Will the Mavic Air replace the Spark

[Lastrexking]

I have two Phantoms (FC40 and 3 Pro) which never get used. I also have a Mavic Pro, and the Spark. The Spark gets used more than the Mavic.

I’ve just moved up to a Panasonic GH5S so starting to film in 4K, so the Spark might get used less. I’m tempted by the air - but, I just want to see how it actually flies here in the UK and Europe before spending money on one.

 

[djdem27]

The Mavic Air looks to me like it's the Mavic Lite, IMHO.

 

[Blue Baron]

You *could* palm launch the Air, just like others used to hand launch their Phantoms.

I believe one reason why DJI isn't promoting hand launch with the Air is blade speed. Being heavier, there must be more risk to cut fingers than with the Spark. I already got fongers into Spark blades (twice actually) and I am glad it did only hurt, but no injzry to fingers

 

[webvan]

Yeah and they're NOT collapsible like on the Spark so I can't imagine how bad that must hurt...having had my fingers caught by the Spark props when I used to turn it off by flipping it (before discovering the take off/land quick key option on the remote).

 

[Blue Baron]

The Mavic Air looks to me like it's the Mavic Lite, IMHO.

The rumors say the Mavic Air had project name "unicorn".
Seeing that a Mavic Pro II is close to launch (2 months ahead, I would say), I think DJI should have called the Air "Spark Pro".

Esp. the lack of Ocusync, the accompanying limitation in Support for Goggles, and reduction in range, flight time and blade size, qualifies the craft as Spark class rather than Mavic class. If any kind of Air drone is urgently needed, then a Spark Air at 249g ...

 

[RaWine]

I was reading a long thread on the Mavic forum (never signed up there, so couldn't comment). about the Air vs Pro vs Spark.

That DJI will keep introducing new drones giving some people fits about which to buy or feeling the need to buy more than one.

Someone suggested even if you buy the latest greatest car, the car company is likely to introduce new better models just to confound you.

But me --- what I want to see is DJI make an upgradable drone, not new drones.

Like, parts are removable in segments and you can upgrade. A new nose and you have a new 3 axis gimble. Or a 4 k cameral. Or replace fixed arms with foldables.

Why do we need whole new drone each with limitations? I know there are going to be limits from a basic design, like it would not be feasible to get from a spark to some of their other drones. But it seems like they could offer upgrade kits and design the drone to accept them.

The drones don't need pure aerodynamics do they? The 4 propeller system does the balancing so it could accept changes couldn't it. I could be wrong about that.
Speed kit
Gimbal kit
Software kit
Camera feature kit
Extended battery kit
Weight reduction kit

That sort of thing. DJI could still make money with kit sales.

 

[Lastrexking]

I was reading a long thread on the Mavic forum (never signed up there, so couldn't comment). about the Air vs Pro vs Spark.

That DJI will keep introducing new drones giving some people fits about which to buy or feeling the need to buy more than one.

Someone suggested even if you buy the latest greatest car, the car company is likely to introduce new better models just to confound you.

But me --- what I want to see is DJI make an upgradable drone, not new drones.

Like, parts are removable in segments and you can upgrade. A new nose and you have a new 3 axis gimble. Or a 4 k cameral. Or replace fixed arms with foldables.

Why do we need whole new drone each with limitations? I know there are going to be limits from a basic design, like it would not be feasible to get from a spark to some of their other drones. But it seems like they could offer upgrade kits and design the drone to accept them.

The drones don't need pure aerodynamics do they? The 4 propeller system does the balancing so it could accept changes couldn't it. I could be wrong about that.
Speed kit
Gimbal kit
Software kit
Camera feature kit
Extended battery kit
Weight reduction kit

That sort of thing. DJI could still make money with kit sales.

Funnily enough, before the Phantom came out that’s what all quadcopters were like because we had to build our own.

This was my first build DJI F450 Quadcopter Review

Took me ages, and I had no idea what I was doing.

 

[giac]

I was reading a long thread on the Mavic forum (never signed up there, so couldn't comment). about the Air vs Pro vs Spark.

That DJI will keep introducing new drones giving some people fits about which to buy or feeling the need to buy more than one.

Someone suggested even if you buy the latest greatest car, the car company is likely to introduce new better models just to confound you.

But me --- what I want to see is DJI make an upgradable drone, not new drones.

Like, parts are removable in segments and you can upgrade. A new nose and you have a new 3 axis gimble. Or a 4 k cameral. Or replace fixed arms with foldables.

Why do we need whole new drone each with limitations? I know there are going to be limits from a basic design, like it would not be feasible to get from a spark to some of their other drones. But it seems like they could offer upgrade kits and design the drone to accept them.

The drones don't need pure aerodynamics do they? The 4 propeller system does the balancing so it could accept changes couldn't it. I could be wrong about that.
Speed kit
Gimbal kit
Software kit
Camera feature kit
Extended battery kit
Weight reduction kit

That sort of thing. DJI could still make money with kit sales.

Sounds like a great proposal, but I think it's easier said than done. Just a few difficulties that come to my mind:
- center of mass must not shift too much when replacing parts
- correct tuning of control loops greatly depends on mass and its distribution
- latching systems are going to add mass and volume compared to fixed, integrated parts
- core electronics must be able to support all the different configurations

Not saying it is impossible, just maybe it doesn't make sense commercially. See what happened with modulars smartphones...

Then DJI difficulties in producing robust software certainly don't speak for they ability to deal with multiple configurations!

 

[myko]

Sounds like a great proposal, but I think it's easier said than done. Just a few difficulties that come to my mind:
- center of mass must not shift too much when replacing parts
- correct tuning of control loops greatly depends on mass and its distribution
- latching systems are going to add mass and volume compared to fixed, integrated parts
- core electronics must be able to support all the different configurations

Not saying it is impossible, just maybe it doesn't make sense commercially. See what happened with modulars smartphones...

Then DJI difficulties in producing robust software certainly don't speak for they ability to deal with multiple configurations!

Its all about making the $$$$$!

 

[Dave A]

Its all about making the $$$$$!

That is true. DJI exists to make money like every other company. The bottom line is what drives this company and making good quality drones that sell will feed that bottom line. I'm OK with this.

 

[Sparkbart]

I started to write a novel, but re-wrote it to get to the point...

Simply, its not the market DJI is after.

If you think it through what it would require its really not a good business model. All one has to do is look at the FPV sector of drones. I build and fly FPV drones and you should see all the problems people encounter just trying to build and program their drones. I'd tell you, try it and tell me if you can do it and how many people, consumer could do it. I've fried ESCs and motors before and an FC board when I didn't implement a jumper correctly causing the board to short when I plugged it in. Then even when you think you got it all done right, plug it in and something doesn't work. Having to "debug" that. Think of how many people would call DJI to help debug something like that...

I honestly could go on about all the hurdles...

I was reading a long thread on the Mavic forum (never signed up there, so couldn't comment). about the Air vs Pro vs Spark.

That DJI will keep introducing new drones giving some people fits about which to buy or feeling the need to buy more than one.

Someone suggested even if you buy the latest greatest car, the car company is likely to introduce new better models just to confound you.

But me --- what I want to see is DJI make an upgradable drone, not new drones.

Like, parts are removable in segments and you can upgrade. A new nose and you have a new 3 axis gimble. Or a 4 k cameral. Or replace fixed arms with foldables.

Why do we need whole new drone each with limitations? I know there are going to be limits from a basic design, like it would not be feasible to get from a spark to some of their other drones. But it seems like they could offer upgrade kits and design the drone to accept them.

The drones don't need pure aerodynamics do they? The 4 propeller system does the balancing so it could accept changes couldn't it. I could be wrong about that.
Speed kit
Gimbal kit
Software kit
Camera feature kit
Extended battery kit
Weight reduction kit

That sort of thing. DJI could still make money with kit sales.