So, which is the better drone between the Holy Stone HS720 and the DJI Mavic Mini, that honour has to go to the Mavic Mini. The main difference between the Holy Stone HS720 and the DJI Mavic Mini is their camera and flight time, however, there are also significant differences in their size and weight. In this Holy St0ne HS720 vs DJI Mavic Mini comparison article, you shall see just how much better the DJI drone is to its competitor and why it is the preferred drone over the Holy St0ne HS720.
As the DJI Mavic Mini weighs less than 250 grams, you will not need to register it with the FAA (if you live in the USA), however, you will still need to take the new TRUST exam. This is a new test from the FAA that will need to be taken by all recreational drone operators.
If you will live in the UK, you will need to register your drone with the CAA by obtaining an Operator ID and also get a Flyer ID by passing a multiple-choice online exam. You also are required to visibly display your registration number on the drone
Holy Stone HS720 vs DJI Mavic Mini – Camera
The main feature of any drone and the reason why they are so popular is the camera, both of these drones come with good cameras, however, the Mavic Mini has the superior camera, as you would expect from a DJI drone.
The Mavic Mini comes with an HD camera that can record video footage in 2.7k at 30fps or 1080p at 30fps and at a speed of 40Mbps. The camera is supported by an advanced 3-axis gimbal for video and image stabilisation and it comes with a tripod mode that will allow you to record cinematic slow-motion videos.
It has a 1/2.3 inch CMOS sensor that can capture images in 12MP, however, it can record only in JPEG format which will be a disappointment to professional photographers.
The Holy Stone HS720 comes with a decent camera, it has a wide-angle FOV and can be remotely adjusted to 90° for more viewing angles.
The camera can capture images in 4K with its 1/3 inch CMOS sensor and the quality is pretty good considering its price.
Videos are recorded in 2k, however, to record in this resolution, you must use a micro SD card and preferably a fast one. The videos are decent, although as there is no stabilisation feature, you will notice some distortion like shakiness and jello effect.
Without a doubt, the Mavic Mini has the best camera, it costs less than $400 but if you are looking for a cheap drone for photography, the Mini should be your choice.
Holy Stone HS720 vs DJI Mavic Mini – Design
Both these drones are well-designed, they both have a foldable architecture which makes them easier to carry around and a good choice for a travel drone. The Holy Stone HS720 also comes with a nice carry case that has a premium feel to it, this will save you money from having to purchase one separately.
The Mavic Mini is a tiny drone and lives up to its name, it’s so small that it actually fits in the palm of your hand. It weighs less than 250g, this means that if you just want to fly for fun, you will not need to register the drone if you live in Canada or the USA.
Despite its size and weight, the drone comes with many powerful features, it has advanced brushless motors and a dual GPS system that will allow it to hover more precisely and the GPS system will allow you to track the drone accurately on the app.
The Mavic Mini also comes with an optical flow sensor and a couple of infrared sensors that are situated on its belly. These will allow the drone to fly in areas that have no GPS signal, so, you can fly the drone indoors.
It’s powered by an advanced lithium polymer battery which provides it with a flight time of 30 minutes, which is incredible as this makes one of the best drones with the longest flight times.
The Mavic Mini comes with a very simple controller, it has a range of around 4km and uses enhanced WiFi technology for video transmission.
The Holy Stone HS720 is a beautifully constructed drone, it has a premium feel to it, despite being a relatively cheap drone. The drone also comes with powerful brushless motors, this is an upgrade over other Holy Stone drones that come with inferior brushed motors.
It’s a much bigger and heavier drone than the Mavic and as it weighs 460g, you will need to register the drone if you live in any of the countries I mentioned above. The drone has a GPS system that will allow you to track the drone accurately and fly the drone hands-free via its intelligent flight modes (something the Mavic does not come with).
There is also an optical flow sensor on its belly for better hovering capability especially in areas with a weak GPS signal and the drone is powered by a 7.4v 2800 mAh lithium polymer battery which gives it a flight time of around 22 minutes.
The controller for the Holy Stone HS720 has a simple and minimalist design, it has a range of around 900 meters and is powered by 2 AA batteries. One feature that I like about this controller is its LCD screen which will display telemetry data about the drone.
Features & Flight Performance
Both these drones have excellent flight performance, they hover accurately, both are easy to control and most of the features work as they should.
Despite its size and weight, the Mavic Mini fly’s surprisingly well in mildly windy conditions, it has 3 flight modes and can reach a top speed of around 30 mph in its sports flight mode. The official flight time is 30 minutes, although you will get around 28 minutes, which is still impressive.
This is the only DJI drone that does not come with intelligent flight modes when used with the DJI Fly app, which is a little disappointing (especially as the HS720 comes with the flight modes). However, if you use the Litchi app (which is a paid app), you can access intelligent flight modes such as waypoint, tracking and point of interest.
The app is available for both Android and iOS devices and is a pretty stable app that has some good support, you just have to decide if it’s paying for the additional features the app provides.
It also comes with 4 pre-programmed flight modes called QuickShots, these will allow you to take short cinematic videos totally hands-free.
Another cool feature of the Mavic Mini is the DJI Fly app, this was developed specifically for the Mavic Mini. While it does not have the features of the DJI GO App, it has a simple user interface and is easy to navigate. You can even edit your videos by using one of the pro video templates inside of the app and sharing it to your social media accounts.
The Holy Stone HS720 comes with intelligent flight modes which are always fun to play with. This is the one advantage the HS720 has over the DJI Mavic Mini, these flight modes include follow me, waypoint and orbit.
In addition, the drone also comes with an automatic return to home feature, this can be activated via the remote controller or the app. This feature is activated automatically if you lose connection with the drone or if it gets low on battery. The Mavic Mini also comes with the same automatic return to home feature.
The App for the HS720 is called the Ophelia Go app, it’s a decent app, but it does have some issues, especially with the screen sometimes freezing up when you are using the FPV feature. The FPV feature works best if you have a smartphone that has 5G WiFi technology.
Best Alternative
The main alternatives to these drones are the DJI Mini 2 and the Holy St0ne HS720E, while both drones are very good, I would personally choose the Mini 2 as it comes with a superior camera, longer flight time and exceptional long transmission range.
- 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor
- 12MP images
- JPEG & RAW
- Records 4k videos at 30fps
- 3-axis gimbal
- 4× Zoom
- 5 Quickshots
- 31 minutes of flight time
- 10km transmission range
Final Thoughts
The Mavic Mini is definitely the superior drone and if you have the budget, that is the drone I would recommend. However, the Holy Stone HS720 is also a good drone, especially for its price, it has a good flight time, a decent camera and comes with intelligent flight modes. If you would like more options for similarly priced drones, check out my article for the best drones under $500.
The DJI Mini 2 is the successor to the Mavic Mini, it comes with a few upgrades, including a 4k camera, DJI’s OcuSync transmission technology and images that can now be captured in JPEG and RAW, which will please photographers. It costs under $500 and is the best option if in this price range.
