DJI Mavic 3: Is It Good for Commercial Drone Pilots?
As a commercial drone pilot, you demand the best from your equipment.
After all, the right drone and accessories can make or break your business.
As a result, you’re always looking for that extra edge – whether it’s a few more minutes of flight time or a higher resolution camera. Drone manufacturers know it, and push new models to market with greater frequency than ever before.
In early November, DJI released their newest drone: the Mavic 3.
Like its predecessors, the Mavic 3 is a compact folding drone, packing plenty of power into a small body – weighing in at just under 900g.
In the years following the release of the Mavic 2 Pro and Mavic 2 Zoom, DJI remained hard at work collecting customer feedback. Based on recommendations, they’ve made some significant upgrades to their flagship drone.
The result? A beautifully designed platform with some impressive specifications.
So, does the DJI Mavic 3 live up to expectations? Is it the right choice for you?
Let’s dive into some details to see whether or not it’s a good option for professional use.
Introducing the Mavic 3
Like most DJI drones, the Mavic 3 is available in several variations.
Starting at $2199, the base model includes the drone, controller, one battery, and accessories.
For $2999, you get the next level up: the Fly More Combo. In addition to the standard package, this includes two additional batteries, a carry bag, four neutral density (ND) filters, and more.
Then, there’s the top-of-the-line option, priced at $4999: the Mavic 3 Cine Premium Combo. The Mavic 3 Cine supports Apple ProRes 422HQ video recording with a built-in 1TB SSD hard drive.
Also included is an upgraded controller with a built-in screen, extra ND filters, and everything else from the Fly More Combo. According to DJI, this setup is perfect for professional photographers.
Unlike the previous Mavic 2 series, the Mavic 3 comes equipped with a dual camera.
The primary optic is a 20MP DNG (RAW) Hasselblad camera with a 4/3 CMOS sensor. You can also capture video at both 5.1K/50fps and in 4K/120fps. Just as impressive, the second camera offers an incredible 28x zoom.
The Mavic 3 still retains many of the smart features that made the Mavic 2 so popular, plus a few more that make capturing professional images a breeze.
With an advertised flight time of 46 minutes per battery charge (in perfect conditions), the Mavic 3 holds many advantages over both its predecessors and the competition.
As a Commercial UAS Pilot, is the Mavic 3 right for you?
The Mavic 3 is well suited to provide you and your clients with a variety of quality digital products.
Real estate photography and building digital twins are among the most popular uses for drones with standard RGB cameras, and the Mavic 3’s primary camera makes the job a breeze.
Additionally, the availability of a 28x zoom camera allows for close-up inspections of facilities, made even safer with its omnidirectional obstacle avoidance system.
One of the few drawbacks of the system is the lack of an interchangeable payload. Any mission requiring more advanced optic systems (such as thermal cameras or LiDAR) are not ideal fits for the Mavic 3.
However, that still leaves a lot of options available for commercial pilots.
The Mavic 3 has plenty of power to be used as a mapping tool. While it’s not compatible currently, the drone should be useful with software such as DroneDeploy in the near future.
The gimbal’s ability to maintain a steady camera, along with its internal positioning system, help to reduce ‘noise’ in each picture, giving your maps and models much sharper images to draw from.
Finally, the UAV’s 40+ minute flight time means more ground is covered on a single charge, so you complete your missions with less downtime.
The Takeaways
To decide if the Mavic 3 is the right drone for you, it really comes down to your primary needs.
Does your work only require a standard RGB camera? If so, then the Mavic 3 is an excellent choice. Its cameras offer fantastic resolution and achieve impressive zoom rates.
Additionally, with its impressive flight time, you’ll spend more time in the air and less time worrying about battery life.
However, if your job requires specialized imagery, like LiDAR or thermal, you’ll need a larger drone with different payload options.
For years, DJI’s Mavic series has offered quality drones at an affordable price, and their recent model continues that legacy.
Given its overall capabilities and price point, it’s an excellent choice for most professional drone photography, mapping, and modeling needs.
So, which drone is right for you? And, how do you get started? Do you hire out or bring your drone program in-house?
At Consortiq, we help you find a better way with drones, from consultation and program implementation to actually doing the work for you.
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David Daly - Contributing Author
David Daly, is an award-winning photographer/writer and licensed (FAA) Commercial sUAS pilot. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, David is a former Marine Corps officer with a BS in Oceanography and has earned his MBA from the University of Redlands. David has worked for Fortune 100 companies and has a background in aerospace, construction, military/defense, real estate, and technology.
