I had Phantom 3 4K, which eventually started working after several months of service. I sold my P34K Drone and decided to buy something better and thought about buying Mavic Pro. But then Mavic Air appeared. It seemed to have all Mavic Pro features but in a smaller size !! Great, this is the one!!!! However, I decided to read user reviews on Drone sites, and now I have a problem. The  Mavic Pro image quality and the camera have been blamed, and on the  other hand Mavic Air has received a lot of criticism of WiFi problems  and other inconveniences. Now i have a dilema, is it better to  ignore the whole idea of purchasing a MP or MA and reading only other  users' problems because both devices seems to have issues?? (as long as one can operate drone's in general...!)

A lot of speculation about wifi problems.  It works fine.  Fly the Air in a area that doesn't share the 2.4ghz spectrum with thousands of people using their own wifi and you won't have a problem.  The Pro is better at flying kilometers away from the owner.  Both are using the same channels but different strategies for dealing with noise or other transmitters on the channel.  I think DJI saved the Mavic Air build money for sensor and camera improvements.  Put the money in other places that would have been wasted on tech for flying far beyond eyesight, since flying when you can't see your drone is illegal anyway.

Buy the Pro if you want to fly in challenging environments of a city or several kilometers from yourself (illegally in most countries).  Buy the Air if you want the better camera, size, collision sensing, and a tougher gimbal design.

Gunship9 Posted at 2018-3-18 06:23
A lot of speculation about wifi problems.  It works fine.  Fly the Air in a area that doesn't share the 2.4ghz spectrum with thousands of people using their own wifi and you won't have a problem.  The Pro is better at flying kilometers away from the owner.  Both are using the same channels but different strategies for dealing with noise or other transmitters on the channel.  I think DJI saved the Mavic Air build money for sensor and camera improvements.  Put the money in other places that would have been wasted on tech for flying far beyond eyesight, since flying when you can't see your drone is illegal anyway.

Buy the Pro if you want to fly in challenging environments of a city or several kilometers from yourself (illegally in most countries).  Buy the Air if you want the better camera, size, collision sensing, and a tougher gimbal design.

^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^

No issues whatsoever with the Air

Mavic Pro is a great drone, it’s Camera particularly let it down initially but has somewhat improved since its first release, everything else on Mavic Pro is excellent for its price point.

MavAir is a great drone with the latest tech a much improved camera particularly if you like to edit , IMO it has almost everything Mavic Pro has , with exception of Ocusync, but unless you want to fly long distance it will not make much difference.

It has as many redundancies as Mavic Pro if not more when you include extra OA sensors, it will fly pretty good distance which depends on the environment you are flying in , this is exactly the same for Mavic Pro .
One thing I will say about distance flying is it is completely boring you will probably do it once to get it out of your system, seeing your drone flying is a much better and satisfying experience.

Drones and problems, much of what you read has a lot to do with new users using drones for the first time, problems setting up (No Patience) loss of signal ( incorrect set up, wrong envoirment) not taking perfect film/pictures (inexperienced camera operators) etc etc.

Portability, the Mavic Air wins hands down it is the best most portable drone on the market for its price, yes the Mavic Pro is portable but it has an inferior camera twice the weight and twice the size , takes longer to set up and although quieter because of its unfolded size it probably is more intimidating to strangers, Mavic Air is a lot smaller when unfolded and is less likely to intimidate strangers.

What makes both of these drones great is the amazing technology, the potential to take great aerial photography, the price you can purchase this technology for is breathtaking, forget about those complaining there are 500 happy flyers to every one of those complaining and when you see the latest drone coming on the market the same people will still be complaining.

Best thing is to buy one and experience all that is good about these drones....

I fully support the statements above!

Wachtberger Posted at 2018-3-18 08:13
I fully support the statements above!

I support this statement that supports the statement above! After many years of flying I still do not trust any drone 100%. Always keep it relatively close, I use the MA primarily for the quickshots and is rarely more than 100 meters away from me.

QuadKid Posted at 2018-3-18 08:19
I support this statement that supports the statement above! After many years of flying I still do not trust any drone 100%. Always keep it relatively close, I use the MA primarily for the quickshots and is rarely more than 100 meters away from me.

I support this statement that supports the statement above the statement that supports the statements.

Yeah, is a puzzlement (as Yul Brenner said in "The King and I").  If I were to crash my Mavic Pro, I'd sure have a hard time making the decision that you're facing.  And the choice to "wait for the next one" would loom large in my thinking (but I have a Phantom 3 Adv in my closet, so I'd not be shut down).

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-3-18 09:38
I disagree with the statement & all the supporting statements that followed...  

Seriously though the Air is a good choice if you are content to fly close, want the ultimate in portability, & desire the very latest features.   

Thanks Dirty Bird, I like your comments I may just have to wait a bit...

Captain PIC Posted at 2018-3-18 09:47
Thanks Dirty Bird, I like your comments  I may just have to wait a bit...

in general i would agree with all statements made in this post.
Considering though my personal experiences i feel that if i was in your position i would be going with dirty birds advice.

Bob Brown Posted at 2018-3-18 08:55
I support this statement that supports the statement above the statement that supports the statements.

I support the statement that supports the statement that supports the statement above that supports the statement.  It is the statement of statement of statement of statements.

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-3-18 09:38
I disagree with the statement & all the supporting statements that followed...  

Seriously though the Air is a good choice if you are content to fly close, want the ultimate in portability, & desire the very latest features.   

Looks like I agree with Dirty Bird.

You are not going to fine the perfect Drone. Even the best of the best have problems.

If you get one , Obey the laws and fly safe.

B1houdini Posted at 2018-3-18 12:55
Looks like I agree with Dirty Bird.

You are not going to fine the perfect Drone. Even the best of the best have problems.

As much as I love Dirty Birds videos, if you want to obey the law... you don’t support his statements.

Oracle Miata Posted at 2018-3-18 13:10
As much as I love Dirty Birds videos, if you want to obey the law... you don’t support his statements.

The part where Dirty Birds said "go with the Pro" is the part I agreed with. That is my choice of drones.

Everyone has an opinion and we should respect that.
You don't have to agree with all that is said.

Dirty Bird Posted at 2018-3-18 14:12
"Oracle Miyata is a good guy."

Please though, no one should agree with my statement because after all I'm Dirty Bird...

Well most of it was ok, except the part about putting MavAir batteries in your pocket, MavAir has a combo set including a bag that holds everything including Crystalsky 5.5 and 6 batteries three more than the Mavic combo bag and no danger of breaking your sticks and it’s still just as small as the Mavic bag.

What about Autel Robotics EVO, is it something to wait for

Captain PIC Posted at 2018-3-18 22:25
What about Autel Robotics EVO, is it something to wait for

Sounds like your still confused.

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-3-19 08:28
Sounds like your still confused.

More or less, but I believe that I end up in the direction of Mavic Air Combo, because it represents a newer technology in many respects

Captain PIC Posted at 2018-3-19 09:16
More or less, but I believe that I end up in the direction of Mavic Air Combo, because it represents a newer technology in many respects

It’s a good choice you won’t be disappointed it also has the same size camera sensor as the new autel.

Captain PIC Posted at 2018-3-18 22:25
What about Autel Robotics EVO, is it something to wait for

If you wait for the EVO, you may be dead before you get a drone.  Purchase the AIR, don't look back... best all-around quad DJI currently makes.

Your best bet is to wait for Mavic Pro 2 if you are not in a hurry.

Always hard to decide.
Depending on your 'needs' it might be best to wait what MP2 brings.
BUT, nowadays MP is rather cheap and offers a lot of range + flight time.
Plus some more flight modes and a better camera. (what I have seen, footage is sharper than MA)

But, the MA has 100Mb/s bitrate, that you will benefit from in 4K under certain circumstances.

Now even more confused ... maybe I should give up the whole idea of getting a new drone at all, and just read stories and statements on line. That's fun, too

Seems the sweet spot is the Mavic Air in terms of tech, price and size. If price isn't an issue, get the Mavic Air, take it on your bike holiday, use it, enjoy it, and then sell it and get the Pro 2 when it comes out.
Disclaimer;  I am biased though - i have a Mavic Air, and haven't even seen the Pro in action, so i'm only speaking from my MA experience, with no actual data to compare with the Pro.

Captain PIC Posted at 2018-3-19 23:32
Now even more confused ... maybe I should give up the whole idea of getting a new drone at all, and just read stories and statements on line. That's fun, too

“Everything comes at the right time, but if the right time is too late to be patient, go earlier before it becomes too late.”

Captain PIC Posted at 2018-3-18 22:25
What about Autel Robotics EVO, is it something to wait for

Great product. Nothing wrong with it at all. You will be happy going with DJI or Autel. You just need to decide how you are going to fly and what you want the quad to do.

Good luck

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-3-18 07:09
Mavic Pro is a great drone, it’s Camera particularly let it down initially but has somewhat improved since its first release, everything else on Mavic Pro is excellent for its price point.

MavAir is a great drone with the latest tech a much improved camera particularly if you like to edit , IMO it has almost everything Mavic Pro has , with exception of Ocusync, but unless you want to fly long distance it will not make much difference.

Well said!

Never the less, I am still not convinced. So many sad stories on line...

While reading through all negative comments about Mavic Air, I am starting to wonder, how many Mavic Air drones are there in total? Are these sad stories representing something like 1% or 10% of all MAs?
Does anybody know how many Mavic Air drones are flying out there or being delivered?

Captain PIC Posted at 2018-3-24 02:03
While reading through all negative comments about Mavic Air, I am starting to wonder, how many Mavic Air drones are there in total? Are these sad stories representing something like 1% or 10% of all MAs?
Does anybody know how many Mavic Air drones are flying out there or being delivered?

When Mavic Pro was released you had at least 10 to 1 more problems with that drone, it sounds like you looking for an excuse not to buy, there are many many more positive facts about MavAir around here, why not take a look at videos/pictures section .

StanfordWebbie Posted at 2018-3-18 09:45
Yeah, is a puzzlement (as Yul Brenner said in "The King and I").  If I were to crash my Mavic Pro, I'd sure have a hard time making the decision that you're facing.  And the choice to "wait for the next one" would loom large in my thinking (but I have a Phantom 3 Adv in my closet, so I'd not be shut down).

I don't remember the King and I having a Mavic Pro in it ???

hallmark007 Posted at 2018-3-24 08:26
When Mavic Pro was released you had at least 10 to 1 more problems with that drone, it sounds like you looking for an excuse not to buy, there are many many more positive facts about MavAir around here, why not take a look at videos/pictures section .

I have a reason why I am not buying. It is a fact that there are so many different kind of problems out there. Battery issues, image issues, distance issues, Wi-Fi dropout etc.. So for now, I will keep some distance to Mavic Air until the beta test is over...

Captain PIC Posted at 2018-3-24 09:53
I have a reason why I am not buying. It is a fact that there are so many different kind of problems out there. Battery issues, image issues, distance issues, Wi-Fi dropout etc.. So for now, I will keep some distance to Mavic Air until the beta test is over...

Not hammering on DJI.  
Unless you are a techno masochist, you never want to be a beta tester or worse an alpha tester.
Speaking from years of experience with high performance computer systems that often had alpha and beta hardware and software.

Captain PIC Posted at 2018-3-24 02:03
While reading through all negative comments about Mavic Air, I am starting to wonder, how many Mavic Air drones are there in total? Are these sad stories representing something like 1% or 10% of all MAs?
Does anybody know how many Mavic Air drones are flying out there or being delivered?

Exactly, people dont tend to post things like "Hi I flew my MA again today without any problems" , "Hi another flight and nothing went wrong" etc etc. The forums are generally places where people seek advice for issues.  Many many many issues raised are just so uncommon that the explanations turn out to be some mistake by the pilot or some software procedure not the actual aircraft.
I also question the statement on "distance issues" . The MA can comfortably fly "out of sight" it is not designed to be a "range distance king", ask yourself how far out of sight do you want to fly and why. Lastly in terms of technology, you can spend a fortune chasing it and there is only one outcome, you will never catch it. Even if the MP2 comes out with all the bells and whistles that look like the "perfect" drone, within a few months the MP3 will be better, then the 4 etc etc etc. I fully understand why professional video guys need to keep up to date with video enhancements and better cameras but us hobiests dont even have a device to display 4k (other than maybe on our TV at home.).  To illustrate,I do wildlife photography as a hobby and  and have a collection of Nikon and Sony equipment approaching 20 000 Euro yet 200 000 plus photos later my go to camera is now no more than a Panasonic Fz1000.

The images out of the MA are just fine for most uses once you get used to the characteristics of the lens. I love the fact that you can easily position the aircraft in relation to the sun.

In summary I have not had a single issue with my Mavic Air, it is easy to fly has more than an adequate camera, I can fly more than a kilo away with ease. If I could wave a magic wand and have 1 or 2 things they would be 60 min flight time, zoom lens camera with F-stop setting and a Sony 1 inch sensor, sounds like an Inspire, oh and did I mention it should be as smallas a Mavic Air and cost the same ha ha ha ha ha.

QuadKid Posted at 2018-3-18 08:19
I support this statement that supports the statement above! After many years of flying I still do not trust any drone 100%. Always keep it relatively close, I use the MA primarily for the quickshots and is rarely more than 100 meters away from me.

how far away from you do you fly with the Mavic Pro?

Picanoc Jack Posted at 2018-3-25 03:11
how far away from you do you fly with the Mavic Pro?

The Mavic Pro 300-400 meters on average (although I have gone farther out over water) where there is no compass, signal or WiFi interference. The Mavic Air 100-200 meters

Just decide what you need the drone for and buy the model that is designed for that purpose.

QuadKid Posted at 2018-3-25 03:26
The Mavic Pro 300-400 meters on average (although I have gone farther out over water) where there is no compass, signal or WiFi interference. The Mavic Air 100-200 meters

CE is supposed to be 2.000 meters... NOT 200 meters?? I do not understand. Would you bay a car  and so forth...

Captain PIC Posted at 2018-3-25 06:24
CE is supposed to be 2.000 meters... NOT 200 meters?? I do not understand. Would you bay a car  and so forth...

Because we have rules here in the states VLOS, and if something happens I want to know exactly where my drone is, not some DJI software "Find my Drone" suggesting where it is. And I will always drive to the spot to get the shot I want, hence the reason for the car

QuadKid Posted at 2018-3-25 06:43
Because we have rules here in the states VLOS, and if something happens I want to know exactly where my drone is, not some DJI software "Find my Drone" suggesting where it is. And I will always drive to the spot to get the shot I want, hence the reason for the car

not buying this explanation