I am really enjoying my new Mavic Air but I do have a couple of issues:
1/I peridically get the warning signal that says no transmission singnal available.
2/The noise level causes neighbors dogs to bark until it's about 40 feet in the air.
3/The Mavic Air becomes a little difficult to see when it's about 150 feet up.
4/Unable to fly inside because no satellites are available.

Since I am  very new to drone flying I was wondering what peoples thoughts were on me taking the plunge and
getting a larger Mavic Pro?

Andy

1. MPP will be better in this respect
2. MPP wins here too.
3. Same here.
4. Not sure why you can't fly indoor. Spark and MP can do.

Maybe hold your breath a little longer.
Learn to fly.
Learn what you need (not like after 1 day, but after 3-6 months or so)
By that time, Mavic Pro 2 will probably have arrived.
Making MPP cheaper AND giving you a new option.

Montfrooij Posted at 2018-2-17 13:01
1. MPP will be better in this respect
2. MPP wins here too.
3. Same here.

I appreciate the input. Whenever  I am inside it shows the Mavic Air is disconnected and won't let me take off.  Any suggestions? Living in Arizona I'd sure like to be able to play around with it  inside during the summer.

djiuser_kca9X8IYoTKM Posted at 2018-2-17 13:08
I appreciate the input. Whenever  I am inside it shows the Mavic Air is disconnected and won't let me take off.  Any suggestions? Living in Arizona I'd sure like to be able to play around with it  inside during the summer.

Maybe you are still in beginners mode?
That won't allow for indoor flights.

Montfrooij Posted at 2018-2-17 13:10
Maybe you are still in beginners mode?
That won't allow for indoor flights.

I'll take it out of beginners mode and give it try. Thanks for all the help.

djiuser_kca9X8IYoTKM Posted at 2018-2-17 13:12
I'll take it out of beginners mode and give it try. Thanks for all the help.

Make sure you put prop guards on!
And be very careful.
Without GPS the drone behaves differently.

Montfrooij Posted at 2018-2-17 13:13
Make sure you put prop guards on!
And be very careful.
Without GPS the drone behaves differently.

I will  put the guards back on. Any other setting I should adjust or be in?

djiuser_kca9X8IYoTKM Posted at 2018-2-17 13:14
I will  put the guards back on. Any other setting I should adjust or be in?

Not that I can think of.
I tried it once.
Very briefly.
It flew ok, but I did not have prop guards, so did not dare to test my luck.

Maybe use earplugs. This thing is loud.

Montfrooij Posted at 2018-2-17 13:17
Not that I can think of.
I tried it once.
Very briefly.

Very loud. There's a listing on EBAY for a brand new Platinum Pro Fly More for 1249.99 so I thought I would investigate.

djiuser_kca9X8IYoTKM Posted at 2018-2-17 13:18
Very loud.

Indeed.
Let us know how it worked out

Keep the MA and learn to fly on it then get the MP2 when it arrives!

A CW Posted at 2018-2-17 13:23
Keep the MA and learn to fly on it then get the MP2 when it arrives!

Good idea.

Having said that the MPP is my favourite drone that I have owned to date. It depends on your budget. You’ll lose money selling the MA for sure but 1250 is a good price for the FMCombo. Despite being ‘Mavic’s’ they are very different drones - why not have both - no regrets then! ;)

A CW Posted at 2018-2-17 13:27
Having said that the MPP is my favourite drone that I have owned to date. It depends on your budget. You’ll lose money selling the MA for sure but 1250 is a good price for the FMCombo. Despite being ‘Mavic’s’ they are very different drones - when not have both - no regrets then! ;)

It would definitely be a splurge buy.

You’re asking the wrong man here LOL (look at my list of drones under my profile) but if you’ve got the cash - DO IT Buy the MPP - it’s DJI’s quietest consumer drone with the longest flight times and range!

A CW Posted at 2018-2-17 13:27
Having said that the MPP is my favourite drone that I have owned to date. It depends on your budget. You’ll lose money selling the MA for sure but 1250 is a good price for the FMCombo. Despite being ‘Mavic’s’ they are very different drones - why not have both - no regrets then! ;)

I flew the Mavic Air inside for a few short flights. I didn't have any issues with the actual flying (I also fly some RC helicopters and planes)...but the noise level was pretty much intolerable in a confined space. So now I am wondering how much quieter the Mavic Pro Platinum? I'd like if someone could give an actual percentage of much quieter it is compared to the Air.

djiuser_kca9X8IYoTKM Posted at 2018-2-17 14:50
I flew the Mavic Air inside for a few short flights. I didn't have any issues with the actual flying (I also fly some RC helicopters and planes)...but the noise level was pretty much intolerable in a confined space. So now I am wondering how much quieter the Mavic Pro Platinum? I'd like if someone could give an actual percentage of much quieter it is compared to the Air.

When I flew my Mavic Pro with the old 8330 props I could just about hear it 400' above me - the noise had a high pitched frequency which carried quite far. It wasn't very loud but clearly noticeable and passers-by would look up when flying over them.

I found the Spark to be even worse than the MP as the noise seemed even higher pitched.

My P4P can be heard several hundred feet away and it is seriously LOUD so much so that i have to really plan my flights and I'm more restricted where I can take it.

I can't hear the MPP 200' away on windless days. I see that people don't look up in my footage as they don't know the drone is there. Your next-door neighbour will still hear it but probably won't think it's a drone. It has a much lower frequency sound. The MPP is about 60% quieter than the MP/MA and the quieter noise of the motors is most noticeable when in the air. It is still quite loud when flying indoors.

A CW Posted at 2018-2-17 15:01
When I flew my Mavic Pro with the old 8330 props I could just about hear it 400' above me - the noise had a high pitched frequency which carried quite far. It wasn't very loud but clearly noticeable and passers-by would look up when flying over them.

I found the Spark to be even worse than the MP as the noise seemed even higher pitched.

Would the MPP be any more difficult to fly than the Air?

djiuser_kca9X8IYoTKM Posted at 2018-2-17 15:03
Would the MPP be any more difficult to fly than the Air?

I don't own the Air but I'd expect the MPP to be easier as the transmission is superior given less latency and glitches in the live feed to your device and the drone is larger and therefore easier to see. The MPP is very nimble and responsive too - packed with loads of features. Lots to learn but flight basics are easy. DO NOT learn to fly indoors!

i flew my p3p and air yesterday for about an hour each.  yep, the p3p can be heard like 400m but the Air i can't hear it much at 100m out... but I haven't tried sport mode yet.

the air was a dream to fly indoors, so stable but i had to turn off all sensors

hit 3500 meters on p3p (100m high) and Air (30m high) yesterday then turned back due to battery. the wind was a bit and the snow is quite deep, didn't want to have to grab the snowshoes and walk a mile.  both got back with lots of battery left though, -6c outside.

my girlfriend want an air now.

I suggest sticking with the Air until the MP2 comes out. I 'graduated' from the Spark to the MPP and am happy with all the named benefits - Range, Sound etc. The MPP is really a side grade of the original Mavic Pro as the camera is the same. The camera on the Air is better as is the gimbal stabilisation. Beyond the basic differences it very much boils down to what you want to do with our drone - as each drone has pluses and minuses when it comes down to individual needs.

After getting all the great feedback I think I'll wait till the MPP becomes available to make a change. Very much hoping they add backwards avoidance cameras

Montfrooij Posted at 2018-2-17 13:01
1. MPP will be better in this respect
2. MPP wins here too.
3. Same here.

1. Agree with this although I don't own the Mavic Pro. One thing that can be done to alleviate this a bit with the Mavic Air is to check and manually set the frequency. I haven't had signal cut out yet though with the Mavic Air. I usually fly in pretty rural areas.
2. Yea, the Pro Platinum is a little quieter, but that's not likely to keep your neighbors dogs from barking at it or standing directly under it if it's at all possible for them to do that (I've noticed that dogs that like to bark at drones also want to stand under them. Even when they are done barking,)
3. I can't imagine the Mavic Pro being that much easier to see. Possibly a little bit easier because the arms are a little longer. After awhile, you can judge which way the drone is facing by which way it is moving. I've had times while flying my Spark that I had to move slightly in a few directions to tell which way it was pointed. After awhile you will also get better at using your device screen to determine which way the drone is pointed.
4. I've flown both my Spark and Mavic Air indoors. You usually do not get good (if any) GPS signal. I have not had any "incidents" due to this, but I do wish that GPS could be turned off for situations where it's not likely to work well. I worry that it will get a GPS fix and want to move erratically to match the GPS fix. Perhaps I am just unaware of how the drone is handling indoor flying to prevent this. I never fly without a GPS fix outside. Inside, I always use the prop guards. I did manage one flight in a poorly lit room, flying over theater seats. I don't recommend trying this without lots of experience. At one point the drone went into ATTI mode. It was faster and it was drifting since it had no way to correctly figure out what 0mph was. I was able to handle this situation but I had experience with less expensive drones that drift like this all the time.

Montfrooij's advice is good. A new Mavic Pro is expected soon. Since you already have the Mavic Air, it's probably best to wait a bit to see what happens.

Tom_A Posted at 2018-2-17 23:58
1. Agree with this although I don't own the Mavic Pro. One thing that can be done to alleviate this a bit with the Mavic Air is to check and manually set the frequency. I haven't had signal cut out yet though with the Mavic Air. I usually fly in pretty rural areas.
2. Yea, the Pro Platinum is a little quieter, but that's not likely to keep your neighbors dogs from barking at it or standing directly under it if it's at all possible for them to do that (I've noticed that dogs that like to bark at drones also want to stand under them. Even when they are done barking,)
3. I can't imagine the Mavic Pro being that much easier to see. Possibly a little bit easier because the arms are a little longer. After awhile, you can judge which way the drone is facing by which way it is moving. I've had times while flying my Spark that I had to move slightly in a few directions to tell which way it was pointed. After awhile you will also get better at using your device screen to determine which way the drone is pointed.

I suggest you buy an MPP and fly it 50 times before advising on it's capabilities. It's always best to state what it can do from your experience rather than to 'imagine' what it can do. For example, the MPP is not a little quieter but half the noise of the Mavic Pro.

A CW Posted at 2018-2-18 01:54
I suggest you buy an MPP and fly it 50 times before advising on it's capabilities. It's always best to state what it can do from your experience rather than to 'imagine' what it can do. For example, the MPP is not a little quieter but half the noise of the Mavic Pro.

I have not flown a Mavic Pro, but I have seen several of the audio test videos. I know that the decibel rating is not linear and the differences were supposed to indicate about half the sound, but the numbers were bouncing around and an average number had to be guessed at in every test I saw. It did not sound like half the noise to me on any of the videos. The perceived noise difference was definitely noticeable and maybe I should not have said "a little quieter", but that was not my point. I suggest you buy a drone crazy dog and fly over it's head 50 times before advising on it's capabilities.
It's a bit odd that you've called me out on giving advice about the Mavic Pro although I do not own one, but you've done the same with the Mavic Air. I have yet to experience any video glitches with the Mavic Air and have flown with the goggles.
The Mavic Pro is better than the Mavic Air in a few importan ways, but it's also not as good in a few important ways. If there weren't rumors of something new coming very soon, I might advise as you have to buy the Mavic Pro now. With something new on the way, there will be better options and possible a lower priced Mavic Pro.

Tom_A Posted at 2018-2-18 08:10
I have not flown a Mavic Pro, but I have seen several of the audio test videos. I know that the decibel rating is not linear and the differences were supposed to indicate about half the sound, but the numbers were bouncing around and an average number had to be guessed at in every test I saw. It did not sound like half the noise to me on any of the videos. The perceived noise difference was definitely noticeable and maybe I should not have said "a little quieter", but that was not my point. I suggest you buy a drone crazy dog and fly over it's head 50 times before advising on it's capabilities.
It's a bit odd that you've called me out on giving advice about the Mavic Pro although I do not own one, but you've done the same with the Mavic Air. I have yet to experience any video glitches with the Mavic Air and have flown with the goggles.
The Mavic Pro is better than the Mavic Air in a few importan ways, but it's also not as good in a few important ways. If there weren't rumors of something new coming very soon, I might advise as you have to buy the Mavic Pro now. With something new on the way, there will be better options and possible a lower priced Mavic Pro.

Well, having flown both extensively I can tell you now without using any little gadgets (just my ears) the MPP is noticeably quieter than any drone I've owned. It's in a different league to the MA. It retails at £1,199 compared to the MA at £769 - there are more than jut a few reasons for that...

A CW Posted at 2018-2-18 09:40
Well, having flown both extensively I can tell you now without using any little gadgets (just my ears) the MPP is noticeably quieter than any drone I've owned. It's in a different league to the MA. It retails at £1,199 compared to the MA at £769 - there are more than jut a few reasons for that...

I know that the Mavic Pro is in a different league, but you can't ignore that there are a few upgrades to the Mavic Air that are not in the Mavic Pro. You can't expect this to be true for long. For me, the Mavic Air was a better choice. I did not want to purchase a Mavic Pro just to discover the new model came out a month later.  I prefer the smaller size of the Air and I'm OK with the reduced range and battery time.

Tom_A Posted at 2018-2-18 21:55
I know that the Mavic Pro is in a different league, but you can't ignore that there are a few upgrades to the Mavic Air that are not in the Mavic Pro. You can't expect this to be true for long. For me, the Mavic Air was a better choice. I did not want to purchase a Mavic Pro just to discover the new model came out a month later.  I prefer the smaller size of the Air and I'm OK with the reduced range and battery time.

Thats fine - whatever you feel comfortable with and can afford.

djiuser_kca9X8IYoTKM Posted at 2018-2-17 15:03
Would the MPP be any more difficult to fly than the Air?

I don't think so. Flying will be the same.
BUT
The MPP gives you a bit more control over the aircraft (more settings / flight modes) that can be overwhelming maybe.

Tom_A Posted at 2018-2-18 21:55
I know that the Mavic Pro is in a different league, but you can't ignore that there are a few upgrades to the Mavic Air that are not in the Mavic Pro. You can't expect this to be true for long. For me, the Mavic Air was a better choice. I did not want to purchase a Mavic Pro just to discover the new model came out a month later.  I prefer the smaller size of the Air and I'm OK with the reduced range and battery time.

The main improvement (if you ask me) is the bitrate.
That is a real downside of the MP / MPP.
The other improvements (quickshot modes, more sensors etc) are not showstoppers for me.
So yes, I do think  DJI will release the MP2 'soon' (like before summer)

djiuser_kca9X8IYoTKM Posted at 2018-2-17 15:52
After getting all the great feedback I think I'll wait till the MPP becomes available to make a change. Very much hoping they add backwards avoidance cameras

Have fun with the MA!
I think you made a good choice.
Did it work indoor?

Montfrooij Posted at 2018-2-18 23:23
Have fun with the MA!
I think you made a good choice.
Did it work indoor?

I think he's waiting for a cheaper MPP or MP2 release Montfrooij

What is the noise difference between the Mavic Air and Mavic Pro? Which is louder and by how much?

MA and MP is very slight by all accounts - many say the MA has a higher pitch which carries further. May be DJI will bring out low noise props for the Air soon.

A CW Posted at 2018-2-19 02:54
I think he's waiting for a cheaper MPP or MP2 release Montfrooij

Judging by the avatars icon and initial post, TS already has a MA
And he (?) was going to try and fly indoor

I see - yes! He wants a quieter drone! Price drop on the MPP then

I do have the Mavic Air. I have  decided to see what technology the new Mavic Pro has before I make a decision. I have now flown the Mavic Air indoors without any significant problems. If the new Mavic Pro
has more obstacle avoidance I'll probably buy it.  It's a financial stretch because it looks like the Fly More will probably wind up costing 1600.00 plus the refresh care money. Is there less of a chance of a transmission disconnect with the current Pro then the Air?

djiuser_kca9X8IYoTKM Posted at 2018-2-19 09:31
I do have the Mavic Air. I have  decided to see what technology the new Mavic Pro has before I make a decision. I have now flown the Mavic Air indoors without any significant problems. If the new Mavic Pro
has more obstacle avoidance I'll probably buy it.  It's a financial stretch because it looks like the Fly More will probably wind up costing 1600.00 plus the refresh care money. s thgere less of a chance of a transmission disconnect with the current Pro then the Air?

Wise move!     

If you guys really bought a drone because of the sound levels that's totally stupid seriously who buys a drone for that.... unless you have like discreet missions you have to do or something otherwise why are you flying an AP aircraft I have the mavic pro with the mavic pro Platinum props and it's nothing special just changes the pitch by ear it's stupid I took them right off and put on my old props they seem flimsy anyway and those were direct from DJI anyway take it from someone who has both.... I like my air better and when the mavic Pro 2 comes out I will get that. also you guys act like the mavic pro Platinum was this huge upgrade to the mavic pro that has different props and a new paint job oooooooo...  and sinusoidal esc's big deal. That was the most Half Baked upgrade I ever seen DJI do. They should have put a better camera and more upgrades into the mavic pro Platinum at least updated the mavic pro Platinum from that horrible image processing chip from 2015 i mean damn the go pro hero 3 used it .... anyway I'm selling my mavic Pro if anyone is interested message me! Comes with a bunch of goodies few extra batteries and the ever so famous Platinum props!

$gambino$ Posted at 2018-2-19 14:07
If you guys really bought a drone because of the sound levels that's totally stupid seriously who buys a drone for that.... unless you have like discreet missions you have to do or something otherwise why are you flying an AP aircraft I have the mavic pro with the mavic pro Platinum props and it's nothing special just changes the pitch by ear it's stupid I took them right off and put on my old props they seem flimsy anyway and those were direct from DJI anyway take it from someone who has both.... I like my air better and when the mavic Pro 2 comes out I will get that. also you guys act like the mavic pro Platinum was this huge upgrade to the mavic pro that has different props and a new paint job oooooooo...  and sinusoidal esc's big deal. That was the most Half Baked upgrade I ever seen DJI do. They should have put a better camera and more upgrades into the mavic pro Platinum at least updated the mavic pro Platinum from that horrible image processing chip from 2015 i mean damn the go pro hero 3 used it .... anyway I'm selling my mavic Pro if anyone is interested message me! Comes with a bunch of goodies few extra batteries and the ever so famous Platinum props!

I appreciate everyone's opinion. Just hoping a lower sound level will decrease the amount of barking dogs.