DJI decided it was time to do away with the remote from the first Mavic Mini. Replacing it is a remote that replicates the design and functionality of the controller on the Mavic Air 2. This upgrade makes sense for a lot of reasons; it's easier to hold and despite the fact that I still find it challenging at times to clamp my smartphone in, its placement above rather than beneath the remote makes viewing the display screen way more convenient. For those not familiar with the Mavic Mini and looking at a Mini 2 for the first time, you'll be impressed with the 3-axis gimbal DJI managed to place on such a tiny machine that easily fits in the palm of your hand. The footage captured is typically smooth and stable. DJI also claims this particular drone can withstand wind speeds up to 24mph, thanks in part to upgraded motors. For those looking at a miniature drone for the first time, you'll be impressed with the 3-axis gimbal Raw images are a bit flatter, color-wise, and retain more data. They're what you'll want to use if you want to fine-tune the look of your images, but it does mean you'll need to take some time to edit them before sharing. As happy as I am to see Raw added for serious photographers, it would be nice to include more tools those who want to add some artistic flair to their aerials when capturing ready-to-share JPGs. I was impressed with the original Mavic Mini and am even more delighted with the upgrades that the Mini 2 boasts. 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.

Finally, the app opens up manual photo shooting with an optional shutter speed of up to four seconds for photos and 1/60 seconds for video, and a max ISO of 3200 across both modes. DJI Mini 2 review: features and performance 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.

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. The Mini 2 doesn't include any internal storage of its own, so don't forget to buy a memory card—I recommend a 16GB card at minimum for 1080p, and 32GB or 64GB if you plan on recording video at 4K. Safety Features The drone’s battery isn’t the only cell worth talking about. The Mini 2’s 5,200mAh controller battery is huge, lasts for ages and takes a couple of hours to power up. It also charges your phone while connected.

Finally, there are three different options for creating a panorama. "Sphere", which resembles a tiny planet, captures twenty-six images. "180º" captures seven images for a landscape perspective while wide captures a 3x3 tile consisting of nine images. Unlike the Mavic Air 2, there isn't an option to create a vertical panorama. The Mavic Mini 2 is an excellent drone for hobbyists and beginners alike. One particular line that resonates is that this is 'a drone that grows with you.' The original Mini had its limitations with JPEG-only imagery, 2.7K video footage, and a Wi-Fi signal. DJI took the logical next steps to ensure that anyone purchasing the Mini 2 could accomplish a lot more with their investment. Like most consumer drones, a smartphone is a must-have for the Mini 2 SE. The drone includes a remote, the DJI RC-N1, as part of its basic bundle, but it's not the type with a built-in screen and app; the fancier DJI-RC doesn't work with the Mini 2 SE. Therefore, you need to load the free DJI Fly app on your phone (available for Android and iOS) to complete the setup and ultimately fly the drone. The Mini 2 SE isn't far off from other small folding drones in concept. Its arms collapse in for storage to create a 2.3-by-3.2-by-5.4-inch (HWD) frame. To keep costs low, the drone shares much of its tech with earlier models in the series; its airframe and motors are from the Mini 2, and its camera is from the original Mavic Mini. Flight time is measured in a controlled test environment. Specific test conditions are as follows: flying forward at a constant speed of 17 kph in a windless laboratory environment, in photo mode (without photo-taking operation during flight), and from 100% battery level until 0%.

Makes Regulatory Weight

The DJI Fly app is a well-balanced combination of simple to use, but powerful enough to offer depth to more experienced fliers. Maximum flight range specification is a proxy for radio link strength and resilience, not aircraft battery capability. It only refers to the maximum, one-way flight distance. Data was measured in an open environment without interference. Please pay attention to the return prompt on the DJI Fly app during actual flight. Refer to the following applicable standard in different countries and regions: There are two other significant upgrades to the latest Mini beyond the camera: upgraded motors and the addition of DJI's OcuSync 2.0 transmission technology. For stills, the Mini 2 SE supports JPG and Raw DNG capture with 8MP (16:9) or 12MP (4:3) output. The JPG color profile matches the standard look, while DNG pictures save more data so you can edit them to your heart's content in software like Adobe Lightroom Classic or a different Raw converter. Overall, picture quality is in line with mid-range smartphones; we again point to the Mini 3 or Mini 3 Pro as a step-up option for more demanding creators, as their larger Type-1/1.3 Quad Bayer cameras are more in line with those on premium compact cameras and flagship smartphones. CE: UK, Russia, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Macau, New Zealand, UAE, and other regions;