First drone purchase - DJI Spark or Mavic Pro?

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  YellowKnight on 17/08/2017 - 21:16

  +4

  "Image quality is almost the same" Not so true my friend.

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  Caped Baldy on 17/08/2017 - 21:25

  Probably the mavic but I would highly suggest getting a smaller drone to get a grasp of controls and really consider if you're actually going to make good use. It's a decent amount of money, go for if you've got money to burn.

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  Randxyz123 on 17/08/2017 - 22:03

  Is it worth spending a couple hundred more for the Mavic Pro? I personally don't care about 4K footage as I can shoot that with my phone, plus I don't have the computing power and monitor to work with anyway.

  You just answered your question….

  Get the spark fly more package as a learning drone.

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  Polde on 17/08/2017 - 22:07

  +2

  I also never used a drone before, but looked into those brands and they seemed really expensive for trying so new.

  I came to the choice of buying the Xiaomi Mi Drone which is currently $577 AUD- much cheaper than when I and others got it at $616.

  It's fantastic, haven't had any problems(apart from a compass calibration issue that comes up sometimes- seems to be normal because of magnetic interference). Footage is great, and handling it is very easy.

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  ozkiwi75 on 17/08/2017 - 22:16

  +1

  I also had this dilemma and ended up with the Spark Fly More Combo. With the Spark I find the 1080p video good enough for my recreational use. It's fun to use and easy enough for a beginner. Camera quality aside, the question you need to ask is whether a 15 minute flight time is enough. I have two batteries and it's amazing how quickly it churns through them. The Mavic Pro can fly for about double the time on one battery. If you do get the Spark, just go for the Combo which allows it to be flown further away.

  Another thing to consider is that the Spark was released recently, so there's still a premium on them. But the last Mavic Pro was released 9 months ago. It might mean that with a newer one coming out (there's rumours of a Mavic 2), the prices might drop soon. But then again, it's just rumours.

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  pegaxs on 17/08/2017 - 23:48

  +3

  Have both, own a Spark and father has the Mavic Pro, and if you were doing aerial photography, I would say the Mavic, hands down. It's bigger and seems to fly a lot better and more stable. It goes further and has a better gimble.

  I would also look at the Phantom series as well if you are looking for photos. I have a Phantom 3 Advance and it is very stable and takes great photos. Or if you have enough coin or possible work, an Inspire might be worth considering.

  If you have never flown before, I would suggest the Spark. It's great for learning how to fly or for inexperienced pilots. It's also great for flying in smaller areas and is really easy to fly (although the gesture control I can't for the world on my get them to work consistently.) The photos are good, but the gimble is only 2D, unlike the Phantom and Mavic's 3D gimble.

  Also, if you are going to be taking photos, make sure they are for private use or free to use, as any "paid" photography work with drones requires you to get a license.

  Here are some of my Phantom 3 Adv. photos. These are jpg photos converted from the original DNG/RAW files and what ever Imgur does to compress them…

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    ozkiwi75 on 21/08/2017 - 19:49

    Can't agree more on your comments.

    Re: gesture control on the Spark… you're not alone. I'm also having issues getting it to work consistently.

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  StickMan on 18/08/2017 - 16:33

  +1

  I bought my first ever drone as a Mavic, and the only thing I want to comment on is that it's absolutely no problem for beginner flyers.

  Do you have SOME kind of self awareness? Cool. Mavic even has beginner mode which limits things. Don't fly inside or near trees to reduce risk, but you'll almost never screw it up.

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  koalafied on 19/08/2017 - 02:55

  +1

  Thanks for the tips guys, looks like I'll be going for the Mavic :D