While the most important thing about traveling with a drone is first doing your research regarding flight laws at your destination, today we want to discuss the pros & cons of the new DJI Mavic for travelers (all legal issues aside.)
After an intense pre-ordering process & a wait that felt like forever, our DJI Mavic finally arrived on our doorstep & was unboxed almost immediately. With its sleek & small packaging we could hardly wait to open each individual box & reveal their long awaited contents.
With each & every piece of our "Fly More Combo" kit packed into our DJI Mavic shoulder bag, it took less than an hour to charge, update, and embark on our first flight. Though we have only now flown the Mavic twice (once in the daylight & once again in low light at sunset) we already have some pros & cons to share with you, our loyal travelers.
PRO - SMALL & COMPACT SIZING
Going from the Phantom 3 or 4 to the Mavic, the benefit of sizing is an obvious one. For those of you traveling the world & capturing your adventures using the drone, the size is probably one of the biggest benefits here. Whether you choose to purchase the Mavic shoulder bag for added protection or simply pack it into your purse or camera bag, this drone is easy to carry & will draw far less attention than a pelican case.
PRO - "PERMANENT" PROPELLERS
Another great feature of the Mavic is its propellers. Once the propellers have been attached to the drone legs it is not necessary to remove them & re-attach them before & after each flight. Not only is this great for those of us who are simply a little more lazy than the rest, but great for reducing set-up time while you're on the road (again, drawling less attention & helping to capture each moment as it comes!)
CON - GIMBAL LOCK
The time that you will save by already having your propellers attached & ready to go may be consumed by the struggle that is the Mavic gimbal lock. Although I am sure that we will get the hang of it, re-attaching the lock certainly takes a delicate hand & a little bit of strategy. Find & perfect a method that works for you!
CON - THE "ONE-HAND-CATCH"
While the Mavic certainly offers a more controlled & stable landing, for those of you who do whatever it takes to get the shot including droning off the back of boats or standing in the rocky waters you will be sad to know that the "one-hand-catch" is made a little more difficult now due to sensors on the drone base.
Overall, our experience with the Mavic so far has introduced far more pros than cons & we are excited to share our videos & adventures with you on the TL Travel YouTube channel throughout the upcoming months. For a more comprehensive unboxing & review video, please take a moment to check out our video review below & SUBSCRIBE to the TL Travel Channel for more great travel content.