With its 4K video capture, improved controller, boosted range, and ramped up wind resistance, the phantom 4 2 is the best lightweight drone around. Admittedly, the original Mavic Mini is still its main competition, and it beats it in every area other than price. As you’d expect with such a small sensor, this isn’t a drone for shooting in gloomy conditions.
This impressive controller works at both 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz frequencies, selecting the best one autonomously. Its maximum transmission range is 6 mi , and I have easily used up to 7 batteries without having to recharge it. For this price range, I cannot think of a better controller than this one.
When the aircraft is flying near a restricted flight zone, or in a GEO Zone with altitude limits. Mavic Mini can only be used with the DJI Fly app, which has been designed to provide users with intuitive controls that make flight easier than ever. Users can even enjoy flight tutorials in the app to enhance flight safety. Mavic Mini comes with a dedicated remote controller, and the control sticks can even be detached for convenient transportation and storage.
The bump in video resolution from 2.7K to 4K is welcome. Sure, technically, there’s no reason we can think of that 4K capture wasn’t built into last year’s model, but in well-lit scenes, the extra recorded pixels mean more scope for zooms and crops. After all, you can bring up shadows in an edit, but you can’t pull back blown-out highlights, and the Mini 2’s video is poised to be picked up in post, especially when shooting in overcast conditions. On the front of the Mini 2 is the three-axis stabilized camera. Out of the box, it’s shielded by a camera guard, which is removable when you come to fly it. On the back is an exposed microSD card slot, as well as a USB-C port (upgraded from micro-USB on the Mavic Mini).
Above these is the battery flap and it’s a piece of cake switching out both battery and storage – we love the handy hot-swapping. The main controller has an auto take off and landing button, a quick shutter release control on the front right, with a rolling control on the left to allow for gimbal movement, up and down. When you get comfortable with the Mavic Mini 2, it may be taken off from the hand – be very careful, maybe use protective gloves if you try this – and landed in the same way. Because of this, allied with its size, it can be flown from just about anywhere, on a mountainside, from a ski slope, by the ocean, wherever you like. It’s absolutely ideal as your video and photography traveling companion, enabling you to shoot fabulous video or killer stills, wherever you are in the world.
For about $150 more, the Mini 2 offers features typically found in the higher-end DJI drones such as a 4K camera, the OcuSync transmission technology, and the ability to shoot RAW photos. DJI has also updated the camera to 4K, added Raw imaging, and ever so slightly upped flight time per charge. For $50 more than the first version, the DJI Mini 2 is a better entry-level drone, and our Editors’ Choice winner. We’re rating it a bit lower than the Air 2, but if you’re just getting started, and don’t want to spend closer to $1,000 on a drone and accessories, the Mini 2 is absolutely worth considering. The camera itself is mounted at the front, on a three-axis gimbal.
Remote control model MR1SS5 must be used with aircraft model MT1SS5. 6.What is the maximum wind resistance level of Mavic Mini? Mavic Mini can hover stably at in wind speeds of up to 8 m/s. To ensure flight safety, after attaching the 360° Propeller Guard, the maximum speed is limited to 8 m/s, the flight altitude is limited to 30 meters, and the flight distance is limited to 50 meters.
The geofence can also be set to keep the drone within a certain radius of the remote, and I absolutely recommend that first-time pilots take advantage of it. Visual range depends on conditions, of course, but suggest beginners take advantage of the feature. You can also charge the battery in-drone, via the aircraft’s USB-C port. It’s located at the rear, next to the microSDXC memory card slot.
Like DJI’s previous micro drones, the DJI Mini SE’s claim to fame is its small size and weight. With a weight of only 249 grams, the Mini SE falls just under the 250g weight limit set by Transport Canada. This means that you don’t need a license or registration to fly this micro drone, making the Mini SE perfect for first-time fliers who don’t want the headache of applying or filling out paperwork. The DJI Mini SE has up to 30 minutes of flight time with a fully charged battery, which means you can fly it just as long as most other consumer DJI drones. As we have seen above, the two-way charging hub is only included in the fly more combo package. This accessory allows you to sequentially recharge the three intelligent flight batteries included in the combo.
The updated motors really make all the difference as far as general noise and acceleration are concerned. Lately, it’s been windy where I live, and the drone handled gusts quite well, delivering smooth footage and crisp images. The original Mavic Mini could only capture up to 2.7K/30p footage at 40 Mbps.