The drone that we have been waiting for a long time, DJI Mini 2 also known as DJI Mavic Mini 2 has finally been released by the company and it stands up to the hype it has received towards the release.
There were spoilers, there were rumours, and then later we get to test-drive their official drone from DJI. As we know, DJI has been quite successful with its first Mavic series as the Mavic Air 2 has been the best drone for photography and filming.
The DJI Mavic Mini 2 we get now comes as an upgrade to the DJI Mavic Mini, and the company has made some significant improvements to its operating range and camera.
It still retains the same compact design as the Mini but is stronger, faster, with higher quality video and better OcuSync transmission
Let’s start reading to know about DJI Mavic Mini 2
About DJI Drone Company:
DJI has come a long way as a drone manufacturer, starting from dorm rooms in 2006 to the largest drone empire in the world thanks to its amazing technology.
The DJI drone company was started by Frank Wang with a passion for UAV systems. Frank Wang moved his start-up to Shenzhen where he started the DJI company by selling drone parts and DIY drones.
Then DJI released their first drone in the year 2016 from DJI Phantom 1, and after that, they have been continuously giving us their successful drones, with DJI’s latest drone being the DJI Mavic Mini 2.
DJI has recently invested heavily in development and research. Made its first software and hardware, which has achieved success in the UAV field. As we know, DJI was the first drone company to introduce compass and DJI inbuilt GPS.
DJI also designed the Lightbridge transmission system for the convenience of drone users, with the help of which we can easily view the footage of our drone even over long distances.
The credit also goes to DJI as the inventor of the self-diagnostic software system. With the help of which drone users can test the functionality of their drone. And you can easily identify any kind of malfunction of your drone.
Currently, DJI is the leading manufacturer for ready-to-fly drones useful in most areas including photography, filming as well as real estate. DJI’s after-market parts are easily available online and at local stores as well.
DJI Mavic Mini 2:
As we mentioned earlier, the DJI Mavic Mini 2 is an improvement over the earlier DJI Mavic Mini. I’ve used the Mavic Mini before, and it’s a very solid and sturdy drone. This drone handled 2.7K video for us, which is good enough for its price range. This drone also records images in JPG format for us.
Before we discuss the improvements in DJI Mavic Mini 2 in detail, let’s take a brief comparison between the DJI Mavic Mini and the DJI Mavic Mini 2.
| Features | Mavic Mini | Mavic Mini 2 |
| Size Weight | 140*81*57 mm 249g | 131*81*58 mm 249g |
| Flight duration | 30 minutes | 31 minutes |
| Resolution | 2.7K/30p at 40 Mbps | 4K/30p at 100 Mbps |
| Sensor | 1/2.3-inch CMOS, 12MP | 1/2.3-inch CMOS, 12MP |
| Range | 4Km | 10KM |
| Image modes | Timed shots | AEB Triple shots and Timed Shots |
| Video format | MP4 | MP4 |
| Zoom | none | 4X at 1080p, 3X at 2.7K, and 2X lossy zoom at 4K. |
| Top speed | 29 mph | 36 mph |
| Photo Format | JPEG | JPEG and RAW |
| Transmission | Wi-Fi | OcuSync |
Camera:
If DJI has improved the cameras on the Mavic Mini, it’s that camera. On the outside, the Mini 2’s camera is identical to its predecessor.
However, the Mavic Mini 2’s camera outputs 4K video quality at 30 FPS. It also allows us to record footage on the SD card at 100 Mbps, compared to the earlier Mavic Mini’s 40 Mbps.
The DJI Mavic Mini 2 joins us with the same 1/2.3″ CMOS 12 MP sensor as before which makes the DJI Mavic Mini 2 a capable drone to shoot RAW footage. Raw footage gives us more control over the image than JPG footage. Plus there’s more information in it.
DJI Mini 2 Flight Time:
Coming to the flight time of the DJI Mavic Mini 2, DJI promises us a flight time of 31 minutes. Even though the Mavic Mini has a good flight time of 30 minutes, the DJI hasn’t improved that much. However, the DJI Mavic Mini 2 is more powerful than before and is able to withstand strong winds with ease, which makes it a better deal for the drone pilot.
DJI Mini 2 Power:
If we talk about the maximum speed of the Mavic Mini 2 is 36 MPH, which is much faster and better than a smaller drone. We can easily see the speed of our drone through the live stream, flying above it we can get a full feel of how fast it can actually be.
Even though this drone is a lightweight drone, DJI has designed it to easily withstand gusts of wind up to 24 mph. Which is also 100% true.
OcuSync 2.0:
As we being drone pilots know that Wi-Fi connection is used to connect over short distances, which gets interrupted easily. On the other hand, the OcuSync we use in the DJI Mavic Mini 2 enables a flawless feed even when a drone is far away.
Did I mention DJI’s Mini 2 drone can fly as far as 10 Km from the controller?
As we know it is prohibited for a drone to fly out of line of sight, yet it is great for us to know that we will still get a high-quality feed at that distance.
We have to pay attention. The DJI Mavic Mini 2 still has a Wi-Fi connection that lets us transfer pictures from the drone to our phone at a very high speed.
Controls:
In the beginning, we have to mount our smartphone on top of the controller. Which is a retractable mounting section with the antenna integrated on top. Its controller is slightly larger than the previous Mavic Mini’s controller, and it also has a comfortable grip.
It may take some time for us to get used to the controller but it works great. Beginners will also love the return-to-home and left-hand buttons that allow a drone user to easily call their drone home in case of a problem.
We can set the altitude for our drone at which our drone should fly when we return home. If there are some obstacles in our flight area like trees, buildings, we may need to elevate our drone.
Its controller has a switch with the help of which we can easily switch our drone between 3 flight modes. “Normal” mode at 22 MPH, Cine” mode allows the drone to fly at 13 mph and “Sport” mode at 36 MPH.
There’s a “fn” button in the top-left corner that lets us switch on the auxiliary lights, which makes the drone easy to land and take off, even when it’s on.
On the top right is the button which allows us to switch our camera between video and photo.
The gimbal wheel present in it will help us to tilt the drone camera when our drone is in strong wind. It also has a shutter button which allows us to record video clips and take shorts.
Its battery also lasts for a long time, also we get a USB port under it, with the help of which we can graze it easily.
Panorama:
With the help of panorama, we can get a comprehensive view of an area easily. We get three different types of panorama views in the new Mavic Mini 2.
It captures seven images to make 180 landscape photos. This sphere captures at least 26 images to form a circular image. And the Wide View includes nine shots that easily make for a bigger and squarer photo for us.
DJI Mini 2 Propellers:
Mavic Mini’s propellers are damaged when first in storage. Due to this, we cannot fly our drone with much lift. But the Mini 2’s propellers are a bit longer and sturdier than before and come with DJI Mini 2 Propellers guard that holds the propellers together when our drone turns.
Quickshots:
Even though we didn’t include intelligent flight modes like Point of Interest or ActiveTrack in the DJI, the Hum Mini 2 could still get some quick shots easily. This includes;
Rocket – This is a great feature of this drone that allows us to have a broader view of a subject. All we have to do to use it is to select that theme of yours by tapping or dragging the box. Focusing on our subject, the drone will take a flight vertically upwards, creating a 15-second video for us.
Droney – In this our drone flies 120 feet above an object of interest.
Helix – The drone spirals at 120 feet.
Circle – As the name suggests, in this mode our drone circles the subject as it is recorded. Which also creates a 15-second video for us which we can easily edit and share on our social media platforms easily.
Boomerang – This is said to be the latest addition to Quickshots. This allows the drone to move towards and away from the subject, following an elliptical path.
While taking quick shots, we must always keep in mind that our drone is in position mode (P-mode). Which will help us to save our drone from some obstacle areas like trees or buildings, with the help of this we can continue our flight in those areas too.
Image Modes:
In the earlier Mavic Mini, we get only one image mode, Timed Shots. But the Mavic Mini 2 gets what we want with an additional image mode, AEB (Auto Exposure Bracket) for Triple Shots.
With the help of its AEB image mode, we can easily take three pictures of an object by taking the camera in different exposures. With these three shots obtained, we can choose the best fit or sufficiently exposed footage when editing our footage.
DJI Mini 2 Zooming power:
The amazing zooming feature of the DJI Mavic Mini 2 makes it very different from the original DJI Mini. We could easily achieve 4X zoom when shooting 1080p (2X lossless and 2X lossless zoom).
When we shoot at 2.7K with this, we’ll get 2X lossy zoom and 3X lossy zoom at 4K. Zooming capability is another area in which DJI has improved.
Front LED Light:
Compared to the previous Mavic Mini, we also get the feature of an LED light in the Mini 2, which helps us to see our drone from far away during the nighttime with ease. When we and our friends have the same drone, we can customize the front LED light of the app to identify our drone and change its colour.
DJI Fly app:
DJI’s Fly app was first introduced with the Mavic Mini and still works on the Mini 2 and Mavic Air 2. It lets us take panoramas, check battery levels, select quick shots, how much flight time is left, and even make it super easy for us to view the footage.
We can easily schedule our flights with DJI Fly app, find new flight spots to enhance our flying experience, and meet with drone enthusiasts to grow our drone community. Geo-fencing has also been integrated with to the Mini 2 drone.
As a new user, we will need a DJI account to use it if we haven’t used this app before. Then we have to activate our drone. DJI will fully guide us through this process. We should keep updating DJI’s Fly app frequently even when connected to Wi-Fi.
There is a pre-flight section that allows us to set the maximum altitude, RTH altitude and maximum distance. We should adjust these altitudes for us based on the regulations of our drone area.
As drone enthusiasts, we should also pay attention to the strength of the GPS signal and with the help of which we can check how many satellites our drone is connected to.
If our signal is strong, our app indicates the drone “takeoff allowed”. With poor GPS signal capability, the home-to-return function won’t work for us.
We can also adjust exposure and shutter speed (switch to auto-exposure or ISO where the drone camera determines the best exposure for us based on the light.
When we set the exposure manually we get more control and if it is also a meter which tells us about under overexposure or exposure.
Price and Availability:
We can easily get the dji mini 2 black friday price of $419 currently, which is pretty cheap even for beginner drone enthusiasts. We can also buy the Fly More Combo with it which costs $539. If we come with this drone with a case and a charging hub, three batteries.
Like most DJI devices that have come before, the Charging Hub also allows us to charge other devices such as controllers and phones.
Along with this we also get a snap adapter which will enable us to attach additional accessories, a DIY kit and a 360-degree propeller guard.
How Is It like to Fly DJI Mini 2?
Right now the DJI Mavic Mini 2 weighs in at 249 grams, which fits snugly in the case. Its low weight drone makes it a portable drone. Also, it has a beautiful foldable design which allows us to fit the new DJI Mavic Mini 2 easily in our jacket pocket.
It is very easy to fly even for a beginner. All we have to do is just press the power button of our drone to turn it on the drone. And press it again and hold the button until our DJI Mavic Mini 2 all the lights turn on. This is the same process that we will use to switch on the remote controller.
We can also fly with a controller or app. To turn on the DJI Mavic Mini 2, pull both joysticks on the controller inwards and then push its left joystick upwards to fly your drone and downwards to descend the drone. Also, we have to drag the left joystick of the controller down until the drone propeller stops moving completely.
If you’ve ever flown a Mavic Mini and had a lot of fun flying it, you might also enjoy its upgraded model, the DJI Mavic Mini 2. Which is a low noise drone.
Is it beginner-friendly?
If we look at the utility of the DJI Mavic Mini 2, then this drone is going to be more suitable for hobbyists and beginners. It is very easy for us to locate the controls, this drone is cheap as compared to other drones plus it uses a great camera, has an extended flight time and excellent stability in the air.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
Do I need a license to fly the DJI Mini 2?
The takeoff weights of the DJI Mavic Mini and DJI Mavic Mini 2 are closer to 249g, so they are discounted. We will still have to comply with the laws of the air when flying this drone, and we will still need a certificate to fly a drone under Rule Part 107 to fly a light drone for commercial purposes.
Which drone can I fly without a license?
We can fly any drone we want to use for our entertainment without any license! However, this does not mean that we should not follow the rules of the FAA. We are thoroughly explained in Drone Rules Part 107 how we will ensure the safety of all manned aircraft that may be found in the airspace.
How far can the DJI Mini 2 go?
The DJI Mini 2 works on the basis of Ocysync 2.0 and which gives us a maximum range of 10 km (6.2 mi). We can achieve our maximum distance in areas where drone flight is completely interference-free. And we should not face any obstacle in flying the drone. However, due to signal interference, the actual range is limited by local regulations and physical obstacles during flight.
Does Mavic Mini 2 have sound?
For the time being, we cannot use a mobile device as a mic while flying the DJI Mavic Mini so it is not possible for us to record with sound. To record audio, we need to edit the above video and add audio to the finished product.
Pros and Cons of DJI Mini 2:
Pros-
The DJI Mavic Mini 2 has a functional and powerful camera.
The propellers used in this new drone are more durable than the earlier Mavic Mini.
The controls have additional features – toggle, phone mount on top, homing and gimbal wheel. With the help of these features, we can get more control of our drone.
If we talk about the flight time of this drone which is much more than any other drone.
The DJI Mavic Mini 2 is a lightweight, small, foldable drone and we can carry it easily in our pocket.
Its propellers are less noisy than the earlier Mavic Mini.
Cons-
This drone does not currently have any tracking and object-avoidance system features.
It requires some post-processing before we can use its panorama images. No drone user can spend hours cleaning a photo.
There are some cases where the gimbal flips back up, and we have to re-adjust it for ourselves to take which top-down shot
Is it worth the investment?
Yes, it is. Even though some advanced features are still lacking in the DJI Mavic Mini 2, this drone is not a deal-breaker for us as it runs fine even without those features. The DJI company addressed almost all of the issues presented by its Mavic Mini when building the Mavic Mini 2 for us.
As we have already told you, they have significantly improved the speed, stability, high wind camera in the DJI Mavic Mini 2 and DJI has also included a stronger wireless connection.
Whether we are buying a new drone for ourselves or upgrading from our old Mavic Mini, this drone is a must buy. However, it still lacks in comparison to the Mavic Air 2. So if we are looking to buy a costlier and more professional drone and are ready to spend a little more. Over $100 or more, we may consider buying the DJI Mavic Air 2 for ourselves.
DJI Mavic Air 2:
The-inch sensor used in the DJI Mavic Air 2 makes it different from other drones. Which is perfect for shooting 8K videos and 48MP photos.
Even if we don’t have to use 8K and 48MP we will have a higher bit rate for 12Mp and 4K videos.
We get a good flight time of 34 minutes, which is slightly longer than the earlier Mini 2. DJI is known for its exclusive top 3-axis gimbal, which we find in the DJI Mavic Air 2.
Even though we get all that. It lacks obstacle avoidance features and activity tracking in the Mini 2. It also has a FocusTrack with HDR and 4K features at 30 FPS that lets us track subjects close in the frame while filming them.
Conclusion:
Many drone enthusiasts have been waiting for the DJI Mavic Air 2 for a long time. This drone was really worth it. People who have used Mavic Mini before. For those people, DJI has improved the Mini 2 by restricting features like range and video quality in the Mini, and it worked.
If you have read this article till now
You must have a question in your mind why should we get a 2.7K video DJI Mavic Air 2 drone when we can get 4K video quality drones for only spending $100 extra? Long-distance, but let’s not forget its longer flight times and better Wi-Fi connection on more robust propellers.
DJI’s Mavic Mini was a good drone under the $500 price tag for us, which, considering some of the new features, should now go to the title new DJI Mavic Mini 2.