mz16 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 21, 2017 10:19 pm
Thinking about going in on a DJI Mavic Pro. Yes I know there is a 50% chance it drops in the ocean and i never see it again.
Anyone have any real life experiences using this drone for filming kiting? Obviously i would use it for other stuff too, but that doesnt concern me as much.
I've had the Mavic since January. If you take all features into account (portability and ease of use being paramount) the Mavic wins hands-down. If you don't care as much about portability, than I would buy a larger drone.
That said, the Mavic is a great kite filming platform up until the low 20s (mph). More than that and it really starts to drift with gusts. The max speed is about 25mph in Normal mode (which has obstacle avoidance and the best stability). If you are getting strong gusts, you can switch it to Sport mode which has a max speed of 45 mph and that will get it back to you if the wind picks up and takes the drown for a ride. However, once in Sport mode your camera and flight movements are much more erratic. It is very difficult to get usable video footage. Stills may be fine as will stationary shots.
A friend of mine has flown the 3DR Solo side by side with me on multiple occasions. That drone is older, out of production, and harder to find. Doesn't have the same battery life nor some of the automation, however, it handles the wind better. He also attaches a GoPro to it which has better video quality. I think since it is heavier with stronger motors it just gets thrown around less than a lighter drone That should apply to any larger drone.
Still, I'd recommend the Mavic. I would not have shot 90% of the footage I have if I couldn't bring it along with me. And no, there is very little chance of it dropping in the water if you are not an idiot. It is a very reliable product. If it drops in due to unit anomaly, buy the warranty, DJI will replace it once. They can tell from your flight logs stored on your phone what was going on when it wrecked.