Following on from the introduction topic, I thought I’d create a quick thread regarding the Mavic 2, and changing quite quickly from the Zoom to the Pro.
For me, I’d been a recreational flyer, PFCO Operator and then back to flying for fun due to time constraints and not being able to find the time to explore the commercial side of things. Fast forward a couple of years and with a little more time available, and having sold my previous UAV’s (P4P - dearly missed) I was keeping an eye on the release of the Mavic 2, which Argos accidentally leaked prior to it being announced.
I’d always liked the idea of optical zoom on a smaller and more reasonably priced UAV, as this was normally reserved for the larger drones such as the Inspire. Being a hobbyist, and looking at the awesome features of the Zoom, I went ahead and made the purchase at Christmas last year. A few flights later, having explored the features and not really used them ever since, I was starting to wonder if I’d made the right choice. The Zoom was handy for getting in that bit closer, bearing in mind the non-PFCO separation distances, and it was also quite good when I assisted in looking for a missing dog in remote farmland, but apart from that, it was like having my original Mavic Pro back.
I’d made the decision to renew my PFCO, and following some months of getting the necessary paperwork together, I sent off my application knowing that the Zoom, as a future PFCO Operator, probably wasn’t going to cut it. I did a trade-in with a company for the Zoom and cash their way for a brand new Mavic 2 Pro as the aircraft only, as I ensured that I kept hold of my DJI Smart Controller. The difference has been night and day for me, especially with shooting RAW and editing in Lightroom.
The Zoom is an awesome piece of kit in fairness, and had I remained a recreational flyer, I’d never have parted with it, but in the world of being a commercial operator, I felt the Pro was the only option. If anyone is in limbo of what to choose, weigh up the options, I made the wrong choice initially but other maybe able to save themselves some hassle (and cash) by establishing what their needs really are.
Safe flying 
