15 Greatest Drawbacks with Mavic 3 (You Ought to Know) – Droneblog.com

I do know what you might be considering; all corporations cost a bit extra for his or her official equipment. That’s true, however when you might have over a 50% share of the market, as DJI has, you might be ready to do issues proper in your clients, and never doing it’s your accountability, and yours solely. 

Let me make myself clear, I’m not saying that they need to give away the Mavic 3 equipment, however charging $319 for a carrying bag appears to be a little bit bit an excessive amount of, even when everyone seems to be loving it, as appears to be the case. 

3. Combo packages

Having choices in life makes all of the distinction; selecting pals, automobile, home, and many others. I believe we also needs to be capable of select the proper mixture for our beloved drone, don’t you? 

When shopping for a UAS for our day-to-day work operations, we must always have the chance to truly choose what equipment we need to embrace, identical to once you purchase a automobile. If DJI supplied a number of totally different packages in response to the wants of their clients, everybody would win, however the choices appear to have been chosen poorly and are additionally restricted. 

For example, the DJI Mavic 3 Fly Extra Combo comes with the $319 carrying bag that I discussed earlier, however what if you happen to don’t want that bag? It additionally comes with a lens that prices $179, for a complete of $498 that you’d be paying additional for some issues that you could be by no means use.

The bundle supplied by the Fly Extra combo with different drones, such because the Mini 2, is value it. Nevertheless, as a result of giant enhance in worth suffered by the Mavic 3, not everybody can afford to pay that more money. Allow us to not overlook that this can be a professional drone, a software for working, and for some corporations, $800 could make all of the distinction between getting the drone they want or having to go looking for the same, cheaper product. 

There are a number of issues that DJI might do. For example, in the event that they supplied a bundle that included solely additional clever flight batteries with the charging hub at a superb worth, I’m fairly positive that it will turn into a best-seller. An alternative choice could possibly be together with the costly DJI RC Professional, which prices within the official retailer a whopping $1199, in a bundle with a good price ticket. It’s simple to think about different nice choices that will be a win for everybody. 

4. Telephoto 

Most likely the largest novelty of the brand new DJI Mavic 3 is the telephoto digicam. Most Mavic 3 homeowners had been tremendous excited to get their palms on the drone and check what it was able to doing, however quickly their pleasure pale away. Don’t get me fallacious, the telephoto is a good addition to probably the most well-known skilled shopper drone, however, as with many different options, it falls brief. 

The next factors will show you how to perceive why the telephoto is just not what we anticipated:

• Poor high quality: There’s one large distinction between the primary digicam and the telephoto, which is that the latter is just not Hasselblad. Which means that the telephoto sensor is way smaller, providing you with a decrease image high quality in low-light circumstances. 
• 2 in 1 filter: As we noticed within the packages part, the Mavic 3 contains its personal ND filters within the fly extra combo model. They’re of superb high quality, however the issue is that they arrive in a 2-in-1 bundle. This may occasionally appear handy to some, however for the reason that sensors are totally different, when utilizing an ND filter for the Hasselblad, it won’t work nicely for telephoto. 
• Completely different Decision, Similar Drawback: In an analogous approach as with the filters, the telephoto digicam doesn’t report in Apple ProRes format, neither in 5.1 Ok. For that reason, matching the footage taken by the Hasselblad sensor with the one from the telephoto can get too difficult, and even unimaginable if we’re recording in low mild. 
• Accessibility: It’s inevitable to match the Mavic 3 Cine with the Mavic 2 Zoom. Each drones had been made for cinematic recordings. Nevertheless, the accessibility of the distant controller included with the Mavic 3 is just not perfect. Having to zoom in on the app provides us one of many worst experiences that we might have when performing this activity. How onerous was it to incorporate a zoom wheel? The RC Professional does supply different fascinating zooming choices, however to get it, we have to pay more money.

5. No mechanical shutter

Months forward of the Mavic 3 launch, YouTubers, bloggers, and customers in the preferred drone boards began questioning if the extremely anticipated UAS by DJI can be launched with a mechanical shutter. Disappointingly, it didn’t.

Why is the mechanical shutter so necessary? Most notably, it removes the rolling shutter impact in aerial images. For that reason, the DJI Phantom Professional v2.0 is among the hottest drones for professionals who work in aerial mapping and photogrammetry tasks. Having a mechanical shutter interprets into much less distortion, which supplies extra correct ends in maps and 3D fashions. 

Nevertheless, the Phantom mechanical shutter can solely be utilized in images, because it can not operate at excessive body charges reminiscent of 24, 30 or 60 FPS, the usual in video recordings. DJI does have a digicam that features a world mechanical shutter – that’s the DJI Zenmuse P1, however will price you round $6300. 

6. D-Log (Solely at ISO 400 – 800)

The Mavic 3 is knowledgeable drone that comes with a particular price ticket. Due to this fact, we must always count on it to be top-notch in each sense. Many professional pilots have to report their footage in D-Log mode, and though it was not out there from the get-go, fortunately DJI included this feature within the DJI Fly app with a software program replace just a few weeks after the discharge of the drone. 

The D-Log mode is a setting designed to maximise the dynamic vary captured within the video recorded by your drone. In the event you had been to shoot in low mild circumstances, with sturdy spotlight and plenty of shadow parts, utilizing D-Log you’d protect rather more element than taking pictures within the default mode. 

In different phrases, it supplies us with extra choices to color-correct the footage, additional tweaking the white steadiness, saturation, and distinction. Why? For instance, to make the colours look as pure as attainable.

Right here comes the issue with D-Log in Mavic 3. For some cause, they’ve capped this mode to make use of solely an ISO setting between 400 and 800, which limits our dynamic vary choices. Some consultants within the subject have identified that D-Log mode within the Mavic 3 is just not horrible, more often than not we will make it work in our tasks. Nevertheless, on another events, that limitation will make all of the distinction, holding you again from reaching the outcomes you need. 

7. Superior Return to Dwelling (ARTH)

Any pilot may be petrified of crashing the drone in some environments, it might occur to all of us if we don’t know the place we’re flying very nicely or whether it is actually difficult. Due to that, we had been all fairly excited once we first heard that DJI was implementing a brand new system for the drone to securely return to its take-off level. 

The Chinese language big promised “enhanced security” with the brand new Superior Return to Dwelling (ARTH) system, as introduced on its official web site. This function was designed to make the drone robotically return to its take-off level (or any level that you simply set manually) utilizing the omnidirectional set of sensors included within the plane. The process is easy, the drone will ascend to the altitude beforehand set by the person, fly in a straight line, then land on the house level. 

The brand new system permits the plane to robotically decide the shortest, most secure, and most energy-efficient route, whereas on the identical time measuring wind velocity and calculating the facility necessities, all in real-time. 

Nevertheless, it seems that this new system might need promised greater than it might ship. There are just a few movies on YouTube of people that challenged superior return to dwelling in sure conditions, leading to them crashing their drones (Have I advised you that this can be a $2199 product?). 

The explanation why Mavic 3 crashes utilizing its impediment avoidance system is that there are blind spots and a difficulty with the show. 

As we will see from the illustration within the person guide (web page 20), there may be an necessary blind spot cone going through ahead within the higher a part of the plane. This three- to five-foot blind cone might clarify why the drone is jumpy when flying slowly. DJI particularly promoted the system in an official video showcasing a Mavic 3 avoiding timber in a forest, which is precisely the kind of state of affairs the place the drone might fail as a result of blind spot. Not cool. 

The opposite large drawback is expounded to what we see on-screen. In conditions the place the sunshine is low, a message reads: “Ambient mild too low. Imaginative and prescient system and impediment sensing unavailable. Fly with warning.” might be displayed in your gadget. 

The message solely lasts for just a few seconds, so if you’re busy protecting your drone in your visible line of sight, you would possibly simply miss it! A notification this necessary ought to solely disappear as soon as we faucet on it, proper? Nicely, this isn’t the case. 

That being stated, the brand new impediment avoidance system is fairly good in simplest situations, however the lesson to be realized right here is that it is best to solely depend on it in emergencies. Pushing its limits could lead to a crash, so be warned. 

8. Energetic Observe 

The omnidirectional impediment avoidance system included within the Mavic 3 permits Energetic Observe 5.0 to sense obstacles repeatedly in all instructions because of the six fish-eye and two wide-angle sensors included.

Within the DJI promotional video, we see a biker driving whereas the drone follows him avoiding timber at what appears to be a pleasant velocity. The issue with this video is, as soon as once more, that in actuality, the system is inferior to showcased. 

Whereas flying the plane, if it detects an object and it’s inside the security radius across the drone, it would cut back the velocity to round 6 mph. This security radius on the Mavic 3 is 4 ft (13 m), so if the impediment is past that distance, the drone will go full velocity, however inside that ‘bubble’, it would fly a lot slower. 

When monitoring a automobile, the system works nicely more often than not, though the choices to alter place fail on some events. Although the utmost velocity of the Mavic 3 is 37 mph, whereas monitoring a automobile (or any fast-moving topic) it would solely attain 27 mph. 

Lastly, the system appears to have been examined with people, bicycles, and boats. Which means that it won’t observe different autos, reminiscent of ATVs, SUVs, or another four-wheeler. 

All of those points with Energetic Observe 5.0 might simply be solved with a firmware replace, so allow us to wait and see what occurs. 

9. Lacking Flight Modes

As we’re seeing, there appear to be a variety of lacking traits within the Mavic 3, and along with the disappointments that we have now lined, many professionals are contemplating whether or not they need to purchase it or not. 

Although DJI launched some nice lacking options within the newest firmware replace, launched on December 10, 2021, a number of must-have clever flight modes are nonetheless lacking. Allow us to check out what are these and what’s it that they do.

• Tripod Mode: When utilizing this mode, the drone’s velocity is restricted to 2.2/6.5 mph (relying on the drone), which lets you seize super-smooth footage. It additionally reduces the braking distance. This mode may be very helpful for recording cinematic photographs and for doing actual property tasks. Why is it not included in Mavic 3? Nobody actually is aware of. 
• Waypoints: As I defined totally on this article, with Waypoints we will create automated flights primarily based on two or extra reference factors, controlling the angle of the gimbal, if we wish the digicam to take photos or report video, and many others. The opportunity of saving the mission and repeating it at one other time provides you nice choices for sure duties. 
• Highlight: On this fascinating mode, the drone retains the topic centered, nevertheless it doesn’t transfer to comply with it. As an alternative, it yaws and tilts the gimbal robotically to maintain observe of it. Moreover, you might have the chance to maneuver the drone by your self, whereas it would use these features to trace the item.

10. Geofencing

It’s onerous to match the Mavic 3 with different drones, as that is the newest product from DJI, and different producers haven’t launched related plane on this worth vary for some time. One facet that customers are criticizing of Mavic 3 is the geofencing system.  

Geofencing, as this phrase fabricated from two suggests, is a function that creates a geographically localized fence for the drone, forbidding it from flying in prohibited areas. That is one thing that ought to shield the person from flying the place he/she mustn’t, however it may be a significant issue for professionals flying in restricted areas below permission. 

For instance, at my job recording soccer video games, I typically fly near airports. The corporate has all of the permission to take action, simply as I’ve all my certifications, however DJI forces me to do some additional paperwork in order that I can disable Geofencing. 

If you’re on the lookout for knowledgeable drone that doesn’t restrict you with geofencing, take a look at the Autel Evo 2 Professional. 

11. SD card placement

Fortunately, not each Mavic 3 subject is one thing severe, just like the blind spot within the impediment avoidance system. 

The drone design is excellent certainly. I can solely think about how a lot work it will need to have taken to provide a product like this. Nonetheless, it’s not excellent, and one instance of that’s the SD card placement. 

This isn’t an enormous deal, however typically it’s essential take away the battery to have the ability to take out the SD card, and I really feel like this subject might simply have been averted. 

12. Controller

From a minor drawback to a different that’s being nicely mentioned on the boards and YouTube. The controller has a variety of customers indignant about it. 

While you pay $2199 for knowledgeable drone, you count on it to come back with a distant controller a lot cooler than the one included within the $449 product. The truth although, is that the Mavic 3 makes use of the very same controller because the Mini 2. 

However wait, there may be extra. It doesn’t embrace a button to modify between the 2 cameras, has no zoom wheel, and isn’t even the identical colour because the drone. In brief, it seems like they’ve been lazy about it. Allow us to be trustworthy right here: How lengthy does it take to color it? 

I’m not saying that it ought to include a controller like the brand new RC Professional, just like the Cine model, however an additional display to point out some telemetry or some helpful buttons, like those within the Phantom 4 RC would have been superior. 

Nevertheless, most likely the main criticism of this drone is the connection drawback. That’s merely unacceptable for knowledgeable drone. After we are working, we’d like one thing that’s totally dependable. In spite of everything, is that not why we’re paying a lot for a drone? 

Fact be advised, perhaps all disconnections are associated to the DJI Fly app and its newest replace, however regardless of the explanation, the controller ought to present higher connectivity for such a product. 

13. No help for twin operators

Controlling the framing of your drone footage can typically be difficult. For instance, if you’re manually following a automobile on a highway that’s riddled with curves, you’ll need to maneuver the plane ahead and backward whereas additionally yawing to maintain it centered. That is a lot simpler if there are two operators, one pilot in command (PIC), and a digicam operator (also referred to as Drone DOP). 

Drones such because the Yuneec Hurricane H, the DJI Encourage, or the DJI Mavic 2 Professional supply the potential for utilizing twin operators. Thus, the Mavic 3 has suffered a downgrade on this sense, as its predecessor had that function out there. 

Fortunately, as with different lacking features, this most likely may be fastened with a easy firmware replace.

14. 4G performance lacking in North America / Europe / UK

One of the vital fascinating options introduced by the Mavic 3 is the help for 4G connectivity. This may be achieved by attaching an official dongle to the plane, giving the person an immense enhance in vary, solely restricted by the battery length. 

The issue with this dongle is that DJI has formally commented that each nation has its personal laws for communications and radio frequency gear, so it would by no means be out there in North America.  

That is very unlucky, because the dongle might present higher connectivity for the Mavic 3, particularly in locations the place we will lose communications with the drone, reminiscent of beneath a bridge. 

In the event that they ultimately introduced this dongle to the USA, needless to say the pilot would require a waiver to fly the drone past the visible line of sight (BVLOS).

15. The brand new app seems like a downgrade

The brand new Mavic 3 Hasselblad digicam is spectacular, as is the brand new clever flight battery. Sadly, good {hardware} is nothing if it’s not paired with good software program. One factor I can not comprehend, and I’ve tried very onerous, is why DJI has chosen to alter the DJI Go app for the DJI Fly. 

Throughout the previous 12 months I’ve been having fun with my Mini 2 like a child, however I couldn’t assist it, typically I felt a little bit jealous of the options included within the DJI Go app. As I flew different drones for work, such because the Encourage, I hoped that perhaps sometime DJI would cease supporting the DJI Fly app and use DJI Go in all their drones. Apparently, they’re doing precisely the other. 

The brand new DJI Mavic 3 is a good product, regardless of many shortcomings. Most of its issues and shortages may be fastened with a easy firmware replace, so I’m hopeful that DJI will do the fitting factor and provides us the product that all of us anticipated. 

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