Tool Reviews

Last year, a huge number of quadrocopters and other drones appeared on store shelves, each of which differed in its functions. Among them were both large and small, with incredibly serious cameras, and designed to work with GoPro.

However, it was the DJI Mavic Pro that managed to combine performance, a large number of automatic flight modes, and even the ability to avoid obstacles with a compact body.

In the assortment of DJI, this is far from the first quadcopter worthy of attention. The Phantom series received very positive reviews and gained a lot of fans. However, with the growing popularity of this series, the main complaint against the Phantoms was the limited ability to transport. So DJI fans have been waiting for a travel version of their favorite device for a long time.

Size is of course an advantage. In short, the Mavic is almost the same quality as the Phantom 4, but in a much more compact package. Perhaps the differences are that the Phantom 4 has a higher top speed, is able to withstand stronger gusts of wind and has a wider camera angle. In all other respects, the Mavic Pro boldly takes the lead.

Thanks to the new OcuSync transmission system (which is also encrypted), it is possible to control the Mavic Pro from a distance of up to 7 km, and stream video in 1080p resolution (Phantom 4 control distance is 5 km, in video resolution is 720p).

But first things first.

The Mavic Pro is currently available in two trim levels. One of them is basic, the other is “Fly More”. The second set offers three boxes, in addition to the drone itself. They contain a bag and extra batteries and parts.

When launching, DJI Mavic does not need to be disassembled, it prepares itself for takeoff, all that is required is a flat non-metallic surface.

Despite the fact that the Mavic Pro, according to the manufacturer’s promises, can withstand winds up to 29-38 km / h, it is able to hold the camera statically at 10-15 mph and shoot for 22-25 minutes. When the wind gets stronger and the Mavic is unable to withstand it, it warns the owner.

The remote control, like the drone itself, is very small, but has a black-and-white display that shows flight data and information, and controllers for the camera. And if you want to see what the camera is shooting, you can sync the Mavic with your smartphone. The smartphone can be placed directly on the controller, however, for this you need to remove the case.

DJI has equipped its new product with a very useful switch from RC to WiFI, so at a distance of up to 80m you can control the drone from your smartphone, while the maximum speed will be 4 meters per second. It’s certainly great for taking selfies, but with a real controller, the options and possibilities are much wider and more exciting.

As far as the camera is concerned, DJI has gone to great lengths to make the device smaller and lighter. The camera lens itself, respectively, has also become smaller. The viewing angle on it is 78.8 degrees (in the Phantom 4 it is 94 degrees). However, the camera’s sensor is absolutely the same as the one the Phantom is equipped with – 1/2.3 inches.

That being said, the camera on the Mavic is capable of shooting 4K video at 30 fps. It can shoot 1080 at 96 fps, and JPEG or Adobe RAW can be shot at 12 megapixels.

It is not uncommon to compare DJI and GoPro to point out the advantages of GoPro in terms of video performance, but note that DJI offers more features. However, it is worth noting that this does not fully correspond to reality – DJI shoots do not fish, 4K versus 2.7K for GoPro, plus even when shooting in 4K it is able to take a photo at the same time.

Instead of focusing statically like phantoms, the Mavic Pro’s autofocus requires you to tell the subject via your smartphone to focus on. This is quite convenient, because, as noted earlier, there is a very convenient smartphone mount on the bottom of the controller, which does not block the view.

For portraits, the camera can be rotated 90 degrees.

The object tracking system, which DJI calls ActiveTrack, has also been updated. Now it allows the drone to follow, fly ahead or parallel. Using gestures, you can tell the camera to focus or take a photo: another nice touch for selfie fans. So far, this is one of the best tracking systems, especially on quadcopters the size of the DJI Mavic Pro.

Even on the Phantom 4, many people noted a very smart system for overcoming obstacles. So, for Mavic Pro and it has been somewhat improved. Now she recognizes objects at a distance of 15 meters at a speed of about 36 km / h. Optical sensors on the bottom help the Mavic fly indoors and avoid collisions with the ground. In addition, the Terrain Follow mode allows the Mavic to maintain a certain altitude even on steep descents.

The Mavic Pro has two speed modes – a standard speed of 38.5 km/h and a sport mode, when activated, the maximum speed can reach up to 64.8 km/h. Tripod mode reduces speed to 3.6 km/h, making it easier to position yourself for taking photos or videos, or flying the drone indoors.

To really set the Mavic Pro apart from the competition, DJI has equipped the Mavic Pro with a precision landing system that uses both video and GPS information acquired during takeoff to land exactly where it took off. The spectacle is certainly fascinating.

In the case of drones, the “less is more” rule often works. It is not so easy to manage bulky devices, which take more time to install and prepare for flight than the flight itself. In this regard, DJI went in the right direction by designing the Mavic Pro so that its size does not compromise on quality.