Is the DJI Mini 2 SE Value It? – Droneblog

Measurement & Weight

One in every of the greatest attracts to the Mini line of DJI drones is that they fall beneath 250g. The Mini 2 SE is not any exception, weighing in at 246g.

In some nations, there are drone rules that stipulate the scale and weight a drone should be for hobbyists to make use of recreationally.

In others, having a sub-250g drone means the drone doesn’t must be registered, as is the case right here in the US.

Many in the US don’t wish to register their drones out of privateness considerations, not eager to pay further cash for the drone (FAA registration charges), or for concern of getting their drones tracked (see Privateness Considerations).

These are all legitimate causes and the Mini 2 SEs weight ensures that the drone doesn’t should be registered in the US if used just for leisure functions.

» MORE: Do I Must Register My Drone? (And How you can do It)

The Mini 2 SE having such a small footprint allows it to get into tighter areas to raised line up the proper shot.

That is best for these eager to get pictures and movies from a barely totally different perspective than the norm.

Distant Controller

One other beauty of the Mini 2 SE is that it ditches the stripped-down model of the unique Mavic Airs distant controller that the Mavic Mini and Mini SE used and changed it with the RC-N1 distant controller.

The RC-N1 is identical distant controller choice the Mavic 3, Mavic Air 2, Air 2S, and Mini 2, 3, and Mini 3 Professional strains use.

Having this sort of controller makes the Mini 2 SE really feel much less like a toy and extra like a part of a a lot bigger household.

Due to this, if somebody already owns a kind of drones and is utilizing the RC-N1, they’ll go away the Mini 2 SE’s RC at house and join it to the identical controller their different drones are utilizing.

For many who haven’t flown a DJI drone with the tried and true RC-N1 controller, it’s a strong, albeit rectangular controller that feels very comfy, because of rubberized grips on the again that match within the hand comfortably.

In contrast to the earlier Mini SE and Mavic Mini controller, the RC-N1 has no elements of the controller that must be unfolded to carry onto a smartphone, in a clumsy place at that.

Moreover, the RC-N1 doesn’t have folding antennas that should be flipped up and going through the proper technique to work correctly.

As an alternative, there’s a dual-purpose antenna and smartphone mount on the RC-N1 that slide up from the inside of the distant controller.

A couple of neat options of the RC-N1 controller are on the face of the distant.

The primary of those is the flight mode swap. This swap lets you put the Mini 2 SE within the slower, Cinematic or Cine mode (C), Regular flight mode (N), and even Sport mode (S).

One other characteristic the RC-N1 has, that may come in useful to new flyers from a security standpoint, is the RTH (return to house) button.

After establishing the correct return-to-home parameters within the DJI Dly app, similar to top, the Mini 2 SE will return to house on the press of a button on the face of the RC-N1.

» MORE: DJI Mini 2 SE Controller (All You Must Know)

Flight Software program (DJI Fly)

One of many many advantages of flying the Mini 2 SE is DJI’s DJI Fly app. Utilizing a comparatively cheap drone doesn’t imply you must undergo with stripped-down flight software program.

Utilizing the DJI Fly app means you get to expertise the Mini 2 SE because it was meant to be.

The DJI Fly app lets you simply change the entire Mini 2 SE’s digital camera settings from one easy-to-access on-screen location, with out having to scroll by means of tabs and tabs of configurations and settings.

In case you are aware of the DJI Fly app, use it recurrently for different drones, and occur to note choices lacking when flying the Mini 2 SE it is because the Mini 2 SE doesn’t have these capabilities accessible.

For example, Energetic Observe capabilities instantly come to thoughts. Extra on this later.

» MORE: DJI Fly App for Android (Learn This Earlier than Downloading)

Clever Flight Modes

Though not geared up with imaginative and prescient sensors, the Mini 2 SE can carry out a number of automated flight modes, within the type of QuickShots:

• Helix
• Dronie
• Rocket
• Circle
• Boomerang

Along with these QuickShots, the Mini 2 SE also can carry out picture-specific automated Panorama modes, similar to:

• Sphere
• Broad Angle
• 180-Diploma

Video Transmission System

Beforehand, the extra cheap Mini collection of drones (Mavic Mini and Mini SE) used an enhanced WiFi-based transmission system.

At greatest, you could possibly get a 4k or 2.48 miles transmission distance. Nonetheless, utilizing a WiFi transmission sign can be stricken by intruding sign interference.

This interference can and can trigger disconnects between the RC and drone, presumably leading to misplaced drones if the RTH (return to house) settings weren’t applied prior.

The Mini 2 SE makes use of the upgraded DJI OccuSync 2.0 system which supplies a stronger sign and is susceptible to much less interference for as much as a distance of 6.2 miles (10km).

Arguably, nobody is legally flying their drone out 6 miles right here in the US.

Nonetheless, if flying the Mini 2 SE in congested areas, similar to in city areas, that 6-mile transmission sign can be stronger, guaranteeing a extra constant expertise between the distant controller and drone.

Why select one thing else?

We talked about numerous constructive issues the Mini 2 SE has going for it similar to the value, flight expertise, distant controller, and flight software program, nonetheless, there are fairly a number of issues which are unfavorable which could push potential patrons to look elsewhere.

Digital camera

The 1/2.3-inch CMOS digital camera does take very good 12 Mp photographs in both JPG or RAW. In all honesty, 12 Mp is the same as what many smartphone cameras, together with the iPhone 13, can shoot.

Nonetheless, there are DJI Mini drones that shoot as much as 48 Mp photographs, which look glorious.

The primary subject of low digital camera specs is definitely extra obvious on the video finish.

Because it stands, 4k is the usual many are on the lookout for when taking pictures video. 4k at 60 fps is extra exactly what many drone house owners search for.

The Mini 2 SE shoots video at a most of two.7k 30 fps. This implies no 4k slow-motion footage.

Likewise, the Mini 2 SE doesn’t have a 10-bit shade profile just like the D-Cinelike discovered within the Mini 3 Professional.

Because of this if you’re eager to have the pliability to completely management the colour output of the Mini 2 SE in post-production, that’s not an choice.

Battery Life

The marketed flight time of the Mini 2 SE is 31 minutes. In relation to drone batteries, the utmost marketed flight time is often a bit lower than the precise flight instances hobbyists will get with their drones.

With the Mini 2 SE, when you have been to fly the battery all the way down to 25% and land, as is often really helpful, you could possibly get round 23 minutes of flight time.

Considering outdoors climate components, like not flying in a vacuum like within the testing amenities, you might be speaking extra realistically 20 minutes of flight time.

There are different DJI fashions of Mini drones that may get a most of 51 minutes (all whereas going over the 250g threshold) or 38 minutes with a battery that retains that mannequin of Mini beneath the 250g mark.

Moreover, there are non-DJI mini drones with the identical battery life because the Mini 2 SE, which additionally embody 2 further batteries, at a lower cost level.

If battery life is a significant concern, then there are certainly different choices accessible.

» MORE: Potensic Atom SE Drone Evaluation

Impediment Avoidance

Proper now plainly impediment avoidance is an enormous deal for a lot of. So many ads and movies stress a drone’s having 2-way, tri, 4-way, or omnidirectional impediment sensing.

Impediment avoidance is certainly factor to have, because it makes flying a drone that a lot safer. That is particularly a characteristic these new to flying drones might search for.

With the impediment avoidance sensors in newer, dearer DJI drones comes the APAS system, or Superior Pilot Assitance System which, when the sensors are activated, will both trigger the drone to brake or bypass an impediment within the drone’s path.

Along with the security facet, DJI drones with a number of obstacle-sensing choices allow them to carry out the extremely sought-after and closely publicized Focus Observe modes:

• Energetic Observe
• Highlight
• POI (Focal point)

Impediment avoidance is critical to carry out these modes, as they’re autonomous flight paths that may both comply with a shifting topic or circle them whereas filming.

With out sensors, the drone might crash into quite a lot of stationary objects whereas flying.

Single Distant Controller Possibility

Whereas the a lot liked RC-N1 distant controller is a wonderful controller, one used on fairly a number of of DJI’s drones, it’s the solely controller the Mini 2 SE might be managed by.

While you take a look at the Mini 3 and Mini 3 Professional, they’re able to totally use, not solely the RC-N1 but additionally the brand new, built-in display, DJI RC.

The DJI RC is a wonderful controller in that, along with having an built-in 5.5″ display, that display is 700 nits of continuous brightness.

Because of this, in contrast to cellphones, the display by no means auto dims, no matter how vivid or sizzling it might be outside.

Along with the DJI RC, the Mini 3 Professional also can use the upper priced skilled grade distant controller, the DJI RC Professional, which has many extra added options and acts as an entire Android good system.

» MORE: DJI RC vs DJI RC-N1 (All You Must Know)

Lack of Fast Switch

Fast Switch lets you wirelessly switch the content material from a DJI drone’s SD card to a smartphone or pill at a excessive fee of velocity, with out having to energy on the controller.

The know-how used within the Fast Switch system additionally allows LightCut (a DJI-recommended video modifying app) to edit the video content material in DJI drones and motion cameras, with out having to both join them to a pc or take away the SD playing cards and join these to a pc.

The Mini 2 SE presently doesn’t have the Fast Switch operate neither is it supported within the LightCut video modifying app.