Dpi Inspire 1 V Mavic 2 ComparisonThis is a small comparison between the DJI Inspire 1 and DJI Mavic 2 (Zoom and Pro). There are lots of comparisons on line for the Mavic 2 V the Inspire 2 but they miss something. You have around £1,000 to spend on what might well be your first drone. This isn't really about image quality because it is kind of well known that the Mavic 2 Pro camera is better quality than the Inspire X3 camera. The chip in the X3 is actually the same as the Mavic 2 zoom but the Mavic 2 zoom has some clever tricks up it's sleeve One nil to the Mavic 2 but read on.... 

 

Mavic 2 versus Inspire 1The short answer is if you can afford two drones then go and buy one Mavic 2 and one Inspire 1. Well actually you'd want three as the Mavic 2 Zoom and Pro are both great in their own right. The long answer is each drone has it's advantages and disadvantages. The two main factors of why I prefer flying the Inspire is I can fly it further with ease. I can fly it higher with more ease. At 400 feet high, the Mavic is a dot, The inspire is so much easier to see. The Mavic, you can't tell which way around it is flying, the Inspire is easy to tell. Most people that are looking for an Inspire want or have a License. They want to use it commercially in the end and the DJI Mavic looks like a toy, where as the Inspire looks the business. Looks shouldn't matter hey but often they do! 

I have both drones, I opted for the zoom as I find it more versatile but I still fly the Inspire far more often than I fly the Mavic. Perhaps it is just a comfort thing but you're actually comparing something that was new around three times the price. The chances are The Inspire 1 will be still flying way after the Mavic 2 has come and gone. The Inspire handles its self in such an elegant way. In a gust of wind the Inspire 1 just sits there and takes it where as the Mavic often struggles to cope. So if you are just starting out on this path then my first choice would be a good solid used Inspire 1. I know I'm slightly biased because I sell pre-owned Inspires but I only sell them because I'm 100% confident in the product and I've used one for so long. On the flip side, if you are just flying for fun (or you need something really small) and you want something portable that you can take hiking up the mountains / hills etc, then the Mavic might be for you. You could also consider the original Mavic (1) also. The Magic air isn't really a contender as it works off wifi and it can be extremely problematic. Having said that, the image quality is better than the original Mavic 1. 

My verdict : Inspire 1 still wins on overall value for money and capabilities.  

 

 

 

 

New Drone Measures Come Into Force As UK Expands Airport No-Fly Zones

The UK Government has now put into place new legislation that has extended no-fly zones around airports to 5km. There is also a promise to impose major penalties for those who break the law.

The government decided to bring in the changes before the new Drones Bill has been finalised, in part as a reaction to the events at Gatwick airport before Christmas 2018.

Penalties for breaking the law on misusing drones range from fines to life imprisonment if the device is intentionally used to cause violence.

Here is a direct link to help you make sense of where you can and can't fly. Airport Extensions

 

UK ministers to meet with manufacturers

According to a government statement, Aviation Minister Liz Sugg will meet with “global leading drone manufacturers to discuss how to tackle criminal drone use” later this month.

The statement says that “they are expected to discuss a range of topics including counter-drone technology and software – such as ‘geofencing’ – that could be built into drones at the point of manufacture.”

Presumably, that conversation will be when government officials realise geofencing technology is already widely in place and probably preventing countless illegal incursions every day.

Despite publishing official statements that don’t appear to say much at all, Aviation Minister Liz Sugg has made a point of noting that the majority of drone pilots are operating responsibly.

“Flying drones illegally puts others at risk both in the air and on the ground, so it’s vital they are used safely. The majority of people using drones want to do so responsibly, so we have expanded a national campaign to ensure they know the rules – and the penalties,” she said.

“The new Drones Bill, which is currently being drafted, will give new powers to the police to clamp down on those misusing drones and other small unmanned aircraft – including the power to access electronic data stored on a drone with a warrant. It will also include stop and search powers for drone users near aerodromes.”

UK Home Office looking at counter drone options

The statement also confirmed that the Home Office is reviewing the UK’s approach to countering the malicious use of drones, “and will consider how best to protect the full range of the UK’s critical national infrastructure – including testing and evaluating technology to counter drones.”

Since the farce at Gatwick airport and more recent disruptions at London Heathrow, it seems to be a question of when, not if, a similar incident will happen again.