Maintenance Tips for Your Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced
Implementing consistent maintenance practices into your unmanned programs ensures safe operations and extends the operability of your aircraft well into the future. Here are some suggestions directly from the FLYMOTION team to maintain your Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced, including its airframe and battery systems.
Airframe Maintenance
Visual inspections are necessary before and after flight operations. The outer frame, sensors, sensors gimbal, and arms should be checked for signs of stress, especially after sending UAS into police or fire calls. Exposed systems like the camera sensor and gimbals need to be free of excessive dust or water and moisture. Take into consideration that both the camera and gimbal are sensitive elements that need to be cleaned carefully. If there is any damage, it’s suggested to replace parts only with OEM DJI products for a guaranteed quality repair.
Propellers are another major component to check during routine inspections and before flight time. Inspect your drone for any signs of stress, cracks, chips, or bent blades. Any one of these conditions can adversely affect the flight performance of the aircraft as well as life of the unit if never ignored. Even worse, they can pose a safety risk in an area of operations.
Most DJI drone packages come with spare propellers, which can be used to replace a damaged part within minutes to resume flight. Make sure to reference the DJI Manual for specific instructions regarding propeller replacement.
Battery Maintenance
Aircraft batteries are critical aspects of the aircraft and require special consideration when conducting maintenance. DJI has outlined a set of best practices for the upkeep of their Intelligent Flight Batteries to maximize their lifespan.
- Check for battery firmware updates on DJI’s website. Batteries can be updated while conducting general aircraft firmware updates. If a battery-specific update is needed, you can use the BS60 battery charging station and the Smart Controller.
- For an overview of the BS60 Intelligent Battery Station, watch our product overview on our YouTube channel.
- DJI suggests operators fully charge and discharge the battery at least once every three months for optimal battery health, following the below steps:
- Charge to 100%, making sure the cell voltage difference is less than 0.1v
- Leave the battery stationary for 24 hours, then install it in the aircraft
- Exhaust the battery down to 20%
- Charge to full capacity for use and store
- Batteries should be stored between 40-60% capacity. Never store batteries fully charged or fully drained; both can shorten a battery’s lifespan.
- Operators can set a time between 1-10 days for the battery to discharge on its own. Otherwise, they will do so automatically after ten days.
- Avoid charging batteries immediately after a flight. Batteries pulled immediately after a flight will be hot and charging them can cause issues. Allow them to cool down before charging to avoid damage. In scenarios where immediate charging is necessary, do so in an open, ventilated space.
- Replace batteries if:
- Visual swelling or leaking appears
- Terminals are bent
- A battery has reached 200 charging cycles
- Flight app notifies you of a battery issue
Battery care should not be dismissed as unimportant. Not monitoring battery health can, at best, decrease flight time and battery lifespan. At worst, it can bring serious damage to the aircraft and a threat to operators.
The Take-Away
Regular inspections don’t need to take long but should be a routine protocol pilots of all proficiency levels should follow. It should become a habit that can save a lot of money and headaches down the road for you or your agency. Make sure to consult the appropriate instruction manuals for your aircraft for the safest and most effective practices. Have any questions? Contact one of our representatives at FLYMOTION through our website.
- Published in News
DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced vs Autel Evo 2
With many drone manufacturers competing for the market, the difference between purchasing a drone could come down to small details like camera sensor size, thermal resolution, or battery life. For agencies and organizations looking for a solid comparison between two middle-of-the-line sUAS for their operations, this article is right up your alley. We will be discussing and comparing the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced versus the Autel Evo 2 Dual.
Putting a drone up in the air can provide overwatch and help ground teams with situational awareness from an elevated, often discreet perspective. At 400 feet, smaller UAS systems will often not be heard, nor will it interfere with events on the ground. Watching events unfold means having the proper zoom camera and thermal capabilities.
Thermal Drone Sensors & Zoom Cameras
We will start with thermal sensors and the zoom camera through thermal. With the Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced (M2EA) comes with a 640×512 high-resolution thermal camera (right half) with a 30Hz refresh rate and a 16x digital zoom. The Autel EVO II Dual offers the same thermal resolution (left half), the same refresh rate, but only has an 8x digital zoom in thermal. Zoom capabilities are different in visible light, which brings us to the next category. Regardless of make, high-resolution thermal will ensure you’re properly equipped with the latest night vision drone technology.
Visible Light Cameras
The M2EA boasts a strong 32x digital zoom in the standard visible light camera—compared to the Autel Robotics Evo 2’s 8x digital zoom. You’ll be able to see much farther with the Enterprise Advanced. The M2EA also offers a larger 84-degree field of view from its sensor and provides 4K Ultra-high Definition (UHD) resolution. On the other hand, the EVO II Dual offers a reduced 74-degree field of view. However, it doubles the resolution output to 8K (7680×4320 pixels on screen).
Battery
The battery life on both the Enterprise Advanced and the EVO are similar. The Autel Evo 2 battery allows pilots an approximate 38-minute flight time over the Mavic’s 31-minute flight time. It is important to note that these flight times are estimated and without any payloads added to the airframes.
Controller & Flight Modes
Perhaps controller functionality and flight modes matter more than camera sensor features. With the Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced, you have only one option which is the smart controller. Through the smart controller, you’ll be able to toggle between tripod, portrait, and sport flight modes. The ultra-bright 5.5” display allows for clear view of the screen, even in direct sunlight. (NB: previous Enterprise aircraft allowed for the use of the non-smart controller or the smart controller).
The EVO II does have a smaller built-in display compared to the DJI smart controller. Therefore, it is recommended pilots utilize a large screen by adding a mobile phone or tablet to the Autel controller for full functionality. On the flip side, despite the smaller controller, the Autel offers a total of 8 flight modes such as orbit, dynamic tracking, tripod track, viewpoint, gesture, and more.
Payloads & Bundles
Payload options are important to consider when purchasing a drone or adding to an existing fleet. Both UAS come in hard shell cases. The Enterprise Advanced comes with three separate payloads, where only one can be mounted at a time. All three DJI payloads—the spotlight, the loud speaker, and the beacon—are easily swappable with a few screws. For added benefits, you might consider the Enterprise Fly More Kit. The Fly More Kit includes 2 extra batteries, 4 additional propellers, and power charging cables.
On the Autel side, the EVO II is more limited. Foxfury offers a saddle-type of high-lumen bi-directional LED lights that snap around the center of the aircraft. For accessories, you’ll want to explore the Rugged Bundle. The Autel Evo 2 Rugged Bundle comes with 2 extra batteries, 2 additional propellers, USB/USB-C connectors, and a charging hub to charge all 4 batteries at once.
Price
Price is the bottom line. The DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced by itself is priced right at $6,200. When adding the Enterprise Fly More Kit, you’re looking at a $6,700 price tag. Comparatively, the Autel EVO II Dual Rugged Bundle comes in right at $10,000.00.
For more information on the Autel Evo 2 review we made, please visit our YouTube channel. If you’re interested in receiving a quote on the DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced or the Autel EVO 2 thermal, please email our staff at sales@flymotionus.com.
- Published in News
