Ever since drones hit the consumer market, I have always wanted to get my hands on one, but they were all too big to carry around until now. The Mavic Pro is super easy to fly, takes phenomenal 4k photos & videos, and is the size of a large water bottle – perfect for constantly being on the move. Finally I found the perfect travel companion!
Why the Mavic Pro?
The DJI Mavic Pro blows away the competition with its powerful features and extreme portability. It’s definitely the best drone for traveling photographers at the moment.
Unlike other drones, this one is so compact that it can fold up and basically fit into your pocket. It is amazing how far technology has come! The controller is a bit larger than an iPhone and the entire drone only weighs 1.6 pounds.
Full Specs:
Video Recording: 4K in 24/30p or 1080 in 60/30/24p
Pixels: 12 Megapixels
Max Resolution: 4000 x 3000
Lens: 28mm
Memory Card: Micro SD
ISO Sensitivity: 100 – 3200
Max Speed: 40 mph
Average Flight Time: 21 minutes
Max Distance: 4 miles
Weight: 1.62 lbs (734 g)
Flying the Mavic
Flying this thing feels like a video game. If you let go of the controls it will just hover in place. Prepping this little guy for flight only takes a few seconds as well. First, start the DJI GO App on your phone, connect the phone to the remote controller, turn on the remote controller, then power on the drone. Calibrate the compass via the app and the Mavic will lock on to GPS satellites, keeping it stable during flight. Congrats, you are a drone pilot now!
I recommend you launch the drone off of a backpack so there are no problems getting the propellers stuck in tall grass or caught on nearby debris. If you are running low on battery power or lose connection, the Mavic will automatically return to home using GPS.
The cameras on the bottom of the Mavic take photos of the initial launch site, assisting it in landing on the same exact spot once you’re finished. This technology is insane!
Intelligent Flight Modes
The DJI Mavic Pro has 11 sweet intelligent flight modes with software that helps fly the drone for you and capture different kinds of unique shots that are difficult when flying with manual control. To activate them, you need to go into the flight mode settings. You can then pause or stop the program when necessary and return to manual control. Once again, very user-friendly.
These are the best settings for recording on the go:
Active Track
Active Track automatically locks onto a person or object, and tracks their movement while keeping them in frame. It’s great for following bikers, kayakers, walking people, and even cars.
Gesture
This is the “selfie” setting. Send the drone up into the air, put down your remote control (or hide it out of frame), wave your hands to get the Mavic’s attention, then gesture with your hands in a frame around your head, and the drone will lock on and snap a photo after 3 seconds. You need to switch from video into photo mode to make this work.
Point Of Interest
Say you wanted to fly around a particular building or monument. With Point Of Interest, you hover over a stationary object, lock on, then adjust the diameter and speed you want to fly at, and the drone will then circle your chosen subject keeping it in frame. Manually flying perfect circles around something is very difficult, but this mode does the hard work for you, so you can focus on filming.
Terrain
Terrain Mode is great for flying low over a rough landscape, or up the side of a hill. The Mavic’s bottom sensors track the changing ground features, and keep the drone at a certain height over them. You don’t have to worry about adjusting it’s altitude to avoid running into the side of a hill because it takes care of that for you.
Mavic Pro’s Epic Features
Return To Home
Push one button and the drone comes back to you like a lost dog. It takes the shortest path back, flying at optimal speed, and saving you precious battery power.
Recovering After A Crash
I’ve even crashed a few times now. If you do crash your drone, the best way to get it back is using the GPS information stored on the DJI GO App. Click on the map, zoom into where the last signal was sent from, then head over and start searching.
Facebook Live
Did you know you can broadcast live video from your DJI Mavic to Facebook & YouTube? The video feed comes from the drone, while the audio comes from your phone. This lets you tell a story, or describe what you’re seeing, as you fly the drone live. It’s even possible with a 3G phone signal. This is one of its best features.
Here is the most recent video we took of a hiking adventure using the drone!
-> Impulse Odyssey Drone Footage
If you would like to purchase the Mavic Pro click the link below.
