talking about the M2P).

 

[Espen W]

Learn to hand catch the M2.
Yes the height of the Phantoms is, in some respects, a good thing (it keeps the props clear of shortish grass) but they need a gimbal guard under the gimbal for a grass landing or at least the P3's do.
Plus their height led to mine flipping quite often in a windy landings so now I invariably hand catch the P3 when landing in wind.

Absolutely!
I estimate that I hand catch my M1 and Mini 99% of the time.

 

[4006448]

Would it not be feasible to take a landing pad?

 

[Norval]

I bought a M3 shortly after it was introduced because it got some great reviews and I really wanted the extra flight time. It got returned and the box was never opened based on the initial software/firmware issues and having to wait on the updates that may or may not have resolved the problems. Then came the GPS issues. Seems most of these problems will have been solved with the next update so I may be back on the market. But….



I’ve got a Phantom Pro 4 and a M2 Pro. If do get the M3 the question is what to sell. I was never fond of the M2 and hated the low to the ground landing gear and body. I often work and land in areas where it’s grassy or not generally hospitable for easy landings. With the P4 this has never been an issue. With the M2 always a fear.



But the Pro 4 is getting on in years and while bulky it’s rock solid in the air handling wind really well. I know I’ll have the same landing issues with the M3 as with the M2 but the question at this point is what to keep and what to shed.



Most of my work is wetlands and invasive species. Keep the M2, light and small or the Pro 4 which is a bit of a beast but a great flyer with an ok camera.



Your thoughts and advice?



Thanks



Andrew

The flight time is well overrated in the M3, you barely get 29 minutes on real life use….

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

The flight time is well overrated in the M3, you barely get 29 minutes on real life use….

All things relative, most of the previous DJI drone marketing had ideal-condition numbers on battery life as well.

So either you believe the M3 battery lasts longer than your previous drone's battery lasts or not (regardless of how long that is stated in marketing materials).

Or are you saying there is no battery improvement from previous models?

Chris

 

[GadgetGuy]

The flight time is well overrated in the M3, you barely get 29 minutes on real life use….

The realistic flight time of every DJI drone is exaggerated. However, the realistic flight time of the M3 is a good 10 minutes longer than the Mavic 2 from 100% to 10% remaining battery. 22-23 minutes on the M2 and 32-33 minutes in the M3 when flown under the same conditions (average 10 mph wind) at a continuous 31 mph in Normal mode. That extra 10 minutes is significant.

 

[Norval]

All things relative, most of the previous DJI drone marketing had ideal-condition numbers on battery life as well.

So either you believe the M3 battery lasts longer than your previous drone's battery lasts or not (regardless of how long that is stated in marketing materials).

Or are you saying there is no battery improvement from previous models?

Chris

Well, of course there is improvement, but the expectations were far better than reality.
Hope for at least 35 minutes of time, without landing with 10 % battery….
The reality is more like 29 minutes.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Well, of course there is improvement, but the expectations were far better than reality.
Hope for at least 35 minutes of time, without landing with 10 % battery….
The reality is more like 29 minutes.

What "reality" were you getting on your M2 batteries under the same conditions?

 

[Norval]

What "reality" were you getting on your M2 batteries under the same conditions?

About 23-24 minutes maximum.

 

[GadgetGuy]

About 23-24 minutes maximum.

So, worst case, you get a 20% increase in flight time, using all your own numbers.
That alone is worth the upgrade to me. The MFT sensor upgrade from the M2P is also a game changer for me. It's almost a two stop increase after dark! Plus a free optical 7x camera! What's not to like?

 

[UAVquadman]

Keep them all. The Mavic 2 Pro has a 28mm lens. If you forgot to mention this, then you don't know much about photography.

 

[Dougcjohn]

Still fly the Phantom 4 Pro on most jobs for mapping, but love the M3 for everything else despite the remaining issues and that Fly app.

My biggest hassle now is many of my jobs are currently near airports, so I have to submit separate Unlock Requests for the Phantoms and the Mavic 3s (primary and backup of each model).

Just an FYI... both DroneHack and NoLimitDrone have a Full Unlock for the P4Pv2. Works like a charm, no more delays.