DJI - Mavic Mini

None! Don’t sell! Still have my sparks, mini mavics, mini 2, all the way to current. And they still all fly great! And better than most “updated” non name brand drones available today. *Not Financial Advice

man i started with a mavic air 2 which was pretty wonderful, but family and life got in the way and sold it, got a mavic mini (the original) like a month ago with the fly more package for like $190. It's older but still produces plenty of great shots for kayaking and cycling videos. I'd imagine today's have amazing video but even one that is 5 years old still does amazing footage when compared to a lot of other drone brands around the same $250-300 threshold

I strongly disagree I flew my 4 pro into the water. I didn't deserve it at that time. Shouldn't have upgraded from my Mavic mini

Nah, dji is fucking ruthless compared to most companies. The Mini 3 pro vs the mini 4 pro. I've seen so many disgruntled people posting a year after the 3 pro came out, because the 4 pro was just so much better. Don't get me started on the og mini **I can't get a replacement drone for** - I have 5 batteries and everything needed for the og, but can't get a drone.

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.)

Stewart & Alina tested out the Mini 3 Pro in some really nasty winds and it coped surprisingly well. No way I'd risk *my* drone like they did, but I'm not as good a pilot as Stewart. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3nOB8Pr4Hg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3nOB8Pr4Hg) I've got the original Mavic Mini as well as a Mini 3 Pro. The Mavic Mini does not to well in wind. I've heard the Neo is similar in not handling winds very well, but can't confirm personally. [https://skykam.co.uk/dji-neo-wind-resistance/](https://skykam.co.uk/dji-neo-wind-resistance/)

Damn, Im impressed with what they seem to be able to pack in at these weights. Last mini series drone I had was the original, though Ive flown a 2 a few times. Both felt kind of like flimsy toys, despite the decent capabilities they had. These are physically larger and pack more actual hardware in, dont really get how its possible.

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.

It really depends on your **rates** and **specialties**, since cinematic FPV fly-throughs and aerial videography/photography give very different looks. Either way, it’s going to be a bit pricey, especially in the U.S. now with the new tariffs in effect (as of May 1st). The **Avata 2** is solid but honestly a bit too big for tight fly-throughs. The **Avata 1** is a better size, but if you’re serious about fly-throughs, I’d suggest looking into a **Cinewhoop** — something like a 2", 3.5", micro, or tiny whoop with an O3 or O4 unit. You can pull off cool, unique shots that ground cameras just can’t match. Just a heads-up though: it’s an expensive hobby. You’ll need the right gear, and I really recommend practicing acro mode on a simulator before flying a real Cinewhoop. Crashes happen, and repairs can add up fast. For aerial photography, the **Mini series** is a good place to start — I started with the first-gen Mini myself and later moved up to the **Mavic 3** when my work picked up. And of course, make sure you’re following the local rules and regs if you’re planning to do any commercial projects!

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.

Thanks for the mention. Thanks for being patient with my slow response. My best advice is to get some version of the DJI Mavic Mini. [https://www.dji.com/products/camera-drones#mini-series](https://www.dji.com/products/camera-drones#mini-series) They are super easy to fly. They weigh under 250 grams, so there is no requirement to register them with the FAA. You can usually find them at Costco for a good price. DJI also has good refurbished prices. The biggest obstacle to filming tournaments is battery life. Batteries are expensive, and they take a long time to charge. When I film tournaments I come with 10+ batteries (which cost significantly more $$ than the drone itself) + a battery pack to keep the controller charged. Also keep in mind that many sports complexes are near airports due to land use zoning. So it's important to get familiar with FAA regulations, and get comfortable using Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) [https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting\_started/laanc](https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/laanc) LAANC apps provide good up-to-date information about controlled airspace and current conditions. As well as easy access to phone numbers of nearby air traffic control towers that you might need to contact for approval. I film from an altitude of 10 meters, at a downward angle of 18 degrees. I film in 4k @ 60fps. My goal is to keep all 14 players in frame, but when something exciting happens, I usually follow the action at the expense of losing sight of some active players. Other drone operators balance this differently. Those are my initial thoughts!

I would return that. You want something with a 3 axis gimbal. The WiFi transmission will suck as well. If you’re stuck at this price range search for a used Mavic mini 1 or 2. You might get lucky.

Get a DJI drone. A ‘mavic min’ is in your price range from JB Hifi. If he loves it- he can upgrade from there. Resale market is not bad for DJI stuff.

I work for DJI ... Neo or any of the Mavic Minis

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.

So, not saying this to rub it in or anything. But I ordered a refurb mini dji drone from dji in Canada, had it delivered to shipbymail, and they forwarded it to me in the US. I did not pay anything extra to pick it up beyond what ship by mail charged for their service. I am pretty shocked.

i bought a dji mavic mini 1 a few weeks ago for 100€. just the basic features, but i like it as a first drone. it’s cheap on the used market, so if i crash it it’s not a big deal. i’m planning to buy a better one later.

I’m planning on purchasing the Mavic 4 Pro next month out of country. I’ve done my research and understand all of the current issues with DJI refresh. I’m retired and travel abroad as much as possible. This purchase would be my third DJI drone. I have the original Mavic mini and a Neo. You should be fine using the Mini 4 Pro. I plan to purchase one before the end of the year. I truly believe that the U.S. government will officially issue a ban on all new Chinese made drones at the beginning of next year.

Technically, the cheapest way is to get a 2nd-hand autel with built in mapping. The way I did it early on was a mavic mini (mini 4k works just as well) and Dronelink permanent license for their mapping feature. (Check their compatibility guide first). 70% overlap/sidelap is good enough for most things, but if there's not great contrast in the basin then I'd recommend 80% or 85%. Process with WebODM installed from github through the CLI (Free) or pay for the windows installer (60$ last I checked) Altogether maybe $300-$400 if you can get the Mini 4k on sale or 2nd hand

Mini 4k is the "Mini 2 v2". Mini 2 SDK works just fine

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

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.

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.

It depends where you are coming from. Own three DJI drones which each have a unique purpose. If had none, would probably decide between the Flip and Mini. But for those who already have a DJI there’s no real selling point to get this

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

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

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.

The DJI Mini series of drones really blurs the line between toy and hobby grade. The big difference, as with ordinary cameras, is the size of the senor it uses for capturing images. The smaller drones use something akin to the sensor in a middle of the road mobile phone. Phones can take pretty good image these days, coupled with the unique aerial view means those drones can take nice looking images, certainly good enough for social media. The bigger drones have bigger sensors and shot in RAW modes that allow for a lot of post processing to get really good looking images suitable for printing. But there's extra work involved in getting the best out of those images/video. If your not already shooting RAW and LOG with a dedicated camera you probably won't be able to appreciate the difference those features bring.

Performance wise the mini is practically on par with the bigger drones. But it's camera just isn't good enough for anyone into image quality. I've made the switch from mini 2, to Mavic pro 3.

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