P4 versus Mavic in wind

[V-95]

I am sure this has been discussed and I apologize if I am beating a dead horse, but I searched and couldn't find any significant discussions about this issue. I got a P4 and am considering returning for a Mavic Pro. I would be filming sailing and kitesurfing. So, wind is an issue. I saw one YouTube video comparing the two using a leaf blower to try to disrupt the aircraft. It seemed that the P4 tended to drift upwards in wind more so than the Mavic but that the Mavic video was a bit shakier, likely due to the more narrow field of view.

I like that DJI Care refresh for the Mavic covers water damage (even if it ends up at the bottom of the lake and can't be recovered). That is not available for the P4 unfortunately.

Does anyone have any real world experience comparing the two drones in high wind (15-25 mph range)?

Thanks,
Bill

 

[alokbhargava]

Definitely P4 will be able to handle winds better, that was one of the reasons I didn't go for Mavic as I like to fly in windy conditions.

Following factors mainly affect wind handling capabilities:

1. Weight
2. Power of the motors with props
3. Aerodynamics design

 

[c0uver]

[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106][emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using PhantomPilots

 

[F3honda4me]

I am sure this has been discussed and I apologize if I am beating a dead horse, but I searched and couldn't find any significant discussions about this issue. I got a P4 and am considering returning for a Mavic Pro. I would be filming sailing and kitesurfing. So, wind is an issue. I saw one YouTube video comparing the two using a leaf blower to try to disrupt the aircraft. It seemed that the P4 tended to drift upwards in wind more so than the Mavic but that the Mavic video was a bit shakier, likely due to the more narrow field of view.

I like that DJI Care refresh for the Mavic covers water damage (even if it ends up at the bottom of the lake and can't be recovered). That is not available for the P4 unfortunately.

Does anyone have any real world experience comparing the two drones in high wind (15-25 mph range)?

Thanks,
Bill

Dji care refresh covers water damage on P4 and p4p too.

DJI care refresh will not cover a drone that is gone and unable to be recovered, regardless of model. If your mavic sinks to the bottom and you can't retrieve it you are not covered.

 

[V-95]

I am unable to find care refresh offered for P4. I only find DJI Care. They are different insurance plans.

Also, I had an online chat with DJI support and asked about coverage if I was unable to retrieve the drone from the bottom of the lake. They said it would be covered. Have other people had a different experience?

 

[F3honda4me]

You are correct sorry. P4 only has Dji care.

And the Dji chat agent told you incorrect info (wouldn't be the first time). You have to send the drone in to DJI as part of the care refresh process. This is intentional. Otherwise you can claim a flyaway or drowned drone and get a new one for under $100 and now you have two.

 

[V-95]

You are correct sorry. P4 only has Dji care.

And the Dji chat agent told you incorrect info (wouldn't be the first time). You have to send the drone in to DJI as part of the care refresh process.

I just saw that an exclusion to care refresh is a lost aircraft. Man, the support agents there have given me wrong info multiple times. I find this forum way more helpful.

Thanks.

 

[Rlisch]

I am sure this has been discussed and I apologize if I am beating a dead horse, but I searched and couldn't find any significant discussions about this issue. I got a P4 and am considering returning for a Mavic Pro. I would be filming sailing and kitesurfing. So, wind is an issue. I saw one YouTube video comparing the two using a leaf blower to try to disrupt the aircraft. It seemed that the P4 tended to drift upwards in wind more so than the Mavic but that the Mavic video was a bit shakier, likely due to the more narrow field of view.

I like that DJI Care refresh for the Mavic covers water damage (even if it ends up at the bottom of the lake and can't be recovered). That is not available for the P4 unfortunately.

Does anyone have any real world experience comparing the two drones in high wind (15-25 mph range)?

Thanks,
Bill

Did a comparison last Saturday with my P4 and Mavic.

Plotted a more or less rectangular course 43,000' long with the FPV Camera App.

The long legs were approx. 2000' in wind direction and the short ones aprox. 300'. It was just one lap after the other until the approx. 43,000' were reached (mission end).
Hight was 100' at a set max. speed of 33mph, measured wind speed at ground was steady 16mph (flat area close to the beach).
Hovered both drones before mission start. P4 started the mission first and one minute after the Mavic.
Flying a lot in winds between 15 and 25mph I new that the P4 had a better "punch" flying into the wind so it left first to avoid any collision as both drones flew exactly the same mission, 1 minute apart.
The results:

Mavic: SRTH after 21:43 minutes duration, distance flown 37,862'. Top speed 33.9mph, average speed 20.0mph, battery 10% at touch down.

P4: finished mission after 16:51 minutes and 42176'. Top speed 34.6mph, average speed 28.3 mph battery 14% at touch dow.

Results taken from FPV Camera Flight Logs

I like the Mavic a lot and it is my favorit drone at the moment. Flying in high winds is no issue as you have sport mode if it gets tight and gimbal handels it well as long as turbulence is not to strong which can happen at higher wind speeds depending on terraine and objects around.

But its portability combined with features and performance beats all my other quads hands down.

For long range missiones however I prefer the P4 with its solid performance and speed in higher winds.

 

[V-95]

Wow. That's an amazing comparison. Thanks so much for posting. Did you happen to take any video and compare? Wondering if there was a difference in the stability of the picture/video.

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Rlisch]

Wow. That's an amazing comparison. Thanks so much for posting. Did you happen to take any video and compare? Wondering if there was a difference in the stability of the picture/video.

Thanks,
Bill

Have a video from the first part of the Mavic mission before the
SD card was full but none from the P4 as I started out with a full SD as I did some video missions waiting for the wind to pick up.
I will plot a shorter course and repeat the test asap with full video documentation for each.
Actually I did not expect the large difference in speed flying into the wind this is why I plotted a mission that long.
I did not really plan to do this comparison that day it just happened after some doubts in previous flights the same day.

 

[rocketflyer]

Thanks for posting. I'm trying to get a handle on the mission speeds as I use Litchi. I'm kind of surprised that the mavic didn't complete the mission as it is supposed to have better battery life and most testers claimed similar wind performance to the P4.

 

[Rlisch]

Thanks for posting. I'm trying to get a handle on the mission speeds as I use Litchi. I'm kind of surprised that the mavic didn't complete the mission as it is supposed to have better battery life and most testers claimed similar wind performance to the P4.

Most tests I have seen on youtube were done flying close around operator or just staying up static in stronger winds.
Another story however is flying for a mile straight into a strong headwind at max speed.

At the end of my testing battery life of the Mavic was longer if you compare the percentage left and total flying times but it was much slower flying into the head wind if you compare average speeds.