Since the launch of DJI’s highly popular Mavic 2 series a year has passed with no new consumer drone in sight, a rarity for a company that has become notorious for releasing new drones faster, and more consistently than any of their competitors. In the past year, DJI has released gimbals, cameras, and enterprise drone systems, building anticipation with each new announcement as to when the world would finally see a new consumer drone.
With rumours and alleged leaks spreading like wildfire across the internet, DJI finally revealed today their highly anticipated newest consumer drone, the DJI Mavic Mini. The DJI Mavic Mini features game-changing specs, weighing in at only 249 grams and featuring an incredible 30 minutes of flight time. We had a chance to fly and review the new Mavic Mini before the release to see if this small drone lives up to its big expectations.
The Mavic Mini is designed to be as lightweight as possible and incredibly, DJI has managed to make the Mavic Mini weigh in at only 249 grams. When it comes to its size the Mavic Mini when folded can fit compactly in the palm of your hand. When folded the Mavic Mini measures 140×82×57 mm (L×W×H) and when unfolded 160×202×55 mm (L×W×H). Design-wise, the drone features a matte, light grey colour. The aircraft itself almost looks like a mini version of the Mavic 2 aircraft. The aircraft can also handle temperatures between 0° to 40°C (32° to 104°F) under warranty.
When we first tried out the Mavic Mini we were shocked out just how light it felt to the point of it almost feeling fragile/flimsy. Everything felt so small in your hand and we were a bit skeptical on just how well it would perform in the air. Being as small and compact as it is, the drone can easily fit in your pocket. For travel, the drone is also extremely ideal as it will virtually take up almost no room. We would compare it to the size of a pop can.
Or course the main feat accomplished with the Mavic Mini is its weight of under 250 grams, placing it in the safest and lowest weight class of drones for most countries.. This is a groundbreaking achievement in the drone world as it means that anyone can fly the drone without having to worry about government regulations. With the Mavic Mini, operators do not need a pilot certificate or register their drone, can be non-Canadian, and can fly at any age. You can even fly the Mavic Mini within 5km of an airport or controlled airspace as long as you do not fly recklessly.
For a drone of its size, users may expect a minimal range and battery life but that is not the case with the Mavic Mini. The drone features an outstanding flight time of up to 30 minutes and a maximum range of 4 km. These specs have been unheard of with drones in its weight class in the past and are an amazing accomplishment for DJI.
The Mavic Mini uses an Enhanced WiFi transmission that can bounce between 2.4Ghz and 5.8Ghz to maintain the strongest connection possible between the drone and remote controller. Under warranty, the Mavic Mini can handle wind speeds of up to 28.4 km/h.
During testing, we aggressively flew the drone in Position mode, and the drone was able to fly for approximately 25 minutes before giving us a warning to land. During our range test, the drone was able to reach the full range of 4 km as stated on DJI's official specs sheet if you are flying in an interference-free area. On one occasion we flew the drone in roughly 14 km/h winds and the drone was able to hold itself steady and capture smooth, shake-free video. When flying the drone we were also very impressed by how stable and accurate it was to pilot. Control over the drone is extremely precise in the air and overall the drone exceeded our expectations when it came to its performance.
The Mavic Mini features a stabilized 3-axis gimbal system and a 2.7K 12-megapixel camera with an electronic shutter and 1/2.3 sensor. The drone is capable of shooting up to 2.7K at 30fps and shoots in only MP4 and JPEG.
When in flight the drone delivered on giving us smooth stabilized footage even in high wind conditions. Photos were also clean and crisp. As 12-megapixel photos are pretty much the standard of any DJI drone now, photo quality will be great for the average user - but if you are a professional you may want to consider other DJI drones that have a large sensor size. Though the Mavic Mini only shoots up to 2.7K we feel that this is also an amazing feat for a drone of its size and that in the future DJI may be able to develop an upgraded version with 4K. For now, 2.7K is again great for general use and we were very impressed with the quality of footage we shot.
When it comes to having safe, crash-free flights the Mavic Mini only features downward sensors along with its GPS to aid with stability and positioning. With good lighting, the downward vision sensing system can support precision hovering even if flying indoors or with a bad GPS signal. When flying in smaller, or more complex environments DJI recommends using the Mavic Mini with the 360° Propeller Guard.
When in flight we found that the drone had superior control and accuracy which aids in ensuring safety during flight. Though the Mavic Mini lacks an obstacle avoidance system, if you are aware of your environment and fly with safety at top of mind, you should experience crash-free flights due to the drone's excellent precision in the air.
The remote controller design is made to be as user-friendly and simple as possible for easy usability. The remote looks very similar in terms of looks to the DJI Spark and Mavic Air remotes. The remote features removable twist on/off toggles that can be taken off for more compact storage. It also features simple buttons including a button to record video, take photos, and Return-to-Home. Though the remote lacks the built-in telemetry screen that the Mavic 2 series features, all data can still be accessed through the drone's app. With two handles to snuggly keep the users display device in place, the Mavic Mini remote can fit devices that are a maximum length of 160mm and a maximum thickness of 6.5-8.5mm.
DJI created an all brand-new app for the Mavic Mini drone named DJI Fly. The new app was made to provide users with easy-to-use and intuitive controls to make flying more user-friendly than ever. The app even features built-in flight tutorials to enhance flight safety. The app additionally comes with premade templates, special effects, music options and more so that anyone can create, edit and share their creativity with just a few taps.
DJI created an all brand-new app for the Mavic Mini drone named DJI Fly. The new app was made to provide users with easy-to-use and intuitive controls to make flying more user-friendly than ever. The app even features built-in flight tutorials to enhance flight safety. The app additionally comes with premade templates, special effects, music options and more so that anyone can create, edit and share their creativity with just a few taps.
The Mavic Mini features intelligent modes like QuickShots, CineSmooth Mode, and Return-to-Home. With QuickShots modes, anyone can easily capture dynamic, cinematic shots. The four QuickShots modes include Dronie, Rocket, Circle, and Helix. With CineSmooth Mode, the movement and speed of the Mavic Mini will be slowed down for more precise control and smoother shots. Finally, with Return-to-Home, the Mavic Mini will be able to automatically return to the exact spot it launched from if it detects a lost signal, low battery, or if commanded by the user.
One notable intelligent missing in action on the Mavic Mini is ActiveTrack. This mode has become a fixture for virtually every DJI Drone, so we do hope that more popular intelligent flight modes including ActiveTrack, Waypoints and more, can be added to the system in the future.
The Mavic Mini features intelligent modes like QuickShots, CineSmooth Mode, and Return-to-Home. With QuickShots modes, anyone can easily capture dynamic, cinematic shots. The four QuickShots modes include Dronie, Rocket, Circle, and Helix. With CineSmooth Mode, the movement and speed of the Mavic Mini will be slowed down for more precise control and smoother shots. Finally, with Return-to-Home, the Mavic Mini will be able to automatically return to the exact spot it launched from if it detects a lost signal, low battery, or if commanded by the user.
One notable intelligent missing in action on the Mavic Mini is ActiveTrack. This mode has become a fixture for virtually every DJI Drone, so we do hope that more popular intelligent flight modes including ActiveTrack, Waypoints and more, can be added to the system in the future.
The Mavic Mini comes in two different options including a standard Mavic Mini kit and Mavic Mini Fly More Combo.
The Mavic Mini is DJI’s most groundbreaking, smallest yet most powerful consumer drone to date. The drone is ultra-compact, lightweight and easy-to-use. Despite its tiny size, it performs exceedingly well in flight. Piloting is precise and accurate in the air, and the drone can hold its own in windy conditions. Its long flight time of 3o minutes and 4km range are also huge innovations for a drone of its size. Photo and video quality are great for the average user, and its 3-Axis gimbal provides stunningly smooth shake-free footage.
As for its faults, the drone lacks a 4k camera, obstacle avoidance system and relies on an Enhanced Wifi Transmission. These features along with more intelligent flight modes could be things we see added or upgraded with the next-generation models of the Mavic Mini, but overall do not hinder the user experience. In summary, Mavic Mini surpasses expectations when it comes to size, performance, and ease-of-use. It’s a drone that anyone of any level can fly and is especially perfect for casual users who want a reliable, stable, high-quality, and high-performance drone at a reasonable price.
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.