DJI’s latest drone is its lightest and smallest model ever. The foldable Mavic Mini weighs in at just 249 grams, and comes with a bunch of features designed to make drone flying and aerial photography fun and accessible to everyone, without skimping on quality. And it’s so small that you needn’t bother getting FAA registration for it, either.
The Mavic Mini boasts a maximum range of 4km, or roughly 2.5 miles, and promises up to 30 minutes of flight time, which is pretty impressive for a drone of this compact size. GPS receivers and downward visual sensors mean precise hovering and stable flying, and a 2.7k video at 30fps puts it ahead of the Mavic Spark, which topped out at FHD.
It doesn’t come with the obstacle avoidance features of some of DJI’s larger models, nor does it have quite as many options for Quickshots (pre-programmed flight maneuvers for cool photography), but that’s the pay-off for its trim, palm-of-your-hand sizing — plus it’s designed for fun, everyday use, not as an intense aerial imaging workhorse. As DJI president Roger Luo says, “Most importantly, it’s easy to fly, no matter your experience level with drones.”
he standard comes with the Mavic Mini, remote controller, one battery, extra propellers and all necessary tools and wires, and will cost you $399. Or there’s the Mavic Mini Fly More Combo, which includes all of the components from the standard version with the addition of a 360-degree propeller cage, two-way charging Hub, three batteries in total, three sets of extra propellers and a carrying case – this is priced at $499. Both will ship on November 11th.
The price point, weight, and ability to dodge FAA registration are sure to make the Mavic Mini look like a very attractive product for both first-time and experienced drone pilots. DJI still warns in the Mavic Mini press release that “drone pilots must always understand and follow local laws and regulations,” and it says its built-in safety features and educational tools will help keep new pilots from flying dangerously. But that, as they say, is still up in the air.
