Based on the manual.
So one cycle is two folds.
If you carry your Mavic around and fly daily its reasonable three cycles a day.
365* 6 = 2190

So Mavic will barely last two years?!

Not to be pendantic, but that's well over 2 years.

I suspect a far more common scenario would be two cycles a day x 2 weekend days a week, so, 4x52=208 annually, 5000/208=24 years before beginning to wear out.

In either scenario, I'd expect the motors to burn out first.

What a non-issue...

I am sure it will crash long before then.
Regards,
-d.

I wish I could fly 365 days a year. In my case it's about 52 times a year. So the makes it more than 16 years.................

If you can successfully fly it that many times a day for well over two years you are getting your money out of it.  It will be time to upgrade anyway.

If mine wear out after 5000 cycles I'll be happy to then glue them solidly in place, and make a Phantom 4 out of it.

One flight:
1x open
1x close
1x open to get out card
1x close
not to mention u cannot take the battery out without a set of open and close

So, a minimum of 4 times per fight (only if you do zero unnecessary folds)
if you fly daily, u get 3.4 years only when u do zero unnecessary folds

Ricky Wu Posted at 2017-2-16 01:15
One flight:
1x open
1x close

You could choose not to buy it if you don't think it's worth the money. Or sell it before the second version appears dropping the Mavics price.

You could always streamline like I do and place a full battery in and swap the SD card out before you pack up to go home.

I think what you described as "one cycle" (fold and unfold) is actually what DJI defines as a "fold". After all, "folding" is when you make it more compact by bringing the arms closer to the body, while the reverse is what I hope we can agree is called "unfolding". So if DJI claims that you can "fold" it 5,000 times, that strongly implies you can actually do both 5,000 times. This alone doubles the result of your calculation, which means that even if you assume such frequent "cycles" and that the 5,000 number is the absolute maximum (unlikely), you could still expect to get 4.5 years of use out of it. Anyway, you mentioned the 5,000 number but here's what DJI actually says about it (emphasis mine):

"The folding mechanism has been tested to last at least 5000 folds. It is unlikely that it will wear out during the Mavic’s lifetime."

If it lasts that long I have no complaints, I will have replaced my unit, or upgraded long before based on penchant for GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) of which I am terribly afflicted.  

I agree with the all the other people that posted here. I don't fly everyday. That's an impossibility here (as with most places I would assume). Even if it were to last only one year I  will have gotten my monies worth out of it. It will be time to upgrade to the newest model (which I will) and I'll do it all again. I'm fine with this cycle.

I'm sure everyone will be drooling for the Mavic 2 or even 3 way before the 1 wears out LOL. I know I will!

Hhaha... now I'm counting how many times I've opened the Mavic hahaha thank you to this thread

These things are toys and toys break.....

These things are toys and toys break.....

What a bunch of sallies. Throw it out when it reaches the cycle limits. Non issue for sure!

TBH i think the wiring will fail well before the 5000 cycle deadline,  i no longer fold my Mavic,  i have around 20 hours flight time on it now, and have only folded it about 5 times, mostly for curiosity and to see the best way it fits in its own bag ( if its ever needed) and then for IMU calibration. i have built many folding quads with the best wire available to allow this , and on recount i have seen 3 failures,  guessing around 500 cycles,  if the mavic had some form of slew/slip ring design maybe i would trust it,  but i see a bunch of wires in a sheath making funny angles as it folds,  so its not for me.

Ex Machina Posted at 2017-2-15 20:42
Not to be pendantic, but that's well over 2 years.

I suspect a far more common scenario would be two cycles a day x 2 weekend days a week, so, 4x52=208 annually, 5000/208=24 years before beginning to wear out.

Haha... good point about the motors... not to mention other toys coming along to take over the Mavic territory.  Yes, I know, hard to believe... but it will happen.

Another ridiculous thread. Anyway I really doubt you could fly your Mavic everyday for two years without crashing it.

The best drone in the market now is a toy. I want to buy it before and before I see this, I want to buy the Mavic Mini for me and my mom. (I am just 8 years old)

So now a best drone is a toy, I am glad I didn't have it but I want to but it before so before I know this I thinks the Mavic Mini is for me and my mom. And it is non-expansive drone.

Not a problem