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DroneDJ Weekly: Mavic 3 still suffering from GPS bug, Mini 3 leaks, drone parachutes, and more

DJI again has been at the top of headlines over the last week, however not entirely for good reasons. We also revisit placing parachutes as a safety feature on drones. Catch up on the top drone stories from the past week below.

DJI’s Mavic 3 still experiencing GPS issues for some

Last month DJI released new firmware that was supposed to fix the GPS issues many were facing with the company’s flagship Mavic 3 drone. However, instead of acquiring a home lock in a matter of seconds, many users complain of taking minutes to connect to enough satellites.

While the new firmware seems to have fixed the issue for some, it didn’t work for others, and the community is not happy that they might have to wait another month to see if it will get fixed. There are many theories about the root of the problem, but with DJI not officially commenting on the bug, we won’t know until they do.

Mini 3 shows up in major leaked video

DJI’s much-anticipated announcement of its new Mini 3 drone has been rumored to occur this month. Unfortunately, nothing official has yet to come from DJI, but a video leaked of what we believe is the finished product by @DealsDrone.

dji mini 3 photos video leaked

The video shows the Mini 3’s new design and at least front and bottom obstacle avoidance sensors. DJI’s Mini 3 is one of the most anticipated drones to drop from the company since the Mavic 3. Hopefully, we won’t have to wait long until we get an announcement.

DJI had to clarify it’s position on war in Ukraine

After a German retailer pulled DJI’s drones off its shelves because the company wouldn’t come out against the war in Ukraine, the company had to clarify its position. When MediaMarkt first took the products off its shelves, allegations sprung up stating it was because DJI supported Russia in its invasion of Ukraine.

Last week DJI made a statement stating it only supports civilian uses of its drones and that any allegations of its support of Russia are false.

Revisiting parachutes as a fail safe for drones

On the weekly DroneDJ livestream, Yifei and Seth discussed the use of attaching parachutes to drones to save them in case they malfunction. Several years ago, Yifei checked out a product attached to the Mavic 2, but it didn’t work out when demonstrated.

In Canada, if you need to fly over crowds, you must have parachutes to ensure the safety of those below. The products tested by Yifei didn’t work, but that doesn’t mean others aren’t still trying. AVSS is testing a guided parachute to make finding the malfunctioned drone easier on the pilot. Check out the livestream to see our whole discussion on the topic.

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