Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, I am going to answer all the questions related to battery timing, charging, range and GPS of the Mavic mini.
The DJI Mavic Mini once solved all the problems we had.
That is, not having a proper travel drone under 250g and records well enough.
Problem.
Solved.
DJI released a drone under 250g that can fly for 30 min(almost) and is a drone under $500, and even cheaper from the official DJI site.
But there's a problem...
You can't find all the specs, info and footage in the same spot. Moreover, since then, the newer, better-equipped DJI Mini 2 and Mini 3 got out on the market. So, is it still worth buying the original Mini over its shiny new brothers?
This is a very brief comparison between all the Mini models that can catch your eye if you're looking for a new lightweight drone.
In my opinion, the Mavic Mini is a bit outdated, so I'd recommend buying it in 2023 only if you get it at a very low price. For more info, check out my DJI Mini 3 vs. DJI Mini 3 comparison.
This is what this article is trying to solve:
In this section, I am going to answer all the questions related to battery timing, charging, range and GPS of the Mavic mini.
The Mavic Mini from DJI has a battery life of 30 minutes in perfect wind conditions.
But how much battery life does it have in normal conditions?
It's tested to go about 27 min in real-life conditions, with hovering (it actually lasts longer when flying at a constant speed).
Even so, it's way more than what drones like Yuneec Mantis and DJI spark and other similarly sized drones can achieve.
Way more!
The Mavic mini's battery is equipped to charge and discharge intelligently, thus preventing it from dipping below the required minimum voltage and posing any potential risks.
You can charge the Mavic directly from a wall charger by connecting the micro USB cable when the battery is already in place.
It doesn't have the occusync technology of the other DJI Mavics. Still, it uses wifi technology which works just as well.
However, it has the edge over the Spark because it utilizes a wired connection to the Transmitter, instead of only relying on wireless like the Spark.
The maximum Range for the Mavic MIni in Europe(CE) is 2km compared to the 4km in the FCC mode in the US.
Can you change the software from SRRC to FCC and extend it to the maximum range?
Unfortunately, it appears that the Mavic mini is constrained by hardware in certain areas, so altering the software is impossible.
However, we will provide updates if new information arises.
The DJI Mavic Mini weighs 249 Grams, which makes it legal to fly in the US without a permit!
Could it go over the 250-gram limit with stickers on it?
You can get the creative kit with stickers and colors from DJI.
The stickers won't cause you to exceed the 250-gram boundary, and even if that's what you believe, you can always just apply a coat of paint to the casing if you're so keen on customizing it.
But, overall... just don't worry about it.
The drone comes with GPS and GLONASS and has just as good of a signal as the other Mavic drones.
The drone's stability is excellent, and it feels natural and responsive when flying. The camera is also very stable, with no noticeable jitter or shake. Overall, the drone performs very well in the air and offers an excellent experience for pilots of all skill levels.
The Mavic Mini will return to home if it loses signal once you've set up the feature in the app (more on that later)
You can set up the height from the app, and the standard return-to-home height is 30m. That's enough to make you feel safe flying your shiny new drone.
Check out my guide If you're looking for a top list of drones with Return to Home technology.
When first used with the app, the DJI Mini is restricted to a height of 120m due to US regulations.
However, it can be conveniently changed to a maximum altitude of 500m, which is the usual ceiling for could DJI Drones.
The Mavic Mini does come with bottom optical flow sensors. One optical flow camera and 2 infrared sensors, actually.
Unfortunately, the Mavic Mini doesn't have forward-facing obstacle sensors like the higher-end models do, so I'd be cautious when flying it inside.
When it first came out, the DJI Mini didn't really have much competition in the segment. There weren't many drones under 250 grams that can take footage as this one does.
I have also created an ultimate comparison between the Mavic mini, the Air and the DJI Spark.
However, the DJI Mini 2 and Mini 3 have been for a while, and they pack a punch!
The DJI Mini SE is a combination of both the internals from the DJI Mavic Mini and the externals from the DJI Mini 2. It was designed to be budget-friendly, without compromising on features, making it one of the best value drones available on the market. The 'SE' stands for Standard Edition, indicating its lower cost compared to other models.
Both the DJI Mavic Mini and Mini SE feature the same 2.7K 12 MP Sensor attached to a 3-axis stabilised camera.
The DJI Mini SE has also changed to be used with the DJI Mini 2 Batteries, instead of the DJI Mavic Mini batteries. These newer batteries are lighter and pack similar punch. This also means that you can potentially upgrade to the DJI Mini 2 in the future without having to buy completely new batteries.
In this case, I'd go for the newer Mini SE.
The Spark was the king of mini drones until the Mini came to life.
The Mavic Mini does come with a smaller frame, less weight, a better gimbal and more battery life.
It's also a better phone connection as it comes with a cable to connect to the phone, unlike the Spark.
Everything for 100$ less!
Despite its drawbacks, the Spark still has some benefits; let it not be forgotten! It contains a sensor that detects upcoming obstacles and is sturdily constructed, ideal for off-road conditions. Nevertheless, I'd always go for the Mini in this situation.
Another drone in the $500 range is the Xiaomi Fimi x8, that although competes with the Mavic Pro series, has the price of the lowest priced drones from DJI.
One fact is straight: This is not a lightweight drone, as it comes at 790 grams.
But otherwise, it does come with a solid 3-axis camera gimbal, better bitrate (100mbits vs. 40 Mbits On the Mavic) and 33 min battery life.
It is foldable and quite compact but considerably bigger than the Mavic Mini. That is quite a big difference. If you're still planning to buy a lightweight drone, the Fimi X8 won't do the trick.
At 385 grams, the Parrot Anafi is also a very lightweight, foldable drone with some impressive specs.
The camera can tilt up to 90 degrees and magnify digitally without compromising image quality. Its battery life is satisfactory and it offers advanced app features for more professional applications. However, its weight is still above 250 grams.
In this section we'll cover we're going to talk about the real deal when it comes to this drone's visual department. How does it fare in today's market?
The camera of the Mavic Mini is incredible for its size.
DJI also has a complete set of specs for the drone on their site.
It almost looks like a toy drone; however, its specs are the following:
A 12 MP 2.7k camera with a 1/2.3' CMOS sensor, while the lens is a 24mm F/2.8 83 degrees FOV.
It shoots video in 2.7k, 30FPS at 40MBPS, which is more than enough for most people (including me). The lack of 4K video shooting won't bother you at all.
I shot the Mavic 2 Pro video in this resolution, and it turned out great.
A much better resolution than the 1080p you can find in the Spark.
Nevertheless, the Mini can offer a more polished 60FPS recording which can be slowed down during post-production, albeit only in 1080p.
The camera is stabilized by a 3-axis gimbal, which is better compared to the standard 2-axis one from the Spark.
You can mainly see the difference when the drone turns side by side, and it's not jittery.
The video below, by Iphonedo shows precisely the main features, the size and most importantly, the footage quality of the new Mavic Mini.
The Mavic Mini is not a professional camera drone, as it doesn't come with options to change things like ISO and Shutter speed.
You can change the EV exposure value, though. Still, in situations like a sunset, the white balance will change by itself, and the colors will shift slightly.
However, you can actually adjust Shutter Speed and ISO in Photo mode.
In this part, I'm going to break down the overall look to the parts that make up the whole, I'm giving it to you detail by detail including the unboxing.
DJI has already released a bunch of unique accessories that are pretty original and fill almost every gap you might think you need, even customization-wise.
The most unique accessory is probably the Mini Charging base, that's really cool looking, but it also comes with $45 spare batteries, a two- way charging hub and tablet holders from PGYTECH.
Carrying Bag
This is unnecessary if you buy the "fly more combo," but it can be an excellent addition.
Mini Charging Base
This dome-shaped charging base for the Mavic also lights up and looks incredibly cool.
Tablet Holder
Necessary if you want to see a higher detailed view of the screen on your bigger tablet
Spare battery
Only necessary if you don't have the Fly more combo (essential)
No need to say that the Mavic Mini is a wonder of modern technology, being able to fly for 30 minutes with such a small frame while also handling a 3-axis gimbal with such a good camera.
The design is very similar to the standard Mavic series, and it comes in a really compact overall package:
The Mavic Mini does come in the standard and Fly more combo that's $100 more expensive but totally worth it. The Fly More Combo includes the Mavic Mini, 3 batteries, 2 sets of extra propellers, a carrying case, a 360° Propeller Guard, a two-way charging hub, and spare props. It's great for those who want to get the most out of their drone and fly it more often.
Standard package
DJI Mavic MiniFly More Combo
The Propellers for the DJI Mavic Mini are also not quick-release but need to be screwed on, which you'll do once as they're foldable anyway.
It's probably done this way to minimize weight as much as possible.
Mavic Mini doesn't have internal storage, but it has a micro SD card reader instead (up to 128 GB of storage).
What apps do you need to download to control your drone? what flight mode does it come with and its features?
The answers to these questions are right below!
The transmitter is incredibly straightforward to use, even more so than the DJI Spark one.
It doesn't come with an on-screen display LCD, and it features the standard buttons, besides the 2 custom ones in the back.
That also means fewer possible settings to fiddle with, which makes it less oriented toward professionals and more toward the average drone flyer.
A nice touch is a built-in editor where you can cut, add effects, titles and music and then post it automatically on social media. Neat!
You can obviously see things like:
P Mode (standard positioning)
This standard flight mode uses the positioning sensors underneath while flying at an average speed.
S mode (sport mode)
The drone can fly up to 29MPH (46.8KPH) in sport mode, which is insanely fast for this size and helps a lot with stronger winds.
C Mode (cine smooth mode)
This cinematic flight mode is the smoothest of all, with the drone flying slower and the gimbal rotating more smoothly.
QuickShots
The drone does not have the conventional follow-me feature you are accustomed to; however, you can track a person in the quickshot settings. The drone will keep up with that individual while performing the shots.
In this section we'll see what price the drone might be, what we get in the package and who it is mainly made for.
This drone is somewhere between the DJI Spark and The Mavic Air, which is almost at a "professional" level, with a few perks.
You can undoubtedly do professional-level work if you have the necessary editing skills.
I think this quadcopter can fit a wide range of uses, and some people that could benefit from having it are:
It's pretty easy to start flying the Mavic Mini; you only need a smartphone, the batteries charged and follow the instructions in the video bellow for that (they're official from DJI).
You can use the Mavic Mini with the controller only, but that means you won't be able to use the intelligent features you get in the app.
To power up the Mavic Mini controller, you need to connect the Micro USB cable into the USB OTG port of the controller.
There's no doubt that the best way to buy the drone currently is from the Official DJI website, where you can also find all the accessories you'd possibly need.
Yes, weirdly enough, you're forced by DJI to buy a MicroSD card from them, or else you can't order.
But it's good to have, as it's sure to work well and the price is fair.
If you want to download the official DJI Mavic Mini manual, click over here:
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