DJI Mavic Air – Things You’ll Want To Know After 48 Hours of Flight

I’ve been flying my pair of Mavic Air quads almost non-stop for the past 48-hours and wanted to offer up my impressions of the Drone and share some important things you may not have noticed. If you’re considering the Mavic Air for purchase, you’ll want to watch this clip.

DJI Mavic Air – https://tinyurl.com/y8jqdsub
Mavic Air Accessories – https://tinyurl.com/y84hsqgk
Samsung 64GB Memory Card – http://amzn.to/2FPqVcs
Drone Valley Website – www.dronevalley.com
Drone Valley Twitter – www.twitter.com/dronevalley1
Drone Valley Newsletter – http://www.dronevalley.com/newsletter.html
Drone Valley Patreon – www.patreon.com/dronevalley
Time Codes:
00:12 – Introduction
02:22 – Quad Overview
23:10 – Memory Card Selection
25:32 – Remote Control Overview
38:34 – Final Thoughts

100 comments

  2. Woodrow Bryan on

    Great video. I am thinking of getting the Air…. never flown before and this seems like a good choice for me as a newbie. I already own an Ipad Air…full size tablet. Is there anyway this will hookup to the Air controller with a special mount or is it just too large? Hate to use my android phone… too small. Thanks for any input. Also…anybody put off by the amount of noise this drone makes or is this not really an issue?

    Reply
  3. Acid Shot on

    Would you recommend an upgrade from Dji spark to mavic air, saw tons of controller errors and it’s kinda ugly :/ and not so small like spark :/

    Reply
  6. Nate The Great on

    I wish you could keep the SD card inside the Air all the time and edit it from a cable like I do with other devices. Popping out and reinserting a Sd card , transferring oils, dirt, dropping it then cramming it back inside the drone really adds to unnecessary wear and tear.

    Reply
  11. Declan Larkin on

    Excuse my ignorance please – a drone ‘naivee’ here – looking at Air as first quad.
    ?1 = so wifi is independent….. can be flown in remote area – Yeah.
    Also [seeing as I van afford it] would it really be 6 months before I could get hold of the Pro2?
    Appreciate your feedback

    Reply
  22. RicoGalassi on

    Just got the onyx black and use a 64gb card in it. No issues so far! I love the thing! Flies excellent in wind (especially with sport mode enabled) and I haven’t lost range or anything yet! Very pleased with my purchase

    Reply
  23. metals on

    Stumbled onto your site and am impressed with your review. Not even sure why I watched the entire thing, I don’t own a drone, but have to commend you on the in depth and obviously well researched presentation. I almost wish I owned a drone now.

    Reply
  24. IDronedJesus on

    An easy way to remove the micro SD card is to put a piece of tape on the end of it so you can grab it to pull it out.

    Reply
  25. meteors63 on

    What is “very very cold” to you? I live in -30C temps. Not sure where you’re located so not sure what you consider “very very cold”. Wondering about flying in my temperatures.

    Reply
  27. cellulitehero on

    Hi am about to purchase but want to use 10.5 ipad pro with it is wi fi or cellular recommended..thx in advance im a total rookie

    Reply
  28. JQ24 on

    The best review for the Mavic Air I’ve seen so far. I like how you go into the smaller details that others don’t include.

    Reply
  31. Bobos Curse on

    I’m studying for my 107, but can’t afford a Phantom 4 Pro. Can I use a Mavic for commercial applications, or do I need to suck it up and get a Phantom?

    Reply
  32. Anthon Deutsch on

    Rick I enjoyed your review because you are intelligent and analyze things. Most people do superficial tests without putting much thought behind the actual development of a product and why things function certain ways. Keep doing these. Thank you.

    Reply
  34. K S on

    most of what you said is covered by many others but in many many more words and I don’t see how your engineering experience helps you explain much.

    Reply
  36. Daisy Patritio on

    Yet another reason to not wait: President Trump is in the process of enacting tariffs on Chinese products, which could result in significant increases in the prices of various imports.

    Reply
  37. Jonathan Islandi on

    Hi Everyone! I’ve been considering purchasing a drone for quite some time now. My budget is somewhat limited, and therefore the air seemed like a good option for me. I’ve been browsing YouTube and the internet for some time now, to hear peoples opinions on the air, especially in comparison to other drones of somewhat similar pricepoint, fx. the mavic pro, or a used phantom 4. EVERYONE HAS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT TAKE ON THE DAMN DRONE!!! It’s hella confusing. Some say that the mavic pro produces a slightly sharper image than the air, yet others (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEQvOAsY6ks) claim that the mavic pro’s picture is rather soft, especially in the shadows. Wich of the three following drones (mavic air, phantom 4, and mavic pro) has the best dynamic range, low light performance, and retains the most REAL detail. Can anyone help me out? Would be hugely appreciated. Cheers!

    Reply
  38. Will Burgess on

    I will be using my drones biking, camping and kayaking.
    Do you know of a method to use my lithium battery charge to charge drone and control batteries?

    Reply
  39. littleonecute none on

    Rick I think you said you flown yours in New Jersey. I’m thinking of getting the Dji pro for some time . But I’m concerned about where to fly it without people going nuts because they see a drone and call the cops. I know not to fly 5 miles from air port ,some parks and etc.
    Can you use ,let’s say a older iPhone that is not activated to fly a Dji Mavic Pro?

    Reply
  40. james R. on

    I find that my Air is finicky about connecting to the controller. Recently took nearly a full flite batt to get connected . One thing is that you MUST do all updates before you go fly, including those pesky geo restrictions. Seems this was primary cause of my troubles. I had full video feed, and auto take off but no function otherwise. Was a real !@#$% for a while till I figured it out.

    Reply
  41. james R. on

    Wish i had your eyesight to see a mile away and spot this little thing. I’m good for only about 900 feet and sometimes I don’t spot it till it is right on top of me as it returns from a long distance.

    Reply
  42. james R. on

    I personally am done with phones and tablets because they are just not bright enough to see in daylight even with full brite and a shade. finally broke down and got a large ultra brite Crystalsky monitor and now I’m a happy camper. I use it on my P4 and my Air . I got a CS DJI mount for Mavic Pro and adapted it for use on the Air. This way i can take it off the P4 and put it right on to the Air controller with no hardware changes.

    Reply
  45. Bill The Drone Reviewer on

    Thank you for the indepth look at the Mavic Air Rick. Good job In my time with the Mavic Air I found three areas I think that can be improved upon: removal of the SD card (you have to use tweezers), noise level (wish DJI would make quiter props), and the power button on the bottom (odd place to put it). Thanks again !

    Reply
  47. Alien Hunter on

    I have the mavic pro, but I gotta tell you. The FOV is horrible, and NOT suitable for flying with its goggles. You really don’t see much, plants by your side etc. I tried another google and drone, with a much larger FOV, it gave great confidence with fly with the goggles on, BC I could see so much, the only down side was that I could see a lot of the propellers as well. So, the only feature I would ask DJI is a larger FOV, nothing else.

    Reply
  49. acvisanu on

    I hope there’s a flight vid included in the review. I like the info but I just wish there’s more action footage. This feels more like a podcast.

    Reply
  51. Jeff Bob on

    It would have been nice if the power block and charger base were the same unit. There’s no benefit to them being separate. Also you mentioned that the antennae don’t click together; I just received mine and it clicks together just like the Mavic Pro does. They either fixed it, or maybe you weren’t pushing hard enough to get them to click together.

    Reply
  53. John Willsund on

    Great video! Re: getting the SD card out, for my Raspberry Pi card I attached a piece of scotch tape and folded it over itself so that it attached to both sides of the outer half of the card. That way, there’s always a little piece of tape to grab and pull it out. Might help for this situation as well.

    Reply
  54. leegenix on

    Well, Sir, you sold me on the Mavic Air and I already own one. ha..Excellent review. I also have the Mavic Pro, which I really love. When I unboxed the Mavic Air and set up, there were a few hick ups during the Activation process. I fixed the problem after reading the Forums and get it started. I’ve had to this with the Phantom 3 Standard, Mavic Pro, and the Mavic Air. Little annoyances, but worth it since this technological wonder performs what seems to be small miracles. My first flight was a low hover then the next day flew 1,700 feet and back with no problems. The flight was smooth and fast.
    Thank you.

    Reply
  57. Glenn Turnbull on

    Hi Rick, thanks for the in depth review, nice to see a reviewer with one eye on the regulations! I’ve just ordered one, and waiting on delivery. Glenn. UK

    Reply
  58. Scenes in the Sky on

    Great video! the only thing that could be worked on are the cheezy transitions that look like it’s an 80s educational video, other than that it’s great! really in depth and lots of info

    Reply
  60. kenvaris42 on

    Hi Rick great videos. You’ve helped me make an informed desicion to buy the mavic air. Thanx. Can you tell me which video editing software you use. Happy flying

    Reply
  62. Martin Allen on

    How about explaining things a little slower. Man you are a fast talker. Why the hurry? The video is great. Slow down.

    Reply
  66. georgiejr69 on

    Regarding about Lipo batteries. From my readings, they say that if you’re not going to fly, the Lipo batteries should be place in storage mode, 7.4v per cell to lengthen the battery life. Does this apply to dji batteries, is there a way to check the voltage of each cell and can dji batteries be placed in storage mode if you don’t plan to fly for a month.

    Reply
  68. Sololane Mvlog on

    Did you try and see if it is possible to charge on the go with a external battery charger connected to the usb Under the battery charger?

    Reply
  69. Lucas Frainer on

    WOW! That was the very best overview/review/handson/explanations I have ever seen! And I have seen a lot about a lot! Thank you!

    Reply
  73. Altium Tetracab on

    Good morning,
    thanks for this video, too bad we’re not learning anything new…
    notably on the DJIgo 4 application which only works correctly under Apple OS… leaving millions of Android users on the sidelines.
    I have a Samsung A5 2016, the salesman at Darty told me in this case, better not buy this drone. (1049 Euros)… it leaves dreamer…

    Reply
  75. Michel Gross on

    NEED A LEGO TAKE OFF LANDING PLATFORM. LOL JUST A THOUGHT. WOW WENT TO AMAZON AND FOUND LANDING PADS FOR THE DRONES. I’M NEW AT ALL THIS.

    Reply
  76. Michel Gross on

    CAN YOU USE A EXTERNAL MIC WITH THE IPAD COMBINATION? I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO NARRATE MY VIDEOS AS I’M FILMING.

    Reply
  78. Kake Garcia on

    My God it is by far the most helpful video about the Mavic Air I have seen. I could not help subscribe hahaha. Hi from Venezuela!

    Reply
  80. Isaac Roosa on

    As someone who stutters and stops a lot and needs a detailed script for narrating videos, an under-appreciated aspect of this video is this guy’s lack of cuts. Very succinct, confident speaker.

    Reply
  81. Dan ISLANDAN on

    Would you recommend the air or the pro if I will be using it primarily near my house? I have many woods near me and will be getting overhead shots and since it will be over the trees and me on the ground the signal will have to go through trees. Suggestion?

    Reply
  82. Trevor Bauder on

    Which video do you talk about memory cards…trying to decipher the nomenclature of cards. what is class 10, what is U3, is UHS-III faster then UHS-I, what is A1…

    Reply
  83. RVeeThereYet on

    Awesome review. I’ve had my Mavic Air for a couple of weeks and I’ve only had a chance to fly it a few times but I agree with you.  Its fabulous.  I run a website / blog for RVing across Australia and, for portability and ease of use, I cannot fault it.  The quick shot modes are a boom for this sort of work and I just LOVE the 360 degree panorama pictures.  I can literally give my readers and facebook followers a VR birds eye view of the places we visit.  I can’t wait to get out there and get some amazing footage for the site.

    Reply
  85. Tony Spiridigliozzi on

    Hi Rick – I was all set to buy a Mavic Air until I read this report by Gizmodo. I was wondering if you had a chance to read it and might be able to offer an opinion if you think this is the right forum?

    https://gizmodo.com/dji-releases-security-findings-it-hopes-will-quash-chin-1825469976

    A few of the most concerning things were the claim that the Go 4 app communicates with servers in China (relays the IMEI and last IP address), hot patches allowing an attacker to take over the phone running the DJI Go app, and substantial changes to the app potentially being able to bypass review by Apple.

    I really was chomping at the bit to buy one but have second thoughts now. I value your opinion. Thanks.

    Reply
  86. someb0dy2 on

    At around 12:30 the USB-C to micro usb adapter is mentioned.
    DJI could has just as easily given a cable with a USB C connecter at one end and micro usb connector in the other. You can buy those for 10 bucks or lesser easilly. And presumably at the quantities DJI will get them, it would have been alot cheaper.

    This may be a small thing, but it’s still a stupid move. They may have been well engineered in many ways, but I don’t get how this happened.

    PS: Am awaiting arrival of my Mavic Air today.

    Reply
  87. Son Ero on

    Great info ! Watched it all. Been sitting the fence but u pushed me off. How is she now that the honeymoon is over ?

    Reply
  89. John Lamb on

    Thanks for the comprehensive analysis Rick. I got my Air a month ago and I’m extremely happy with it. The carry case in the Fly More version does fit the Air in its protective case in the side zipper compartment very comfortably, so maybe they upgraded it since you got yours.

    Reply
  90. Traveller Group on

    Thanks, A great Job!! Congrats!!!
    Can anyone Please Help..
    Can we connect a MOBILE PHONE to the Remote Controller of “MAVIC AIR”, using “WIFI”? ie. without wire, as we used to connect in Mavic Spark?
    Thanks in advance..

    Reply
  91. TheJigFreak on

    Greetings Master Rick.. i have a newbie question on the Mavic Air Quickshot mode. Is there a way we can adjust the reverse flight angle (to a steeper angle) when the MA does the Dronie shot? Thanx

    Reply
  92. Maredich Zinn on

    the thing about using the usb d cable i didn`t think of bevore but now i do it and getting 25mb/sec, yes it`s in the right port. does someone know what i do wrong?

    Reply
  93. Jamie Lane on

    I love your videos. You made me decide to buy the Mavic Air. I did want to say about the antenna…mine do lock together at the ends when they fold up. Thought it was neat to keep them from flopping up. Again love the videos. Thanks

    Reply
  94. Dennis Adkins on

    Wow he gives me a headache I don’t know if it’s cuz he talks so fast or what oh my head hurts 😴

    Reply
  95. htcpt on

    This may have been answered below already, but there are now 403 comments so I’m going to ask anyway: you mention that the controller can be charged through the side connection whilst it is connected to a device using the bottom USB2. Can it be done the other way around too? Connect the ‘phone the ‘normal’ way using the side connector and connect a power bank to the bottom to charge the controller?

    Reply
  97. Theokondak on

    Amazing review even though you sir talk too fast and sometimes i find it hard to absorb all the info, but thats partly because i write code at the same time and probably there is a bandwidth limit in my brain lanes 😛

    *subscribed*

    Reply
  98. Stuart Soares on

    Hi Rick! I heard you talking about your pre-flight check list. Would you be kind enough to share it along? I can give you my e-mail id if you rather prefer, so you can pass it over. Cheers from Portugal!

    Reply
  99. Geoff Ss on

    May seem insignificant BUT, no where in your title does it say “how to open a ffing mavic legs” … so WTF ?? I clicked because the title says “MAVIC AIR”…… so this is really JUST ANOTHER COMPARE VID……. BORING….. and now marked as clickbait… FFS……………………….

    Reply

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