DJI - Mavic Mini

I got the Mavic mini at first and a week later I got the mini 4 pro.

You can get an older used mavic mini for not much over $100 I'd guess and you'll get a very capable drone for that which can fly great, produces great videos and pictures... and most importantly, lets you decide if it's worth you spending more or not. Modern decent camera drones like the DJI Mavic lines don't require skill to fly. They still require some skill to get good footage or take good pictures, but if you're sensible they're incredibly easy to not crash.

They are very easy to fly and so the prop guards shouldn't be an issue. I'd go for at least the mini - if you can stretch to it the Mavic 3 (a used original Mavic 3 isn't massively more than a Mini 4 new). Though also, it sounds like just getting APS-C or even full frame camera and doing it by hand/cheap wire kit might produce even better results.

DJI Mavic Mini

Pretty good evolution for the hobby when you say all the above. I kinda wish I'd started back in the day tho! Must've been pretty wild building a 5 inch then finding out if it flies by sending it! It was covid that got me into drones! And maybe scrolling youtube too much! Started out with dji mavic mini, the OG! Now I can tell you for sure, that is not a path to a 5 inch!! Thought I could fly 'drones' !! What a rude awakening that was when I bought a tinyhawk2! I went a bit of a roundabout way in my pathway. Flew angle, then horizon, both of which I wouldn't recommend, but you do find a love for fpv, or I did. Then I went back to angle and started reducing the amount of angle, or whatever it is! How nick burns did it. Then went full acro! Totally skipped the sims, that shit aint for me, I'm here for the thrills, the real life feel of flying, having to fix something or repair/replace it when you fuck up, that shit makes you try harder next time..... And that is part of my love for it, reminds me of my younger days on a skateboard or a bmx. You fuck up, it hurts. Now it hurts my pocket, and not my face or my balls, which suits me now I'm older and have a job to, well, keep going! But yeah, fuck the sims. Its not like tony hawks on the ps ever made a good skateboarder. I can see the benefit, but I aint got time to sit at home playing computer games anymore, but I can find time to tune it all out, wear the goggles and send a few packs. It's therapy! And like skate boarding, its more than a hobby. It's a way of life. Happy new year bro and many happy packs to you for 2025.

I bought a used mavic mini for100$, even if I crash it I will learn too fly before buying a expensive one and trash it on the first fly

Hm yes. Ok I get it. I will say it this way: You can achieve nice videos with FPV and DJI drones. The difference is that DJI is like Playstation. It works out of the box, it is easy to use and results are great. FPV is more like a custom built PC. You need to know how to put it together, you need to know what equipment to buy and in the long run it is more expensive. And DJI has sensors that will help you a lot. And gyro camera. I would recommend DJI but if you really want FPV then go for it. PS: for like 500€ you can get a Mavic Mini and it is an awesome drone. HD video, stabilization, sensors, return to home, ... In FPV I don't think you can get equivalent equipment for this money. A tiny whoop or maybe cinelog that is just a camera on motors. No stabilization, no sensors, no return to home.

I've basically stopped using my Mavic and use my Mini 3 Pro for most things now. Wind resistance isn't quite as good, but image quality is more than good enough and being under 250 g makes flying a lot easier (in Canada, might be different where you are). Some people assume 'bigger is better'. I've seen that in photography, where my Nikon D800 with huge lens gets more respect than a smaller camera. (So sometimes I'll being the bigger camera for show, use it for a few pictures while mostly using a smaller camera, and let people assume that the best pictures were taken with the bigger camera when in reality all the pictures came from the smaller easier-to-carry camera.)

If you want something good and not care about price get the mavic but if you do care about price then get the dji mini 3 or 4 pro remember to ALWAYS do the training flight simulater when you buy a new drone you will need to

I have a Mini 4 Pro. It's a great all-rounder. It's small enough that it can fly indoors with some prop guards if needed, though it's better outside. The camera is versatile, and it can tilt its head for pure vertical shooting. Weighs less than 250g, so registration (especially when traveling) is often easier or absent. Folds up really small. I think it's the best international travel drone for that reason. Here are why you'd want the other drones: * The mini flies well, but the Air flies even better. In places like iceland with high winds, Minis get sent to the shadow realm (the ocean), but Airs can manage better. * Mavic line when you want the best camera setup on a drone for photo and video. The flagship camera drone line for a reason, that tri camera is a beautiful, beautiful tool. * Neo for a more entry level, indoor friendly drone. It's just as easy to carry as the mini and costs less, but the camera is not as good and it's not as strong a flyer. Supersedes the Tello. Lacks omnidirectional obstacle avoidance. * Avata 2 is the strongest flyer, but it's for a different type of flight and shooting. It's for first person flight and exploration. It can definitely chase cars and is the fastest, and also the easiest to control at high speeds, but it's definitely rooted in a concept that's flight-first and photography-second. That said, it's a far more capable camera than its roots in custom handbuilt FPV. The others shown are older models. Good if you want to shave some of the newer features for a discount.

Mavics are so good!

Honestly, to the eyes of the public, the Mavic isn't much more impressive than the mini. If you want to look serious, you need an Inspire or an M300. But that's 500% overkill for OP's use cases.

Honestly, to the eyes of the public, the Mavic isn't much more impressive than the mini. If you want to look serious, you need an Inspire or an M300. But that's 500% overkill for OP's use cases.

Bottom line it's a more expensive version of shat is a generic Chinese built drone. It has a "sort off" collision  avoidance but not great in lower light. The cameras are as they say they are but as there is no active gimbal they are no where near 8k quality unless it's not flying (even then it's debatable). So up to this point you get what you pay for..... Now stability......GPS on.... its as stable as Donald Trump..... GPS off..... you never know where it's going..... In short it's not the worst but if you need it for anything semi decent then pay more money for a mavic

A Mavic isn’t really going all-out. If you had the choice of hiring someone who could only bring a Mini or someone who had a Mavic, who would seem more serious to you? Who would you hire?

It depends entirely on your requirements. While there are some advantages to the better camera on the maverick, unless your client is going to run the video on large screens there may be no practical difference. Your skill as a videographer and editor will make much more of a difference than the camera. As others have pointed out, the Air is a great compromise, but depending on where you need to fly, the Mini 4 Pro may have advantages. One of the challenges in an urban environment is operating over people. Unless you have a category UAV or a waiver, you can’t legally fly over uninvolved people. In an urban setting that can be a challenge. A category 1 drone needs to be under 250g with prop guards and remote ID. The only current option to get there in the DJI lineup is a Neo with an external RID module, but the photo/video quality isn’t as good as the air or mini, and that’s a bit of a limitation for pro photographers. (On a related note, if someone from DJI is reading this, please poke your product management with a sharp stick and wake them up. The new DJI Flip is one firmware change away from being an awesome option that 107 pilots like me — who already own a M4P and Neo — would buy in a heartbeat. Please add the option to turn on Remote ID in the USA so we can fly it as a Category 1 UAV.) Category 2 essentially requires a parachute which right now is stupid expensive. Your other option is to apply for a waiver. I won’t go into all the details in case OOP isn’t important to you. But if it is, an M4P with extended battery, prop guards, and an anti-collision light is still light enough to operate over people and moving vehicles under a 107 waiver without requiring a parachute. Flight times and wind handling will decrease, but in an urban area that might make the difference between being able to legally get your shots or not. Just buy the extended batteries because they turn RID on. On the other hand, if OOP isn’t an issue, then in the USA under 107 an Air is probably a better choice. And, if you have any interest in popping north of the border, do yourself a favour and take an M4P with standard batteries. Being under 250g in Canada will make your life much, much easier. Remember that the best camera in the world isn’t going to help if you can’t get it where you need it.

DJI anything is more or less the answer. They have their quirks, but everything else comes with less support and more caveats. If you’re just starting out, a Mini is perfect.

You are smart to stay away from all of the drones that have sponsored reviews. Buying a drone is fairly easy: 1. Disregard anyone who tells you to buy a cheap drone first "to learn on". That's a complete waste of money. 2. In the U.S., buy DJI or Autel. I have specimens of both and find that Autel is just a little behind the curve, but not by much. DJI typically has much, much better after sales support than Autel. 3. Spend as much as you are comfortable spending. Don't hold back. 4. You can get a brand-new DJI Mini 4K for about $300... but that won't have extra batteries or a remote control with a screen (you'll have to use a smart phone or a tablet as your screen). Even though the battery claim may be 40 minute flight per battery charge, you're really only going to get 20 to 30 minutes. Get at least 3 batteries with your purchase. Adding an RC with a screen to the this package will get you close to $1K, new. 5. DJI MIni (or Autel Nano, or any drone under 250 grams) will allow you to travel to more international destinations and fly legally. That small weight also helps limit fatigue or space for carrying. 6. If you do not plan to travel outside the US, no need to limit your drone to the less than 250 gram category. VERY generally speaking, the heavier, the less affected by winds. That is, a Mavic 3 Pro at nearly 900 grams will handle higher winds and will handle better in winds than a 249 gram mini. 7. Right now the best drone over 250 grams is probably the DJI Air3s. Others will have differing opinions with this and all of the above. 8. These are not exhaustive guidelines but will provide you a start. We haven't even begun to talk about the need for Remote ID capability, for example. 9. So many options, so little time. Enjoy!

Until you've flown a DJI...you haven't flown. Get a Mini. Any generation. That's where you start.

I ordered the eonvy air plus £159 and it took 2 weeks to arrive from China, It seems to fly ok but I cannot download an App for it so I can connect it to my android phone to view the cameras etc I cannot connect to the drones wifi and cannot find an app for the drone The site is a con been saying only 4 left for over 2 weeks the one touch return does not work or the obstacle avoidance Should have bought a DJi Mini

Start with a DJI Mini, you won’t regret it

Pay attention to weight class restrictions, especially with the mini. Usually standard batteries are fine but when you use the plus batteries it may put you over to a new weight class and require registration, classes and certification. Check your laws, especially if you're making money with the drones.

That camera will be really low quality, barely usable, and the range will be very short. And despite all the advertising, it will still be difficult to fly, so he’ll probably end up crashing it pretty quickly. I would recommend getting a really cheap indoor drown he can play around with without a camera you do t have to worry if he crashes, or a more expensive drone like a DJI Neo, which is actually kind of useful but you can’t control, or a DJI Mini which I would suggest supervising while he flies.

Your budget would not allow for a camera system with non digital zoom capabilities That said a DJI mini would provide everything else you are looking for. However with a quick google, Canada does require special licensure for flying a drone out side of visual line of sight. Mini's will give you a real time visual of what the drone sees either on the controller directly or on a phone connected to the controller, depending on controller model you get with the drone.

DJI mini "whatever is in the budget".

I’d pick the Avata 2 for close inspection (within inches), and with head tracking it’s easy to look up under the soffits or down a chimney. I was actually doing this yesterday with the Neo, could get right up to there with on the 3rd floor and look in, bumping not a problem because propeller guards. I looked at a previous valet patch repair closely, saw a couple shingles that are possibly starting to slide. Went up the roof, probably with a clearance of 3”, and after going over the peak went to the chimney and looked down. Bumped another part of the roof and it crashed in the box gutter, but luckily I could take off again. With DJI Care, replacement for the Neo is only $29, so I don’t have to worry much. (Avata would only cost $49, but I’ve already used 2/4, and would prefer to not be without it for a week.) If you don’t want to get close and are okay with being feet away, then a mini is probably okay. Propeller guards might be good for cases where there are nearby trees or cables. Here’s an example of getting close, with head tracking, and being able to look up or down, or turn your head while you fly past - https://youtu.be/D2ygkUlsemQ?si=kswV-c1XyN1lYi-h

Agree with posts , DJI is market leader at this time based on consumer models. After budget then the choice is camera or FPV model. If your budget is huge and camera focused then it’s the full sized mavic or Inspire models, however its more likely you want a 249g or less weight class to maximize convenience so a mini. I would recommend the refurbished DJI units regardless of budget then you can spend the savings on extra batteries and/or DJIcare (insurance replacement).