It’s been just 12 months since DJI released the Mavic Mini Drone and the company is following it up with the all-new and improved Mini 2 (they took out the Mavic because why not) and if you’re a drone enthusiast or looking to get into aerial photography like me, then this is a perfect first drone option.
The new Mini 2 maintains the same physical dimensions as the original Mini, keeping its weight just under 250 grams (249g to be exact) so you can fly without registering (I’m unsure if that law applies in Nigeria). Hardware-wise, nothing much has changed as the drone still uses the same camera that offers a 24mm field of view with a fixed aperture of f/2.8. The drone’s motors have also been upgraded to move faster and resist winds of up to 24 miles per hour. Moving to the software capabilities of the drone is where there’s been tuned up so that it offers more whilst staying compact.
First up is the ability to capture RAW images alongside your JPEG files (the original Mini could only shoot JPEG). This opens the images shot to a lot more possibilities in post-production in terms of colour and exposure correction. On the video side of things, the drone has been upgraded to shoot 4K at 30 frames per second compared to the 2.7K/30fps on the Mini. As for connectivity, the Mini 2 uses DJI’s OcuSync 2.0 to sync the drone with the controller which in turn offers better video sync and connectivity over long distances of up to 10 kilometers.
The drone offers some shooting quick modes, some of which include:
- Dronie: The drone flies backward and upward, with the camera tracking your subject. Set a height limit of 40, 60, 80, 100, or 120 ft.
- Helix: The drone flies upward and away, spiraling around your subject. Set a height limit of 40, 60, 80, 100, or 120 ft.
- Rocket: The drone flies straight up into the air with the camera pointing downward following your subject. Set a height limit of 40, 60, 80, 100, or 120 ft.
- Circle: The drone will circle around your subject at a constant altitude and distance.
- Boomerang: The drone flies a boomerang-like oval flight path around your subject, starting and stopping video in the same place.
Below are some images of the new Mini 2:
The DJI Mini 2 is currently available and costs $449 while the Fly More bundle (three batteries, a charging hub, and a carrying case) goes for $599.
