Great video! Also I was thinking that the longer ground connection pins on the battery would be connect the ground pins first as the battery is inserted into the Mavic.. with them being longer they would touch and connect first, then the positive pins would connect secondary.
Engineer tech and certified electrician here and I appreciate the in depth review of internals of the Mavic . You didnt talk to us like we where idiots and explained very clearly in laymans term. Kudos.
Chris, thanks for the comments and I totally blew this one. I work with a lot of quick-disconnect devices and should have realised this was just a larger "ground-first" connection scheme. I appreciate everyone pitching in to correct me :) Thanks for watching and I hope you guys sub the channel. Rick
Thank you, Rick for another great video. I am waiting on my Mavic. it ships tomorrow. I have done am extensive amount of research into this craft and your videos are very helpful. Plus, they are well made and although many vloggers do not grasp the concept of a stable consistent delivery you do. you are articulate and I appreciate the time you take to produce your videos.
Loooong time FPV pilot (started 2001) Super great professional walk-through of the DJI Mavic! And thank you!! (for NOT having a 40-sec intro clip introducing your channel)
as a field service technician (large format printers) and an avionics repair graduate, I really appreciate the time, effort and knowledge needed to do a review such as this one. I further appreciate you doing it. The nerd in me could have listened to you ramble on for another hour and been thoroughly entertained! Thanks! I am in the process of purchasing one for myself this Holiday season . It will be my first drone, but not my first experience with video and photo cameras. It looks like i am making a great choice.
Kim, thanks for the kind words on the clip and the Mavic is an amazing quad. The combination of small size and incredible performance astounds me every time I put it up. You're going to love it. Be sure to sub the channel when you get a chance and you can use this link to the DJI site for your order to be sure you get the latest discounts - DJI Phantom 4 Pro - tinyurl.com/jo9vap5
As I posted on one of your videos, I spent almost 1300 bucks and was getting a bit of buyers remorse but you gave erased any doubts I may gave had, thanks man. More great info. I loved seeing the inside of the unit, nice work. I also ordered the round landing pad, as I was thinking the same thing on the dirt intake. Plus I read it gives the drone a nice visual target for the rth feature.
Rick I dont see how Dji hasn't found you yet, and to be honest I'm glad cuz when they do we will stop getting these type videos. Your a very brilliant mind my friend, and a big source of info for the rest of us, so thanx once again,
I really like the inside pictures and your analysis of the engineering feats. On the battery, the connector is what is referred to as a sequential mating or "hot swap connector". This allows the ground to connect first, then the data and finally enable power. This keeps from damaging the circuitry. Thanks for posting.
I enjoy the longer videos, so don't let that keep you from going on. I'm amazed at how good of a speaker you are. You never seem to falter as you go from one subject to the next, and you don't use jump cuts to edit out mistakes like so many do today. Keep up the great work!
Thanks a lot for the compliments and for watching the clips. I'll have a few more posted this weekend so be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss them. Rick
A brilliant review! I've already learned a lot about the Mavic Pro from your vlogs and can't wait until mine arrives in the uk. I won't have to take it apart now, you've done it for me!, a very informative video, I look forward to more. Thanks!
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I too love to know the how and why of new products...but I am NOT brave enough to take a new Mavic apart...great job, keep them coming.
Fascinating oratory Rick. I've owned a few First Gen Mavic Pro's and although I've been a subscriber for several years, I've never seen this particular video of yours. My first Alpine White threw a prop and crashed so I bought another since I had many accessories. The second flew great for years with "as needed" updates and calibrations. However, within the last month or so, the video stream would freeze so I sent it in to DJI who wanted nearly $400 to repair. I bought my third Mavic on eBay and got it within this last week. I'm considering harvesting the PCB's from the first to place into the second and was hoping to glean info on that from this video. Thank you for taking the time to explain the tech that goes into this Bird I'm so sold on. Keep your props spinning!
Wow. Learned so much in just 15 minutes. Not boring at all, keep on going! Love your presentation style and thoroughness. Expecting my Mavic Pro today! (upgrading from the P3 I bought 6 months ago and which is for sale now)
First off let me say thanks for your regular updates. I discovered you about a month ago and thoroughly enjoy your presentations and reviews. I am 59 and fellow geek. Thank you and keep up the excellent shows
Great job Rick explaining the engineering of this amazing drone. Another great video. Keep those videos coming. Very helpful and informative especially for us first time novice pilots.
Rick, Appreciate the level of effort you put into these clips. Keep up the good work. Haven't read all of the comments but enough to know that the questions and comments I had have already been addressed. All of this information expands the understanding I have of my aircraft.
Murry, thanks for the kind words and I have a lot of fun making these clips and have more of them posting this week. Be sure to sub the channel so you get notified when new content is posted. Rick
No, you won't bored me at all, ur videos is much more educational than a lot other ones. You are very knowledgable, this is something very useful information. And best of all, very well spoken. Sure! I will love to see something like that, I've seen enough review about this drone, your knowledge is what I m seeking.
You've gotten much better at pacing your videos! Great work breaking down the Mavic. Your engineering insight and understanding of application is appreciated. I feel like I know so much more about the platform and the company behind it after watching. Keep up the great work. When I eventually get my Mavic and start making flight videos I'll certainly link to your channel. Cheers!
Love the video Rick. It might be boring for some but as a 50 year old man who's still waiting for his Mavic to arrive, this video was great. Very interesting and now I know to keep it off the dirt for T.O. and landing. Probably saved me some wear and tear on a very expensive toy. Thanks and keep up the great work. After that video I am now a subscriber to your Channel.
Hi Rick, Thanks once again for another informative video. Don't think I will be brave enough to pull my Mavic apart but good to know whats inside. I was impressed with the details DJI went to. Sandy
What can I say another great video. I have never seen others close to this. I was a foreman for coach buses for years so I like the mechanical aspect to these videos.
Really excellent help. I am waiting for mine to be delivered and your reviews are putting me way ahead in understanding the drone and issues to be aware of.
iftibashir nice video but you forgot about how the sun shows a glare when your sensors our on and sometimes your drone thinks there is something there when there isn't witch means if you are far away or over water your drones is going down I almost lost my mavric beacue of the sensors so I just turn them off and now it fly s great and I have no problems with my mavic
Excellent info on all your tutorials, I will watch all your videos on the DJI Mavic Pro, very in depth. Thanks for taking the time to produce these videos you've answered every one of my queries and then some.
Rick, as a new owner of a drone, being a first time pilot of the Mavic Pro, I must agree with you the drone is amazing. I had flown my drone for the first time and for some reason the phone with the program did not connect to the camera. I am sure it was operator error, but the idea that I was still able to take off, fly out about 800 feet turn it around and fly it back was just an awesome feeling. I am sure I should not have done that but I could not help myself as it was just too cool not to fly it. I have subscribed to your channel and watched as much as I can about the mavic pro and feel that I am so much a noob that every time I do something I find something else to work for the new pilot to help make the time so enjoyable that you can't help but feel you have the best of the best. I am sure there are commercial drones that will do many more things, but for a first timer this is a great drone. I love your channel and what you have done and the fact you are an engineer and look at it with the perspective you have is even more of a plus for your viewers. Thank you!
John, as much as I fly a wide variety of quads, I fly the Mavic Pro more than any other and have it with me most days. I love being able to pull over when I see a nice lake or forest and send it up to explore the landscape. Be careful, this hobby can be addictive :)
Despite my 2 quibbles, your videos are EXCELLENT! I do a lot of on-camera media myself, and your ad-lib talents are right on point. Based chiefly on your videos, I just ordered a Mavic Pro last night (early birthday present to myself).
Kirk, thanks for the kind words. I appreciate you watching the clips and I'll have more posting very soon. I really enjoy flying and like to share what I learn with others in the hobby. Rick
I love seeing the inside of electronics. You're my hero. Great videos btw, very well thought out, educational, and good to know content. Keep up the good work!
Fantastic review! Excellent job of breaking down some fairly complex electrical theory into layman's terms. This is the first look inside the Mavic Pro that I've seen on UA-cam, so kudos there as well. Keep up the in-depth reviews, your video on RF gain as it relates to the antenna reflectors convinced me they weren't BS and I ended up buying a set.
Hello, I just subscribed. I have been watching your videos since the mavic pro came out. I truly appreciate your detailed explanations and how you try not to leave anything out, and how you don't have to resort to bashing other products. I got tired of waiting for mine. (I ordered on black friday) so, I found one on Craigslist near enough to me for a few extra bucks. Life can be very short and I couldn't wait any longer. So, on Dec 20th I went and picked mine up from the guy who was selling the fly more combo that I wanted. This is my very first real drone. (toys don't count) I have been having an awesome time, even though I live between 2 Airports. I usually just fly low in the alley behind my place. (roof level of a one story house or lower) It did flip out on me one time after a software update. Also, there are alot of power lines in the alley that I'm sure can cause all kinds of interference. I am still learning. I love the beginner mode. Could you please tell me how to change the camera from all of the different settings like from 4k, 2.7k, 1080, & 720? Also, I am flying with the cover on since I'm super new. Just to be safe. Also, where is the microphone located? I have recorded video for a few min, but I don't have audio. I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm having fun. Thanks again for your awesome videos. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the post and the compliments on the clip. I'll be doing a few more of these soon that cover the other sections of the app. To change the camera settings you need to hit the camera icon and can then change the type of picture or video the quad records, and even the format of the video. Don't fly with the Gimbal guard on the quad, it can cause heat issues. I know it looks like you can but it does heat up the quad more than normal. There is no mic on the quad and you can only record video. The reason for this is that the noise from the wind and the props is all that you're record anyway since these are so noisy when flying. I hope that helps and be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss any updates. Thanks, Rick
Good video! As are all your videos. I'm not an engineer, but as a child (I'm 62 now) I was always taking things apart to see how they worked; to my mother's dismay. I still do sometimes, my wife shakes her head, but I'm better at putting stuff back together now. Your video was not boring and you could have gone on. Your conclusions seemed logical to me and even if some conclusions were wrong as some 'Experts' have commented, it would not make me crash my Drone. I think I have watched all of your Mavic Pro videos, some two or three times. I bought a Mavic Pro Fly More kit two weeks ago and have played many videos on You Tube. I like yours the best, because you explain how to do things the best. Your presentation is like you are reading it off a cue card!
What a great youtube channel! As someone with a strong technical foundation I was very pleased to find a straight foreword fact based Channel on Drones. I am one of the masses about to purchase the Mavic Pro but being a first of its kind piece of combined technologies I was waiting for the first series of fails and fixes to purchase, however your detailed revelations about the integrity of the engineering, design and build of this unit puts me in the buy ASAP column. Thanks for such an excellent and contentious approach, much appreciated.
Phil, thanks for the kind word and even though I fly a lot of quads, the Mavic is simply amazing compared to almost anything else I own. Here's a link in case you decide to take the plunge - DJI Mavic Pro - tinyurl.com/jf3qruj
UA-cam is awash with semi-imbecilic enthusiasts with no knowledge but a thirst for fame. What a relief to find an expert who talks eloquently and intelligently. These videos are informative and the sincerity of the presenter shines through. Well done!
I am new to droning. I have bought this but still await it's delivery. I ordered mine on the 30th Sept from Dji here in the UK. Your video's are a good over view of what I should be looking out for, when I finally receive mine. I have emailed Dji on numerous occasions but as a first time customer their customer service team are pissing me off with their excuses, or lack of. My patience is running thin. The one consolation is that the £ has devalued and they have put the price up accordingly. So I just hope that this drone will meet my expectations for taking my photography to literally a different level.
Another excellent video! I understand your enthusiasm for the Mavic. I just bought my first "real" drone (P4) and am going to have to pony up for a Mavic as well. I would like to see you cover ins and outs of other facets of this hobby. An in depth discussion / review of the Go App, Litchi etc. Use of drone log books, maintenance schedules, checklists and other related content would be welcome. As a 20 + year former aircraft maintainer, medical field engineer, and fellow techie, I appreciate and look forward to your well thought out videos. Keep up the good work!
Great job...I do like the fact that DJI took the extra effort to think things through and glue those wires down along with the spring dampners.I did watch another video where it looks like the chips are covered in some type of material to help with moisture and saw one where they flew it in the rain..I DONT RECOMMEND anyone to do that....I also agree that that fan needs some type of filter to keep debree from going into it.
I learned a lot from you sir, I've been following all your vids and it really helps a lot. I don't have an expensive drone (no way I can afford to buy one) but your videos motivates me to buy one.
Rick, Superv video! it is always great to hear a perspective from the engineering side of the drone that does not come from factory videos. lots of good info and very informative! thanks for the insight!
The 3.3V lines are likely for the electronics. This a a fairly common voltage for powering microcontrollers/logic circuits. The grounds are longer so they make contact first when inserting and last when they removed. This makes sure all the electroncs have a ground reference before power is applied. This prevents any damage to the electronics due to static/stray voltages. Common practice in all new electronics. Enjoy your videos, informative and well articulated.
They didn't make the negative terminals longer so as they can handle more current, they make them longer so the negative or ground makes contact first, therefore discharging any accumulated voltage (static or residual via capacitors) to ground FIRST before the POSITIVE makes contact and potentially dumps x amount of voltage straight into the electronics..Besides, you will usually find in high current situations its the POSITIVE rails that are bolstered and made thicker.
Your technical insight is amazing and refreshing! I work at an importer for these amazing little things (don't ask me about shipping dates lol) and your findings have certainly reinforced mine!
I'm wanting to buy a drone soon and I know this is old video but thanks alot for the very informative info.I really enjoy watching and your views from an engineer perspective are very informative.You just sold me on the Mavic Pro.It's a little pricey for me but I will get one eventually,thanks again
Tom, thanks for watching and I'm glad that you're enjoying the clips. I have a lot more posting soon so be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
No brainer. I'm totally in! I try not to miss any. I'm still trying to learn how to become a photographer at 48 years old in order to maximize my Mavic footage. It's quite a motivating factor!
In regards to the difference in height of the power connections, it ensures the ground pins make contact first and/or last when connecting or disconnecting the battery respectively. (9:31)
10:12 The contacts aren't longer for more contact area, they're longer so that the negative can connect before before the positive. It's pretty standard stuff.
This was an awesome video man! Great to have some info on the engineering of the Mavic, and as you said DJI really invested some thought into that product. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much for sharing your extensive expertise. I was always impressed with the Mavic's level of technology, but after seeing your videos, my admiration for those Chinese engineers has grown exponentially. I can't imagine how they will improve on it with the next generation.
Another great video young fellow! Even though I haven't received my Mavic Pro yet, I am gaining more confidence with each of your videos that I will be able to enjoy flying it. Maybe one day I will have the courage to fly it over water! This video especially was interesting as I too am interested how things work.
Great battery, very interesting to watch. My Mavic Pro arrives next month.. looking forward to flying it. Regarding the battery, multiple pins due to a 3 cell Lipo, so for balance charging perhaps?
I have another possible explanation for the longer negative posts. I've seen this connector tab concept before where the longer negative posts help with aligning and seating the plug as well as preventing the potential of arcing across all of the contacts should the negative and positive plugs connect at the same time. The battery is grounded to the device before the positive terminals make contact. Kind of like boosting your car battery, where you connect one terminal at a time. It can be another layer of protection, especially when using high amperage power supplies with delicate electronics.
all of the airflow from the fan is directed to the bottom to cool the metal cover and is separated from the PCB inside, so the dust won't get in by the fan.
Thanks for the post but the fan is set in the front of the drone right in the middle of the PCB's. I actually ran the quad for a few minutes with the cover off and it drew air in from the front and over top of the PC board I showed in the picture and out the back of the quad. I didn't remove the fan for inspection but it looked just like a standard cooling fan used on a computer graphics card. My worry is that any debris that gets near the vent in the front of the quad will get pulling into the drone and over the boards.
Here is a diagram for centrifugal fan, if you match this to Mavic fan, you can see the outlet air is come out from the bottom to cool the metal cover (that also serve as heat sink) and doesn't blow to PCB. blowing over pcb is inefficient compare to blowing the heat sink. www.republic-mfg.com/images/Centrifugal-Blower-Working-Principle_l.jpg
Thanks for posting that, but whats confusing to me is that I only know of two basic fan types (axial and centrifugal) The difference I have always thought between them was that the centrifugal fan always had a sealed back so that all of the air could be directed though an output port to where you needed the cooling. The fan in the Mavic still looks like an axial fan to me since the back is wide open. It sits directly in front of the top PC board and is pushing air across the boards and down below. I have attached two pics at this link ( tinyurl.com/jk446rb) that I took today to give you a closer look as well as the part number. I'm totally open to being wrong on this and part of the fun of discovery for me is this type of education. Give the pics a look and let me know what you think. Thanks, Rick
Just an added thought about the battery contacts, in my experience when one contact is longer than another it is done to ensure that the longer pin makes contact first, in this case the negative makes first contact. So it should have a ground made before any positive voltages are applied. It may be to protect the circuits in the event of a battery malfunction. Some circuits don't react well to a reverse polarity, so by providing the ground or common first maybe it can overcome some issues. Just a thought. By the way loving the Mavic videos you have them judged just about right regards talking and etc. Although I am still waiting for mine to be delivered I am finding your information relevant and interesting so far, so keep it up.
I liked the flow and logical progression through the video, but as a EE with some experience in RF and EMC, I can't relate to the RF antennas in the pointy solderings. I'd also like to know the theory behind more current flowing in the negative lead than the positive as the reason for the pins carrying the negative current being longer.
Those longer ground pins on the battery are probably for protection, every good electrical connection has the ground or - connecting first, so that the + voltage doesn't damage the components on PCB. As the guys below mentioned the bubbles on those soldered wires are there, because the PCB is assembled with SMD components, which in this case is probably because through solder components take more space and from the both sides of the PCB. The wires are hand soldered (that kind of plastic coating melts in an oven), but you don't get any spikes on the solder if you know how to do it. I would guess that those glued wires are glued, because they stay on their place easier and if there is need to open the drone it is nicer to open it if the wires don't come out when you open the casing (this trick is usually used also because it makes assembly easier, because the wires stay in their dedicated places).
Amazing and extremely interesting video! Came here looking for technical information on my Mavic Pro battery and was presented with far more interesting design features of my now "old" Mavic Pro. Trying to restore some batteries that apparently went below 3V and made them unchangeable. Will be trying to restore them using a multi-charger initially in NiCad mode as some have suggested. A shame that DJI no longer sells reliable batteries for the original Mavic Pro. Many of the batteries they sell have been sitting around a long time and have charging issues also.
Great video, great presentation, good logical conclusions where DJi won't go into detail. Many of the detractors and critics are just too lazy or don't have the education to make any kind of logical evaluations. The ones that slam you are mostly just trolls and operators who will fly out of the box without reading the manual because they already know it all. You see it all over UA-cam. The ones that question logically because they don't know it all are the ones who contribute to what we do know. Great job ....
Very professional and not boring at all . You could go on for an hour and you would still have my full attention. Thank you and keep them coming.
Great video! Also I was thinking that the longer ground connection pins on the battery would be connect the ground pins first as the battery is inserted into the Mavic.. with them being longer they would touch and connect first, then the positive pins would connect secondary.
Yep, this is the reason.
This is the reason.
Engineer tech and certified electrician here and I appreciate the in depth review of internals of the Mavic . You didnt talk to us like we where idiots and explained very clearly in laymans term. Kudos.
On the battery.... The negative connectors need to make contact first so there is no chance you have voltage but no ground.
Chris, thanks for the comments and I totally blew this one. I work with a lot of quick-disconnect devices and should have realised this was just a larger "ground-first" connection scheme. I appreciate everyone pitching in to correct me :) Thanks for watching and I hope you guys sub the channel. Rick
Thank you, Rick for another great video. I am waiting on my Mavic. it ships tomorrow. I have done am extensive amount of research into this craft and your videos are very helpful. Plus, they are well made and although many vloggers do not grasp the concept of a stable consistent delivery you do. you are articulate and I appreciate the time you take to produce your videos.
Loooong time FPV pilot (started 2001) Super great professional walk-through of the DJI Mavic! And thank you!! (for NOT having a 40-sec intro clip introducing your channel)
Not boring at all! Anything to do with in depth mavic subjects is greatly appreciated and also worth a sub!
as a field service technician (large format printers) and an avionics repair graduate, I really appreciate the time, effort and knowledge needed to do a review such as this one. I further appreciate you doing it. The nerd in me could have listened to you ramble on for another hour and been thoroughly entertained! Thanks! I am in the process of purchasing one for myself this Holiday season . It will be my first drone, but not my first experience with video and photo cameras. It looks like i am making a great choice.
Kim, thanks for the kind words on the clip and the Mavic is an amazing quad. The combination of small size and incredible performance astounds me every time I put it up. You're going to love it. Be sure to sub the channel when you get a chance and you can use this link to the DJI site for your order to be sure you get the latest discounts - DJI Phantom 4 Pro - tinyurl.com/jo9vap5
As I posted on one of your videos, I spent almost 1300 bucks and was getting a bit of buyers remorse but you gave erased any doubts I may gave had, thanks man. More great info. I loved seeing the inside of the unit, nice work. I also ordered the round landing pad, as I was thinking the same thing on the dirt intake. Plus I read it gives the drone a nice visual target for the rth feature.
Thanks for taking the Mavic apart and explaining the engineering behind it!
As an engineer myself, I fully enjoy videos like this and it provide loads of information. Keep doing them!
Rick I dont see how Dji hasn't found you yet, and to be honest I'm glad cuz when they do we will stop getting these type videos. Your a very brilliant mind my friend, and a big source of info for the rest of us, so thanx once again,
I really like the inside pictures and your analysis of the engineering feats. On the battery, the connector is what is referred to as a sequential mating or "hot swap connector". This allows the ground to connect first, then the data and finally enable power. This keeps from damaging the circuitry. Thanks for posting.
I enjoy the longer videos, so don't let that keep you from going on. I'm amazed at how good of a speaker you are. You never seem to falter as you go from one subject to the next, and you don't use jump cuts to edit out mistakes like so many do today. Keep up the great work!
Thanks a lot for the compliments and for watching the clips. I'll have a few more posted this weekend so be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss them. Rick
Oh I'm definitely subbed...as long as UA-cam doesn't auto-unsub me like they've started doing.
You're such a blessed speaker, a real joy to watch and listen too. Many thanks for your video's and insights, they're never boring.
I'm supposed to take delivery of mine on Monday. After watching your video's I feel like I have already had hands on it. Great insight. Thank you.
A brilliant review! I've already learned a lot about the Mavic Pro from your vlogs and can't wait until mine arrives in the uk. I won't have to take it apart now, you've done it for me!, a very informative video, I look forward to more. Thanks!
Rick, You are the Man! Great Job!
Perhaps the long Ground battery connector pins are for ESD control.
These videos are amazing for teaching pilots new to the Mavic. Thanks Rick. Keep em coming
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. I too love to know the how and why of new products...but I am NOT brave enough to take a new Mavic apart...great job, keep them coming.
Fascinating oratory Rick. I've owned a few First Gen Mavic Pro's and although I've been a subscriber for several years, I've never seen this particular video of yours. My first Alpine White threw a prop and crashed so I bought another since I had many accessories. The second flew great for years with "as needed" updates and calibrations. However, within the last month or so, the video stream would freeze so I sent it in to DJI who wanted nearly $400 to repair. I bought my third Mavic on eBay and got it within this last week. I'm considering harvesting the PCB's from the first to place into the second and was hoping to glean info on that from this video. Thank you for taking the time to explain the tech that goes into this Bird I'm so sold on. Keep your props spinning!
Another awesome video - your technical background really brings an extra dimension to the reviews that I don't find in other videos.
Wow. Learned so much in just 15 minutes. Not boring at all, keep on going! Love your presentation style and thoroughness. Expecting my Mavic Pro today! (upgrading from the P3 I bought 6 months ago and which is for sale now)
First off let me say thanks for your regular updates. I discovered you about a month ago and thoroughly enjoy your presentations and reviews. I am 59 and fellow geek. Thank you and keep up the excellent shows
Great job Rick explaining the engineering of this amazing drone. Another great video. Keep those videos coming. Very helpful and informative especially for us first time novice pilots.
Rick,
Appreciate the level of effort you put into these clips. Keep up the good work. Haven't read all of the comments but enough to know that the questions and comments I had have already been addressed. All of this information expands the understanding I have of my aircraft.
Murry, thanks for the kind words and I have a lot of fun making these clips and have more of them posting this week. Be sure to sub the channel so you get notified when new content is posted. Rick
No, you won't bored me at all, ur videos is much more educational than a lot other ones. You are very knowledgable, this is something very useful information. And best of all, very well spoken. Sure! I will love to see something like that, I've seen enough review about this drone, your knowledge is what I m seeking.
Another excellent video from a engineering point of view. I could listen to you for hours. Thanks
You've gotten much better at pacing your videos!
Great work breaking down the Mavic. Your engineering insight and understanding of application is appreciated. I feel like I know so much more about the platform and the company behind it after watching.
Keep up the great work. When I eventually get my Mavic and start making flight videos I'll certainly link to your channel.
Cheers!
This video isn't boring at all! I'd love to see an extended version.
Love the video Rick. It might be boring for some but as a 50 year old man who's still waiting for his Mavic to arrive, this video was great. Very interesting and now I know to keep it off the dirt for T.O. and landing. Probably saved me some wear and tear on a very expensive toy. Thanks and keep up the great work. After that video I am now a subscriber to your Channel.
Thank you Rick for your insightful professional vlogs. Keep up the good work.
Hi Rick,
Thanks once again for another informative video. Don't think I will be brave enough to pull my Mavic apart but good to know whats inside. I was impressed with the details DJI went to.
Sandy
What can I say another great video. I have never seen others close to this. I was a foreman for coach buses for years so I like the mechanical aspect to these videos.
Really excellent help. I am waiting for mine to be delivered and your reviews are putting me way ahead in understanding the drone and issues to be aware of.
Another fantastic update on the Mavic.
You are a great speaker. Another informative video!
iftibashir nice video but you forgot about how the sun shows a glare when your sensors our on and sometimes your drone thinks there is something there when there isn't witch means if you are far away or over water your drones is going down I almost lost my mavric beacue of the sensors so I just turn them off and now it fly s great and I have no problems with my mavic
Excellent info on all your tutorials, I will watch all your videos on the DJI Mavic Pro, very in depth. Thanks for taking the time to produce these videos you've answered every one of my queries and then some.
Rick, as a new owner of a drone, being a first time pilot of the Mavic Pro, I must agree with you the drone is amazing. I had flown my drone for the first time and for some reason the phone with the program did not connect to the camera. I am sure it was operator error, but the idea that I was still able to take off, fly out about 800 feet turn it around and fly it back was just an awesome feeling. I am sure I should not have done that but I could not help myself as it was just too cool not to fly it. I have subscribed to your channel and watched as much as I can about the mavic pro and feel that I am so much a noob that every time I do something I find something else to work for the new pilot to help make the time so enjoyable that you can't help but feel you have the best of the best. I am sure there are commercial drones that will do many more things, but for a first timer this is a great drone. I love your channel and what you have done and the fact you are an engineer and look at it with the perspective you have is even more of a plus for your viewers. Thank you!
John, as much as I fly a wide variety of quads, I fly the Mavic Pro more than any other and have it with me most days. I love being able to pull over when I see a nice lake or forest and send it up to explore the landscape. Be careful, this hobby can be addictive :)
Despite my 2 quibbles, your videos are EXCELLENT! I do a lot of on-camera media myself, and your ad-lib talents are right on point. Based chiefly on your videos, I just ordered a Mavic Pro last night (early birthday present to myself).
Kirk, thanks for the kind words. I appreciate you watching the clips and I'll have more posting very soon. I really enjoy flying and like to share what I learn with others in the hobby. Rick
I love seeing the inside of electronics. You're my hero. Great videos btw, very well thought out, educational, and good to know content. Keep up the good work!
Regards frm Indonesia. Keep feeding that curiosity of yours and share your discoveries to others.
Fantastic review! Excellent job of breaking down some fairly complex electrical theory into layman's terms. This is the first look inside the Mavic Pro that I've seen on UA-cam, so kudos there as well. Keep up the in-depth reviews, your video on RF gain as it relates to the antenna reflectors convinced me they weren't BS and I ended up buying a set.
Hello, I just subscribed. I have been watching your videos since the mavic pro came out. I truly appreciate your detailed explanations and how you try not to leave anything out, and how you don't have to resort to bashing other products. I got tired of waiting for mine. (I ordered on black friday) so, I found one on Craigslist near enough to me for a few extra bucks. Life can be very short and I couldn't wait any longer. So, on Dec 20th I went and picked mine up from the guy who was selling the fly more combo that I wanted. This is my very first real drone. (toys don't count) I have been having an awesome time, even though I live between 2 Airports. I usually just fly low in the alley behind my place. (roof level of a one story house or lower) It did flip out on me one time after a software update. Also, there are alot of power lines in the alley that I'm sure can cause all kinds of interference. I am still learning. I love the beginner mode. Could you please tell me how to change the camera from all of the different settings like from 4k, 2.7k, 1080, & 720? Also, I am flying with the cover on since I'm super new. Just to be safe. Also, where is the microphone located? I have recorded video for a few min, but I don't have audio. I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm having fun. Thanks again for your awesome videos. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for the post and the compliments on the clip. I'll be doing a few more of these soon that cover the other sections of the app. To change the camera settings you need to hit the camera icon and can then change the type of picture or video the quad records, and even the format of the video. Don't fly with the Gimbal guard on the quad, it can cause heat issues. I know it looks like you can but it does heat up the quad more than normal. There is no mic on the quad and you can only record video. The reason for this is that the noise from the wind and the props is all that you're record anyway since these are so noisy when flying. I hope that helps and be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss any updates. Thanks, Rick
Good video! As are all your videos. I'm not an engineer, but as a child (I'm 62 now) I was always taking things apart to see how they worked; to my mother's dismay. I still do sometimes, my wife shakes her head, but I'm better at putting stuff back together now. Your video was not boring and you could have gone on. Your conclusions seemed logical to me and even if some conclusions were wrong as some 'Experts' have commented, it would not make me crash my Drone. I think I have watched all of your Mavic Pro videos, some two or three times. I bought a Mavic Pro Fly More kit two weeks ago and have played many videos on You Tube. I like yours the best, because you explain how to do things the best. Your presentation is like you are reading it off a cue card!
What a great youtube channel! As someone with a strong technical foundation I was very pleased to find a straight foreword fact based Channel on Drones. I am one of the masses about to purchase the Mavic Pro but being a first of its kind piece of combined technologies I was waiting for the first series of fails and fixes to purchase, however your detailed revelations about the integrity of the engineering, design and build of this unit puts me in the buy ASAP column. Thanks for such an excellent and contentious approach, much appreciated.
Phil, thanks for the kind word and even though I fly a lot of quads, the Mavic is simply amazing compared to almost anything else I own. Here's a link in case you decide to take the plunge -
DJI Mavic Pro - tinyurl.com/jf3qruj
UA-cam is awash with semi-imbecilic enthusiasts with no knowledge but a thirst for fame. What a relief to find an expert who talks eloquently and intelligently. These videos are informative and the sincerity of the presenter shines through.
Well done!
I am new to droning. I have bought this but still await it's delivery. I ordered mine on the 30th Sept from Dji here in the UK. Your video's are a good over view of what I should be looking out for, when I finally receive mine. I have emailed Dji on numerous occasions but as a first time customer their customer service team are pissing me off with their excuses, or lack of. My patience is running thin. The one consolation is that the £ has devalued and they have put the price up accordingly. So I just hope that this drone will meet my expectations for taking my photography to literally a different level.
Excellent video, pretty sure I'll buy one of these when they get shipping sorted
Very interesting!!! I enjoyed this video. All off them actually. I'm going to be more aware of where I take off from and where I land. Great points!
Hi Rick, understand something,you never bore us. great review as usual,thanks.
You're like the Hickok45 of Drones. Great videos!
That is easily the nicest compliment I've gotten in a long while. Thanks for watching and I hope you sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
Another excellent video! I understand your enthusiasm for the Mavic. I just bought my first "real" drone (P4) and am going to have to pony up for a Mavic as well. I would like to see you cover ins and outs of other facets of this hobby. An in depth discussion / review of the Go App, Litchi etc. Use of drone log books, maintenance schedules, checklists and other related content would be welcome. As a 20 + year former aircraft maintainer, medical field engineer, and fellow techie, I appreciate and look forward to your well thought out videos. Keep up the good work!
Great job...I do like the fact that DJI took the extra effort to think things through and glue those wires down along with the spring dampners.I did watch another video where it looks like the chips are covered in some type of material to help with moisture and saw one where they flew it in the rain..I DONT RECOMMEND anyone to do that....I also agree that that fan needs some type of filter to keep debree from going into it.
Yeah, debris/debree is bad.
Great video as usual, Rick! Many, many thanks! Cheers from Argentina
What a cool video. Thanks for making it. It's very interesting to hear these kind of things rather than just a standard review.
Wow you sure make sure we know everything. Your info sure makes me feel good about getting one
Very informative. Your videos are so detailed. I learn from every one of them.
What a detail introduction, thanks for you video, can't wait for my Mavic. I just saw the new Phantom 4 pro, looking forward for your review.
I learned a lot from you sir, I've been following all your vids and it really helps a lot. I don't have an expensive drone (no way I can afford to buy one) but your videos motivates me to buy one.
Rick, Superv video! it is always great to hear a perspective from the engineering side of the drone that does not come from factory videos. lots of good info and very informative! thanks for the insight!
The 3.3V lines are likely for the electronics. This a a fairly common voltage for powering microcontrollers/logic circuits. The grounds are longer so they make contact first when inserting and last when they removed. This makes sure all the electroncs have a ground reference before power is applied. This prevents any damage to the electronics due to static/stray voltages. Common practice in all new electronics.
Enjoy your videos, informative and well articulated.
Excelent review, Thanks for taking the time to do this for our community.
Fantastic review, lots of great info.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, I'm getting closer and closer to getting one of these.
They didn't make the negative terminals longer so as they can handle more current, they make them longer so the negative or ground makes contact first, therefore discharging any accumulated voltage (static or residual via capacitors) to ground FIRST before the POSITIVE makes contact and potentially dumps x amount of voltage straight into the electronics..Besides, you will usually find in high current situations its the POSITIVE rails that are bolstered and made thicker.
Your technical insight is amazing and refreshing! I work at an importer for these amazing little things (don't ask me about shipping dates lol) and your findings have certainly reinforced mine!
I'm wanting to buy a drone soon and I know this is old video but thanks alot for the very informative info.I really enjoy watching and your views from an engineer perspective are very informative.You just sold me on the Mavic Pro.It's a little pricey for me but I will get one eventually,thanks again
I know this is an old video but it's awesome, thanks for making it.
As always, an excellent video and great detail about the Mavic. Your insight is appreciated! Keep the videos coming.
what an amazing piece of engineering, would be surprised if the military started using them. did you notice the controller has a cooling fan as well?
Brilliant idea, nice different approach. We love when it's getting techy. And if we dont get it the first time, youtube can rewind/replay endlessly :)
phenomenal video again. I'm a newbie with a 3 week old Mavic and find your channel quite informative.
Tom, thanks for watching and I'm glad that you're enjoying the clips. I have a lot more posting soon so be sure to sub the channel so you don't miss anything. Rick
No brainer. I'm totally in! I try not to miss any. I'm still trying to learn how to become a photographer at 48 years old in order to maximize my Mavic footage. It's quite a motivating factor!
I really like how you go into details of the item
Great work and fantastic energy! Congrats again!
again
a huge information others just open it up and saw well i opend it hahah but you explain everything so good!
In regards to the difference in height of the power connections, it ensures the ground pins make contact first and/or last when connecting or disconnecting the battery respectively. (9:31)
10:12 The contacts aren't longer for more contact area, they're longer so that the negative can connect before before the positive. It's pretty standard stuff.
Impressive. This review is another level
This was an awesome video man! Great to have some info on the engineering of the Mavic, and as you said DJI really invested some thought into that product. Thanks for sharing!
Your video helped me finally decide to get a Mavic Pro. thanks!
FANTASTIC REVIEW AND I THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS VIDEO!!! Now I know what the deal is with the arms.
Rick that was great. You really out did yourself. You are a very brilliant guy. That was a very interesting video. Thanks
Nice work. Thanks for giving us a view of the tech inside.
i just got a pro platinum today!,love the videos!going to a nice open area tomorrow.keep up the good work rick!
Thank you so much for sharing your extensive expertise. I was always impressed with the Mavic's level of technology, but after seeing your videos, my admiration for those Chinese engineers has grown exponentially. I can't imagine how they will improve on it with the next generation.
Another great video young fellow! Even though I haven't received my Mavic Pro yet, I am gaining more confidence with each of your videos that I will be able to enjoy flying it. Maybe one day I will have the courage to fly it over water! This video especially was interesting as I too am interested how things work.
Really Really nice job! Great talker! Good production! Thanks for ur time. Cheers!
Great battery, very interesting to watch. My Mavic Pro arrives next month.. looking forward to flying it.
Regarding the battery, multiple pins due to a 3 cell Lipo, so for balance charging perhaps?
I have another possible explanation for the longer negative posts. I've seen this connector tab concept before where the longer negative posts help with aligning and seating the plug as well as preventing the potential of arcing across all of the contacts should the negative and positive plugs connect at the same time. The battery is grounded to the device before the positive terminals make contact.
Kind of like boosting your car battery, where you connect one terminal at a time.
It can be another layer of protection, especially when using high amperage power supplies with delicate electronics.
all of the airflow from the fan is directed to the bottom to cool the metal cover and is separated from the PCB inside, so the dust won't get in by the fan.
The fan inside is a centrifugal fan, and the airflow is coming out of the fan from the bottom. it doesn't blow pcbs like a axial fan would do.
Thanks for the post but the fan is set in the front of the drone right in the middle of the PCB's. I actually ran the quad for a few minutes with the cover off and it drew air in from the front and over top of the PC board I showed in the picture and out the back of the quad. I didn't remove the fan for inspection but it looked just like a standard cooling fan used on a computer graphics card. My worry is that any debris that gets near the vent in the front of the quad will get pulling into the drone and over the boards.
Here is a diagram for centrifugal fan, if you match this to Mavic fan, you can see the outlet air is come out from the bottom to cool the metal cover (that also serve as heat sink) and doesn't blow to PCB. blowing over pcb is inefficient compare to blowing the heat sink.
www.republic-mfg.com/images/Centrifugal-Blower-Working-Principle_l.jpg
Yup, the Mavic is turbocharged for sure.
Thanks for posting that, but whats confusing to me is that I only know of two basic fan types (axial and centrifugal) The difference I have always thought between them was that the centrifugal fan always had a sealed back so that all of the air could be directed though an output port to where you needed the cooling. The fan in the Mavic still looks like an axial fan to me since the back is wide open. It sits directly in front of the top PC board and is pushing air across the boards and down below. I have attached two pics at this link ( tinyurl.com/jk446rb) that I took today to give you a closer look as well as the part number. I'm totally open to being wrong on this and part of the fun of discovery for me is this type of education. Give the pics a look and let me know what you think. Thanks, Rick
Thank you! This video was really explanatory. I think this is going to be my next asset.
Just an added thought about the battery contacts, in my experience when one contact is longer than another it is done to ensure that the longer pin makes contact first, in this case the negative makes first contact. So it should have a ground made before any positive voltages are applied. It may be to protect the circuits in the event of a battery malfunction. Some circuits don't react well to a reverse polarity, so by providing the ground or common first maybe it can overcome some issues. Just a thought. By the way loving the Mavic videos you have them judged just about right regards talking and etc. Although I am still waiting for mine to be delivered I am finding your information relevant and interesting so far, so keep it up.
Another great video Rick, keep them coming.
Thank you for this very informative video. I will take more care with my landing locations now that I've watched this (for the first time).
I liked the flow and logical progression through the video, but as a EE with some experience in RF and EMC, I can't relate to the RF antennas in the pointy solderings. I'd also like to know the theory behind more current flowing in the negative lead than the positive as the reason for the pins carrying the negative current being longer.
Those longer ground pins on the battery are probably for protection, every good electrical connection has the ground or - connecting first, so that the + voltage doesn't damage the components on PCB. As the guys below mentioned the bubbles on those soldered wires are there, because the PCB is assembled with SMD components, which in this case is probably because through solder components take more space and from the both sides of the PCB. The wires are hand soldered (that kind of plastic coating melts in an oven), but you don't get any spikes on the solder if you know how to do it. I would guess that those glued wires are glued, because they stay on their place easier and if there is need to open the drone it is nicer to open it if the wires don't come out when you open the casing (this trick is usually used also because it makes assembly easier, because the wires stay in their dedicated places).
Professional... I really appreciate your videos
Amazing and extremely interesting video! Came here looking for technical information on my Mavic Pro battery and was presented with far more interesting design features of my now "old" Mavic Pro. Trying to restore some batteries that apparently went below 3V and made them unchangeable. Will be trying to restore them using a multi-charger initially in NiCad mode as some have suggested. A shame that DJI no longer sells reliable batteries for the original Mavic Pro. Many of the batteries they sell have been sitting around a long time and have charging issues also.
Great video, great presentation, good logical conclusions where DJi won't go into detail. Many of the detractors and critics are just too lazy or don't have the education to make any kind of logical evaluations. The ones that slam you are mostly just trolls and operators who will fly out of the box without reading the manual because they already know it all. You see it all over UA-cam. The ones that question logically because they don't know it all are the ones who contribute to what we do know. Great job ....
can't wait for your p4p video! hopefully mine comes soon 😀