DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced M2EA Don't buy it / The big problem nobody is talking about

[@northof4924]

Thank you for this info. I have purchased one of these and wish I'd seen this first. Could you please post any info if firmware is updated?

[@sliggy6834]

What drone would you suggest to use for thermal imaging inspection deliverables?

[@jt16omes]

Looking at the spec sheet for mavic enterprise advanced it has RGB 48MP camera with 32x digital zoom and no optical, so I think the controller just zooms in digitally and what you get on the output is the full 48mp image and full thermal

[@MadRC]

There is some confusions around this model. It does not have an Optical Zoom. It’s fitted with 1/2” 48mp sensors and dji have implemented a 32x digital zoom. This is what they call a Lossless Zoom is the sense they are using cropping and the additional pixels to achieve the “lossless zoom” but there is no optical element. What your getting on the card is the full MP image and zooming in post should achieve the same or similar result. There is some sw magic done on the RC side when both and to capture that you want to store smart controller side not SD card side. Overall what your getting on the card is what the actual sensor output is. What your seeing on the screen is a manipulation of that. Technically DJI could ad the ability to store the cropped image but you can do that now on the smart controller side anyways.

[@WhirlyBloke]

Exactly. After a bit more technical digging I've uncovered what's going on. They're using pixel shifting on the large sensor to get the zoom that's lossless up to 4x on FHD only. That's why the images are the same size regardless on the pseudo-zoom. In photo mode it's zoomed on the smart controller display digitally and the SD card images are just what comes off the RGB camera sensor. There's some question if pixel shifting is truly lossless though - Sony cameras etc. And I agree, there's no reason they couIdn't have created a cropped image on the SD card, but I can do that in Photoshop if I want. I understand what's happening now, but what annoys me is the way it's marketed with small print that I missed and I'm not normally caught out by that. You never stop learning. It's not exactly a pile of junk, but it limits how I can use this for those tricky inspections. Thanks for the feedback.

[@roundhouserenovations3072]

could not have said it better myself.

[@roundhouserenovations3072]

​@@WhirlyBloke i want to say i respect you for the candor well done im glad that is cleared up wondering if you would recommend the drone now knowing what you know today

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@roundhouserenovations3072 Yes. If you understand it's limitations it does a great job. There's nothing to touch it on price and I've been using it commercially for over a year. It's just a shame about the issues which stop it being perfect.

[@krish9586]

are you aware if the Dual or H20T has this same issue? I was looking at renting for a thermal inspection job for next month but this is pretty suprising..

[@MaCJaX88]

Have you tried using the controller's SD card slot and looking at the images on there ?

[@WhirlyBloke]

The SD card slot on the DJI M2EA remote controller can be used to store photos and videos captured by the drone's camera. The images can be accessed by removing the SD card from the remote controller and inserting it into a computer or compatible device. These are just cached lower resolution versions of what's on the mai SD card.

[@notsure984]

Did they ever fix this issue?

[@rotobic]

Your review is spot on. I also thought I was being stupid with the camera setup. In a country where this drone costs 5x the average salary, it is very expensive. I bought it for night surveillance of criminal activity and in this regard it is excellent. The mountable LED floodlight is impressive and very useful at getting ground teams to the perpetrators, it also scares the living sh!t out of them! It would have been nice to have ben able to use it for recreational activities too. The thermal camera has proved very useful for day or night game counting as well. Being able to de-activate the navigation lights for covert approaches is convenient too.

[@warsameadam5572]

How powerful are the floodlights at night. At what altitude does light reach the ground clearly for ground team to see perpetrator?

[@shoreangler3383]

Do you know if it works well for water based searches? I need something very specific, and I don't wanna drop $7k on a toy that doesn't fulfill that mission. Lol

[@A.D.D.O.C.D.T]

10.000 $ buys a lot of high end thermal cctv cameras. Don’t have to recharge them or hear them hovering over your house either 😂

[@zipperbluez]

As an owner and user of an Enterprise Dual and a Mavic 2 Zoom (for building inspection purposes), I've always been baffled by the omissions in Pilot vs Go4; but the problems you're pointing out in this video are beyond the pale. I was about to put together a proposal to my boss to purchase one of these for the company to replace the previously mentioned drones; but after seeing this video I'm having to consider other options, because other than the increased resolution of the thermal camera, this is a step backwards in every way. I am so disappointed; because the promise of this drone was so high - I thought it was going to replace both of my current drones and outshine them dramatically. The zoom issues alone - wow. From other videos similar to yours the RTK features don't work properly either; another upgrade I was looking forward to for precision flights in difficult environments. Thank you so much for your insight, you've stopped me from making a mistake I would have had to live with and be frustrated by for a while.

[@WhirlyBloke]

The RTK option soars to be awful as well.

[@MrAngel2U]

Hi zipperblues, I am in the infancy stages of breaking into offering drone survey services. Is it possible or normal to start off with a Drone mini pro 3. As you may know it's not a commercial drone, is it still possible to get hired for small jobs on Dronebase/Zeitview? do you know of any resources that may help me see what kind of market or needs are in my area (Phoenix, AZ)

[@rafaelvicedo9545]

Hi Mr Bloke, thanks for your excellent review, after all this time using it with latest firmware updates as well as software...and the new mavic 3T in the market...do you recomend to buy the mavic 2 EA RTK for industrial solar panel inspection and building inspection for 2/3 of the initial price??? Thanks for your time

[@WhirlyBloke]

Thanks for watching and for reaching out with your question. Based on my experience with the M2EA and considering the latest firmware updates and software enhancements, I would definitely recommend it for industrial solar panel inspection and building inspection purposes. While the new Mavic 3T is on the market, the M2EA still remains a highly capable and reliable drone for various industrial applications. It offers advanced features such as thermal imaging, high-resolution imaging, and obstacle avoidance, which are crucial for inspections. Additionally, with the M2EA RTK (Real-Time Kinematic) version available at 2/3 of the initial price, it becomes an even more cost-effective option for your specific needs. The M2EA RTK brings increased accuracy and precision to your inspections, particularly when it comes to mapping and surveying tasks. It enables the drone to create highly detailed and georeferenced maps, making it ideal for industries that require precise measurements and spatial data. Considering the M2EA's capabilities, reliability, and the reduced price of the RTK version, it's a great investment for industrial inspections. However, I would also recommend researching and comparing it with other available options in the market to ensure it aligns perfectly with your specific requirements. I hope this helps. Best of luck with your solar panel and building inspections!

[@matangistation]

Thanks for this, I was just pricing m2ea up yesterday and trying to justify the cost for thermal benefits, it seems a little lacking in what you can actually do compared to a non thermal mavic as far as photography goes and thermal uses other than search and rescue purposes. I wonder how the autel thermal compares .

[@WhirlyBloke]

Glad it helped. It'd be a fantastic tool if this was sorted. I'm gonna be looking at the Autel as an alternative as well.

[@roundhouserenovations3072]

​@@WhirlyBloke the issue that you brought up about taking photos and they not being zoomed on the SD card is because it's raw footage and can be manipulated to the exact same zoom position by just opening the photograph and zooming it in this is why it has 8,000 megapixels I'm not sure if you knew that just wanted to throw that out there

[@roundhouserenovations3072]

this is only the case in photograph mode video works exactly like it should

[@avidehzakhor4801]

Is there any way to get M2EA fly in a circular path?

[@emeiron]

How does the new Mavic 3 Enterprise behave? Same problem there?

[@WhirlyBloke]

No idea cos I don't have one. But it does look extremely good.

[@ppemka]

Is it possible to sett this one with Smartcontroller in ATTI mode? Can it be used with standard controller?

[@WhirlyBloke]

Yes. The Pilot app allows you to enable atti mode.

[@MNDashcam]

I've got one and I do a lot of post-editing anyway so none of this is an issue for me. I had the Enterprise duel before and I upgraded to the advanced and it is a night and day difference in quality. The smart controller and the whole drone itself is so easy to pull out and fly that I grab it first before my mavic pro spark mini or any of my other drones.

[@WhirlyBloke]

Absolutely. But it could have been so much better, but I guess they didn't want to trash their Enterprise market.

[@MNDashcam]

@@WhirlyBloke I bet all of this stuff could be fixed with a firmware update.

[@thattechguyreview]

I saw there was an update in June. Can anyone confirm that zoomed photos can be saved now?

[@WhirlyBloke]

Yes they can. It's an option.

[@reggieoyibo]

Just curious, has DJI now updated the firmware? If so did the update fix any of your issues mentioned?

[@WhirlyBloke]

Yes they have, but it took a while. V1.00.0428 March 2022 mainly fixes zoomed images and SD storage names:  Optimized Mission Flight： 1. Fixed the issue where flight route cannot be uploaded if the gimbal tilt is set to over 0 degrees. 2. Added support to automatically add waypoints and record camera zoom when taking photos in Live Mission Recording. 3. Removed the minimum distance limitation of 0.5 m between two consecutive waypoints in Live Mission Recording.  Allowed manual selection of photo types for saving.  Added suffixes to the photo file names for easier distinction among photo types: current photo (S), visible photo (W), infrared photo (T).  Added support for saving zoom photos.  Changed the EV mapping of the 5D button to pushing left for decreasing EV and right for increasing EV.  Fixed some issues caused by out-of-date RTK base station versions (RTCM3.2 or earlier).  Fixed the issue where the app repeatedly prompts to update firmware for all modules.

[@reggieoyibo]

One last question. With respect to the zooming-in, were the zoomed-in photos the same as those shown on the controller? The deliverables would be very time consuming otherwise.

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@reggieoyibo They are. It's an option you need to turn on.

[@igoruzon285]

@@WhirlyBloke Would you recommend it for Solar powerplant inspections after all these updates?

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@igoruzon285 I've used mine for solar farm inspections an it was fine. It does a great job for the money, especially if you can buy used. You'll need to spend a lot more for a M3T. However, you will need to factor in how many batteries you need.

[@jamestran347]

You want the zoom camera to crops?

[@salteabutwhy2939]

Have any of these issues been corrected yet? Temperature adjustment, zoom not capturing what's displayed, etc?

[@WhirlyBloke]

Thanks for checking out my video! DJI has made some updates to address the issues you mentioned. The temperature adjustment feature has been improved, allowing for better adaptability in different environments. Additionally, the zoom functionality has been optimized to accurately capture what's displayed. Overall, DJI has been listening to user feedback and implementing necessary improvements. I hope this information helps. Happy flying with your M2EA.

[@johnbuck366]

what about being able to capture raw video and increasing the setting options for thermal?@@WhirlyBloke

[@Valerius98]

So if I need to zoom one thing using the maximum so 32x and then i record it, what will happen in the SD Card's video? Will I have the Zoom in the video as well or should I redo the Zoom in post-processing?

[@DrRedrum]

It doesn't allow 32x zoom in video mode, only 4x. I believe "lossless" means its at least 1080p

[@Valerius98]

@@DrRedrum And what about the Pic only? If while recording it uses 4x as maximum, can i do pics with 32x Zoom?

[@jpillera]

Can you "zoom" in split screen mode, then get it to your Mac/PC from their smart controller?

[@WhirlyBloke]

Yep. Just use the smart controller and screen grab.

[@charleshummel8461]

@@WhirlyBloke I thought I heard that it was not compatible with IOS only android? That would nix the Mac, wouldn't it?

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@charleshummel8461 Not true. The Smart Controller is Android and you can use DJI Assistant on either Mac or Windows. The DJI Thermal Analysis tool is Windows only.

[@shoreangler3383]

You can add a screen recording app to any smart phone. Lol

[@alexander_adam9106]

Thanks for the content, what would you suggest as an alternate drone if m2ea isn't up to snuff?

[@WhirlyBloke]

It's tricky. The Autel Enterprise is the only thing close and it also has issues - and more expensive. Overall you need to decide what you want this drone for and if it's limitations are really a problem for you. DJI haven't fixed any of the known problems since it was launched last April. I've now got a workflow that allows me to generate reports using FLIR Thermal Studio that I'll be doing a video on soon. The trick is to find out how to make to work for you. It's still mighty disappointing cos this could be a game changer with just a few fixes..

[@wj5000z]

This drone has many other software issues: 1. The minimum and maximum temperature of the infrared sensor cannot be changed. This is very important for search and resque operations. 2. There is no youtube streaming option in the smart controller. I am waiting impatiently for the corrected versions of the software

[@WhirlyBloke]

Don't hold your breath.

[@mikecooley3361]

We just bought 2 of these and a Matrice 300 and use them for S&R and night surveillance so the image sensor issue isn’t really a big factor for us. The latest firmware does support streaming to YT, Facebook and RTMP custom links.

[@danielduarte6149]

Is this problem occurring only in the DJI Mavic2 Enterprise Dual Advanced only or does this problems also affect the 'old' regular DJI Mavic2 Enterprise Dual (without the 'advanced' package)? Second, is the 'Enterprise Dual' way too outdated, regarding its cameras and resolution?

[@WhirlyBloke]

This only applies to the M2EA not the original dual.

[@craigmacleod8264]

Great in depth video wish I had seen it sooner, just bought one today, thought it was a bit pricey, was hoping to herd some sheep with mine as it has a speaker function, hoping iv not made a mistake here any input would be greatly appreciated. Seemed to be the drone of choice in Nz for sheep rearing, so I'd be interested to hear your opinion or even recommendation. Thanks in advance.

[@WhirlyBloke]

It's not bad, it's just it doesn't quite deliver what it promises. And when you spend a lot on a drone you expect it to be perfect. For security, safety and monitoring it's a great tool. I can't comment on it's value for sheep herding cos I've only got a dog and a small garden 😀. Do let me know how you get on. I'm always keen to hear how others are using drones commercially.

[@anthonjhnon1]

Has this been fixed with a software update?

[@WhirlyBloke]

Unfortunately not.

[@daniel_WakesurfAM]

you just made me question a thing, im an environmental engeneering, im looking for a mavic to perform georreferencing and thermal record for fotovoltaic analysis, i wanted the mavic 2 enterprise advanced, what kind of drone i should buy if this one its not good.

[@WhirlyBloke]

If you're doing thermal this is still a pretty good choice. There was a firmware update in March that fixed the non zoomed RGB images.

[@daniel_WakesurfAM]

@@WhirlyBloke thank you so much!

[@glennroberts3069]

Do all Magic 2 Enterprise Dual Drones have Thermal capabilities?

[@WhirlyBloke]

The M3EA has and the previous Dual Enterprise

[@gimbalair]

6 months on, is this resolved with a firmware/software update as yet?

[@WhirlyBloke]

Nope.

[@gimbalair]

@@WhirlyBloke bugger I was about to buy one for SAR

[@johnh8852]

We are just using this drone and have the same issues and regret the purchase. Does anyone know if the Parrot Anafi USA Enterprise has this zoom feature in the photo deliverable ?

[@WhirlyBloke]

The Autel EVO II Enterprise is looking good.

[@m.glocker3902]

Thanks a lot for the critical review! That will surely influence my buying interests as long as they don't solve the firmware issues. As far as I know the camera only has a 12 MP sensor and pimps the image size to 48MP with 4x pixel shift. What follows is layman-theorie but probably the optical zoom is no real lense-zoom with moving lenses but something like a "pixel-shift-zoom". That would explain that they always store the 1:1 pic on sd-card and one has to do the rest with post production. Greetings from germany and....keep on going !

[@WhirlyBloke]

Ah yes that could be what it is. I'll start digging.

[@m.glocker3902]

@@WhirlyBloke ....and as they possibly use pixel shift, it won't be that easy any more to realize different picture-sizes, iso-settings, white-balance and so on...

[@Jim-zc1ln]

They use Quad Bayer sensor. It is really a 12 mp camera with magic pixel dust. The zoom may be lossless but it is not mechanical. The zoom is purely digital. They reason you can do 4x lossless zoom is because it is a Quad Bayer sensor. This is clearly described in the documentation. No matter what this is an incredible camera combo for the price.if you do want zoom then do what we have been doing for 6+ years. Move the drone in close. It is tiny and can get in very close.

[@ChadWork1]

Is the zoom truly optical? Maybe it's just using less of the sensor with a sensor crop, which zooms in and loses no image detail. If it were truly optical zoom, you could zoom in 4K mode too.

[@WhirlyBloke]

It's a lossless 4x digital filter.

[@ChadWork1]

@@WhirlyBloke Lame...

[@myanmarmedia3396]

how can i buy this product second hand

[@WhirlyBloke]

Looks for a second hand one 😀

[@myanmarmedia3396]

yep i need thermal scanner

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@myanmarmedia3396 They were released Apr 2021, but are difficult to find new or used now. I suspect we'll never see a firmware update to address the issues.

[@thecyberbull4111]

What do you really for that them please help?

[@WhirlyBloke]

Sorry that makes no sense.

[@MNDashcam]

Finally a drone channel that's actually smart enough to blow out the GPS data 🤣 you have no idea how many other people I've told that they're showing everybody in the world where they live..

[@WhirlyBloke]

I know.

[@41GarageandGrill]

Great overview of the drone and I appreciate you sharing the short comings. Do you know of any updates since you posted this? Despite the issues is it worth the money vs the one that cost twice this one? Or can you recommend if not this drone what is the alternative. Thanks

[@WhirlyBloke]

No updates yet. The Autel Evo II Enterprise is looking good.

[@victorvonstein3664]

I was considering buying this one for professional use, thanks for the heads up. Sounds like I need to wait for the SW update before I can make it useful.

[@WhirlyBloke]

No problem 👍

[@leopoldpoppenberger8692]

same here

[@timashton859]

Very interesting and thanks, possibly first time I see an objective negative review on any drones channel. Can I ask, is your point on not saving zoomed images just a time saving and convenience issue? I mean you could use software to then cut and edit an image to provide a customer with a ‘specific’ image right? And if you still don’t know what to do with the drone and want to sell at a discounted price 😃, let me know

[@clocksurfer]

Point well taken, but in MY case, I don't need perfect saved images/videos of finding a person in water in need of rescue. I just need to find the person in need of rescue. Looks pretty good to me for $6,500 USD.

[@12vibaba]

yup. we use a thermal camera for search and rescue fawns before the mower comes. This is a pretty cheap solution compared to what I fly now. This guy needs a Matice 210 V2 for what he wants to do. Or have a look at the Autel Dual 640T if he wants to stay in the less expensive options.

[@Deep.Purple]

@@12vibaba I don't think it's about cost but more about value. It's pretty obvious that its over priced when it comes to functionality. AD 640T is more for the money, yes you do have to purchase things to expand however you get more to start with including longer fly times. So, far not many drones are giving a great value for the money asked but in reality unless you go to Matice, as you pointed out, you obviously want the most bang for the buck. I for one appreciate the exposure of the camera functions not being what it seems. My experience is that companies that do that are not great to work with. I'll spend my hard earned bucks going with someone that does things right foundational wise and not as an afterthought or "marketing plans" for future upgrades as KJI has done. It's obvious that they had a light go off and went to market with this before actually thinking it through, OR saw an opportunity for getting by with something building off previous models without really having that functionality ready and and said thats ok we can charge more for an upgrade later. And it really all comes down to what you are using them for to begin with. I hope sooner than later we get enough competition that forces all these drone companies to give more value in their products.

[@JohnSmith-hr2pb]

I agree. I bought the Air 2S to save some bucks, but boy howdy do I wish I would've just bought the Enterprise.

[@T4KKFI]

4:53 Yeah I like this camera as well, here's the thing thanks to the obvious quality of the photo not having a zoomed snapshot, what you have to do is go in your video editing software, ask the client if any over exposure views alright with them and if not then you know, if the they want the photo zoomed in, adjust the photo with noise cancellation, color check your balance etc.

[@jedijax10]

Whirly, it all about using the correct tool for the job. The Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced simply does not have the onboard processing power that the Matrice 300RTK has. As a result, allot of the Matrice 300RTK + H20T combo functions are missing. The M2EA also does not have or claim to have any optical zoom that you refer to in your review. At the end of the day you will have high resolution images that you have to process in your third party software or DJI Thermal Analysis Tool with rjpg files. It is not recommended for high end thermal or survey applications. This product was intended to be a public service tool for search and rescue or security applications. Some of your frustrations might be corrected with firmware, but again you have to use the correct tool for the job. PS the RTK module does not work with the DJI D-RTK2 station either, it will only work with an NTRIP network. I don't think one product will ever be able to do everything for everyone. Your video is very informative and will help allot of people to make a more informed decision, and this is great.

[@WhirlyBloke]

Agreed. And as you pointed out and I now realise, it's lossless 4x zoom not an optical zoom. It's using pixel shifting on the big sensor in FHD mode only. What annoys me is the marketing tricks using small print. I missed it, and that's my fault, but I suspect there's lots of others.

[@jedijax10]

@@WhirlyBloke Thanks for highlighting this and educating people. Saves allot of frustration for protective buyers.

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@jedijax10 No problem. It cost me though. I will still be using this but it's quite limiting and not what I'd planned for it. Oh well.

[@kmichiel]

Great usefull review. No idea whether DJI is gonna react on this and maybe introduce some software upgrades to solve these problems.

[@WhirlyBloke]

There was a firmware upgrade back in March that fixed the zoomed photo issue and added suffixes to the filenames, but no other real changes. TBH I think that's the last update we'll see. They're putting their efforts into the M30.

[@leopoldpoppenberger8692]

if you stop buying they will react

[@MrNibbleByte]

Because the optical zoom only crop the image. So you don't get any more detail than what's stored.

[@jlarson42]

Very interesting and informative video. Well done analysis. I am confused about how can it not save the proper optically zoomed photo. Digital zoom I get. If I zoom my Nikon lens in, the non zoomed photo does not exist. It can only save what you see. Unless that Mavic is not optically zooming in. 👀 Happy flying.

[@WhirlyBloke]

Thanks.

[@DrRedrum]

There is no optical zoom on this unit. It's entirely digital

[@oscarcymru512]

Interesting Video, but I think you've done the product down where it doesn't necessarily warrant it. It certainly does have limitations (PoI. is one that I'd really like but there again, we know how and frequently do fly orbits, ellipses and other odd paths manually) but a full time commercial operator wouldn't be using the M2EA. It's far more designed to be a S&R drone, simple and fast to deploy. Those are its limitations. We've been thermal surveying for 3+ year (just before Covid 1) and we've used a Matrice with the XT2 Camera. When the bugs in the Matrice M30T controller software are sorted out we'll have one of those to replace the old Matrice.

[@WhirlyBloke]

Thank you for your feedback on the video. I apologize if it came across as overly negative about the Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced (M2EA). It's great to hear that you have had positive experiences with DJI's products for thermal surveying and that you have found the M2EA to be a useful tool for search and rescue operations. You make a valid point that the M2EA may not be the best fit for a full-time commercial operator, and that its strengths lie in its simplicity and ease of deployment. Additionally, you mention that the Matrice M30T may be a better option for thermal surveying once the software bugs have been fixed. Overall, I appreciate your insight and experience with DJI's products. Thank you for sharing your perspective.

[@stupiduser6646]

My understanding is that the controller has video out that matches the display.

[@WhirlyBloke]

You are correct.

[@SkyFireDrone2022]

I have run into most of these same problems with the M2ED.. and the thermal resolution isn’t anything close to this one. And you can’t just throw search and rescue out there as if it doesn’t require the kind of deliverable requirements as other clients. I think Search and Rescue is the single most important use for a drone! But the real issue for drones and search and rescue drones on particular, is weather. People don’t normally fond themselves in serious trouble on fair weather sunny days. I have found that despite its slim profile, the Mavic - size class of drone is severely hampered by weather. 😕

[@WhirlyBloke]

Totally agree.

[@aerialimagingsoutheast9725]

I think you’re misunderstanding the terminology. There is no optical zoom. 4x zoom just means it’s not lossy. So in video mode, the full sensor is 4K. One quarter of that sensor gives you a 1080 video. So if shooting in 1080, the full frame or a 1/4 crop will be lossless 1080. No optical zoom as such. Just cropping to a smaller part of the sensor. In 4K mode or photo mode, you can zoom in to the live view, that’s all.

[@wesmurphy4581]

This is exactly why i returned it. I take 60-80 pics a day for inspection work. I dont have time to go in an edit that many pictures a day. Also I was blown away by the lack of functionality for this supposed upgrade to the enterprise. The Old enterprise zoom is better than this unless you are using IR

[@WhirlyBloke]

Agreed. But I notice in the March firmware update they do mention saving the zoomed image in a future update. We'll see though. The lack of camera options is quite poor and the DJI Thermal reporting tool is dreadful. It crashes everytime you try to export a report.

[@wesmurphy4581]

@@WhirlyBloke yeah man I feel the same as you. They either rushed it because of Autel or they are nurfing it on purpose to keep it from taking away from their higher tiered enterprise products.

[@lmeraz72]

Thank you for putting this video together. I was Leary of this model and was ready to make this purchase for work. This helped me make my decision to go with something different. Thank you

[@WhirlyBloke]

It's a very good drone full of potential, but it's got issues that people need to be aware of because it's not cheap and may not be exactly what is expected.

[@derekcrots268]

Thanks much appreciated. Had to make a difficult decision. And I agree with you.

[@Olleetheowl]

Now PERSONALLY I would prefer the captured images to be full frame. You can always crop later.

[@WhirlyBloke]

That's almost true. But not when you're standing right next to a surveyor who want's the images direct off the drone to take away. They want what they just saw on the monitor. This is now fixed in the latest version of the M2EA firmware.

[@thelockpickinglebowski633]

Not sure anybody could buy it if they wanted to. I can't find any place selling them new that has them ready for delivery.

[@WhirlyBloke]

They are starting to appear again in the UK.

[@mutiamateene6357]

GenPac Drones in the US has them at an unbelievable price, under $5K. Bought one they shipped and delivered quickly too.

[@jordandaish1585]

Thank you so much. Am about to get one of these and although I see the confusion around the zoom/cropping has been figured out and worked around by taking the images from the RC card instead. I never knew the enterprise did not have the orbit function and 3d modleing is one of the specific things I was interested in the great photo out puts of this small drone.

[@WhirlyBloke]

I've used it for 3D modelling but you have to do it manually. Not hard.

[@jordandaish1585]

@@WhirlyBloke More hoping for the time saving component and ensuring you get a similar output each time and take more then enough photos the first time apposed to needing to revisit to amend if it doesn't turn out the first time. Does it have a function enabling it to auto take photos while you just fly?

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@jordandaish1585 It's got a timer so you can just fly around while it snaps away. I've recently completed a very detailed 3D model using the Pilot app Missions and I was surprised. Litchi or DroneDeploy are my go to capture apps, but Missions work just fine and it's on the Smart Controller.

[@jordandaish1585]

@@WhirlyBloke thanks mate. I still feel confident in the purchase. Thanks so much for your time. Subscribed to see what other advice you have.

[@avidehzakhor4801]

@@WhirlyBloke In the past we have had genrated great 3D models of buildings by orbital flight. Are you saying that we fly manually in an orbit and then have the timer take pictures every so many seconds? If so, how easy is it to fly manually in a circle? and how frequently can I take pictures? Any details you can provide is much appreciated.

[@ooslum]

I've never had a drone but follow channels on them like yours, so what I'm going to ask may be stupid. Is there any noticeable change in this camera when you change zoom level? I would expect a physical movement in the lens configuration from 1x to 4x? If this does happen I don't understand either.

[@WhirlyBloke]

It's internal to the camera case. Not like normal camera zoom lenses.

[@ooslum]

@@WhirlyBloke I've had them where it is possible to feel or hear a movement though, difficult if anything else is running. The other answer is they post-process the zoomed image to make it poorer, lol.

[@Diddy291]

I got Autel evo dual 640t enterprise.

[@FredrikAskim]

Thank you very much for a good review. I was thinking to buy it but not anymore. You saved me a lot of money. Thx

[@Noah_Zion]

lossless zoom is not optical zoom. The M2EA doesn't have any optical zoom capability. You'd need the Mavic 2 Zoom for that.

[@benjimw]

Good differentiation there.

[@sidewaysthroughthekitchend3075]

Huh…my mini 2 as I’m sure we all know takes 2x pics. That’s odd for this expensive equipment not to have that or manual features and no RAW

[@Titanykus]

I wonder if this has been corrected by DJI with updates or new firmware. What a dissapointment, doing my research to later decide whether to get it or not and this video was crucial in my decision not to make this investment.

[@WhirlyBloke]

There's been a recent firmware but no real fixes. It's a just a stability release.

[@Inertia888]

Sounds like the engineers had a great thing going, and then the marketing team and the money guys, sent it out early in order to get it out when they felt they needed it on the market.

[@codymckenzie2253]

How much do you want for it? $

[@WhirlyBloke]

Not selling. It's earning me too much money despite not being what I expected.

[@thomasweis]

@@WhirlyBloke What have you been able to make a profit from with it? I'm really on the fence on what to buy as I really would like the versatility of the Advanced, but I do plan to do a lot of 3D mapping and regular aerial photography. Thank you

[@Drone360pilot]

Great job! Thank you for your review. Super helpful!

[@WhirlyBloke]

Glad it helped. Thanks for watching.

[@noobFPV]

Looks like it does not have optical zoom.

[@WhirlyBloke]

It doesn't. 48MP sensor and zoom only works in 1920x1080 video.

[@nizamwahab2095]

Excellent job at exposing the negatives as well as the pros for anyone who wants to get this drone. After listening to your video, i now have decided to wait for DJI to come up with a better replacement in future. As you said, its pricey so the wait seems to be a smart move.

[@WhirlyBloke]

This has just made an appearance and looks a good alternative. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGe0Z6Cai52orK8

[@JKGuitarPro]

Looking back a year now, it's crazy that the new Mavic 3 Enterprise 3T price is almost 30% less and has been improved substantially.

[@jorisbonson386]

lack of IsoTherm renders it pretty much useless for S&R too actually!!

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@jorisbonson386 Agreed. I sold mine ages ago and moved on. So much promise, so much disappointment.

[@100SteveB]

How can it be showing optically zoomed images on the remote, whilst recording unzoomed images? How can that be possible? Surely what you are seeing on your remote monitor must be digitally zoomed?, and that zoom processing must be taking place after the full image has been passed to the sd card. Now unless I am having a 'stupid' moment, it leaves me wondering if the optical zoom is working at all on the drone? because surely, if your using the lens to zoom the picture being taken, then surely the sensor can only capture the zoomed image? - How can it possibly capture an non-zoomed image at the same time? Something funny going on here me thinks.

[@WhirlyBloke]

Exactly. All I want is the 4x optical zoom saved as an image for inspections. I thought I was going mad but there's a few others on the DJI forum who agree. Everyone seems to be keeping quiet for some reason.

[@RnSpion]

That's because there is no physical zoom. The 4x lossless zoom is only "available" if you are in FHD Video Mode (1920x1080). If you are in FHD Video mode at 1x Zoom they take every fourth pixel to get 1920x1080 pixel (7680 by 4320 divided by 4), if you zoom in they use a smaller area of the sensor and take every third pixel, if you zoom in further every second pixel is used and if you zoom in 4x they use only the 1920x1080 pixels in the center of the sensor. And because of this the zoom is "lossless".

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@RnSpion Agreed.

[@m1ntyfresh1]

Hey Whiley, I actually own the Autel Dual 640T, do you want me to send you some pictures I took with the or camera so you can check out the software?

[@ropeteams6183]

Well, tell us your opinion then?

[@SuperPunisher18]

Fair review. But have you done your homework before buying something ? For the needs that you require ? Did you speak to anyone that sells it . I guess its like buying a car theres many models and features and one will do their utmost to make sure on all information before spending such a large amount of money to speak such of it. But great video.

[@Deep.Purple]

great video... thanks for granular view of an expensive tool.

[@chadgilmore5046]

Thank you for saving me a lot of money 👍Great video…..Subscribed

[@WhirlyBloke]

No problem. Thanks for watching.

[@therealNSB]

Honest review, what a great concept.

[@mikehrenak1390]

I’ll stick with my 2s for now good video I’ll be stopping in again air2 s army out

[@perry8498]

I believe there will be a upgrade to the firmware coming out

[@WhirlyBloke]

I've been toing and froing with DJI about an updated and I've heard various rumours elsewhere. Just gotta wait I guess.

[@perry8498]

@@WhirlyBloke it would be a shame if they don’t address it , the drone is capable it would be a waste off potential otherwise

[@Tom-yr1mp]

A half inch sensor on the visible camera isn't anything special.

[@JDCherry]

Excellent objective review. You pose how it works best in specific situations while some of the more brilliant DJI features that are lacking for the price-point. Have you had any experience using the M2EA with RTK? By-the-way, at the end of your review, you questioned what to do with it. Well sir, I'd be willing to take it off your hands. Free - RIGHT? 👍 You just saved me $6,700+ and NO! I'm not going to split the savings with you. LOL🙂

[@WhirlyBloke]

The M2EA is an excellent drone, but it does have the issues I point out which can be a serious limitation and not be quite what you're expecting - it caught me out. But in the 10 months I've had it, it's more than paid for itself. The RTK version is also misleading. The RTK correction data (if you get it to work properly) is for positioning only and doesn't get added to the image metadata so it doesn't improve the accuracy of your data.

[@Mike-yq6jg]

Well I didn't know that , great info .

[@WhirlyBloke]

Thanks for watching!

[@shoreangler3383]

Two questions: 1. Can't you just download an app on any smartphone that allows video recording the screen of the phone? Connect the data cable to whatever storage device you want. 2. Does anyone have experience or a video of the thermal operating over water? I need a very specific mission completed and I don't want to a drop $7k on a toy if it doesn't do this.

[@WhirlyBloke]

The smart controller has its own screen recorder.

[@hybrydsanity5857]

thanks I've been looking into that world lately , also the Autel Dual Or just to rent (don't have a one time own all) the software from Skydio already have the S2 , all have a colossal price tag . line up the work if you go near this new stuff lol

[@WhirlyBloke]

Even though this didn't do what I really wanted because I didn't read the very, very small print, it has paid for itself already. It's expensive yes, but t does a fine job for the money and this isn't expensive compared to an M300. But you just have to work with it. For me now, this biggest gripe is not having RAW or any camera settings control.

[@HM-sx6mg]

I have the Evo 2 640t. Images or video captured while zoom, appears as observed on display. No need to go in editor and enhance.

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@HM-sx6mg Yep and the previous Enterprise Zoom Dual is the same.

[@mikepage1579]

New firmware came out March 25th, you can now take zoomed in photos.

[@WhirlyBloke]

Yep I saw that last week.

[@gaelwolf008]

Perhaps the new firmware update came out on March 25th is down to the fact that the M30T was hitting the street at about the same time?

[@WhirlyBloke]

If you read the marketing blurb and specs on their website there's a little 3 index next to the great big text that says 4x Lossless Zoom. And guess what the small print in the legend says 3. When using FHD Video Mode. Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky tricks to fool you into buying something that's not exactly what it implies on the tin. So read the small print and don't get fooled like I did - bet I'm not the only one. DJI, you totally suck.

[@m.glocker3902]

With fhd (1920 x 1080) its naturally no big deal to promise a 4x lossless zoom within a 12 MP sensor. Not worthable to do marketing blurb for that .... as long as you don't want to mislead. But with the promised 48 MP or even just with the real 12 MP resolution they will never be able to realize a 4x lossless zoom without mechanical lense movement. So you probably may not expect a firmware release that will help. I'm sorry, but it seems that we all went on the glue ...

[@benjimw]

Definitely important to read the fine print. As someone else mentioned in one of the other comments, there's a big difference between lossless zoom and optical zoom.

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@benjimw Tell me about it.

[@zwiftfrance]

The conclusion is that the Autel is the aircraft to buy, isn’t it ?

[@WhirlyBloke]

No yes or no answer. It depends what you want this for.

[@zwiftfrance]

@@WhirlyBloke just want to earn a lot of money, like everyone 🙂 More seriously, would prefer that Dji releases an update to fix the issues you describe.

[@WhirlyBloke]

@@zwiftfrance Me too. Maybe the Autel Enterprise package will spur them into action.

[@aaron6516]

Great job on this review!!! Very detailed work! I like the comment a school boy programming error... that's priceless 🤣 😆...

[@WhirlyBloke]

Thanks. A follow up video is happening tomorrow.

[@JoelGoffin]

Excellent video! Thanks you, very informative.

[@WhirlyBloke]

Thanks.

[@fredcarey571]

Really enjoyed your information, as I just upgraded from the Enterprise Dual to the Advanced. Fortunately, I am using this unit as an extension fro Air Search and Rescue, and as I am NOT a photographer, and I sometimes get overwhelmed with ISO and shutter speeds etc., I am happy to say, all of my flights, the photos and video so far have been excellent. I like the real time zoom, but prefer to have the full view for reference after. Also I have found the RAW video has way too much noise in it for post photo analysis, and the resolution in the JPGs is a great improvement. We have discovered that the split screen is pretty much essential for real time searching.. .( a real game changer… ) and having the video and photos at that level and format works great with our analysis software. For SAR applications, this is a slam dunk, but I totally agree with you on a professional level serious meta analysis for construction and mapping.. it may fall short…. For now.

[@WhirlyBloke]

It works very well for your application.

[@shoreangler3383]

Hi, do you happen to have any SAR experience over water, specifically? I can't find much out there with the performance over bodies of water. It would be for shore and inshore based SAR, as well as night time searches that normally can't be started. If so, do you run into weather limitations? Wind and ⛈ rain? Fog?

[@mccoy786]

my mini 2 will cap zoom

[@jamestran347]

It's Probably a bug just report to technical department

[@WhirlyBloke]

No, that's the way it is. There's been a few firmware updates, but it's fundamentally the same. The M3T is a far superior option.

[@51KTM51Hurricane]

Fly closer to take a picture, that could help

[@DrRedrum]

That's it? Only the digital zoom bothers you? That's not a deal-breaker at all. There is no optical zoom on this camera at all, "lossless" means that resolution when zoomed in doesn't go below screen resolution on the controller. Also you are wrong on the auto exposure, there is a slider to switch it to manual. You did your research poorly before making this video.

[@shoreangler3383]

He didn't do his research to find out their marketing is bullshit? Lol 😆

[@teleportingant6812]

software update can fix everything you talked about.

[@WhirlyBloke]

If they can be bothered, yes.

[@CrucesNomad1]

I like everything I have seen so far. Just cant afford one.

[@WhirlyBloke]

Despite the issues, this drone has more than paid for itself in the last 12 months doing solar inspections. Plus, a new firmware update last month fixed a few of the problems.

[@JoernR]

Erm ... The way the drone handles pictures is the ONLY correct way. I would go mad if the drone stored digitally "zoomed" (read: destroyed) pictures. "Digital zoom" means enlarging the pixels - exactly like zooming in a picture with your image editing software on your PC. And the more you enlarge the pixels by zooming in, the worse, the more pixelated the picture gets. Using digital zoom is a perfect way of destroying picture quality, there's NO benefits except enlarging the picture on small displays like the controller's display to be able to see some more details in a live situation. Storing that mess means losing all the details around the "zoomed" area, storing a low to lowest quality picture with no chance of recovering any details around the "zoomed" spot. But storing the full picture retains all details of the whole picture, and you can "zoom" in using your post-processing software and achieve THE SAME picture you saw on your display while taking the picture. In short: Storing the full picture gives you THE SAME picture you saw on your controller PLUS the full image, so there's NO drawbacks. But storing the "zoomed" picture just gives you the blurry tiny window the controller shows while losing the rest of the image. Thus storing the "zoomed" picture would be the worst thing DJI could have made. They did it exactly the way it should be and needs to be, with NO drawbacks for inspection purposes, just benefits for all possible applications. There indeed are configurations where storing a digitally zoomed in picture yields some benefits. But that needs an array of different cameras with different specs - which the Mavic just doesn't have. There's one hint I give any photo novice: NEVER EVER take pictures with digital zoom, it's the worst idea (right next to taking pictures in portrait orientation) ever possible. Sorry, Mr Bloke, you're totally wrong this time. :(

[@WhirlyBloke]

👜

[@clevetidwell]

Don't suppose we will ever get a drone that has all the features under 2000.00 so there will always be room for complaining about something in this business. Never happy never buy and never get any business I suppose. We have to work with the tools we have available and within our budgets. If we cant get all the wish list items on one drone no one else can either.

[@WhirlyBloke]

Exactly. Thanks for watching.

[@whartonoutdoors7493]

Saved my bacon, thank you.

[@WhirlyBloke]

Follow up video tomorrow.

[@goneboating123]

Well...if you feel stupid....send it to me

[@terenceturnbull8536]

Thx rather spend a bit more! Dud alert!

[@ManuelPinner]

To Expensive!

[@losmojocosos687]

So is the first time that you meet dji???8 years working in the same way and you cry with the advanced?? what a childish society