Windy days have grounded my drone. So time for a little review of the DJI Mavic Mini:
I never expected to buy a drone. Too expensive. Too bulky. And too scary… what if I crashed it? But I love taking pictures of the lighthouses, beaches, coastal views, vineyards that we are exploring in Michigan. And along came the Mavic Mini.
I bought the “fly more” combo. For a little more money, it came with three batteries instead of one, a charger, some other little add ons including this nifty travel case. The Mini is priced at $399/$499. It has been the worldwide top seller over the last several months. An iPhone is next to the case picture to give it scale.
Inside the case, the drone, charger, 3 batteries and controller all nestled in. If you put an iPhone on top of the folded drone… it disappears. It is that small… will almost fit in a pocket.
The drone, unfolds and looks thus:
The DJI Mavic Mini, with battery installed, weighs only 249 grams. Which means you don’t have to register with the FAA. You do, however, still need to follow all the rules. I put a little (ugly) strobe light on mine so it would be visible in the dusk and at night. This puts it over 250 grams. Thus, I registered with the FAA… a whopping $5 charge done online. The 250 gram weight limit is much more important in other countries. Like Canada, where flying a drone over 250 grams requires a very cumbersome license. The study guide to earn the Canadian certification was 320 pages!
Where to fly and where not to:
In the US, the rules are fairly simple and common sense. You can fly it most places. Over private property, public parks, etc.
Don’t fly:
- In National parks… illegal to take off from National park land
- Over people… not allowed… safety… so don’t even think about flying it over a crowded beach… must stay away from sporting events, etc
- Over moving cars… not allowed…safety as well… and no, not over moving boats either
- Over busy roads… because of safety again
- Out of your line of site… see your drone in the sky… and the Mini is tiny… a strobe helps
- Railroads… national security bans flights over thousands of miles of rail, but they don’t say which ones… so just avoid rail tracks
- Near any emergency situation… illegal… and this is where you could actually kill someone with a tiny drone. Hear sirens and want to check it out? What if a life flight helicopter was trying to land. Your drone could delay a copter from landing
- Near airports … DJI software will not allow you to take off in certain zones, will warn you about height restrictions in others
- Low near houses… just rude… and privacy. If you are inspecting your roof… warn your neighbors in advance
- Low near people… you can’t fly over people, but don’t fly near them where you are a distraction. The mini is quiet, but would still be a little annoying if 50 feet away
- Near manned aircraft. Hear a helicopter? Bring your drone down.
All this is pretty much basic common sense. But read the published rules if you buy a drone. It is not difficult.
Oh, can I fly at night or sunsets?
Actually, yes. If you are not flying as a commercial pilot. If you are being paid, in any way, you are flying commercial. And you need a license! And permission to fly at night. Which is sometimes very difficult to get approval. Even if you are just posting on youtube and getting a few cents for it. You are technically commercial. (Thus my blog is always free… and any photos or videos are free to use).
So, if you are strictly a hobbiest, you can fly at night. But remember, you must be able to see your drone… thus the strobe(s). Thirty minutes before and after sunset… also use the strobe.
Mavic Mini thoughts…
Is it fun?
Oh yes! A bit scary at first. My first couple flights were short. Up, around an empty field and down. But the controls are intuitive. Easy for a beginner (like me) to pick up. Flying over water still worries me. I paid an extra $36 for insurance from DJI. If I crash it into a tree, I send it in and the send me a new one. But, if I lose it over water… I would have nothing to send in for replacement.
After about my 3rd flight it became a lot of fun. The controls are great. The control connects to your iPhone so you fly by first person watching thru the screen. Just like a video game. But real, you feel as if you are up there with your drone. Sport mode allows it to fly up to 25 mph… pretty zippy. Standard mode I use a lot. Still pretty fast. Cinematic mode gives you those slow steady pans of scenes. And it stops almost on a dime. Release the joystick and it stops. Hovers and holds position very well.
How long can you fly on one battery?
DJI advertises an incredible 30 minutes. But a little less in real life… maybe 23-25 minutes. Less in cold weather. The batteries hate the cold. But 20+ minutes is amazing. And with three batteries, I have yet to use them all.
How high can you fly?
In the US, you are limited to 400 feet. Plenty high. Some special rules allow you to go higher around tall structures, but not relevant for normal use. The Mavic Mini can fly higher. Much, much higher. But don’t.
How far can it fly?
Amazingly far. It is rated to fly 2.5 miles away… and return. It flies over WiFi… from your controller to the drone, and back. Fantastic distance to be able to keep a WiFi signal. In a city, you will be more limited from interference. But out in the country, or over the lake… it can go that far without losing the signal. Actually even further… but remember, you need to get back home. The battery life becomes a limiter.
But there is one more limiter. Remember, you are required to be able to see your drone. With your normal eyes, not binoculars. This drone is tiny. Even with a strobe you would be hard pressed to push the distance to 2.5 miles.
What if I lose connection
Return to home is your friend! Your drone will automatically return to you. Assuming you have the remaining battery life. Assuming return to home was set. And assuming you set the RTH height properly. Return to home has to be high enough to avoid trees or buildings, but not so high it gets caught up in higher wind speeds above.
How are the video and photos
Surprisingly good and great for beginners. Some people have complained about it not being 4K video. It could be, but DJI has software limiting it to 2.7K. Other limitations with camera controls may also be relaxed in the future. Overall, the reviews are very strong for the camera and excellent for the 3 axis gimbal. Smooth, smooth video even in a gusty breeze.
What about the wind?
For such a tiny drone, it does very well. It fights strongly against a stiff breeze and handles gusts well. But remember the mini’s top speed is in the upper 20’s mph. It is rated by DJI for 18 miles per hour. But, winds beyond that and the Mavic Mini can “fly away”… more accurately be carried away by the wind.
It also matters not what the wind is at ground level. What matters is wind speed at the altitude the drone is flying. Normally, the higher you are, the more wind. A great app to use ifUAV Forecast. Giving you current and forecasted wind speeds at various altitudes.
A good rule is to fly into the wind going out, and then come back with the wind. So an iffy east wind can be a problem over Lake Michigan from our shores.
Wrapping it up
The DJI Mavic Mini is an incredible technological achievement. A tiny 249 gram drone that you can take anywhere. Watch the multitude of youtube videos. So many fans of this drone… including me.
Really interesting! My first lesson on drones, and I love it!