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DJI Mavic Mini Review

DJI Mavic Mini

The race is not to the swift… so they say. Nothing exemplifies that any better than the tiny but astonishingly powerful DJI Mavic Mini drone.

If it is a DJI, then it is worth buying on account of the name alone. For years, this drone maker has established itself as the go-to maker of small, medium-sized and big drones. Check the DJI Spark or Tello drones, some of the most popular mini drones from DJI. However, they fade in comparison to the Mavic Mini, the newest kid on the block, released on the end of October 2019.

The DJI Mavic drone is a small compact piece of work and it offers much more than just the good name.

Some of the features that you can expect in this drone include superb camera stabilization feature, stable altitude hover and a long flight time from one battery. These are mostly the things that we all look for in a camera drone, plus the quality of the videos and the photos. However, as you will see later, Mavic Mini outdoes itself.

By design, it is foldable. It also weighs a minimal weight of 249g, meaning you just fly it right out of the box, no need to register it with the FAA if you are in North America.

When ordering the drone, you will realize that it comes in two versions. The first one is the base version, which is $100 cheaper than the second one – Fly More Bundle, which comes with the following extras:

  • Three 2400mAh Li-Po batteries
  • Charging unit that also acts as a power bank
  • High quality travel storage case
  • Propeller guards with 360-degree protection

Are these extras worth the extra price? Most definitely, they are.

Now, let us look into the technical features and details of this camera drone:

DJI Mavic Mini

DJI Mavic Mini Features & Technical Details

Like any other DJI drone, this is where the Mavic mini-drone excels herself. They have not left anything to imagination. Here are some of the most notable features of the DJI Mavic mini drone.

Design and build quality

First, this is a small, foldable drone. Weighing 249g, you can carry it in your coat pocket without feeling the weight. Since it folds into a small and compact size, you will love carrying it when traveling so that you can capture photos and videos of your adventure.

The exterior of the drone is made with high quality ABS plastic. This is light in weight but very durable. Should your Mavic mini crash, you can be assured that it will come out intact. The Fly More Bundle drone is also sold with propeller guards that really do a good job of guarding the blades from all directions. If it crashes into an object or to the ground, the blades will most likely come out intact.

The camera

Primarily designed to be a camera drone, this is yet another area where this small drone is miles ahead of its peers. You can take professional-quality photos and videos with this camera if you know how to use it well.

Firstly, for photos you get a resolution of 12MP, which assures you of premium-quality photos. Secondly, you will be able to capture videos at a resolution of 2.7K. That is not exactly 4K, but it gives much higher quality than a 1080P HD camera.

Thirdly, even when the drone is in motion, it captures awesome videos and photos without distortion thanks to the 3-Axis motorized gimbal. Its work is to give your camera stability to capture smooth and vivid footage all the time, even when the drone is flying in the wind.

But general photos and videos are nothing if you will not have some enhancements. Thankfully, this drone app packs quite a number of mesmerizing things that you can do to your photos and videos. The Mavic Mini uses the QuickShot modes such as Rocket, Helix, Dronie and Circle (we will discuss these in the performance section). It is amazing how with just a few taps on the app you can make high quality cinematic shots.

From the camera, you will enjoy a robust first person view experience. This is where you can be able to see what the drone can see. Just download the new DJI app to your smartphone and enjoy yourself tremendously.

Battery and flight time

When it comes to the battery and flight time, you will be happy, after all not many mini drones of this size can give you 30 minutes of flight time. Anyway, that is to be expected from a high capacity battery of 2400mAh.

Many of the mini drones offer 7 to 12 minutes. When we said that the Mavic Mini was not an ordinary drone, we were not joking. The small weight of the drone contributes to the long flight time.

You get a charging pack that can charge three batteries at the same time. Soon, you will be able to buy spare batteries for this drone to double, or even triple your flight time. This charging pack is also a means to carry your batteries safely when traveling.

The App

You get this drone with a new DJI app that is both intuitive and very well streamlined. You can download this app from the app stores. There are so many things that you can do with it. One, you can share your videos and photos on social media in real-time. Why keep all the fun to yourself? Share with friends! Two, you will get a flight tutorial from the app itself. Even if this is the first drone that you have ever bought, this flight tutorial will make your learning curve shorter.

The remote controller

Just like the drone itself, this one is small and powerful. It has a retractable smartphone holder that fits smartphones of different sizes. This remote controller has responsive controls, so flying your drone should not be an issue at all.

Flight features, functions and performance of the DJI Mavic Mini

The performance of this drone is quite good, especially when there is no wind. It can fly at a maximum speed of 14km/h. Due to its small weight, it is important that you only fly it when there is no wind. The drone will respond to all commands promptly without any noticeable delay.

QuickShot Modes

The performance of this drone is pegged on the performance of the camera and the stabilizing features. This is further enhanced by the QuickShot modes that we mentioned earlier.

When you choose Circle Mode, the drone will fly around you in circles, keeping a consistent radius and all the time capturing videos and photos from different angles.

In Rocket Mode, the drone will fly straight up into the air. The camera will keep you in the center of the frame. When the drone reaches a preset height, it stops rising and captures footage from that altitude.

In Dronie Mode, the Mavic Mini will fly from and towards you, but it will be increasing its radius distance from your everytime. It will also increase its rise in the sky. It is recommended that you use this mode when you are in a clear space without trees and other obstacles.

Thanks to the GPS, you can set the return to home altitude, flight distance limit and the altitude. To do that, just tap the Takeoff Permitted tab on the top corner on the left side and use the sliders to set all these functions.

Flight modes

Some of the flight modes that you can use with this drone include the Cinematic, Speed and Position flight modes.

Cinematic Mode slows down braking and prompt turns, keeping the camera stable and preventing distortion of your videos and images.

If you fly the drone in Speed mode, you can unlock its maximum speed. Position Mode means that the drone remains responsive to sticks without taking off suddenly. It is the best flight mode for beginners.

Pros of DJI Mavic Mini

  • Folds to a small, compact shape without requiring you to remove the blades
  • Different flight modes for beginners and experienced users alike
  • Light in weight – doesn’t require to be registered with authorities in different countries
  • Two versions – base and Fly More Bundle for different budgets
  • The camera quality is awesome for both photos and videos
  • Long flight time from one battery
  • QuickShot modes to help you capture great footage even without any experience

Cons of DJI Mavic Mini

  • Does not have obstacle avoidance measures
  • Performs poorly in the wind

DJI Mavic Mini - Small Size

Who Should Buy The DJI Mavic Mini?

Any person who knows the value of a good drone should get this one. It is fast, it is responsive and most importantly, it takes pro-quality video and photo footage. Because of the small size and weight, you can take it with you anywhere, even when traveling abroad. If you are a constant traveller, take the Fly More Bundle because of the case, the three batteries and the propeller guards. Even if you buy the base drone version, you will not be disappointed for this drone packs quite a punch in performance, styling and camera.

Conclusion and Recommendation

The DJI Mavic Mini is not the usual run of the mill mini drone. It has the features and the power to outperform many big drones. Since it comes with different flight modes, start with the lowest one (Position Mode) if you are a beginner. Watch the flight tutorial in the DJI app before you can fly the drone. It will make the learning curve shorter for you. Charge the battery fully and let her fly.

Show me the price!

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