The DJI Mini 2 is known as the small-body drone that packs quite the punch. From its video quality to its in-air reliability, the drone impresses in nearly every sector.
The pocket-sized model won’t let you down when it’s time to shoot 4K video during the day. But how long can it exactly go for?
And when it does run out of juice, what are your charging options to get it back up in the air?
This post is all about answering those questions (and many more) by delving into the DJI Mini 2 Intelligent Flight Battery’s features and ways of functioning.
I’ll also be clearing up expectations and covering several neat tricks on making the most out of your Mini 2 batteries that I’ve learned from years of drone flying experience.
The Mini 2 boasts much better shooting capabilities compared to the Mini. But is there a similar improvement made when it comes to the battery? Take a look.
The DJI Mini and Mini 2 do not use the same battery. The Mini uses a 2400 mAh, Li-ion battery. On the other hand, the Mini 2 uses a lighter LiPo battery with a capacity of 2250 mAh. Technically speaking, the international version of the Mini 2 drone can use the original Mini battery.
But while that’s possible, it’s not a recommended action to take.
DJI states that using the older battery of the Mini in your Mini 2 will increase its weight to over 250 grams and decrease the power. In other words, you’ll have to get your Mini 2 registered (assuming you’re in the US) and lose out on a bit of performance.
But on the bright side, the compatibility makes the upgrade for Mavic Mini users easier.
You may be wondering why the drone’s weight increases from a simple battery switch. After all, it does seem unlikely.
DJI managed to one-up themselves by making use of LiPo technology for the Mini 2 Intelligent Flight battery. LiPo batteries, as compared to Li-ion batteries, have a higher energy density and are noticeably lighter.
The table below runs you through the main features of both batteries.
| DJI Mini 2 Intelligent Flight Battery | Mavic Mini Intelligent Flight Battery |
| 2250 mAh | 2400 mAh |
| LiPo 2S | Li-ion 2S |
| 17.32 Wh | 17.28 Wh |
| 86.2 g | 100 g |
Now that you know a bit more about what’s under the hood, it’s time to learn the right ways to recharge your drone. Here they are.
You can charge your DJI Mini 2 battery directly through your drone using a USB charging cable or by removing it from the drone and connecting it to DJI’s Two-Way Charging Hub. The latter is ideal for pilots who use more than one battery.
Let’s take a bit of a deeper look into both methods.
This one’s primarily used by pilots who buy the standard bundle (that doesn’t come with a charging hub or extra batteries).
You start off by attaching your USB charging cable to a power adapter. The adapter is plugged into an AC power supply that’s rated for 100-240 V and 50-60 Hz.
You can then connect your charger to your Mini 2, and its battery will start charging through it. Make sure that your drone is powered off.
As a side note, not all DJI drones can be charged in this way.
This one’s the more convenient method for those with multiple batteries. Here’s how you go about it.
Firstly, you need to remove your battery from the drone. This is done by using the battery clamps on the side of the drone. Again, make sure your drone isn’t on.
Next, mount your battery (or batteries) onto the charging hub. A clicking sound tells you that your battery is securely in place.
You can then connect the charging hub itself to a power source through a USB charging cable and an 18W adapter.
A common misconception a lot of new pilots have is that this method allows you to charge your batteries at the same time.
However, this isn’t the case. Your batteries will be plugged in together but charging sequentially (one after the other). The convenience here is that you wouldn’t have to keep track and switch out the batteries yourself.
If you actually own a Mini 2, you may have noticed that it doesn’t come with an adapter. This leads to the question of whether it’s okay to use any charger or not. Here’s the answer.
You can charge a DJI Mini 2 with any charger that has a USB port and an output of at least 15W. This means most power adapters that come with other electronic devices are safe to use. However, it is best to use DJI’s 18W USB charger to ensure the battery’s longevity.
One thing you will find in the box is a charging cable. And as I’ve said above, you can use that charging cable with any power brick you have lying around your house.
You may be wondering why this is the case. How are chargers with different power ratings all safe to use?
This is because it’s your drone battery that decides what power level the charging is done at.
So even if you use a higher-rated charger, the wattage is automatically optimized to the maximum charging power the battery can handle.
The charging time is essential in pre-flight planning, which is why it's important to take note of your particular drone’s duration. Here are the numbers for the Mini 2.
It takes just around 1 hour and 22 minutes to fully charge a DJI Mini 2 battery using DJI’s 18W USB charger. If you use DJI’s charging hub as well, it will take approximately 4 hours for three of your DJI Mini 2 batteries to fully charge.
There are a few factors that may affect how long it actually takes for you. So a different charging duration doesn’t necessarily point toward a deteriorated battery.
Some of these factors include the surrounding temperature, the power output of your charger, and the quality of your charging cable.
I’ve already mentioned that the charging times can vary for some users. But is it possible to purposely reduce it to a point where there’s a significant difference? Take a look.
You can definitely fast charge DJI Mini 2 as the drone technically supports the fast charging feature. If you use a charger with a power output of 29W or greater, you can fast charge your Mini 2 battery in around 60 minutes. This is around 20 minutes faster than standard charging.
Another way to shorten the charging process is to use a parallel charger (instead of DJI’s charging hub) to allow simultaneous charging. You can find one linked here.
But let’s get back to the original answer. You may have asked yourself: why 29W?
That value refers to the maximum charging power of the Mini 2 battery.
The standard DJI charger, however, only has a power output of 18W. So using a more powerful charger guarantees faster charging times.
It’s worth noting that DJI do not manufacture chargers that take advantage of the Mini 2’s fast charging capabilities. This means that you’ll have to use third-party devices that, unfortunately, put your battery’s health at risk.
Still, many pilots regularly use a 45W USB-C charger to fast charge their Mini 2, and there have been very few complaints.
There are always discussions about leaving a LiPo battery-powered device charging overnight and its potential consequences. However, some batteries come with more safety mechanisms than others.
Here’s how risky (if at all) it is to leave your Mini 2 on charge overnight.
You can technically leave your DJI Mini 2 charging overnight as the battery comes with overcharge protection and temperature detection. However, it’s highly recommended not to leave it unsupervised as those features can potentially fail and lead to a dangerous situation.
Don’t get me wrong, DJI’s protection features have a good track record, and it’s nice to see them included.
But the fact of the matter is that lithium batteries can catch fire when they’re overcharged. So you should definitely not make it a habit to charge your Mini 2 battery overnight.
If you find that an overnight charging routine is becoming unavoidable, always make sure to double-check the battery’s surroundings and use a reliable LiPo safety bag.
We’ve talked about the potential (though unlikely) consequences of overcharging your drone battery. But how are you supposed to know when to cut the power?
You can’t always rely on the estimates I’ve given you in the sections above; they’re only relevant if you’re charging from 0%. So, you’ll need to learn how to read the (admittedly pretty straightforward) indicators.
You can know if your DJI Mini 2 is fully charged using the battery level indicators located on the aircraft or DJI’s charging hub. Each of the four LEDs represents a 25% charge. Therefore, your Mini 2 is fully charged when all four LEDs stop flashing and turn solid.
One interesting thing to note about the LED indicators is the rate of flashes. The rate represents the charging speed. So you’ll find the flashes to be quicker if you’re fast-charging your drone.
In case you’ve just pulled your Mini 2 fresh out of its box and aren’t sure where the indicators are, take a look at the bottom of the aircraft.
Based on my experience, the DJI Mini 2 battery performs surprisingly well. Here’s how long you can expect it to last.
The DJI Mini 2 battery can last up to 31 minutes of flight time on one charge cycle. DJI rates the battery for 200 charge cycles. However, it can also be made to last around 300-400 charge cycles through careful use.
By the way, it generally isn’t a cause for concern if your maximum flight times are turning out to be a little different.
The 31-minute value is put out by DJI following tests in ideal (windless) conditions. In reality, the weather isn’t always so accommodating to drone flights. Mini 2 pilots often report maximum flight times of around 22 minutes.
If you’re wondering how the Mini 2 battery fares against other DJI batteries, you may want to check out this article where I go deep into comparison.
One important phrase I mentioned in the previous section was “careful use”. Allow me to touch on what that means, as it’s integral for a long-lasting battery.
You can make your DJI Mini 2 battery last longer by using maintenance techniques like fully charging and discharging it every three months, not discharging it to critically low levels, and placing them in well-ventilated spaces.
One of the most common causes of reduced battery life is leaving the battery completely unused for prolonged periods. And that’s exactly what the first point in the answer counters.
You can also improve your Mini 2’s maximum flight times simply by being mindful. Try not to push your drone by going full throttle and pick out drone-friendly times for your flying sessions.
All in all, I found the Mini 2 battery to be impressive in terms of performance, reliability, and longevity. If you’re an avid flier, consider carrying a few more batteries with you and you should be good to go!
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