If you're looking for a small, lightweight drone with advanced features, the DJI Mini 2 is worth considering. Weighing in at less than 250g, this compact and foldable drone is the successor to the popular Mavic Mini and boasts a range of impressive upgrades.One of the most significant upgrades is the 4K camera, which captures stunning, high-resolution footage with incredible clarity. The Mini 2 has a triple GPS module, providing enhanced stability and precision during flight.The Mini 2 also features 5 Quickshots that enable you to easily capture cinematic videos without worrying about manually controlling the drone. And with an impressive 31 minutes of flight time, you can fly longer and capture more footage before having to land and recharge.The Mini 2 also features DJI's OcuSync 2.0 technology, allowing a more extended control range and real-time HD video transmission in 720p resolution. This means you can enjoy a more immersive and engaging flying experience with clear and reliable video feedback.The DJI Mini 2 is good drone for beginners, photographers, and travellers alike. It's lightweight, easy to use, and packed with features that make it a joy to fly and capture stunning aerial footage. So if you're looking for a high-quality drone, the Mini 2 is one to consider.
Key Features
- 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor
- 12MP images
- Multiple photography modes
- Records videos in 4k at 30fps, 2.7k at 30fps & 1080p at 60fps
- 4× digital zoom
- 100Mbps
- 5 QuickShots
- Intelligent flight modes
- 31 minutes of flight time
- 10km transmission range
DJI Mini 2 Review
The DJI Mini 2 can be purchased in two packages; the standard version comes with the drone and necessary accessories, and the Fly More Combo, which comes with additional parts. I believe the Fly More Combo is the better value-for-money package, but it does cost a little extra.
The standard version of the DJI Mini 2 can comes in a box that includes the following accessories:
- DJI Mini 2 drone
- Remote controller
- Intelligent Flight Battery
- Pair of spare propellers
- USB-C cable
- RC cable with USB-C connector
- Gimbal protector
- Spare control sticks
Additional accessories with the Fly More Combo can be purchased to enhance the overall flight experience. The Fly More Combo includes three batteries, a charging hub, a carrying case, and extra propellers. This package offers better value for your money, as the additional batteries and charging hub significantly extend your flight time, allowing you to capture more footage and fully enjoy the drone’s capabilities.
DJI Mini 2 Design
The DJI Mini 2 is a great entry-level drone that features a compact and lightweight design, weighing a mere 249 grams. Its foldable arms contribute to its portability, making it convenient to transport and store. Built with a sturdy plastic body and powerful brushless motors, the drone offers reliable performance during regular use. The integrated cooling system and vents help maintain optimal temperature during extended flights, ensuring consistent operation.
The DJI Mini 2 is equipped with downward vision sensors and an infrared sensing system. These features provide enhanced positioning and altitude hold capabilities, making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor flights.
The drone uses an intelligent lithium polymer battery that provides a flight time of approximately 31 minutes, making it one of the best mini drones with the longest flight time. The drone comes with a micro SD card slot that accepts memory cards of class 3 or above and has a maximum capacity of 256GB
The drone’s triple GNSS module adds the European satellite network GALILEO, providing more precise drone positioning accuracy on the app and better flight stabilisation.
The drone’s remote controller is shaped like a box, uses DJI’s innovative OcuSync 2.0 technology, and allows users to stream live videos from a maximum distance of 10km. The controller has a switch in the middle that allows you to toggle between its three main flight modes, normal, sports and cinematic.
The DJI Fly App, developed for the newer DJI consumer drones, is easy to use, has simple tutorials, and is compatible with iOS and Android devices. The interface displays data about the drone’s height, distance, GNSS status, camera settings, and a small map of where the drone is positioned.
However, I must mention that due to some political reasons, the DJI Fly App is no longer available on the Google Play Store; however, you can download the app from the DJI website, and it is perfectly safe even though your phone may give you a warning.
For owners of an Apple mobile device, it is available on the Apple App Store.
DJI Mini 2 Camera Features
There’s no denying that one of the primary reasons for drones’ popularity is their cameras. They allow you to capture and experience the world from a unique perspective and discover places that may have been otherwise inaccessible.
The DJI Mini 2 offers a professional-grade flying camera that lets you shoot 4k video at 30fps, with a recording speed of 100Mbps. The camera features a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, an 83° field of view, and an f/2.8 aperture.
It captures 12MP images in JPEG and RAW formats and has an auto-exposure bracketing feature that lets you enhance your photos with a greater dynamic range of colours in post-processing. The camera also lets you take three types of panorama shots, and you can fit ND filters over the lens to get the precise exposure levels you need.
Thanks to DJI’s advanced transmission technology, the drone can transmit a live video feed to your smartphone at 720p and 30fps.
The camera also comes equipped with a digital zoom feature, which, while less effective than optical zoom, is still helpful if you want to get closer to your subject without moving your drone. It has 2x zoom capability for 4k/2.7k and 4x zoom for 1080p.
For under $500, the DJI Mini 2 is the best 4k camera drone on the market, the video quality is excellent, and the images are crisp and clear. Check out the video below and see what the DJI Mini 2 is capable of.
DJI Mini 2 4K Footage
DJI Mini 2 – Intelligent Features
The DJI Mini 2, like its predecessor, the Mavic Mini, offers a feature called QuickShots that provides pre-programmed flight modes for capturing short cinematic videos hands-free. While the Mavic Mini had four QuickShots, the Mini 2 includes five: Boomerang, Dronie, Helix, Rocket, and Circle.
The drone also includes an automatic return-to-home feature; this safety feature is activated whenever the drone battery gets low on charge, or the connection between the drone and controller is lost for more than a few seconds.
Once activated, the drone will return to where it took off from and is usually very accurate; the RTH feature can also be activated via the remote controller or the app.
Like most DJI consumer drones, the Mini 2 has three flight modes, they are: Normal, Sports, and Cine. In Sports mode, the controls are more sensitive, and the drone can reach its maximum speed of 57kph. The drone boasts level 5 wind resistance, which means it can withstand winds up to 22mps. However, if you are a beginner, I recommend against flying in windy conditions.
Does The DJI Mini 2 Have Follow Me Mode?
One of the main complaints about the original Mavic Mini was that it did not have any autonomous flight modes like follow me or waypoint. I thought this would change with the DJI Mini 2, however, the Mini 2 does not have follow me mode or any other autonomous flight modes.
However, there is a solution where users can access these features via a third-party app like Litchi.
Litchi is one of the most popular alternative apps to the DJI Fly App and is available on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
Its a good app that comes with lots of features which include autonomous flight modes such as track, orbit and waypoint, as well as other modes such as panorama, virtual reality, mission hub and FPV.
This is a paid app and cost $24.99 (US) or £24.99 (UK).
Another alternative is dronelink; however, this is geared towards professionals for things like surveying, mapping and inspection and is not suitable for casual flyers.
Flight Performance
Flying the DJI Mini is very easy, like most advanced drones. It has a button for one-click take-off/landing, making it suitable for beginners. Despite its small size and weight, the drone holds well even in mildly windy conditions, and the overall video or photo quality is not affected thanks to the 3-axis gimbal. In sports mode, the drone can reach a maximum speed of 57 km/h, which is pretty fast for a non-racing drone. The FPV feed is clear if you fly in good weather conditions. The QuickShot mode is fun to use, and the return-to-home function is accurate.
Is The DJI Mini 2 Worth It?
Whether or not the DJI Mini 2 is worth it depends on your needs and preferences. If you’re looking for a small, lightweight drone that’s easy to transport and fly, and you want high-quality video and photo capabilities, then the DJI Mini 2 is definitely worth considering. It has some excellent features, including a 4K camera, long battery life, and a range of flight modes. However, if you’re on a tight budget or only need some of the advanced features, there are other drones on the market that may be a better fit for you. Ultimately, it’s up to you to weigh the pros and cons and decide if the DJI Mini 2 is worth the investment.
Is The DJI Mini 2 A Good Beginner Drone?
The DJI Mini 2 is suitable beginners due to its ease of use and advanced flight features, however, I would not recommend it for beginners. It is an expensive drone, and I advise anyone looking to purchase their first drone to buy a cheap one that costs less than $100.
In my opinion, the best drone for beginners is the Tello drone; this is a cheap, easy to operate drone that has been developed by Ryze Tech in partnership with DJI and Intel. It’s fun and is suitable for kids as well, and it has educational value, so if you are on hunt for a beginner-friendly drone, the Tello drone is the better choice.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is an excellent upgrade to the original Mavic Mini; the DJI Mini 2 drone has some excellent features, including a 4K camera, panorama photography and 31 minutes of flight time. If you are looking to get into drone photography, the Mini 2 makes a good starting point. If you want other options at a similar price range, check out my list of the best drones under $500.
- Portable and lightweight design
- Impressive camera quality with 4K video capability
- Automatic return to home
- Easy-to-use app and controller
- Long flight time
- Advanced video transmission technology
- No obstacle avoidance
- No Active Track
FAQs
Do you have to register for the DJI Mini 2?
This will depend on where you live. In the USA, the FAA does not require anyone to register recreational drones that weigh less than 250g. However, all recreational drone pilots must take a new test from the FAA called The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST).
If you live in the UK, you must register for the DJI Mini 2. This is done by obtaining an Operator ID, and you will also need to obtain a Flyer ID which will require you to pass an online test. More information can be found on the CAA website.
Is The DJI Mini 2 Waterproof?
No, the DJI Mini 2 is not waterproof, and avoid flying in the rain or near bodies of water is recommended to prevent damage to the drone. For waterproof drones that are IP-certified click here
Does The DJI Mini 2 Have Obstacle Avoidance?
The DJI Mini 2 does not have an obstacle avoidance system, unlike its successor, the Mini 3 Pro.
Yes, it is possible to fly the DJI Mini 2 using the follow-me mode and other autonomous flight modes, but this is not available in the DJI Fly app. To access these features, you will need to use a third-party app such as Litchi, a paid app available for Android and iOS devices.
How High Can The Mini 2 Fly?
The DJI Mini 2 has a maximum altitude of 4000 meters, however, legally you cannot fly higher than 400 feet, this is the case in the UK and USA.
How Far Can The DJI Mini 2 Fly?
The DJI Mini 2 can fly up to 10km thanks to its OcuSync 2.0 transmission technology, which provides a strong and stable connection between the drone and the remote controller. This is a significant improvement over the original Mavic Mini, which had a maximum range of 4km.
Does The DJI Mini 2 Have A Remote ID?
The DJI Mini 2 does not currently have a Remote ID approved by the FAA.
