Getting Started with Your DJI Mavic

Welcome to Mavic Help!

Mavic Help is a website dedicated to helping you with your DJI Mavic. This is a great place to find trusted information, expert tips, quality Mavic accessories, and one-on-one help.

Use the tips on this page to get started on the right foot with your DJI Mavic. And if you don't already own a Mavic, you'll find some tips below to help you select the Mavic model that best fits your needs.

Which DJI drone is best for you?

If you're not sure which drone to buy, you can use the DJI Consumer Drone Comparison to compare the features of all of DJI's consumer drones side-by-side. This tool will help you narrow down the list of drones that will meet your needs.

Download the Mavic manual

Mavics come packed with a getting started guide that covers the bare essentials needed in order to get the drone into the air. Before attempting to fly, it would be best to download the full Mavic manual from DJI's website (see the links below) and carefully read it so you fully understand the features of your Mavic. DJI drones are very complex and many things can go wrong if you're not sure how to control the drone once it's up in the air.

The full DJI Mavic manual can be downloaded here:

Mini 4 Pro manual (other important documents are available here)
Mini 3 manual (other important documents are available here)
Mini 3 Pro manual (other important documents are available here)
Mini 2 manual (other important documents are available here)
Mavic Mini manual (other important documents are available here)

Air 3 manual (other important documents are available here)
Air 2S manual (other important documents are available here)
Mavic Air 2 manual (other important documents are available here)
Mavic Air manual (other important documents are available here)

Mavic 3 Classic manual (other important documents are available here)
Mavic 3 manual (other important documents are available here)
Mavic 3 Pro manual (other important documents are available here)
Mavic 2 Pro manual (other important documents are available here)
Mavic 2 Zoom manual (other important documents are available here)
Mavic Pro manual (other important documents are available here)

Register your drone before flying

Before flying a DJI drone (or any drone over 250 grams) anywhere outside in the US, you need to register with the FAA here. Registration is required by US law. See H.R.2810, Section 1092 (d) for more details.

Steps to fly as a hobbyist

If you're only going to be flying as a hobbyist (just for fun), you'll need to do the following:

Register with the FAA under Section 336 here. The FAA will give you one registration number that can be used on all of your drones.
Attach your FAA registration number to the outside of your drone (as required by law here). While it's okay to write the number with a marker, it would be best to use some type of label/sticker so it can be easily removed later (necessary if you sell your drone). If needed, inexpensive FAA registration stickers can be purchased here. Or purchase weatherproof vinyl decals here.
Follow these hobby flying rules.

Steps to fly commercially

If you're going to be flying commercially (to make money or help someone else make money), you'll need to do the following:

Register each drone you'll be flying for commercial purposes with the FAA under Part 107 here. The FAA will give you a registration number that should only be applied to the specific drone you're registering.
Attach your FAA registration number to the outside of your drone (as required by law here). While it's okay to write the number with a marker, it would be best to use some type of label/sticker so it can be easily removed later (necessary if you sell your drone). If needed, inexpensive FAA registration stickers can be purchased here. Or purchase weatherproof vinyl decals here.
Become an FAA certified pilot by obtaining a Remote Pilot Certificate. You can find a list of commonly used Part 107 study resources here.
Follow these Part 107 flying rules.

Note: If you're flying in locations outside of the US, you can find the local policies and regulations on the DJI Fly Safe page. After selecting your location at the top of the page, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the Local Regulations link.

Preventing a crash or flyaway

Read this guide to learn about all of the common ways DJI Mavics are crashed or lost. Having a deep understanding of these tips will help you fly safely and allow you to become a better DJI Mavic pilot.

Where to fly (and not to fly)

The DJI GEO Zone map shows the locations where DJI Mavics will not fly. If you have authorization to fly in a restricted zone (and it's legal to do so), you can unlock the restricted zone here.

Note: The fact that your DJI Mavic allows you to fly in a specific location does not mean it's legal to do so. Always follow your local laws and regulations.

Mavic accessories

There are lots of accessories available for DJI Mavics. Before you start buying a bunch of accessories that you might not actually need or end up using, check out this carefully curated list of must-have accessories that most Mavic pilots find useful:

Join our DJI drone forum

If you need one-on-one help with your DJI Mavic or just want to interact with other Mavic owners, then join us in the DJI Drone Help forum.