Talk me out of a DJI.

DrP · Oct 25, 2016

Gents, I've been a fan of the Typhoon line for over a year now, never missing a chance to look down my nose at a DJI flyer. It's time to augment my fleet with a newer model, and I haven't been able to talk myself out of the new DJI Mavic Pro. It wins on portability, and just about every performance spec imaginable (and they finally got away from that dorky, white plastic, "apple turnover" body design). I guess I'm looking for some senior advice, sort of like Dad would offer if I was ever tempted to date the wrong girl, buy an impractical car, or cast a vote for a Democrat. Is there any word from Yuneec of developing a direct market competitor for the Mavic? (The Breeze ain't it! It looks like it's part of the Phantom line, and still a pain to pack around.)

BillyTexas · Oct 25, 2016

DrP said:
Gents, I've been a fan of the Typhoon line for over a year now, never missing a chance to look down my nose at a DJI flyer. It's time to augment my fleet with a newer model, and I haven't been able to talk myself out of the new DJI Mavic Pro. It wins on portability, and just about every performance spec imaginable (and they finally got away from that dorky, white plastic, "apple turnover" body design). I guess I'm looking for some senior advice, sort of like Dad would offer if I was ever tempted to date the wrong girl, buy an impractical car, or cast a vote for a Democrat. Is there any word from Yuneec of developing a direct market competitor for the Mavic? (The Breeze ain't it! It looks like it's part of the Phantom line, and still a pain to pack around.)

I haven't heard or seen anything to indicate that Yuneec is going to release a mavic comparable drone. If it is what you want...go for it. The huge advantage is portability.

Bill W.

RiverRunner · Oct 25, 2016

DrP said:
Gents, I've been a fan of the Typhoon line for over a year now, never missing a chance to look down my nose at a DJI flyer. It's time to augment my fleet with a newer model, and I haven't been able to talk myself out of the new DJI Mavic Pro. It wins on portability, and just about every performance spec imaginable (and they finally got away from that dorky, white plastic, "apple turnover" body design). I guess I'm looking for some senior advice, sort of like Dad would offer if I was ever tempted to date the wrong girl, buy an impractical car, or cast a vote for a Democrat. Is there any word from Yuneec of developing a direct market competitor for the Mavic? (The Breeze ain't it! It looks like it's part of the Phantom line, and still a pain to pack around.)

A good Dad would tell you to wait. They will likely have some issues at release. All multirotors seem to. The only videos out right now, which were posted by reviewers (not DJI) have had focus issues and tilted horizons, and one or more have already been lost.

JCFlippen · Oct 25, 2016

Go and have look at the HeliGuy UK Mavic review - there is your reason to wait. When you have the latest technology it does not matter if the picture is a bit naff! To be fair they do comment hat others have got better quality out of the pre- productions models.

RiverRunner · Oct 25, 2016

JCFlippen said:
Go and have look at the HeliGuy UK Mavic review - there is your reason to wait. When you have the latest technology it does not matter if the picture is a bit naff! To be fair they do comment hat others have got better quality out of the pre- productions models.

You mean this review? Yes, video is unusable in my opinion.

PatR · Oct 25, 2016

Not too sure what's really out there for the small stuff. I don't know how happy I would be having to deal with a bunch of warnings, alerts, and unlock stuff on a small cell phone screen while I'm trying to fly my aircraft though.

QuadBart · Oct 26, 2016

My advice would be to do your research and whatever/whichever drone fits your needs then buy it regardless of brand (provided the Brand has a solid reputation). I'm buying a Mavic. It fits my needs/desires for a small portable drone without giving up features I want.

I don't know why people get so hung up on the whole DJI vs. Yuneec thing...

BillyTexas · Oct 26, 2016

QuadBart said:
My advice would be to do your research and whatever/whichever drone fits your needs then buy it regardless of brand (provided the Brand has a solid reputation). I'm buying a Mavic. It fits my needs/desires for a small portable drone without giving up features I want.

I don't know why people get so hung up on the whole DJI vs. Yuneec thing...

I agree...all brands have lemons....fw problems and new poduct issues they have to deal with.

Bill W.

PatR · Oct 30, 2016

Cranky Trapper · Nov 3, 2016

I'm not a gent but I will offer my nickel's worth (no pennies in Canada anymore

)

It all boils down to your personal preference and what you want the drone to do.

Your mom would tell you to write down the pros and cons of each model, set that list aside for a few days, review and then make a decision.

Advice is just a personal opinion - ultimately it's what you think thank matters and only you know what you want.

Cheers and good luck with choosing.

DrP · Jun 19, 2017

After a year and a half as a "Typhoon snob" I took the plunge last week on the DJI Mavic Pro. (I've still got most of my Typhoon. It met a tree then a rock in my front yard. Any pointers on swapping out a body and a motor on a Q500+ ?)
I flew the Mavic yesterday and Wow....just Wow! There're no lags or overshoots on control inputs...zero. It's like commanding a critically damped servo sitting on a table, and the sucker is fast. (Despite the critics, the video is crystal clear, too.) I'll still put the Typhoon back together, but I guess I'll have to port myself over to the MavicPilots forum. My sons can work on their skills with the Typhoon...Dad's pretty adept at fixing it.

CC Rider · Jun 24, 2017

I fly both the Mavic Pro, which I love, and my Typhoon H, which I loved first. I still fly each drone routinely, and each of them quite often, and fly my different aircraft according to my needs and goals.

Both drones offer superb video/photo capturing and each has its strong points and its weaknesses. Together they add up to a good drone fleet for EVERY situation and condition I've come across.

The Mavic I take with me wherever I go, since it is incredibly portable and it can be airborne and on the go within two minutes easily. My Typhoon H is often my first choice for specific film shots I am looking for, and are easier to capture than with my Mavic. I like that I can keep VLOS longer and easier with my Typhoon due to its larger size and directional lights. However, the Mavic cuts through the air like a hawk, offers incredible battery life and flight time, boasts much greater flight distances and connection ranges, and is a pleasure to fly. Happily, the 4K video output from both are easy to coordinate together so that I can edit film footage from both into a video project without ANY noticeable differences whatsoever between the two.

And I gotta say, I enjoy putting my Typhoon H together for a flight, attaching the props, setting it up, and going through the steps it takes to get it airborne. Even though the process is considerably more time consuming than getting the Mavic ready for a quick flight, I like doing it. I don't find the requirements my H demands to be odious. Instead, for me it's one of those "it's the journey, not the destination" situations.

Good luck with both of your machines. Safe flying and happy filming and photo taking.