DJI Mavic Mini Review

Dubbed as ‘The Everyday Flycam’, Dji Mavic Mini is an ultra-light device that is portable and easy to carry. The idea behind the DJI Mavic Mini is for users to take it anywhere with them – on vacation at the beach, on the golf course, in a crowded marketplace, and more.

Retailing at $399, this detailed review will discuss whether this small Drone is really worth the price or whether buyers should just go get themselves a bigger drone for the same price. We will discuss its many features and benefits, its pros and cons, and in the end, we will have a final verdict that gives our last say on this newest drone from renowned drone designer DJI.

About DJI Mavic Mini

With the idea of taking it with you on an outdoor adventure or just in your everyday life, the ultra-light and portable DJI Mavic Mini is so small that it can fit into a lady’s purse or handbag.  This truly personal drone allows users to record all of life’s great moments.

The makers of DJI Mavic Mini recognize that everyday life is as special as our big adventures, so they built the DJI Mavic Mini to record these moments. DJI is known worldwide to offer its customers premium features even in their smallest drones. The company is also known to offer perfect drones for specific purposes.  This drone is perfectly suited for beginners and hobbyists looking for something easy to operate and with a budget-friendly price.

Features

• It is small.

Here are the product dimensions of the DJI Mavic Mini: 6.3 x 3.1 x 0.4 inches. In fact, it is so small that you don’t need to register it with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

• Foldable design

This drone has cleverly-designed foldable arms. It also comes in an easy-to-carry case.

• 30 minutes of flight time

Despite its small size, the DJI Mavic Mini should not be taken lightly. It certainly packs a punch with its 30 minutes of flight time. When tested, this lightweight DJI drone delivers, logging in an impressive flight time of 26 minutes.

• Touch-control features

This drone has touch-control features that are easy to use. The intuitive control buttons make it simple to use. Even a person who is not so adept in technology will not have a hard time learning how to use it.

• 3-Axis Gimbal

It is amazing how this DJI model has managed to fit a 3-axis gimbal into such a lightweight design. A 3-axis gimbal ensures smooth and stable camera footage.

• GPS

The DJI Mavic Mini has GPS technology and a downward-facing sensor that allows it to hold the position that it’s in when there is no satellite connection. This is particularly useful for indoor shots.

• 3 Flying Modes

This drone has three flying modes: Cinematic, Sport, and Position. The Cinematic mode automatically adjusts joystick sensitivity, which makes it easy to get smooth, cinematic-like video footage without having to make in-app adjustments. All you need to do is to select your QuickShot and the drone will execute the motion while recording. You can even share it directly on social media.

• Flying Capacity

The Mavic Mini can fly up to 500 meters above ground level and has a range of 4 kilometers or 2.5 miles.

• Personalization features

You can easily personalize your DJI Mavic Mini by creating stickers and sticking them directly on the device.

• QuickShots Selection

It offers several QuickShots selections: Rocket, Helix, Dronie, and Circle. These describe how the drone will move around a selected target.

• Only 249 grams

When we tell you it is ultra-lightweight, we are not kidding. Weighing only 249 grams, this drone is as almost as heavy as a billiard ball but about 100 grams lighter than a can of soup. This tiny drone literally fits into your pocket. As a rule, drones that weigh between 250 grams (.55 pounds) to 55 pounds should be registered with the FAA. Since this drone only weighs 249 grams (about .48 pounds), it doesn’t need to be registered. The same laws apply in other countries as well.

• Dedicated remote control

The remote control of the Mavic Mini has an HD video feed that can be controlled up to a distance of 4 kilometers.  For added portability, the detachable control sticks are easily stored inside the remote control.

• SkyPixel

SkyPixel is a social media platform for DJI drone users to share their aerial photos and videos.  This platform also allows you to discover ideal locations to take aerial photography shots.

Other noteworthy features:

• ½.3” CMOS image sensor
• 24mm equivalent lens
• 12MPphoto resolution
• Fixed F2.8 aperture
• 2.7K/30p and 1080/30p video
• Video bitrate of 40 Mb/s
• Micro-USB plug to charge the drone directly
• Maximum 4-km transmission
• Upon purchase, the box also includes Intelligent Flight Battery, Micro-USB Connector, Lightning Connector, USB-C Connector, a pair of spare propellers, spare control sticks, a screwdriver, and 6 spare screws.

Mavic Mini Accessories:

The DJI Mavic Mini also has a wide range of fantastic compatible accessories.  You can carry your drone and other small items in a DJI Mini Bag complete with an Osmo Pocket. The Two-Way Charging Hub, which is sold separately by DJI, is able to charge up to three batteries in sequence.  You can also use this great accessory to store and transport batteries.  You can even use it as a power bank to charge your smartphone.  You can also purchase other great Mavic Mini accessories from third-party suppliers.  The DIY Creative Kit allows users to create shell stickers and colorful markers so that they can personalize their drones. Users can also purchase a Mavic Mini charging base.

Benefits

• Ultra-smooth flights

Even if the Mavic Mini twitches in the air a little, it won’t spoil the footage. The video will still hold steady even if conditions are windy. 

• Easy-to-control

The easy-to-use app of the Mavic Mini is one of its best features.  It is remarkably easy to use.  The DJI Fly app is streamlined and simple. All you need to do is to connect your phone to the controller, then open the app. After that, you’re pretty much good to go. Actually, you don’t really need your phone at all to fly this drone.  However, it is much easier to do so with the provided video stream and on-screen buttons.

• Sturdy

When you first see the Mavic Mini, you would be concerned whether it will hold up in windy conditions.  Surprisingly, it does hold its own, at least where we tested it in a relatively gutsy coastal area. Even if it moves up and down with the wind a little bit, the movements were minimal and nothing to be alarmed about.

• Portable

With its size and weight, you can literally bring this drone just about everywhere you go. There’s almost never an inconvenient time to bring it along, so you will be able to record a lot of things that were not possible to record before. What makes drones unwieldy are their protruding arms. Since the Mavic Mini’s arms can be folded, the problem is solved. The compact model is almost as light as a smartphone.

• Quality Shots

This drone captures great shots for its size.  Just like another DJI model, the Spark (no longer in production), it can capture JPEG photos. It is able to capture dark highlights and blue skies, which is relatively hard to do especially for smaller drones. It is also able to capture compelling footage in 2K high-definition. You can even transform these footages into professional-quality productions with the DJI Fly app.

• Ideal for beginners

With the Mavic Mini, beginners won’t feel daunted with handling a drone for the first time. It even offers the Flight Tutorial feature, which helps beginners navigate the Mavic Mini safely and quickly. On the other hand, more experienced flyers will still appreciate how it is so lightweight, portable, and easy to use.

• Safe Flying

This drone is equipped with a 360⁰-propeller guard. This protects the propellers and promotes flight safety.   Incorporated into the app are Safe Fly Zones, which is especially useful if you are a novice flyer. This basically tells you where it is safe and legal to fly.

Pros and Cons

• Pros:
• One of the best features of the DJI Mavic Mini that other small drones don’t have is its foldable arms.  Other models have the same size, but they don’t have the ability to fold their arms, and that is one of the key ingredients why the Mavic Mini is so portable and convenient to carry around everywhere.
• It has the “Cinesmooth” mode, which softens out turns and braking.  According to DJI, this feature elongates the braking process which gives you a smoother shot.
• This Mavic model has massively simplified the app experience. Only the most vital information is presented onscreen, which is a great thing for beginners. For instance, users will only see options for “Single” or “Timed” shot on the main screen. The other options can be found under the main settings menu.
• The camera on the Mini Mavic is a solid performer. Although it records at a lower bitrate and has a smaller sensor, the videos and photos recorded on it look sharp and has decent colors.
• Flying the DJI Mavic Mini is truly enjoyable. It is a fun drone to have, and it is equally great whether you fly it indoors or outdoors. It is also aerodynamic and can handle moderate winds well.
• Cons:
• One crucial missing feature of the DJI Mavic Mini is obstacle avoidance. It doesn’t have a sensor that detects obstacles. This might deter beginners from purchasing this drone, but this is also quite understandable given that the next model with sensors costs $1,300 more.
• A drone this small will really have to compromise on some features.  One of the most notable compromises is its camera. Instead of recording on 4K video, this drone’s camera records on 2.7K/30.  That still has high resolution.
• It doesn’t offer “tripod mode”, which would have been perfect for slow, steady, tracking shots. However, the aforementioned “Cinesmooth mode” in the Pros section more than makes up for the lacking “tripod mode.”
• There is no way to adjust the shutter speed of this DJI drone.  However, you are able to adjust the Exposure Compensation.

The Final Verdict

So, is the DJI Mavic Mini really worth it? With the holidays just around the corner, will this be a perfect gift for someone you love? Dubbed as a ‘tiny drone with big ambitions’, this camera drone diminutive has a lot of great features found in bigger drones. In fact, this drone makes other drones look chunky and big. This model proves that size doesn’t matter.  This is a capable drone that comes at a very accessible price point.

This new Mavic Mini model is designed for everyone.  While serious drone enthusiasts may like the premium models, the casual photographer, the family man or woman, the small business owner, or the blogger will be drawn to the Mavic Mini. This take-anywhere drone gets a two-thumbs-up for its convenience factor, making it ideal for a variety of uses. From capturing cherished family moments to taking aerial shots of a property that you’re selling, the DJI Mavic Mini makes it easier for more people to use a drone.

The benefits of the DJI Mavic Mini far outweigh its disadvantages. If you’re not particularly interested in all the bells and whistles of the premium models, this is the perfect drone for you. It offers good value for money, and I’m sure you will get many hours of great footage from it. If you feel that the time has come to get a personal drone for you or your loved one, then this drone is the best one to get. This is an ideal option for anyone interested in aerial photography.

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