Whether you’ve been flying drones for years or you’re newly interested in the power of drone photography, DJI has a drone for you. DJI drones come in all shapes in sizes, from commercial drones used for topographical mapping to consumer drones used for recreational videography. With the release of the new Mavic Mini 2, DJI has given its customers an even higher quality beginner drone that’s capable of holding its own against the bigger, more powerful models.
When the DJI Mavic Mini first came out, it was notable for being the smallest of all the DJI drones. With an ultralight weight of 249 grams, the Mavic Mini was the perfect starter drone for anyone new to the world of drones. Light and compact enough to fit in the palm of your hand, you could easily fit it in your pocket and take it with you on a mountain hike to capture stunning views of the peaks and the valleys. The small weight was also ideal in that it falls under the 250g weight limit set by Transport Canada, meaning you don’t need a license or registration to fly it. This gave new users the freedom and flexibility to fly the Mavic Mini wherever they wanted without worrying about dealing with paperwork or accidentally violating any regulations.
The Mavic Mini 2 has all of these same features and then some. With the same light weight and compact size combined with an upgraded camera and dynamic software features, the DJI Mini 2 leaves behind a few of the drawbacks of the Mini 1 and presents itself as a more affordable alternative to some of the other models in the Mavic line. Here are some of the biggest upgrades that come with the DJI Mavic Mini 2:
Longer Flight Time
Whereas the original Mavic Mini came with a flight time of 30 minutes, the Mavic Mini 2 extends that flight time by one minute to a total of 31 minutes of flight time. While one minute may not seem like it makes much difference, any experienced drone user knows that every second counts in flight. When you’re navigating forest trees or just messing around with one of the QuickShots modes, a longer flight time helps you find that perfect shot before running out of battery.
4K Camera
The most flashy upgrade to the DJI Mini 2 is that it has a camera that can shoot 4K videos at 30 frames per second as well as 12-megapixel stills. This is a major upgrade from the Mini 1, which was only capable of shooting 2.7K video. The new Mini 2 camera also has 4x digital zoom (when shooting in 1080p), helping you zero in on your subject to capture every detail.
Longer Flight Range
Another amazing new upgrade that comes with the Mini 2 is an upgraded flight range of up to 10 km. Whereas the Mini 1 was limited to only 4 km, the OcuSync 2.0 transmission system of the Mini 2 expands the range significantly. It uses 2.4/5.8 GHz auto-switching to cut interference and signal fading, allows you to maintain reliable video transmission throughout your flight. This puts the flight range of the DJI Mini 2 on par with some of the more expensive models in the Mavic line.
New Remote Controller
The DJI Mavic Mini 2 comes with a new remote controller similar in style to the Mavic Air 2 remote. Not only does this new remote control have a longer battery life, but it also comes with an ergonomic design that makes the grip more comfortable. Integrated antennas and a clamp for attaching your smartphone further boost user experience and making flying the Mavic Mini 2 a much smoother and more fun experience.
Higher Flight Speed
The DJI Mavic Mini 2 also comes with a higher maximum flight speed of up to 57.6 km/h. This is a great leap forward from the 46.8 km/h max flight speed of the Mini 1, giving you the ability to cover ground much faster and create more dynamic videos with sweeping shots. A higher flight speed also saves valuable minutes of flight time getting the drone into place to capture the shot, giving you more time to record.
Upgraded Wind Resistance
While a small and lightweight drone can be easier to handle, flying a smaller drone can be difficult in windy weather that knocks it off balance. The DJI Mini 2 protects itself with an upgraded wind resistance of up to 37.8 km. Not only is this much better than the 28.4 km/h max wind resistance of the original Mavic Mini, but it is almost equivalent to the bigger Mavic Air 2. You won’t have to worry as much about the safety of the Mini 2, as it can hold its own in windy environments.
USB-C for Data Transfer and Charging
To keep up with the latest technology and developments, the DJI Mini 2 now uses USB-C for both data transfer and charging. This allows you to plug it into your smartphone or your computer and quickly download your videos and photos to edit or share on social media.
The intelligent software features of the new Mavic Mini 2 are pretty stellar, giving you the ability to capture dynamic videos and making editing and post-processing that much easier. Whether you’re a beginner or a professional, intuitive and powerful software features can greatly expand the quality of what you’re capable of filming and make it that much easier to navigate.
QuickShots
The QuickShot modes are some of the standout software features of both the DJI Mavic Mini 2 and the original Mavic Mini. With just a few taps, the DJI Mini 2 automatically records and shoot professional-level videos to share directly on social media and blow the minds of your friends and family. Both beginners and experienced flyers will find the DJI Fly app easy to navigate, allowing you to create truly impressive results with its soundtracks and filters you can choose from.
The DJI Mini 2 features the additional Boomerang QuickShot mode, giving you a fun fifth option to choose from. Here’s a quick rundown of the different QuickShot modes as well as the new Boomerang mode that comes with the Mini 2:
Boomerang
The Boomerang is the cool new QuickShot mode of the Mini 2 that the Mini 1 doesn’t have. This causes the Mini 2 to start out close to you before flying backward, stopping, and then returning to you. This unique effect works just as well on a mountain peak as it does from your average suburban street.
Dronie
The Dronie is the drone version of a selfie, instantly elevating your selfie and wowing your social media followers. This mode causes the Mini 2 to hover horizontally near you before flying back and up in a preset motion.
Helix
The Helix is another cool QuickShot mode in which the Mini 2 starts out close to you before flying backward and up while circling you. This creates a trippy effect that you can easily amplify with a cool soundtrack or filter.
Rocket
The Rocket mode causes the Mini 2 to fly straight up in the air with the camera facing down, making it look like you’re filming underneath a launching rocket.
Circle
When it comes to cinematic-style videos, the Circle mode gives you movie-quality effects that you’d be hard-pressed to achieve manually. This present motion keeps you in the middle of the frame while slowly circling the camera around, making the world spin in one smooth shot.
Panorama
The DJI Mavic Mini 2 makes shooting panoramic shots that much easier with its three panorama modes. Choose from either the wide-angle, 180-degree, or sphere panorama mode to stitch together multiple shots for one mind-blowing image. The wide-angle mode stitches together multiple photos to show more of your landscape than you could in one single image, whereas the 180-degree mode stitches together a staggering 21 photos for a super-wide shot.
The sphere panorama mode is a really cool and artistic mode that takes multiple spherical images and stitches them together into one huge spherical photo, creating your own mini globe. Whereas the original Mavic Mini did not have panoramic modes, with the Mini 2, all you have to do is choose a panorama mode and the drone will do the rest.
QuickTransfer
Both the Mini 1 and the Mini 2 allow you to view HD video on the remote controller while the drone is in flight, then download the video onto your phone after the flight is over. However, the Mini 2 goes one step further by allowing you to bypass the remote controller and download footage directly via phone from the aircraft. You can download footage at 20 MB/s onto your phone, downloading one QuickShot video in as little as 2 seconds. You can also use Split Video to easily view and download footage.
Trimmed Download
Another feature of the DJI Mini 2 that the Mini 1 does not have is the Trimmed Download feature. This lets you quickly cut out a segment of your footage to edit and download. Instead of spending countless minutes sifting through footage to find the shot you need, you can quickly and easily take what you need and leave the rest. This also alleviates concerns about insufficient storage by making it so that you don’t need to download footage you don’t want.
While the Mavic Mini 1 was definitely a game-changer when it was first released, the Mavic Mini 2 blows it out of the water. The DJI Mini 2 is just as light and affordable, but it’s even faster, stronger, and more powerful. The different software features such as Trimmed Download and QuickTransfer make it a breeze to edit and download the videos you want, while the upgraded 4K camera greatly improves the quality of the footage you can shoot.
Buying a small and lightweight drone can come with a few concerns about speed, flight time, and durability, but the DJI Mini 2 alleviates them all. Its upgraded wind resistance and extended flight range ensure the safety of the drone while matching the capabilities of some of the much more expensive DJI drones. If you’re new to DJI drones and looking for something small and affordable to start out with, the DJI Mini 2 is the clear winner.
If you already own the Mavic Mini 1 and are considering upgrading to the Mavic Mini 2, it’s honestly worth the price. The Mavic Mini 2 is $569, only $70 more than the price of the original Mavic Mini. Not only is this incredibly affordable compared to other DJI drones in the Mavic line, but it’s also worth every penny when you consider how many upgraded features you get with the new Mini 2. DJI has truly outdone itself again with the Mini 2, giving its customers the best drone technology has to offer without forcing them to break the bank to enjoy it.
Dr Drone
Author
DrDrone is Canada's leading provider of drone technical services, with over a decade of experience and the distinction of being the first company in the country to offer drone servicing and repairs. As the largest drone vendor in Canada, we are also the primary supplier of Remotely Piloted Air Systems (RPAS) to the Canadian government. Our team members possess extensive knowledge of each drone's technical specifications and have a wealth of hands-on experience. For more than ten years, we have been dismantling and reconstructing drones, ensuring a deep understanding of these systems.