The Mavic name has been dropped from the second-generation entry-level Mini 2. Although it costs a little more than the original Mavic Mini, it has an improved camera, more potent motors, and a more reliable remote control connection. Although it lacks some of the more sophisticated capabilities found in the Mavic Air 2, it’s a good option if you want to save money and stay out of FAA’s way.
DJI Mini 2 review: Design
The addition of a controller made the Mini 2 feel more like a drone, and gave the operator more confidence.
The Mavic Mini drone is a copy of the DJI Mavic. It has fold-out arms that make it easy to fly. According to DJI, you can fly this model for 31 minutes on a single charge, but in reality, you can only fly for about 23 minutes per battery due to the return to home auto function, which activates when there is only 25% of the battery left. This makes it important to purchase the Fly More Combo because it comes with three batteries, giving you well over an hour’s worth of total flight time.
The Mini 2 is a great drone for those who want a drone that can do a lot, but it does have some limitations. One of these is its battery capacity which is only 5,200mAh. Additionally, it takes some time to charge the drone, and the SD card is not accessible until you remove the battery. Finally, despite having forward- or backward-moving obstacle avoidance sensors, the Mini 2 does not have any.
Controller and handling
The DJI Mavic Air 2’s controller is its best feature. It’s simple to use, has a sleek design, and is perfect for those who want a drone that is easy to operate. The left and right joysticks are easily screwed onto the appropriate ball-socket element, making it easy to control the drone.
The phone holder is a great way to keep your phone connected while on the go. It has a spring-loaded design that makes it easy to remove and put back in the holder, and three connector cables are included. There are also buttons for power and landing, as well as a mode switch. Additionally, there is a physical slider that can be used to switch between Cine, Normal, and Sport modes. This is a very useful addition for anyone who doesn’t want to fiddle with a digital interface while in flight.
The Apple iPhone XS Max comes with a built-in Lightning connector, micro USB port, and USB-C port. The kit includes three cables: one for Lightning, one for micro USB, and one for USB-C. There are landing and power buttons, a mode switch, and a Fn button that can pan the vertical axis with one press by default. A physical slider that can be used to switch between Cine, Normal, and Sport modes is also available.
DJI Mini 2 review: Features
The DJI Fly app is a great way to get started with flying drones. The tutorials are easy to follow and the Quickshots section is where you will get the most out of your drone.
The DJI Mini 2 can perform a number of fancy maneuvers listed in the Quickshots menu at the touch of a button, though you do have control over how far the drone can travel while performing these aerial feats. Dronie, Helix, Rocket, Circle, and Boomerang are among the five Quickshot modes available overall. The Mini 2’s Dronie and Rocket features, which propel itself away from a topic at an angle or straight up, respectively, to reveal the surrounding scenery, will likely appeal to those who love to take pictures with their drones.
The three remaining modes in Circle are more at home with filmmakers. They slowly circle a subject until a full circle has been made, while Helix completes its journey at a distance and Boomerang continues the recording as the drone returns to its starting point. These modes are fancier than the others, spiraling around a subject as the drone moves further away.
Video quality
4K is a great improvement over 1080p. It’s now a normal function on a mid-range phone, so the question of whether makers still need it is hardly relevant. It also indicates that the system is currently recording at 100Mbps, which is useful information. The system still just generatesMP4 files, so it’s basically only for those who don’t plan to grade. In keeping with that, DJI has also included digital zoom, which is pretty useful.
The DJI Mavic Pro is a great drone for people who want to work away from the kids for longer distances and up to two times in 1080P it isn’t even lossy, though two times in 4K is the maximum. You might be appreciative of this if you prefer to get something without cropping in post-production or even just to practice a shot before switching back to shooting in 4K at 1x. Additionally, the drone keeps and expands on the well-liked DJI QuickShot capabilities. These are a group of modes that use the camera to find a suitable subject to record ten seconds of video along a predetermined path.
The DJI Mavic Air has some great features, but it’s disappointing that they only work at 1080P. It would be nice if the object tracking used less processing power. The QuickShots can be exported as plain video or as enhanced clips with music, timing shots, and the DJI logo. The options menu only offers anti-flicker and auto or manual white balance. The built-in tutorial is an option in the control menu, and you can also select the color you want the front LED to glow in (possibly as a nod to Philips Hue). Good information. ..
DJI Mini 2 review: Image quality
The Mini 2 can now accurately represent whatever environment you’re in. For instance, I was able to extract any high-resolution stills photographs from the recordings on two different flying sessions—one on a sunny day and the other on a chilly morning clouded by fog. Both times, the video quality was constant and sharp.
The new drone has the ability to zoom in and out while filming, which makes it easier to get close to distant subjects. However, during testing we found that operating the drone itself was so enjoyable that we rarely needed to use the zoom function.
DJI has just announced that their Mini 2 drone can now shoot in RAW format, which is great news for photographers who want to be able to edit their photos more easily. This means that they can create much larger landscape shots, which is something that drones are particularly good at. If you’re new to drone use, it’s important to note that the Mini 2 doesn’t record audio, but this isn’t a big issue since a lapel mic can easily solve the problem. ..
Flight performance
If you’ve never flown a drone before, it’s easy to get started with DJI drones. The joysticks have a nice soft springy feel to them, and the normal mode flight parameters are perfectly adjusted to account for the insensitive approach that most beginners exhibit when they fly a remote-controlled aircraft for the first time.
The closest analogy we can come up with is that it’s similar to driving a car because everything ramps up very smoothly and gradually thanks to the joysticks’ long range of motion, which is similar to an accelerator pedal in a car. Since a drone of this kind is intended to capture video, blazingly quick performance is the last thing you need.
The DJI Mini 2 is a small, but powerful drone that is perfect for beginners or those who want an easy-to-use drone. It has a range of up to 31 minutes and can reach speeds of up to 22 mph in normal mode, and 36 mph in sport mode. The Mini 2 is surprisingly stable in a strong breeze, and it will lock onto a number of satellites to stay in one place. For a drone of this size, it can fly for up to 31 minutes at a time. ..
The drone is equipped with a ground-breaking OcuSync 2.0 technology that will allow it to send real-time transmission images from up to six miles (10 km) away. This technology is so advanced that it allows you to keep your hands free while you fly the drone, which is great for those who are always on the go.
This distance is astonishing while being technically prohibited (by law, you are required to always fly within line of sight). Because the Mini 2 lacks obstacle avoidance, just like the original Mavic Mini, you might need to take extra precautions when flying in confined spaces. However, if people use common sense, this reviewer doesn’t believe the lack of obstacle avoidance is a deal-breaker.
DJI Mini 2 review: Price
We believe that the Mini 2’s price of $449 is fairly affordable. In contrast, the $399 original Mavic Mini model is unable to record 4K video. The prices of the company’s most recent models, such as DJI Air 2S, can range from $999 to more than $2000. It is worthwhile to consider purchasing the $599 Fly More Combo. You will also receive two more batteries, a two-way charging hub, and a 360-degree propeller guard in addition to the Mavic Mini 2.
Conclusion
The DJI Mini 2 is a more stable and dependable drone than the Mavic Mini, making it a better choice for footage with lots of discernible detail. Additionally, the connection between the controller and drone is more reliable, making it easier to control.
Anyone looking to get their first drone or a small, portable drone will find it easy to fly and fun. However, if you want the highest-quality video, you’ll need to use magnetic ND filters. The DJI Mini 2 is a great alternative now that the DJI Mini 3 Pro is available, especially if your budget doesn’t allow for the Mini 3 Pro. ..
