The DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise promises survey-grade precision and professional versatility, but not every upgrade translates into a better user experience. After a year of real-world use, I found that DJI’s fine-tuned design choices reveal both brilliance and frustration in equal measure. Here’s what new pilots and seasoned pros alike should know before investing in the enterprise lineup.
Who is more excited that a child on Christmas morning? An adult who has discovered the power of next day shipping; bringing the excitement once consolidated to a single magical morning once year, as soon as tomorrow. Though recently, DJI consumers have been faced with long lead times. I spent weeks of diligent work to track down a DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise here in the US and I finally got one. And after picking it up, between the suspense of the wait and the giddy feeling of unboxing the successor to last year’s technology I am sure you are familiar with, I was more like a 5-year-old on Christmas morning. But on top of all of that, I was upgrading not from the last iteration of the Mavic series, but the decade old, bottom tier, Phantom 3 Standard.
As an aerial real estate photographer, the Phantom 3 was great in its prime, and while basic, remained an effective tool in my field 10 years later. However, when I decided to introduce 3D mapping and modeling to my services, I had no choice but to upgrade. With multiple sensors feeding collision avoidance technology, upgraded camera with the addition of a telephoto lens and RTK functionality providing survey-grade accuracy, the Mavic 3E follows the perfect recipe for the tool to grow a business like mine. However, especially if you are new to drones or DJI, there are some things you might not know or take for granted about the Mavic 3E until you use it every day – and I am here to share them with you.
More money does not mean more camera
The sound bite camera specs for Mavic 3E are easy to come by and as expected coming from DJI fall nothing short of industry standards. While also providing film services, I was between the Mavic 3 Pro Cine and M3E, though it was clear the premium price of the Enterprise was justified with its mapping capabilities and RTK technology. However, I was working under the assumption that a higher price meant an incremental step up from the previous tier in the lineup. I was wrong. DJI tunes their tech in each of their drone models to execute narrow scope rather than incrementally increasing the capabilities as you move up in the line. This tuning is even more noticeable when moving from the consumer (Cine) to enterprise (M3E) line of drones. The Mavic 3 Pro Cine is a film makers drone, with emphasis on camera technology with a Hasselblad sensor and meta data for box office level color grading in post. The M3E is a utilitarian mapping drone with the technology and functionality centered around the RTK capabilities and producing decision making visuals. I discovered the hard way that the M3E lacks the native d-long recording format capable in the Cine allowing for premium postproduction color grading. What the M3E is not, is a drone that can satiate a construction project manager and a cinephiles eye simultaneously.
Transporting from site to site
In another aspect, DJI’s fine tuning of features within individual models and product lines to their intended audience has rendered something great. The M3E comes with and is shipped in a GPC manufactured hard shell carrying case. The last thing anyone wants to do is to purchase essential gear and accessories for their new drone. Having been without a case for my Phantom 3, this was a huge plus that I wasn’t even aware of. There is a cut out for the drone, controller, 4 batteries, charger, all the cables that area included, cutouts for the RTK and loudspeaker module (one can be mounted on the drone and still fit in the case) which seals a small area used for propellers and other small accessories. The only thing to make a fuss about is that the insert comes predesigned and has no pluck and pull foam, Velcro or removable dividers to customize your layout.
Tilt at a premium cost
I am yet to have a bad to experience with DJI’s gimbal technology, other than the fact that it is extremely expensive to repair relative to any other single component of the drone. But I have two issues with the gimbal on the M3E.
- The gimbal protector is terribly designed. My issue with this stems from the fact that they have never been good. As a company that is an industry leader, if not the best, one would expect the design around protecting the gimbal to be user friendly. It is not the easiest to take off, especially when being extra cautious around the most sensitive part of the drone and is even more cumbersome to put on.
- The collapsed position of the M3E’s rear arms come in contact and leaving marks on the gimbal. Does this affect the gimbal when in use, not at all. However, I can’t help to think, if something hits the drone just right, there could be costly self-inflicted damage to follow. On top of that, I don’t believe any product north of a $5,000 price point should have an aesthetic flaw as pronounced as this one.
Fumbling with the little things
Micro-SD cards are a fickle thing. In a time where advancements in technology are tied to a physical size to performance ratio, the micro-SD card makes sense…until it comes to the M3E. To install the micro-SD card in the Phantom 3, it was quite simple. With the drone off, users tilt the camera down exposing the micro-SD card slot at the top and insert the card. Yet it seems as though DJI took a step in the wrong direction placing the micro-SD card slot at the rear of the M3E’s body under a small flap to protect it along with the USB-C charging port from foreign debris. The issue: the entire process. Between the size of the card and the extremely limited and cumbersome access, I have resorted to carrying tweezers in my case to easily insert and eject the card. This is by no means a deal breaker, but the innate and unavoidable inconvenience of the size of micro-SD cards has been exacerbated. A decade ago, a motor clamp was included with the Phantom 3 to assist in screwing and unscrewing the propellers, but by no means needed to do such. Now, in a situation where a prescribed tool is indispensable to complete a required task, DJI has seemingly fallen short.
Getting ready to fly
From placing the drone on the ground to spinning up the propellers, DJI has come a long way. The days of the unescapable drone dance to calibrate the GPS and connect to satellites has been replaced with automatic connection and calibration. The adjusting of flight parameters has become easier to comprehend and digest especially with the latest flight software found on the pilot app. However, the compact portable nature that makes the Mavic series so attractive to many comes with one annoyance. The arms must be unfolded in a specific order – front arms first, followed by the rear arms and stowed in the reverse. Again, this very minute detail is not something that should prevent you from buying the M3E; though it is one of those little things that takes forever to get used to especially coming from a drone with fixed arms, even if you are flying everyday.
I believe the M3E will continue to be a work horse in its industry for the years to come, just like the Phantom 3 standard. However, with the new Matrice 4 replacing the Mavic 3 Enterprise line finally making it to consumers hands, it’s not a bad pick up at a for a predecessor if you are unable to get your hands on the new successor.
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