Description
- FEATURES: Weighing under 250 grams, Mavic Mini is almost as light as the average smartphone. This makes it portable and places it in the lowest and safest weight class of drones
- GIMBAL CAMERA: Mavic Mini supports 12MP aerial photos and 2.7K Quad HD videos. A 3-axis motorized gimbal provides superior camera stability and ensures clear, ultra-smooth footage
- REMOTE CONTROLLER: A dedicated remote controller maintains an HD video feed at a distance of up to 4 km. Detachable control sticks can be stored inside the remote controller for added portability
- FLY APP: The new DJI Fly app offers a simple and intuitive user experience, enabling you to create cinematic shots. It even has Flight Tutorial to help you get started quickly and safely
- CONTENT: Aircraft x 1, Remote Controller x 1, Intelligent Flight Battery x 1, Pair of Spare Propellers x 1, Micro USB Cable x 1, Gimbal Protector x 1, RC Cable (Micro USB connector) x 1, RC Cable (USB-C connector) x 1, RC Cable (Lightning connector) x 1, Pair of Spare Control Sticks x 1, Spare Screw x 1, Screwdriver x 1
- Dimensions : Folded: 140×82×57 mm (L×W×H), Unfolded: 160×202×55 mm (L×W×H), Unfolded (with propellers): 245×290×55 mm(L×W×H)
Kaboobi (verified owner) –
DJI Mavic Mini Combo. Highly Recommended
This is the first ready to fly drone that I have purchased in 6 years and have previously purchased individual components and built my own octocopter heavy lift platforms measuring 1420mm in width with eight 15inch carbon fibre propellers. These machines are capable of lifting the Canon 5D or Blackmagic type cameras used by professional film crews.
DJI was conceived in 2006 by Mr. Frank Wang with an initial investment of just $2,000. His net worth of January 2020 is reported to be 4.8 billion US dollars.
There are a small number of other manufactures of UAV aircraft like YUNEEC and Autel Robotics that produce high end drones but don’t have the infrastructure and network of DJI. There are also lots of spurious ripoffs of the most popular drones that can be found for around the £100-£200 mark. In all honesty, don’t bother because in the months to come mandotary registration will be required for any drone with a camera so it makes sense to purchase from a good company.
The DJI Mavic Mini is an amazing little drone that brings aerial photography to the masses. Weighing in at an incredible 249g it is an ideal travel companion and can produce some amazing footage. Don’t be fooled by its size, it is a very capable machine and can fly at almost 30MPH. It is not a toy!
At the time of writing, May 2020, the drone doesn’t require registration with the CAA. There are changes to the legislation in the months to come that will require mandatory registration and the latest information can be found on the CAA website.
The Mavic Mini is jam packed with technology and is very easy to fly which is its Achilles heel in inexperienced hands.
There are a plethora of videos circulating Youtube etc. showing people launching the device into the heavens within a few minutes of receiving it for the drone to disappear out of sight or crash to the ground. This may be a deliberate act to get more hits of their channel or they may be novices with more money than sense. You may have heard the phrase, “Got the gear but have no idea”.
If this is your very first drone then I would recommend users to spend the first couple of days familiarising themselves with the drone and app. There are some good videos on YouTube that will take you from initial setup to first flight and beyond. When you start flying, fully focus on flying the drone before moving onto the camera functions.
The latest software release gives the Mavic Mini manual camera settings which professional users have been craving for since day one. A set of ND filters will be required to get the best out of the manual settings and typically cost between £15.00-£130.00. I purchased a set of ND filters manufactured by Sunnylife that cost just under £16.00 for a set of 4 that come with a sturdy storage box. They are incredibly light and the frame is made from a single piece of moulded plastic. They have no adverse effect on the camera gimbal and work well. There are also ND filters that have a polariser built in but I don’t see the point of polarising filters on a drone.
The app is available for both iOS and Android devices and is free to download and use. The app menu is easy to navigate and the on screen video that is transmitted from the drone to the app is 720p. That said, it is very clear even on a full size iPad. The flight telemetry information is also displayed on screen during the flight with clear warnings of high wind, low battery, etc. Each menu can be expanded by a single press for detailed information.
There is also good video editing software built into the app that is easy to use and publish on YouTube etc.
From what I can glean from the internet, most people who purchase the Mavic mini with a single battery wish that they had purchased the Combo, inc 3 batteries, within just a few days of ownership. They find that the up to 30 minute flight time just isn’t enough and have to wait for the battery to cool down, approximately 15 minutes, before recharging that takes another 90 minutes. The Mavic mini battery is currently on backorder with DJI and sellers who have limited stocks are selling it for upwards of £80.00. The list price from DJI is just £45.00. Most of the other popular Mini accessories, cables etc., have also rocketed in price in recent weeks due to high demand.
DJI also sell a care refresh plan for £35.00 and full details can be obtained from DJI.com. It is advisable to purchase the plan before the drone is activated. Activation after 48 hours is possible but a fully documented flight will have to be submitted to DJI before purchase.
WORDS OF WARNING!
* To ensure control of the drone at all times, turn the controller on before the drone. Turn the drone off before the controller after flight
* Place the drone on a flat surface with the camera pointing away from you, not grass, when turning on to avoid gimbal lock. When the drone runs through the initialisation process the gimbal rotates and even the slightest interference, blades of grass etc. can cause an error warning.
* If you launch the drone without GPS lock the drone will immediately drift in a downwind direction
* Many concrete surfaces have rebar mesh that can cause compass/IMI calibration problems due to magnetic interference
* Whenever possible, fly in an upwind direction. This will give a good margin of error to return to the takeoff point
* Purchase an anemometer to measure the wind. Basic devices can be purchased for less than £10.00
* Take care flying from a hillside or in mountains because the wind will be influenced by lee waves and rotor
* If you receive a battery firmware update don’t forget to update any additional batteries prior to flight
* Care must be taken to line the propellers up on the drone before inserting it into the case that comes with the combo. Failure to do so can cause the props to distort and cause flight problems
Membership of the BMFA (British Model Aircraft Association) has a range of benefits including public liability insurance and may be worth considering.
The DJI Mavic Mini Combo was purchased, Sold and supplied by Amazon with fast free shipping. Highly recommended.
I have also purchased a few accessories from Amazon that I’ve listed below:
Controller protective cover by Hensych. ASIN:B0832QY7R2
Propeller covers by Hensych. ASIN: B082SCKXK4
Travel bag by STARTRC. ASIN: B07ZZ6HYR5
Landing mat by Changlesu. ASIN: B07F1LLQR4
MyKeyReviews (verified owner) –
DJI Mavic Mini (Fly More Combo)
– IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
When I received the Mavic Mini on release I was initially very excited to fly this drone, I had already downloaded the ‘DJI Fly’ app prior to receiving it, had registered a DJI account and ready to go; this was short lived due to the app consistently crashing whenever the drone tried to connect with the controller/smartphone (I had the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact). Upon researching, I was not the only customer to have this issue – there were tonnes of people having the same issue on other Android smartphones which met the app requirements such as certain LG, Samsung and Motorola models.
Note: The Mavic Mini CANNOT be flown just by the remote control, it requires a compatible device using the DJI Fly app.
To my knowledge, iOS users have had the best results and DJI have confirmed support with the following Apple iPhone models that have iOS 10.0 or above: 11 Pro Max, 11 Pro, 11, XS Max, XS, XR, X, 8 Plus, 8, 7 Plus, 7, 6s Plus, 6s, 6 Plus, 6.
On 15/11/2019, a new update had been dropped that should have fixed these crashing issues with LG, Moto Z, Xperia & Galaxy S series. I can confirm for my ‘Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact’, the crashing has now been fixed.
Before Android users buy, I would advise the following:
1) Check your device has Android 6.0 or above.
2) Check to see if you can actually download the ‘DJI Fly’ app and navigate around.
Going by DJI’s requirements on their own website, it SHOULD be enough just to have the appropriate Android OS version but unfortunately that’s not the case, so please be wary of on-going issues.
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♦ Introduction ♦
The Mavic Mini is an extremely lightweight drone weighing in at 249g and is so compact, it’s has the same surface area that of your typical smartphone, albeit a bit thicker of course. DJI really have honed in on the hobbyist market by producing a more affordable drone, that doesn’t need to be registered unless used commercially; just bare in mind drone flying rules still apply to EVERYONE, this is to ensure the user and everyone around them is safe.
For such as compact and lightweight drone, it features some outstanding features:
• 12MP 2.7k camera.
• 3-axis gimbal for smooth video.
• GPS for more stable flight and location and return.
• 2km advertised transmission (Though some users have experience much further without obstacles).
• 30 minute flight-time.
There are also two purchase options to choose from:
1) Mavic Mini (Single Edition): Drone | Remote Controller | Remote Controller Cables (Micro-USB, USB-C & Lighting) | 1x Battery | Micro-USB | Gimbal Protector | Spare Kit.
2) Mavic Mini (Fly-More Combo): As above, but you get three batteries instead of two | a three-way battery charger which can double as a power bank | Crash-Guards | Extra Spares | Carry Case.
With an RRP of only £90 extra, the Fly-More combo is certainly a wise choice should you be able to afford that extra.
♦ Recommended Accessories ♦
If you don’t have a memory card already, you will need to get yourself a MicroSD (64GB+ Recommended for video). A UHS-I Class Speed 3 or above is required.
♦ Set-up, App & Ease of Flying ♦
When you start the DJI Fly app, it will actually prompt some tutorials which I would recommend watching as it gives you a great understanding of how to get started.
When you click “Connect Aircraft” it will guide you how to set-up the controller; the process is very simple and quick to do. The thumb sticks are neatly hidden under the handles which pop out and screw onto the directional pads and you simply get one of the appropriate remote cables that are included (my case it’s the USB-C), this connects on the left side and the other into your phone then slot your phone between the grips (my phone fitted snugly even with it’s case attached).
When powering the remote and drone on, you have to press the power button once, then hold it down afterwards until it turn on – as you’re holding the button down the LED lights should add up until all are lit. When powering off, the exact same process however the lights individually turn off instead.
When everything is connected, you should be able to see the point of view through the Mavic’s camera. It’s as simple as placing the Mavic on a flat surface, pressing the take-off button and further holding it down. If you are flying indoors, I would HIGHLY recommend having the guards put on (not included in standalone pack) – you will then need to go into the advanced settings tab and activate the payload option which will then take in consideration of the extra weight, otherwise it won’t fly as planned. Also note the GPS function when flying indoors, though I found it to be very stable in-flight.
If you’re new to flying these, do take it easy – observe the current weather, your surrounding and ensure you check the ‘Recommended Zones’ to make sure you are not flying near a military base or airport. Checking the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) can provide you with further information of where restricted zones are and the radius it covers – it doesn’t matter if it’s a small drone, the rules still apply.
I’m shocked at how amazing this little drone flies, it’s incredible – especially outside when the GPS works as it also using that for stability as well as guidance. The moment is fluid and the gimbal works a treat to give you super smooth results. The remote has quick access to taking photos, recording video and adjusting the Y-Axis of the camera.
There are several modes on the app to make the drone fly faster or smoother and there are some quick actions for certain styled shots that would otherwise require much practice to perform, they really have thought the features out thoroughly.
When landing, you can either get it in position and force land which it will do so carefully. Alternatively there is the ‘Home Point’ which will adjust the drones altitude (15m by default but this can be changed) then it will use GPS to go back to the starting point and start it’s landing process (you can change the home point manually if need be). If you are using the home point feature and are lower than the default 15m, don’t panic when it shoots up in the air, that is a part of the process.
♦ Image & Video Quality ♦
Due to the very reasonable price point of the Mavic Mini compared to their other higher valued models of course there are more limitations: The camera is 2.7k not 4k, you don’t get the full manual exposure control and the photos are in JPEG not RAW but that’s really not an issue because to be honest, the quality is actually very good. Sure it’s not to a professional standard but is perfectly acceptable for personal use and projects.
Due to the 3-axis gimbal, taking photos are more likely to be sharp due to lack of motion and the videos come out incredibly smooth.
♦ Final Thoughts ♦
To get straight to the point, the Mavic Mini is utterly amazing; it’s just a matter of whether you have a compatible device or not – or whether your “compatible” device actually works. If the latter of course you will be extremely disappointed and it’s down to whether you want to risk waiting for an update to fix any on-going issues, if they decide to; but if you have a fully compatible device then get ready for excitement and the ability to capture footage/photos you couldn’t take normally.
Due to some on-going issues I have to drop a star that otherwise would deserve all 5.
DFL (verified owner) –
Perfect Little Flying Camera
My first impressions on the drone – compacted, it can fit into the palm of my hand and it’s very very light. It has a strong plastic chassis and it’s very tightly fitted. Just like the Mavic Pro, this drone comes all in one, so no prior attachments are necessary.
Along with it comes the controller – other than it’s battery indicator, it has no reading screen, so any status of the aircraft you want to know, such as MPH, distance or height, you’ll have to use and connect your own phone to the remote.
The first thing I had to do before I could even fly this drone is to install a mobile app called “DJI Fly” and for some strange reason, it’s not available in Google Play Store. You’ll have to go directly to the DJI website and download it as an APK file.
After installing DJI Fly, I had to electronically unlock the drone using the app, and this seems to be mandatory every time you want to go fly it. Another important note – there is a dustproof lens cap placed around the drone’s camera. Remove this before you take-off, otherwise you’ll be getting error messages that the gimbal is stuck or it’s motor is overloaded.
For a small drone, it has decent speed and agility. Not as fast the Mavic Pro, but about as fast as an adult human running. For agility, the drone would take about a single second to respond to sharp turns and stops, so I wouldn’t recommend you flying this thing into a wall and wanting to turn at the last second.
The most valuable asset this drone has, in my opinion, is the camera. When I bought this drone, I honestly wasn’t expecting much from the camera. Even with the app, the only control you have is adjusting the EV. However, when I flew it, it delivered a crisp and clear quality that I’ve rarely seen on drones and that is a huge selling point for me. Although you can’t take pictures, you can record and then swipe single frames out in post-production.
The only two disappointments I’ve had with the drone is that 1. every time you want to fly it, you’ll need to break out your phone, attach it to the remote controller, start up the app and unlock the drone for flying – I can only presume this is due to me residing in a zone with limited flying capabilities, but to other people who do, they would understand.
And 2. every time I want to land, I’ll have to bring the drone in to hover at least a feet from the surface for a few seconds. Although its not much if you’re flying outdoors, but if you’re using this indoors, let’s say for a little testing, then it can be a little frustrating.
Fortunately these two minor setbacks don’t bother me much and with all the pros outweighing it, I definitely see myself possessing this drone for a very long time.
To add as a prelude, I had my eye on this little drone since mid 2020, but was very reluctant to buy it back then because I needed a fast drone with good camera quality. So I went for the Mavic Pro instead in late 2020, and although I had much fun with it, I clearly underestimated the power that this 249-gram quadcopter had to offer.
It wasn’t until after several months of possessing the Mavic Pro that I suddenly wanted a drone that was much smaller and hopefully quieter. Amazon was not the first place I turned to for shopping, and I quickly discovered that the price was a bit steep for a drone that one can literally fit into their pocket. The price was actually almost the same as the Mavic Pro when I bought it second-hand from MPB.
With no other choice, I did turn to Amazon in the end but I bought the drone in used condition for savings. Surprisingly when the drone came, it was still under wraps and only the packaging was opened and resealed. Even better, I found a microSD card slotted into the machine, so I was practically good and ready to go.
Jerome Smith (verified owner) –
DJI Mavic Mini 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
The media could not be loaded. There’s an old saying that you get what you pay for. This product is well worth the money.
This is my third drone, I’ve been upgrading and was very weary about paying out not an insignificant sum for what many would describe as a “toy”. Let me state from the start, this is NOT a toy. It’s much more than that. I paid for the combo kit as reading what others had said before me, was worth the money. I fully agree, if for nothing more just the extra batteries and battery pack.
I’ve had it three days now and I’m blown away by the quality and how well it all works. Why?
Let me start at the beginning. I’m definitely a hobbyist. I was looking for a drone that took good pictures and video. Something with a good battery life and also with a good range. Something that’s going to keep my interest and also something light and portable. I’ll break these down in more detail in a moment. Having spent a bit of time researching on the internet, one product seemed to keep coming up.
Pictures/Video.
This has an excellent camera. It’s not going to shoot the next Spielberg classic but it’s way above more than what 99.9% of what the people of the world need. I’m a stick it on auto kind of guy and straight away it achieved everything and more I’ll ever need. Many have criticised the lack of “white balance” etc etc. I still don’t know what that means. There are plenty of manual setting on photo mode if that’s your thing but more limited in video mode. I leave everything on auto as it’s smarter than me. Others have criticised the fact it only takes 2.7k movies and not 4K. Let’s be clear, if you want to shoot excellent good quality video, more than what most gadgets and social media can deal with then 2.7K is more than enough. The camera is gimballed and remains smooth no matter how much I seem to rag the drone around the sky. If you want the 4K you’re going to have to spend a lot more money. My top tip on all this is simple, get a good quality storage card. I saved money by using an old card. I now know it’s a false economy. Get the card recommended by DJI and you’ll get some excellent results.
Battery life.
The combo kit comes with three batteries and a smart charger. Well worth the money and incidentally you can also use it as a stand alone phone charger. It advertises up to thirty minutes for a charged battery. I never believe the advertising as these always seem to be carried out in a laboratory. I was pleasantly surprised. Using the video and jetting around the sky I seem to be getting on average in excess of about 25 minutes or thereabouts. Very respectable for a drone of this size.
Range.
Simply very good. I hook it up to my phone and it gives a very smooth display. To start with it’s a bit of a faff. I live quite close to the sea next to a park so getting to a nice open area is quite easy. That said, I’m also close to a couple of military training areas so it would be easy for me to get into trouble with the law. Also there’s an airport a few miles up the road. What is excellent is the DJI software that runs this operation. When you’ve set it all up, the software will warn you about all this and as long as you follow the rules it should stop you getting potentially a very hefty fine. I hope. It will also warn you of other things such as strong winds and if all things fail and the display goes blank because you’ve flown it too far and you haven’t got a clue where it is there’s always the “ return to home” button. I’ve used it once as I was sweating about how I’m going to have to explain to the missus how I’d just flown my new drone into the middle of the woods. After a few tense minutes it came back and landed on the exact spot it took off from.
Well, if you’ve got this far and still have the will to live let me just say in conclusion, well worth the money, an excellent product. Read up on local laws regarding the use of drones. Remember this is only 249g so in the UK and most of the world you won’t need a license but it’s always worth checking before you travel. The DJI app is excellent and also has some excellent video editing software which I’m just getting my head around. There are some good tutorials on YouTube about this product. Expect to lose half a day at least going through them.
Fly safe x
G. Bennie (verified owner) –
My first drone and it’s a joy!
This is my first drone and I’ve never used any of the more powerful models, so bare that in mind with my newbie gushing review.
I frigging love this thing!! Its fun, it works and it’s cheap as chips considering what you get.
The fact it’s under the 250g and a little more than a GoPro with all the batteries etc, it’s worth every penny if your into this kind of thing or casual landscape photography and you do not need to register the thing (at time of review, they’ll probably change it!), tho remember you still need to follow drone laws!
Love that it comes with the guards too, I have a lot of fun just playing with it in my house, traversing the rooms and stairs… should you do this, maybe not, but even as a beginner, I’ve not had a crash yet and it’s great fun, it handles well with little knocks on walls if you go slow and gives you time to fix (slow is key!!)
Outside wise, I live in Scotland, so wind especially this time of year has stopped me going out a lot, but still been out enough and having a blast, getting more confident letting it go further away and higher, I occasionally get signal drops but never for more than a moment or has got me concerned, it will apparently return to home if you do loose all signal tho I myself have not tested this, kinda want to tho haha.
It’s so responsive and fun to fly around and as you build confidence controlling it you can fair pick up some speed, as well as get some incredible looking shots that you’d never get with normal camera’s.
Speaking of camera, it does up to 2.7k 30fps or 1080p 60fps, picture is 12MB JPG only, so not the best but as a casual photographer this wasn’t my main concern on purchasing, but the video/pictures do look great and happy with it.
As for battery length, finding I’m getting around 25 mins per battery, so your looking at around 1 hour 20 flight time for any trip without charging which is great. Speaking of batteries, the charger in the combo is superb, it charges the one closest to full capacity first which is genius, as well as having a USB out so can act as a battery pack for charging your phone or something if you need it.
So a couple of bad points you should know, it has only below collision detection, so it’s up to you to not crash it, it also has NO follow me functionality, so don’t go purchasing it expecting this, it will do small tracking while doing some of the programmed manoeuvres but it’s nothing to write home about.
It also only handles wind up to 20mph, which to be fair is quite breezy, but keep that in mind for your location, it’s quite blawy in Scotland a lot so has hindered me wanting to go out, but I’ve still gotten out a few times in past couple of weeks.
Since purchase I’ve probably had around 15 hours flying time and it’s been a joy, for the price and lack of registering (again, at time of review!!) I can’t fault this thing, would suggest watching the many reviews on YouTube if your unsure.
For me, I wanted a cheaper introduction to drone flying and this was it and I’m absolutely thrilled with the purchase, no regrets.
GMAN79 (verified owner) –
Bigger isn’t always better…………
Well, I waited what seemed like a lifetime for this to arrive as was on pre order. I guess the fly more combo is very popular as was out of stock everywhere. This package comes with everything you need to ‘fly more’. You get the drone, 3 batteries, a battery charger to charge all the batteries at the same time, spare propellors, propellor protectors and screwdriver to screw the propellors to the drone, remote controller, various cables to connect your phone/tablet to the controller and finally a carry case for all the gear.
If you are thinking of buying this, the one thing you need that isn’t included is a micro sd card so you can store all your pictures/videos. I purchased a 128gb Sandisk, nice and cheap in the Black Friday sales from Amazon.
In addition, if you are thinking of using a tablet rather than a smart phone to control the drone you will also need to purchase a tablet holder. There are many of these on the market all with their own pros and cons. I opted for the Mavmount 3.0 which is only available from the US.
This drone is entry level in the DJI Mavic range, but don’t be fooled, it’s far from entry level when compared to other ‘mini’ drones on the market.
Weighing in at only 249g, you can fly without registering with your countries aviation authority. This doesn’t mean you can fly anywhere and everywhere, you must still fly in accordance with the drone code. The DJI software has geofencing built in to the mapping so you are prevented from flying in places you shouldn’t, such as airports.
Flying for me was very straight forward, even if you’ve never flown before, its very self explanatory, the controller prompts you on how to fly. The drone uses GPS to enable it to hover in the same location, it also uses the same technology to fly its self back ‘home’, home being either where it took off from or from where the remote control is located.
Batteries last approximately half an hour, depending on if you are in sports mode or not. There are 3 different flying modes, depending on what you want to use the drone for, sports mode being the fastest of the 3. The drone comes packed with many features, none of which I have been able to try out yet as its been constantly raining in the UK since i have had the drone. Features such as being able to follow/track a moving object.
The camera can take video in either 1080p or 2.7k and up to 60fps. There are much better cameras on the market, but in my opinion, nothing as good as this in this size of drone. I also own a Phantom 4 Pro Plus, which is next level when comparing the drones, but you cannot really compare the Mavic Mini to bigger drones.
The Mavic Mini can fit in your pocket and go everywhere with you. Holiday photos will never be the same again.
I cannot fault this drone so far, its far from being the best drone on the market or having the best camera quality, but its not about being the best. Its about being practical, portable, lightweight, great for a vlogger such as a youtuber, great for someone new to drones who wants to dip their feet in without spending a fortune, great for someone who likes a gadget. So, for its price and what it does, it is the best. I would highly recommend buying one of these.
Andyb (verified owner) –
Amazing Value, Best drone for Beginner’s
Having seen the DJI refurbished Drone through Amazon Warehouse I was ready to invest in a proven and much talked about Drone. The camera Gimble and onboard Micro SD were the main attractions.
It’s still fairly rare to get a sub 250g Drone with a Gimble which is essential for decent footage & getting a sub 250g drone allows you legally to do so much more but you will still need to register with the CAA to be legal £9 a year is well worth it, as you could get a £1000 fine.
In terms of flying the Mavic Mini is brilliant but I recommend practising with the DJI online simulator if you have no experience in flying a Drone as the Mini goes fairly fast and is very small.
It’s a joy to fly and has good range and flight time around 25-30 mins with low battery warnings coming in slightly early (you may think) but believe me it is a good thing as the little Mini can fly along way quickly.
Camera and Video quality is very useable the 12MP sensor produces very reasnable pictures for the size of the Drone sensor, obviously it’s not up there with for example a FUJI XT100 it is more comparable with a high end mobile phone or a small (compact) quality Digital camera.
For value for money though Amazon Warehouse you cannot fault it, there is nothing out there as good for this money, but you could spend a little more and get a refurbished Mini 2 which has 4K (RAW Stills) & a longer range, but I don’t think most people would need it, for me it’s photo quality over Video and it’s fine with great results in good light, if you wanted more you would need to spend allot more.
BG (verified owner) –
Amazing piece of kit. 100% legit DJI product! 5 Stars! (Would give it more if I could!)
Summary: Amazing piece of kit. 100% legit DJI product! I would recommend anyone thinking of buying one to! Great way for capturing those holiday memories or trying your hand at a new hobby.
I had never tried photography or videography but after getting into photography this year I came across drones and the images they can capture and I had to get one. After researching for maybe a month the dji mini was the standout winner for the following reasons…
Pros:
– Lightweight (249kg) means you don’t need a licence in the UK to operate one (The threshold is 250kg).
– Very easy to use. I have little to no RC experience but right out of the box I could fly this thing around my house with no issues.
– Battery life is outstanding. Compared to other drones the battery life on this thing is great and at the price point more than what you can expect anywhere else.
– Image quality is brilliant. See attached imagine. 2.7k camera (which I believe is equal to 5mp). Produces amazing video and photo quality. I can zoom and zoom on photos and still make people out.
– Amazon payment scheme helps spread the cost and no extra charge! £91/month for 5 months
– Would definitely recommend the fly more package for the value and the extra batteries.
– I could go on and on…
Cons:
– Due to its small size the wind does limit when you can use it a bit more than a larger drone but you will be paying a lot more for something more capable in the wind. Video still super stable at its limits tho!
– It does take a little longer to set up and pack away (about 3/5 minutes) when I’m out and about but I’m sure some planning could speed this up.
Recommendations:
– Always wear sunglasses when flying it so you can easily look in the sky.
– Check our YouTube unboxing videos to see the full content and what it’s for is your new to the product.
– Buy the insurance for £30, gives you the freedom to be a little more daring with it.
5 Stars (would give it more if I could!)
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AJF (verified owner) –
Excellent Beginner Drone
We bought this drone for a John O’Groats to Land’s End cycle trip (and future adventures) and it has served us excellently so far. The combo option has been essentially due to wild camping and a lack of power supply as the 30min flight time can quickly get consumed when doing various quick shot modes.
The setup of the drone was pretty simple and user friendly and the in flight controls are very simple to pick up.
However I’ve knocked a star off the rating due to connectivity issues. I’ve had no issues when using an iPhone but for a couple of days my Android wasn’t getting recognised by the drone and there seemed to be no obvious mechanism to resolve. It started working a few days later of its own accord however.
This Mavic Mini doesn’t have a ‘Follow Me’ mode. However it had a selection of Quick Shots that are pretty intuitive to use, where you select the type of movement you want the drone to do (circle, shoot straight up etc), set the distance and then touch the screen on what you want the drone to be “looking at” then hit the start button and it does its thing after a 3 second count down.
There’s no zoom function on the camera, but the photos are very high resolution and allow some post capture editing. Plus the gimble stabilisation is excellent and in flight videos look very steady.
All in all a great drone for a beginner, it’s under the 250g weight limit that incur additional restrictions – so, in the UK, you need to just register as a pilot and operator if its your first drone (£9 and a short test)
PeterJ (verified owner) –
Excellent lightweight drone for casual users
I have a DJI Mavic Pro and I needed a smaller more portable drone for casual use. I use drones for taking photographs, so quality of the images was important to me.
Pros:
1. Very lightweight (<250 grams) so does not need to be registered and the operator does not need to take a test (US and UK) for personal use.
2. Easy to set up and use.
3. Reasonable battery life.
4. Photo quality is good and more than adequate for casual and light commercial use.
5. iPhone App easy to use.
6. Maneuverable and easy to fly.
7. Relatively quiet.
Cons:
1. Not good in light to moderate winds. This drone is very light and will be blown away by even what we might consider light winds.
2. No collision avoidance. This drone, unlike the Mavic Pro etc., will fly into a wall or anything in its way.
3. Replacing the propellors is tricky requiring a screwdriver and new screws (DJI provide both in this kit). More sophisticated drones use a locking mechanism to remove and secure the propellors.
4. No built in panorama facility for photographs.
5. Like all DJI controllers that use a cellphone for the screen, the clamping mechanism is awkward and a pain to use. You need to remove the case for the phone and with the iPhone you cannot swipe up to open the phone and the clamp masks the Face ID camera in the phone. Poor design that has been around for a while and needs a change.
6. The controller puts the phone under your hands so it is difficult to see, it should be above the controls not below them.
7. The joysticks have screw in handles that are easily lost (so easy to lose that DJI give you a spare set!!).
8. No follow me or lock on modes. These are software issues and probably not hardware, so the omission is down to engineering a reason to buy the more expensive drones.
Summary:
Built down to a price and weight and it tends to show. Do not expect this to perform like a more sophisticated drone like the Mavic Pro series. If you can accept the shortcomings, then enjoy. Recommended (with caveats).
Stephen D. (verified owner) –
Love it
Brilliant drone – really easy to use.