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The most portable Mavic Minis consistently stays one of the most sought after drones on the market. Today, we take a look at the two most compact and advanced drones by the company – DJI Mini 2 and DJI Mini SE. Both of them have an impressive feature set for all their modest dimensions. You get 3-axis camera stabilization and high-quality shooting, creative quick shooting modes, and excellent battery life. The weight of the devices is 249 grams, which allows them to be used without registration in a number of countries.
Most countries have a weight limit for unmanned aerial vehicles that require registration. For example, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) classifies quadcopters weighing less than 250g as more like toys, and you can freely use them for flights without registration. At the same time, the DJI Mini 2 and DJI Mini SE models, although they do not have obstacle detection systems, still remain premium among fans of aerial photography and flying with drones. In this dji mini se review we will take alook at both mini models.
Dimensions and weight
Both drones weigh 249 grams, which allows them to be used freely and without registration in most countries. The devices have a foldable design and the same dimensions of 138 x 81 x 58 mm when folded, 159 x 203 x 56 mm when unfolded, respectively. The foldable shape and light weight make the drones portable and easy to use anywhere. Transportation is possible in a special case, box or simply with propeller holders in a bag or suitcase. Actually, it is the weight of the models that attracts the attention of most fans of aerial photography. It is a pleasure to use them on a hike or on a trip, besides, the technical capabilities allow you to shoot very high-quality photos and videos, which is doubly attractive and interesting.
DJI Mini SE is presented by the company as a training drone, which opens up another interesting possibility for users to use it. Built right into the DJI Fly app, the DJI Flight Academy offers instructions and tutorial videos on first flight, shooting, and useful tips on how to operate your quadcopter.
Camera
In this, perhaps, DJI Mini 2 and DJI Mini SE differ significantly. The camera of the first offers shooting in 4K resolution at 30 fps, there is a 4x digital zoom, which attracts professional cameramen and filmmakers. Photos as well as DJI Mini SE are possible in 12MP resolution, but besides JPEG format, DNG (RAW) is also available. This allows you to take high-quality photos, as well as store and transfer files in a more convenient format, depending on your needs.
DJI Mini SE is more like a complete analogue of Mavic Mini with the same video resolution of 2.7K at 30 fps and 12 MP still photography. There is a possibility of interval shooting with temporary settings from 2 seconds to 1 minute between shots.
Both cameras support 4x digital zoom at 1080p resolution. At the same resolution, shooting with DJI Mini 2 at a distance of up to 10 km is possible. This possibility is provided by the built-in OcuSync 2.0 signal transmission technology, which makes the drone truly advanced and more technically advanced.
Flight capabilities
The DJI Mini 2 offers a max speed of flight of 57.6 km/h, while the Mini SE has a maximum flight speed of 46.8 km/h. But the flight time difference is only one minute, and in this case no one wins. The DJI Mini SE has a flight time of 30 minutes, while the Mini 2 has 31 minutes. The DJI Mini 2’s maximum flight altitude is higher than that of the SE. These figures are 4000 and 3000, respectively. However, the “training drone” does not lag behind in wind resistance. It can withstand wind gusts up to 10.5 meters per second.
But in terms of flight range, the DJI Mini 2 leads by a wide margin. OcuSync 2.0 technology allows you to use a drone and even shoot in Full HD resolution at a maximum distance of 10 km. The DJI Mini SE only supports transmission up to 4 kilometers and in HD (720p) resolution. A stable signal without interference is provided by a dual-frequency 2.4 / 5.8 GHz system. That is, in the event of a bad signal on one frequency, the drone can automatically switch to another, which ensures that you do not drop or break your device as a result of a signal failure.
Safety system
Even the first Mavic Mini was equipped with a special function that controls the flight and provides assistance in controlling the drone. For example, you won’t be able to test your drone’s endurance by flying it farther than the device’s specifications. In this case, the Return To Home system will be activated, which will return your aircraft to the take-off site. This same feature offers a safe landing in the event of a complete loss of signal or a dead battery. In the settings, you can set the desired parameter at which the unmanned aerial vehicle will return to you.
Both drones also support auto takeoff and hover. In the first case, you do not have to manually start your quadcopter. In the event of a hover, you have time to get used to the height, find the best angle or set the desired parameters.
Control
The DJI Mini SE remote control is no different from the first Mavic Mini, but has one special feature. Who knows, one of the main problems of the first Mini users called an unreliable connection with the remote control. According to the manufacturer, this problem has been fixed, and the connection is now much better and more stable.
But the DJI Mini 2 remote control has been completely updated. Now it looks more like a DJI Mavic Air 2 remote control. The remote has become larger, has smoother shapes, and the phone mounts have been moved to the top instead of the bottom, like the Mini SE. It has also been equipped with a Return to Home button, which is especially handy when you need to return the drone immediately.
The small Fn button in the upper left corner next to the joystick turns on the extra light, which provides illumination when taking off and landing in poorly lit areas. In the upper right corner there is a button for switching between photo and video modes.
In addition to the remote control, quadcopters can be controlled using the DJI Fly app for smartphones and tablets. It is simple and intuitive, it is very convenient to use it. The main screen displays the camera view and all the main data of the drone at the current moment. With the app, you can also set up flight and shooting modes, start and stop recording, and view footage.
What to choose?
DJI Mini SE and DJI Mini 2 are similar, yet they are so different. These two 249g portable drones offer a stable half-hour flight and good wind resistance. The Mini 2’s camera is capable of shooting in 4K resolution, giving more options to cameramen who shoot quality scenes and are looking for a variety of content. It is also equipped with OcuSync 2.0 signal transmission technology, which allows the drone to fly and shoot at a maximum distance of up to 10 kilometers. This is especially true for landscape photographers.
The DJI Mini SE is limited to shooting at 2.7K, but as the operators say, if you don’t know how to shoot, 8K will seem unattainable to you. Although, of course, the shooting quality is lower, but it is quite suitable for those who like to shoot themselves and their surroundings for publication on YouTube and Instagram. The drone is perfect for first use and flight training. With this model, you can try yourself and the sky to see if you like it and want to keep flying. And if so, it makes sense to consider more advanced professional models.