Chriswood718 Posted at 2018-1-24 11:27
The Mavic air hasn't proven to have the Flyway function that mavic pro and spark have.

Just give it some time.  There's not enough Airs in the wild yet for the flyaways and poor connections with the AC to popup in the forums.
In 6-8 months this discussion will be mute as the new Mavic Pro II will be more advanced like APAS using 360 degree sensor coverage and better camera (1" sensor).

Woe Posted at 2018-1-25 08:58
True words spoken. Own the Mavic Air for a month or so before saying it’s the best.

Absolutely. I think the Mavic Air is a fantastic mini drone that will bring more people into the hobby and suit individual needs more but no, it is not better for my needs for the reasons stated and is much cheaper for many reasons.

The truth of the matter here is DJI has effectively hood winked those of us on here and most probably other forums into believing the new drone was going to be a Mavic 2 with greater camera and better dynamics all round ... perhaps it's a little strong to say DJI hood winked us but lets agree they did nothing to quell the pages written on here about what people were wishing for etc. hence, once the new drone is revealed it became (to many) a complete let down, a deflation ... not what the majority were looking for or expecting.

Yes the new drone has decent camera spec's in comparison to the Spark and I guess to the Mavic but they are not the huge improvement they needed to be to really better the Mavic so this is why this drone to most of us has been wrongly named .... Lets face it, it's a Spark update and should have been named accordingly rather than refer to it as a Mavic .... the only Mavicesque thing it does is fold it's arms/legs ... however you refer to them.

For many of us this is not a Mavic upgrade or a Mavic beater .... it's a warmed over Spark .... nothing wrong with that at all and most likely it will prove to be a great little flier but thats it ... apart from some camera functions and a few extra sensors it cannot compete on the same terms as the Mavic for flight endurance, distance, (I guess) stability, Speed and it's no more portable than the Mavic in real terms.

Who will buy a Mavic Air?

Most people, who want to get a drone already have one. As a toy or when money is limited, MV Air is too expensive. These people go with cheap noname crap or Spark. Of course, there are some who always buy the latest stuff. But that's not the majority. For those who have the MV pro already, it's not really worth an upgrade. You can argue if MV Air is better or not, but nowhere substantial for most. So sale's potential here is limited to those who are entering new or need the latest stuff.

Instead DJI could have brought us MV pro 2, with 6 way sensor, keep Occusync, better gimbal and camera, eventually 360° camera @ $1,200 to 1,500. Eventually with 3D camera option on goggles. I bet, many would upgraded to that one.

Interestingly, when the MV pro was released, shipping times in DJI store quickly went up. Ok, maybe DJI learned their lesson? Anyhow, MV Air is still available for shipment on 01/28. So demand seems to be on the lower side. Just my 2 cents.

it's a mid market drone which falls right in the middle between the Spark and the Mavic Pro.  I like it, but now the dabate to upgrade my spark to the air or the pro

ibidochkadepp Posted at 2018-1-25 10:26
Who will buy a Mavic Air?

Most people, who want to get a drone already have one. As a toy or when money is limited, MV Air is too expensive. These people go with cheap noname crap or Spark. Of course, there are some who always buy the latest stuff. But that's not the majority. For those who have the MV pro already, it's not really worth an upgrade. You can argue if MV Air is better or not, but nowhere substantial for most. So sale's potential here is limited to those who are entering new or need the latest stuff.

I watched the launch of the Mavic Pro and the Air - 16 months apart - the audience went wild in September 2016 for the Pro and it sold out in 48 hours with customer waiting times lasting up to 5 months and second hand MP's selling on Ebay for upwards of £3,000 over Christmas that year - no, I didn't buy one for that price but others did...
The audience seemed quite muted to me for the Air. I was all ears until he said those notorious words "Enhanced WiFi Transmission" and "1/2.3 inch 12MP sensor" - immediate deal breaker right there and then. I spent the rest of the presentation trying to work out why this was even classified as a Mavic - folding arms as Bigga J says I guess. It does look like an upgraded Spark - I can't see anything 'Mavic' about it. Even the RC does not have an LCD, just like the Spark.

It’s just another dji drone full of great features great technology and in the current drone market will probably be the best value for consumers buck.

It’s not a Mavic Pro it’s not a spark it’s not even a P4Pro, if you are happy with your Mavic then your happy.
Your not missing anything, this is just another drone, many will find great use for it , many will just purchase it because they love drones.
I don’t think it’s pretending to be anything except another great dji creation.

LeftHandMedia Posted at 2018-1-24 06:39
It's all objective. I think it's better in many ways!
Mavic Air 4K 100 mbps (I promise you, this is a big upgrade from the MP)
2.7K @ 60fps (Which will scale really well to 4K)

The only comment that makes perfect sense. Thank you!

Lucas775 Posted at 2018-1-24 17:48
Why they called it a Mavic is beyond me.  What a slap in the face to the Mavic community.

Sampal sa mukha mo ba?

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-1-25 10:49
It’s just another dji drone full of great features great technology and in the current drone market will probably be the best value for consumers buck.

It’s not a Mavic Pro it’s not a spark it’s not even a P4Pro, if you are happy with your Mavic then your happy.

My point exactly - and when I state that the Mavic Pro is a better drone for my personal needs I would prefer it people accept that rather than accuse me of not being able to take constructive criticism for not agreeing that this mini drone is best thing out there. It will be for some but it's not for me or many MP/P owners as seems to be the case.

Nothing is throttled by the SD card really. Almost all class 10 sd card can write at MUCH higher speeds that what 100mbps translates to. Thats not even 10MB/S.
DJI could have easily made the mavic record at 100mbps rate for 4K but i guess they didnt want to overshadow the phantom 4 pro back then.
It would be nice for DJI to release software update that allows higher bitrate on the Mavic. But this is DJI we are talking about. They dont listen to customers, no matter what.

No Man's Drone Posted at 2018-1-25 10:53
Sampal sa mukha mo ba?

Diba mukhang Sparks not mavic.  a

A CW Posted at 2018-1-25 08:50
And this is what I wrote on another post if my personal opinion is that important to you...

Transmission range is VERY important when flying drones - not to fly beyond VLOS but to have a stronger signal to more efficiently overcome electromagnetic interference to prevent signal breakage, lag issues, glitches, latency etc in the live feed. I also like that the live feed can be recorded in FHD too on my MPP - with all the other drones only offering HD. In my experience of using lightbridge, lightbridge HD and enhanced WiFi - OcuSync is easily the best for the quality of the image projected and minimal signal breaks. In addition, for those with formal permission, the Mavic Pro has the longest range capability of any consumer grade drone on the market in CE compliant areas at 2.5 miles/4KM. Even my P4P is only 2.2 miles. The Spark would crash at around 300-500M using an enhanced WiFi only transmission similar to the Mavic Air making flying near urban areas almost impossible and very frustrating.

Very well written and informative.

However...
My clients do not care about OccuSync, Wifi, or anything else but picture quality.  If the 100 mbps isn't a better picture quality I will return it.  Just like I returned the original MP I had.  Why? The Phantom has a superior image.  There have been and will be places my Phantom wouldn't/won't work.  Which is why the Air, with better camera quality specs (yes on paper) is the better option when image quality is what matters when clients hand over money.  

But, yeah, "True words spoken."

Woe Posted at 2018-1-25 08:58
True words spoken. Own the Mavic Air for a month or so before saying it’s the best.

Did you read his original post?? He exclaimed that the Air was not  better than the MP/P. Maybe he should own the Air before stating what he stated...  Or not, whatever you internet gods decide!

You intend to use a WiFi drone in a commercial operation? Interesting LOL

Who says it is the successor of the MP?
I think it is not marketed that way.
Air has some updates, but the lack of certain modes (home lock etc.) suggests DJI puts it below the 'pro' range.
There is (was) a rather big gab between Spark and MP they managed to fill.
I think that is a nice extra option.
And I also suppose that the real successor (Mavic Pro 2) will be announced rather soon.
There are some area's it can be improved.
Maybe 'Mavic' is just 'foldable' in DJI's world

LeftHandMedia Posted at 2018-1-25 15:51
Did you read his original post?? He exclaimed that the Air was not  better than the MP/P. Maybe he should own the Air before stating what he stated...  Or not, whatever you internet gods decide!

No need to get your propellers ruffled. There’s more than just the original post. Did you read only the first and last two post. I don’t own the Mavic Air. I do own the MP and before owning it I had the P3A which at the time to me was the best drone I owned. Now I have the Mavic which to me is the best drone. I’m not going to compare a drone I don’t own to one I do until I fly it myself a few months. Just like the original post states what am I missing.

Woe Posted at 2018-1-25 23:16
No need to get your propellers ruffled. There’s more than just the original post. Did you read only the first and last two post. I don’t own the Mavic Air. I do own the MP and before owning it I had the P3A which at the time to me was the best drone I owned. Now I have the Mavic which to me is the best drone. I’m not going to compare a drone I don’t own to one I do until I fly it myself a few months. Just like the original post states what am I missing.

Exactly! Whoever determines that a drone is 'better' by reading specs and watching a YT video has no argument. Until the drone has been received, set up and flown many, many times - then a comparison can not be made. The fact he stated that "he'll return it if..." proves my point. My post in number 41 clearly explains why the MP/P is a better drone.

I hope someone posts a review comparing the GO 4 app settings available for the Air against the ones that are available for the Pro. For example, is there an "EXP" setting for the joysticks? Without this it will be more difficult to control the Air in making smooth movements.

What is the resolution of the video transmission?
* Air - 720p at 30 fps.
*  Pro - OcuSync has a range of up to 4.3 miles (7 km) with improved resistance to interference and a higher transmission throughput. At shorter ranges it can stream footage to you at 1080p resolution and also allows photo and video downloads at 40Mb/s.


What is the latency of the video transmission?
* Air - The video transmission latency to your mobile device is 170 to 240 ms. However, this is subject to the performance of your mobile device and signal interference.
* Pro - 160ms-170ms from the Mavic’s camera to your device screen under ideal conditions.

A CW Posted at 2018-1-25 22:47
You intend to use a WiFi drone in a commercial operation? Interesting LOL

I feel the same way about people using their MP/P as their sole aerial device for paid work. "LOL"

Woe Posted at 2018-1-25 23:16
No need to get your propellers ruffled. There’s more than just the original post. Did you read only the first and last two post. I don’t own the Mavic Air. I do own the MP and before owning it I had the P3A which at the time to me was the best drone I owned. Now I have the Mavic which to me is the best drone. I’m not going to compare a drone I don’t own to one I do until I fly it myself a few months. Just like the original post states what am I missing.

I love you internet warriors!   Mr. A CW "Captain" stated that the MP/P was better than the Air.  You barked back saying "Own the Mavic Air for a month or so before saying it's the best."  I replied with zero "propellers ruffled" by asking you to expect the same as MR. A CW "Captain" (In case you're still wondering, the previous statement is what you were missing)
Please forgive my inexcusable request.

Anyway,  three aerial shoots today, Peace!

LeftHandMedia Posted at 2018-1-26 06:01
I love you internet warriors!   Mr. A CW "Captain" stated that the MP/P was better than the Air.  You barked back saying "Own the Mavic Air for a month or so before saying it's the best."  I replied with zero "propellers ruffled" by asking you to expect the same as MR. A CW "Captain" (In case you're still wondering, the previous statement is what you were missing)
Please forgive my inexcusable request.

Seems to me that you're the one who can't handle constructive feedback - even when it's "very well written and informative"...

Anyway take care 'LEVEL 2 Lefthander', enjoy your toy and missing you already! LOL

A CW Posted at 2018-1-25 23:32
Exactly! Whoever determines that a drone is 'better' by reading specs and watching a YT video has no argument. Until the drone has been received, set up and flown many, many times - then a comparison can not be made. The fact he stated that "he'll return it if..." proves my point.

Let me get this straight. You're calling me out for saying I read, specs, watch videos, and may perhaps buy an item, test it out, and return it if it doesn't fit my needs? That. Is . Awesome

And then... You hilariously contradict the original reason I began this magical conversation with you.  By saying , and I quote " Until the drone has been received, set up and flown many, many times - then a comparison cannot be made."
Ummmmmmmmmmm........  Remember way back when you emphatically stated that the Air was not better than the MP/P? Here, I'll refresh your memory.


It's not being presented or marketed as superior or even a replacement of the Mavic Pro - it's an additional model in the DJI line up thats sits above the Spark and below the Mavic Pro but has latest tech i.e. flight autonomy 2.0 and new flight modes. It's not a pro grade drone but looks like the best mini drone out there today!  And no, it's not better than the MP/P.

You sir, have an amazing time figuring out what it is you're trying to convey, I'm done with you clowns, enjoy talking about your drones, I'm off to get paid with mine!

Over and Out sweetness.

LeftHandMedia Posted at 2018-1-26 06:15
Let me get this straight. You're calling me out for saying I read, specs, watch videos, and may perhaps buy an item, test it out, and return it if it doesn't fit my needs? That. Is . Awesome

And then... You hilariously contradict the original reason I began this magical conversation with you.  By saying , and I quote " Until the drone has been received, set up and flown many, many times - then a comparison cannot be made."

Shame I had to spell it out to you 'LEVEL 2 Lefthander' but at least you got it in the end: Below the Mavic Pro, above the Spark - and your reply that my understanding is "very well written and informative" decimated your argument from that point onward. I was over and out with you ages ago pal - you started this now I'm ending it.

LeftHandMedia Posted at 2018-1-26 06:01
I love you internet warriors!   Mr. A CW "Captain" stated that the MP/P was better than the Air.  You barked back saying "Own the Mavic Air for a month or so before saying it's the best."  I replied with zero "propellers ruffled" by asking you to expect the same as MR. A CW "Captain" (In case you're still wondering, the previous statement is what you were missing)
Please forgive my inexcusable request.

Trolls are the best. 3 aerial shots funny.  Probably not good ones since you’re using WiFi. Lol

Woe Posted at 2018-1-26 06:27
Trolls are the best. 3 aerial shots funny.  Probably not good ones since you’re using WiFi. Lol

Blatant troll with a HUGE inferiority complex. Clearly has issue with seeing the word "Captain" on anyone but himself LOL Quite sad really and clearly knows absolutely nothing about drones. I feel so sorry for his 'clients' LOL

LeftHandMedia Posted at 2018-1-26 06:15
Let me get this straight. You're calling me out for saying I read, specs, watch videos, and may perhaps buy an item, test it out, and return it if it doesn't fit my needs? That. Is . Awesome

And then... You hilariously contradict the original reason I began this magical conversation with you.  By saying , and I quote " Until the drone has been received, set up and flown many, many times - then a comparison cannot be made."

Your right your propellers are not bunched, their totally cracked. I’m glad you’re making enough money to fill your tank 1/3 of the way. Sweetness.

Apple marketing that all.

Airball Posted at 2018-1-24 05:56
That’s just my observation after watching a dozen ‘review’ videos. Very unscientific. Problem is, I don’t trust that we’re getting legit comparisons – who’s going to say anything negative about the Air and risk not getting any more free drones from DJI?

In the TomsTechTime videos, the stuff from the Air looked really good. But in the Casey Neistat video (with 200% and 500% crops), the footage from the Air looked terrible compared to the Pro. So who knows.

not sure if it'll completely knock spark out of the ball park. Anyone that wants a reliable and credible drone for a few hundred would easily go with the Spark. It's the best thing out there that shoots great video for nearly half the cost of the Air. A lot of people just want a drone that can record, don't care about anything beyond that. I'd consider it a step above the spark for anyone that wants to take it more seriously, but definitely not a replacement for the spark or the mavic pro

FWIW on another thread asking if the MP/MPP would receive a firmware update for 100Mbps, a DJI admin posted a reply saying 'stay tuned'.

If it happens, would be a nice show of support by DJI for advanced/professional customers.

rshah921 Posted at 2018-1-26 07:46
not sure if it'll completely knock spark out of the ball park. Anyone that wants a reliable and credible drone for a few hundred would easily go with the Spark. It's the best thing out there that shoots great video for nearly half the cost of the Air. A lot of people just want a drone that can record, don't care about anything beyond that. I'd consider it a step above the spark for anyone that wants to take it more seriously, but definitely not a replacement for the spark or the mavic pro

Your right, Airball is talking rubbish, Spark was a great aircraft for its  Functionalty Price and performance and same can be said for Mavic Pro. And they are still great drones.
At the moment they're is no dji drone currently on the market the we could say is a bad drone, but the are all different in many ways from each other.
If you are happy with your purchase then thats the one for you , if your not then you purchased the wrong one.

I already expressed a similar idea somewhere around here.
And absolutely agree with you. Until I found the reason that makes me change Mavik Pro to Mavik Air.

I would move to Mavik Air (probably, maybe) if they showed me a trick similar to what the guys who sell FLUKE equipment show to us - guys drop them on the ground, about concrete, etc.
Once measuring instruments were also tender and afraid of impact. Now it's Mavik's turn!

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-1-26 08:12
Your right, Airball is talking rubbish, Spark was a great aircraft for its  Functionalty Price and performance and same can be said for Mavic Pro. And they are still great drones.
At the moment they're is no dji drone currently on the market the we could say is a bad drone, but the are all different in many ways from each other.
If you are happy with your purchase then thats the one for you , if your not then you purchased the wrong one.

Suggesting a 100Mbps update to the MP/MPP would be welcomed is 'talking rubbish'? Get real.

Airball Posted at 2018-1-26 09:20
Suggesting a 100Mbps update to the MP/MPP would be welcomed is 'talking rubbish'? Get real.

My fear is that DJI has shot themselves in the foot. They may have been trying to fill in a gap in their product line, but in reality they may have killed both the Spark and the Mavic Pro.

What you said above is rubbish and many said the same about all dji new released aircraft, but having 80% of the drone market just shows what you are saying is rubbish.

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-1-26 09:29
My fear is that DJI has shot themselves in the foot. They may have been trying to fill in a gap in their product line, but in reality they may have killed both the Spark and the Mavic Pro.

What you said above is rubbish and many said the same about all dji new released aircraft, but having 80% of the drone market just shows what you are saying is rubbish.

Are you telling me you would seriously consider buying a Spark over an Air, given the modest price difference?

There's still hope at the high-end though e.g. MP/MPP. But with the EVO around the corner, DJI will need to work a little harder than they're used to e.g. a 100Mbps update would address many of the concerns IMO.

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-1-26 09:29
My fear is that DJI has shot themselves in the foot. They may have been trying to fill in a gap in their product line, but in reality they may have killed both the Spark and the Mavic Pro.

What you said above is rubbish and many said the same about all dji new released aircraft, but having 80% of the drone market just shows what you are saying is rubbish.

I guess time will tell. There are many of us that buy whatever DJI releases because quad addiction.  I tried very hard to stay away and I eventually succumbed to my addiction.  I really love my Mavic and my P4P, but I use my Spark so much due to it's size that having another small bird with better specs was super appealing.

Airball Posted at 2018-1-26 09:38
Are you telling me you would seriously consider buying a Spark over an Air, given the modest price difference?

There's still hope at the high-end though e.g. MP/MPP. But with the EVO around the corner, DJI will need to work a little harder than they're used to e.g. a 100Mbps update would address many of the concerns IMO.

$399=Spark $799=MavAir , so you call $400 modest well I don’t. If I want to buy my 14 year old a dji drone I would have no problem buying a spark at that price I would have a problem buying him a $799 drone as a first drone , so again what your saying is not how it is.

Evo is coming dji will need to work harder, the worlds leading consumer drone company with almost 80% of the market is working pretty hard, it’s other companies that need to work harder.

A 100 bps would address many concerns, I don’t believe there are many concerns amongst Mavic users, they know their day will come and all the new tech in MavAir will be in the Mavic 2 and a whole lot more.
Dji have always tried to introduce new tech and new features into all their drones.
But it usually takes a couple of months, but it’s almost certain this where possible will happen as it always does, point in fact gesture modes quick shot etc.

Another apologist. Seems a person can't offer constructive criticism without bringing the shills out of the woodwork. The real drones here are (some of) the posters.

Airball Posted at 2018-1-26 10:49
Another apologist. Seems a person can't offer constructive criticism without bringing the shills out of the woodwork. The real drones here are (some of) the posters.

Your free to state your opinion just as others are free to state theirs.  The name calling is a bit juvenile.

Almost as juvenile as the thread hijackers who quickly overwhelm anybody who makes the slightest criticism of DJI. We're all free to comment here, that's not the issue.

Ironically, in my dealings with DJI, they've been very open and receptive to constructive feedback/criticism. It's the posters who seem to have a problem with it.