c/equipment•Posted byu/SierraUAS•7 months ago

Starting a drone program - M3E RTK or Anzu Raptor?

Just started my own survey firm after 8 years working for a larger company. Ready to add drones but trying to decide between the Mavic 3 Enterprise RTK and the Anzu Raptor RTK.

Both seem to have similar specs - 20MP 4/3" sensor, mechanical shutter, ~45 min flight time. The Raptor is a bit more expensive but no DJI geofencing.

My work is mostly residential subdivisions and small commercial sites, maybe 50-150 acres typically. Not doing any government work yet.

What would you guys recommend for someone just starting out?

Comments

Mike Hargrove•7 months ago

For your use case, M3E RTK all day. The ecosystem is more mature, parts and support are easier to get, and DroneDeploy integration is rock solid. The geofencing thing is overblown - you can unlock most areas in like 30 seconds with the app.

I've been running M3E for about 18 months now and it just works. Battery life is actually closer to 40 mins with RTK running but that's still plenty for your site sizes.

Captainrisky•7 months ago

Depends on your growth plans. If you ever want government contracts, having a non-Chinese option matters. I'd actually say get the M3E now since it's cheaper, but keep the Raptor on your radar for when you need NDAA compliance.

We run both and honestly the flight experience is almost identical.

jess_aero•7 months ago

M3E. Not even close for a startup. You want the biggest community and most tutorials available when you're learning. The DJI ecosystem is just more documented.

T. Weston PLS•7 months ago

I was in your exact position last year. Went M3E and no regrets. The learning curve is steep enough without adding equipment variables. Get comfortable with one platform first.

SierraUAS•7 months ago

Thanks everyone. Leaning M3E now. @BlueSkyBen good point about keeping options open for gov work down the road.