Last year, DJI became the first drone manufacturer in the world to submit and earn US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for Remote ID protocol compliance. At the time, as many as seven of its popular drone models secured the FAA nod for adequate compliance with the Remote ID rule. Today, that list is much longer. But now, in another first, DJI has also become the only drone maker to have a previously-approved compliance status rescinded by the FAA.
DJI has now released seven different Mavic models. Understanding the difference among them is important in choosing which one is best for you. We will take a closer look at their specifications as well as the pros and cons of each model. We created the ultimate mavic comparison guide to help you decide which model best suits your needs. Expand Expanding Close
With the addition of the Mavic 2 Enterprise, understanding the different specifications among the different versions of the Mavic can be confusing. The Mavic 2 Enterprise is the most versatile of the Mavic series of drones, while the original Mavic Pro is the least expensive. Take a look at the Mavic 2 Enterprise specs below to see what makes it unique among the other Mavic options from DJI. Expand Expanding Close
Check out this near-miss drone video that was just posted on YouTube yesterday. It shows you how a helicopter can quickly appear out of nowhere and come at you fast. All of a sudden, your leisure drone-flight along the Hollywood Beach, FL coastline, could potentially cause a tragic accident, guaranteed to make the headlines throughout the country. Luckily this one ended well, but it shows you how careful we all have to be when flying our drones in a congested airspace.
In a test on YouTube, the noise level of the new DJI Mavic Air was compared to the original Mavic Pro and the Mavic Pro Platinum Edition. Surprisingly the Mavic Air was the loudest of the three drones.
DJI released new firmware for the DJI Mavic Pro and Platinum. This is update V01.04.0100 and it follows on the heels of the updated DJI Go 4 app. The new firmware includes a number of improvements, most notably the addition of the pano shooting modes. This firmware update also covers the DJI Goggles.
At the beginning of the month, we reported on the lower noise levels of the new Mavic Pro Platinum compared to the old Mavic Pro. At the IFA event in Berlin we were able to capture this video, that, regardless of all the background noise, showed the decrease in noise levels between the two DJI drones. Now another video has surfaced on YouTube offering a more detailed comparison of the noise levels between the two drones. For instance, comparing the old 8330 propellers vs. the new 8331 propellers on the Mavic Pro Platinum. The Mavic Pro Platinum is quieter than its predecessor not only because of the newly designed 8331 propellers but also in large part because of the new electronic speed controllers (ESC’s). Let’s dive in.
Just like with Hurricane Harvey, the FAA issued a warning and a Temporary Flight Restriction for Hurricane Irma. This means that you should not fly your Mavic Pro drone for fun during or right after the storm as it may very well interfere with emergency and rescue operations. Both official government agencies with a FAA Certificate of Authorization (COA) as well as private sector Part 107 drone operators who are planning to fly in support of first aid responders are strongly encouraged to contact their local incident commander, responsible for that area, to coordinate their actions.
Straight from the FAA website:
If UAS operators need to fly in controlled airspace or a disaster TFR to support the response and recovery, operators must contact the FAA’s System Operations Support Center (SOSC) by emailing 9-ATOR-HQ-SOSC@faa.gov to determine the information they need to provide in order to secure authorization to access the airspace. Coordination with the SOSC may also include a requirement that the UAS operator obtain support from the appropriate incident commander. The FAA may require information about the operator, the UAS type, a PDF copy of a current FAA COA, the pilot’s Part 107 certificate number, details about the proposed flight (date, time, location, altitude, direction and distance to the nearest airport, and latitude/longitude), nature of the event (fire, law enforcement, local/national disaster, missing person) and the pilot’s qualification information.
Today at the IFA in Berlin, Germany, we were able to shoot this video comparing the newly announced DJI Mavic Pro Platinum to the original DJI Mavic Pro. Even though there is a lot of background noise in this video, you can clearly hear the difference in noise levels between the two different drones. The newly designed propellers and the new electronic speed controllers (ESC’s) help to reduce the power noise levels by 4dB. This is a 60% noise reduction when you are about 3 feet away from the drone as Seth is in this video.
