Is the Mavic Mini The perfect travel drone?
The DJI Mavic Mini might just solve the problem we all had.
That is, not having a proper travel drone that's under 250g and records well enough.
Problem.
Solved.
DJI has just released a drone under 250g that can fly for 30 min(almost) and is a drone under $500, and actually even cheaper from the official DJI site.
But there's a problem...
You can't really find all the specs, info and footage in the same spot.
This is what this article is trying to solve:
- Show all the specs in an easily digestible way
- Is an upgrade from the Spark worth it?
- Compare with competitors like the Spark, Mavic Air and other similar drones in this price range
- Go over the app and flight modes
- Does it have obstacle avoidance?
- Show footage and photos from multiple sources.
Mavic Mini Specs and Features (vs competition)
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Battery Life Test
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!
Is it an intelligent flight battery?
Yes, the battery of the Mavic mini does charge and discharge in a smart way so it doesn't go under the minimum voltage and puts anything in danger.
Can you charge the DJI Mavic directly from a wall charger?
Yes, you can do that, by plugging in the micro USB cable when the battery is inside of it.
Range (Flight Distance)
The range of the Mavic Mini is up to 4km (2.5miles) maximum.
It doesn't have the occusync technology of the other DJI Mavics have, but it uses wifi technology.
However it has the advantage of a better connection compared to the spark as it actually has a cable to connect to the Transmitter, not only though wireless like the Spark.
What's the maximum range in Europe? Can you extend range?
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 to the maximum range?
No, unfortunately you cannot workout the software for now, as it seems the mavic mini is limited by hardware in a specif region.
This section will be updated if there's other news concerning that.
How much does it weigh?(is it under 250g?)
The DJI Mavic Mini weighs 249 Grams, which makes it legal to fly in the US without a permit!
Can it go over the 250 gram limit with stickers on it?
You can get the creative kit with stickers and colors form DJI.
The sticker won't make you go over the 250 gram limit, and even if you think that's the case, you can always just paint over the case itself if you're that much into personalizaiton.
But, overall... just don't worry about it.
How good is the GPS accuracy
The drone comes with GPS and GLONASS and has just as good of a signal as the other Mavic drones.
It even feels about the same when flying and the stability is spot on
Does it come back after losing signal?
Yes, The Mavic Mini does come back after losing signal.
The return to home height can be set up from the app (more on that later).
The standard return to home height is 30m.
Make sure to check out my guide If you're looking for a top list of drones that have Return to Home technology .
Does it return on low battery?
Yes, the Mavic Mini does come back by itself on low battery life.
It will land on the spot you initially launched it from. It has a margin of error of about 1 meter max.
What's the maximum height it reaches?
The DJI Mini comes initially limited from the app at 120m height, as that's the upper legal limit in the US.
But you can easily change that by dragging it up to 500m, which is the standard upper limit on most DJI Drones.
Optical flow stabilization (can it be flown inside?)
Yes, the Mavic Mini does come with bottom optical flow sensors.
One optical flow camera and 2 infrared sensors.
No, the Mavic Mini doesn't have forward facing obstacle sensors.
What are the best alternatives for the Mavic Mini (table comparison)
Considering the market segment this drone fills, it's a bit hard to actually have solid competition, as there's not 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, there are really great drones for travel that are lightweight, foldable and under the price of $500.
So it's not that the Mini doesn't have competition, it's more about what you prefer to compromise.
Versus the Spark
The Spark has been the king of mini drones until now.
The Mavic Mini does come with a smaller frame, less weight, 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.
All for $100 cheaper...
The spark still has some advantages, don't get me wrong!
It comes with forward obstacle sensor and has a more solid build, perfect for offroad situations.
Versus the Fimi X8
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, so it's quite compact, but definitely considerably bigger than the Mavic Mini, and that is quie a big difference.
Versus Parrot Anafi
At 385 grams, the Parrot Anafi is also a very light-weight drone that's also foldable and comes with some really impressive specs.
The camera can turn upwards 90 degrees and zoom in digitally without quality loss.
The battery life is pretty good and it has more complex app functions for more professional use. But it;s still not under 250 grams.
Add to compare
Bellow you can find a filtering system for the main competitor drones I reviewed and you can press the "Add to compare" button if you want to do so.
Mavic Mini
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Fimi X8
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Mavic Air
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Dji Spark
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DJI Mavic Mini Camera specs(3 axis stabilization)
The camera of the Mavic Mini is incredible for the size of it.
DJI also has acomplete set of specs for the drone on their site.
It almost looks like a toy drone, however it specs 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).
I literally shot video with the Mavic 2 Pro in this resolution and it turned out great.
A much better resolution than the 1080p you can find in the Spark.
However it does have smoother 60FPS footage that you can slow down in post processing if you want, but 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.
How good are the footage and photos
The fvideo bellow, by Iphonedo shows exactly the main features, the size and most importantly, the footage quality of the new Mavic Mini.
Camera Settings(can you adjust shutter and ISO?)
The Mavic Mini is not really a camera drone for professionals, as it doesn't come with options to change things like ISO and Shutter speed.
You can change EV exposure value though, but in situations like a sunset, for example, the white balance will change by itself and the colors will slightly shift.
However, you can actualy adjust Shutter Speed and ISO in Photo mode.
Parts and Accessories
Best accessories for the Fimi x8
DJI Already has released a bunch of special accessories that are quite 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 not necessary if you buy the fly more combo, but it can be a nice addition anyway.
Mini Charging Base
This is a dome-shape charging base for the Mavic that also lights up and looks incredibily 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 (very necessary)
Design and Unboxing
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 with the standard Mavic series and it comes in a really compact overall package:
- 130mm long
- 80mm wide
- 60mm tall
What's inside the fly more combo package? Is it worth it?
The Mavic Mini does come in the standard and Fly more combo (that's $100 more expensive, but totally worth it.
Standard package
- Battery x1
- Micro USB cable
- Screwdriver
- Remote
- Pairs of Spare props x1
- Drone
- Manual
- Gimbal protector
- 3 phone cables
Fly More Combo
- Battery x3
- Micro USB cable x2
- Multi chargin hub
- DJI 18W USB Charger
- Screwdriver
- Remote
- Pairs of Spare props x1
- Drone
- Manual
- Gimbal protector
- 360 propeller guard
- 3 phone cables
- Carrying Bag
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 minimise wieght as much as possible.
Does the Mavic MIni come with internal memory?
No, it doesn't come with internal storage, but it does have a micro SD card reader (up to 128 GB of storage).
Transmitter And Mobile App
The transmitter is really simple, even more simple to use than the DJI Spark one.
It doesn't come with an on screen display LCD and has the standard buttons, besides the 2 custom ones in the back.
- scroll wheel to move the gimbal
- RTH button
- Storage for sticks
- Phone Holder
- Photo and video Button
the new DJI Fly app
That also means fewer possible settings to fiddle with which makes it less oriented towards professionals and more to the average drone flyer.
A nice touch is the built-in editor where you can cut, add effects, titles and music and then post it automatically on social media, which is really great!
You can obviously see things like:
- distance
- height
- speed
- number of satelites connected (btw, you need to have more than 7 if you want positioning to work)
- micro SD storage space indicator
What flight modes does it come with?
P Mode (standard positioning)
This is the standard flight mode, that 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 chinematic flight mode is the smoothest of all, the drone flying slower and the gimbal rotating in a smoother fashion.
QuickShots
- helix - Flies in a helix around the subject
- dronie - Flies up and away
- rocket - Flies up and straight
- circle - Flies around a target
Does it come with Follow me?
The drone doesn't come with the standard follow me you're used with, but you can actually track a subject while in the quickshot modes and the drone will follow that subject while executing the shots.
Fimi X8 Price, Manual and Instructions
Who should buy it (is it worth the price)?
This drone is somewhere between the DJI Spark and The Mavic Air, so I would say almost professional level, with a few perks.
You can certanly do professional level work if you have the necessary editing skills.
I think this quadcopter can fit in a wide range of uses and some people that could benefit from having it are:
- Perfect for traveling (the best drone for that)
- Amazing for shooting Vlogs
- If you're taking photos/videos at weddings ( This is quite a high quality adition to your gadgets without breaking the bank)
- If you're a hobbyist and want a very reliable drone to play around with and experiment filming
- Real Estate
- Home Inspection
How to fly the Mavic Mini
It's quite 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).
Where to buy it from?
There's no doubt that the best way to curently buy the drone is from the Official DJI website where you can also find all the accessories you'd possibly need.
Do I have to buy a Micro SD card?
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.
Is there an official manual to download online?
If you want to download the official DJI Mavic MIni manual click over here:
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