If you’re like me then there is nothing more satisfying to you as a drone pilot than squeezing every last bit of functionality and features out of your drone. While the DJI mini 2 is a marvel in drone technology because of the amount of features packed into its lightweight 249g body.
At some point you will need accessories for it to take your flying to the next level…
That was exactly what I’ve done for my DJI mini 2. Some accessories were so good I wondered how I was able to fly them, while others were useless and a complete waste of money in my opinion.
After dozens of accessories tried and tested, I’ve decided to write an article with a list of what I think are the best and most useful accessories for the DJI mini 2.
Ok, first things first, do you even need accessories for your DJI mini 2. I mean, it’s already the king of sub 250g drones even without any external accessories.
It can shoot 4K videos @30fps, stay in flight for a staggering 31 minutes, has a myriad of intelligent flight modes and it even comes with OcuSync 2.0 as a transmission system. What more could you want out of a $499 drone after all?
Well, depending on what type of pilot you are, you may need accessories for your DJI Mini 2. For example, things like propeller guards are useful for pilots who fly around their family. While landing pads are useful for beginners who’d like to avoid ruining their drone through multiple hard landings.
Point being, whether you need an accessory or not is up to you. It’s called an accessory for a reason. They’re not crucial to your flight, but they make it a whole lot easier.
Some of the best DJI Mini 2 accessories include the Fly More Kit, launch pad, propeller guards, ND filters, landing gear, tablet holder, signal range extender, strobe lights, and backpack. And we’ll go over them in this article.
This is for those who still haven’t bought their DJI mini 2. If you’ve already gone to the official DJI mini 2 product page, then you’ve surely noticed that there are two options. The regular $499 option and what is called the DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo, at $599.
What that extra $100 gets you is:
You might have already guessed from the nature of all the added accessories. But the Fly More kit is literally made to allow you to Fly More, on the fly (pun intended).
If you fly indoors, have kids that accompany you in your flights or simply fly close to people sometimes and would like to stay on the safe side, I recommend getting 360 degrees propeller guards for your DJI mini 2.
DJI mini 2’s propellers turn at an average speed of 5000 rounds per minute, add to that their sharp edge and it’s not hard to imagine the disaster that would occur should the drone ever fly into your face (or that of a loved one).
Propeller guards take the risk of injury away by having a plastic guard act as a buffer between the propellers and outside objects. This not only protects people, but also the drone should it crash horizontally to a hard object.
The only annoying thing about them is that after each flight you’ll have to remove them to be able to store your DJI mini 2 in its bag.
Landing gear for the DJI mini 2 comes either as a small sort of landing pad (made in plastic) that’s inserted below the drone. This adds an inch in the drone’s height from the ground and makes it easier for beginners to land or take off in non-asphalt floors.
Then there is another type of gear that is inserted in each wing right under the propellers, usually more of a hassle to insert each time but it does preserve the aesthetic look of the DJI mini 2.
One thing to keep in mind is that landing gear will add weight to your DJI mini 2, making it no longer a sub 250g drone. In which case you may be liable should an accident happen.
This, in my opinion, is the best accessory I’ve bought for all of my drones, not just the DJI mini 2.
Landing pads are usually waterproof and lightweight nylon sheets that can be folded or unfolded rapidly through small metal wires. This makes them extremely easy to set up before each flight.
The reason they’re helpful, even for professional pilots is because when a drone is turned on the propeller blades start spinning fast even when it’s still on the ground, small debris on the like dust, pebbles, and grass can easily kick up and cause damage to your drone’s inner parts like the motor and gimbal. Landing pads protect drones from this common problem.
As a side note, most landing pads will usually come in orange.
This may be a low priority accessory but seeing as the DJI mini 2 doesn’t have strong strobe lights of its own, it may be crucial in some countries if you’re flying at night.
Most countries for example will require strobe lights that can be seen from 3 miles away if you’re flying at night. Careful though as they will likely put your drone above 250 grams in weight.
I’ve found this video that might be helpful.
Camera lens filters allow you to maintain the same image and video contrast and colors in all lightings and environments. This is extremely important if you’re shooting a single film over different environments and want to maintain a single theme for your footage.
ND filters restrict the amount of light entering the camera lens lowering the shutter speed. This helps to prevent unwanted reflections and sun glare from objects such as windows and bodies of water. ND filters are usually sold in sets and have specific pouches, making them a little bit pricey for hobbyists.
But for professional filmmakers? They’re 100% worth it!
If you’re like me and you prefer to edit your footage through your tablet or iPad, then invest in a card reader. I find it extremely convenient to be able to look at my footage on the road and easily edit it however I want without having to go through my laptop or PC.
Nothing really complicated here, just put your drone’s SD card in the reader, plug into your tablet and you’ll be able to interact with the footage. There are plenty of free apps for tablets that do image and video editing.
You’ll sometimes find yourself flying for long periods of time before finally getting the perfect shot. Having a mount holder that has a neck lanyard can allow you to have hands free moments when your arms are tired.
And which is more, having a mount that can allow you to use your tablet instead of a phone if you have one is a huge plus. Using your phone screen while flying your Mini 2 can be hard on the eyes, which is why a lot of pilots choose to upgrade the experience by attaching a tablet with a much bigger screen to the controller.
As the name of this accessory implies, a sunshade hood is a piece of foldable black fabric that is installed on the remote controller of a DJI mini 2. This covers your phone or your tablet’s screen, making it easier to fly in the sun.
This is especially helpful for those whose flying requires finesse and sun glare is the last thing you need in your flight.
This is only helpful if you’re in a place with some seriously heavy interference (a place with many cell towers for example) which can mess with your drone’s signals.
I say it’s only helpful in that case because you’re not allowed to fly beyond visual line of sight anyways. But sometimes, even flying while maintaining line of sight can be a pain in the proverbial because of the aforementioned interference. Range extenders come into play in that case.
Above are the accessories that I think are worth their price and that make life as a pilot much easier. There are however some things that I left out like getting a backpack for your drone for example, or extra SD cards, but to me those depend on the person.
I for one don’t need a backpack for my DJI mini 2 because I don’t travel a lot, the shoulder bag is enough for me. As for extra SD cards, those will depend on if you’re out there taking so much footage you need multiple SD cards on the ready.
If you think there are any accessories that I left out, please let me know.