DJI just turned the drone market on its head once again, meet the Mavic Mini. The Mavic Mini is the smallest, lightest & most importantly, most affordable consumer drone DJI has ever produced. At a small event in Brooklyn NY a couple of days ago, I got to get hands-on.
Tiny & Mighty
The Mavic Mini is smaller and lighter than you could imagine. Photos really don’t do the size justice. It is almost unbelievable, even after it is sitting in your hand. The Mini weighs in at 249 grams and is about a third the size of the already small Mavic Pro.
To make it small and light, DJI had to do away with many of the sensors that it has incorporated into its newest drones. No fancy obstacle avoidance, gestures, or follow me features are included in the Mavic Mini. While these are great features to have, I think they made the right call omitting them here. This drone is meant for a different market segment. It still has GPS based Geofencing and return-to-home so your drone probably won’t disappear.
What they did not skimp on was speed, maneuverability, or flight time. Even with is super small 2400mAh battery, this thing gets up to 30 minutes of flight time. This is in credit to just how light this thing is, the motors do not need to draw as much power to keep the Mini in the air. Smaller motors and blades mean that Mini is also really quiet. Probably quieter than any drone I have heard.
DJI was nice enough to let me fly the new Mini and it flew very similarly to its larger Mavic Pro sibling. It seems just as agile and being so small, I felt even more comfortable getting closer to things I wanted to shoot.
The remote is also new. It has the same familiar & comfortable design but it does not have a screen. This means you really should use your phone with the DJI fly app installed. It has a shorter range due to it using WiFi, not RF to communicate with the drone. It has a max range of 4km but keep in mind, other WiFi can interfere.
The Camera
Another of the areas DJI had to cut back on for cost & size was in the camera department. The Mavic Pro & the Mavic Air line can both shoot in 4K but the Mini is limited to 2.7K (2704 x 1520 pixels) at 30 fps. As they are marketing the Mavic Mini as an entry-level or every day “FlyCam”, I don’t see this as a bad thing. The 2.7K camera on the Mini seems to be doing pretty well from the early test footage I was able to grab on my flight and is plenty usable. It can also shoot in 1080P at 60 fps for fast motion shots and take 12 megapixel still photos.
The camera still has a 3 axis gimbal and made for very smooth video capture. Using the gimbal and software it is capable of a few of the cool Quickshot modes from the Mavic Pro. Rocket, Circle, Dronie, and Helix all made it onto the tiny drone to make it even more fun to fly.
Mini Drone = Tiny Price
The DJI Mavic Mini will is up for pre-order right now for $399. The official on-sale date is November 11th, just in time for the holidays. This price included the drone, controller, and a battery. You can also opt to grab the Fly More Combo when buying the drone. For $499 you get a case, 3 batteries, battery charger, 3 sets of propellers, and the 360deg prop guard. That seems like a legit deal. Oh, and if you do happen to crash and burn, DJI offers it’s Care Refresh program for the Mavic Mini. It is $39 each time you damage the drone for up to one year. You do need to recover the drone for this.
There are other accessories that will be up for preorder as well. These include a lanyard to carry you Mini around your neck and some sticker kits to customize your Mavic Mini.
Everything will be available from http://www.dji.com/mavic-mini as well as other retailers soon after.
Overall, I came away impressed with this new drone and think it will be in many stockings this holiday season. Once we get one to play within the house we will give our full review.
[Written by External Partner – Joey Riz]
Take To The Skies With Mavic Mini, DJI’s Lightest And Smallest Foldable Drone
The ultra-light Mavic Mini makes drone flight easier and safer than ever
October 30, 2019 – DJI, the global leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, today opens a new frontier in drone possibilities with the DJI Mavic Mini, an ultra-light folding drone designed to be the everyday FlyCam. Weighing just 249 grams, Mavic Mini is portable, easy to fly, designed for safety and perfect for everyone who wants to experience the fun of flying.
Mavic Mini builds on the technological innovations in DJI’s renowned series of folding Mavic drones, from the original Mavic Pro through Mavic Air and Mavic 2, to pack professional-quality drone features into the lightest possible frame. That puts Mavic Mini in the safest drone category, which in many areas exempts it from regulations that apply to other, heavier drones. Drone pilots must always understand and follow local laws and regulations.
Mavic Mini’s high-grade camera captures compelling footage in high definition, and its new DJI Fly app’s suite of creative features seamlessly transforms photos and videos into professional-quality productions. Its enhanced, stable flight performance provides more opportunities to explore using one of the longest flight times for a drone of its size. Users can unleash their imagination with Mavic Mini’s exciting accessories, including a DIY Creative Kit and a 360° Propeller Guard for added safety.
“To design a drone as lightweight, compact yet capable as Mavic Mini was one of the most challenging projects we’ve ever tackled at DJI,” said Roger Luo, President, DJI. “Distilling top-of-the-line features into a palm-of-your-hand drone is the culmination of years of work, and we are ecstatic to bring a new class of drone to the DJI lineup. Mavic Mini’s long flight time, ultra-light weight and high-quality camera makes it DJI’s everyday drone – and most importantly, it’s easy to fly, no matter your experience level with drones.”
Portable and Safe
Mavic Mini is the smallest and lightest DJI drone ever made, and is the perfect creative tool for life’s daily adventures, whether seeing your everyday world from a new perspective or capturing incredible views of your getaways with friends and family. Mavic Mini incorporates DJI’s renowned safety technology, including geofencing to help drone pilots avoid restricted areas; AeroScope remote identification to help protect sensitive locations; built-in altitude limits; and automatic return to the launch point if the drone loses connection to the controller or reaches critically low battery level.
Mavic Mini is the first DJI drone to weigh below 250 grams, which aviation regulators around the world consider to be safest category for drone flight. In many countries, drones below 250 grams are considered safe enough that they can be used in new and exciting ways. Users should consult their country’s drone laws and regulations to learn more about what they can do there with Mavic Mini.
An Optimal Flight Experience
Created to be the drone for everyone, even those new to drones, Mavic Mini is simple to operate and fly using the dedicated remote controller. The ultra-light design and high-grade motors provide Mavic Mini with up to 30 minutes of flight time, giving users with more time to explore and capture content. A Wi-Fi transmission signal[] delivers stable control and an HD live feed for a clear, confident flying experience. GPS receivers and downward visual sensors detect the ground below Mavic Mini, enabling precise hovering, stable flying and accurate landing both indoors and out.
Quality Content Captured with Ease
Mavic Mini offers pilots the ability to capture high-quality footage including 2.7K video at 30fps, 1080p at 60 frames per second, or 12-megapixel photographs using the 1/2.3-inch sensor. A three-axis motorized gimbal supports and stabilizes the camera, ensuring the footage is smooth and cinematic, making it perfect for sharing on social media.
Advanced Features Created to Inspire
The new DJI Fly app is intuitively designed, simplifying the flying and content capturing experience so that pilots of all skill levels can make the most of Mavic Mini. Dedicated tutorials are included to help new pilots learn about flying, and pre-set editing templates add a new level of creativity to the footage. New pilots can choose to fly in Position (P) mode for basic operation, more experienced pilots can unlock more capabilities in Sport (S) mode, and content creators can choose CineSmooth (C) mode to lengthen braking time for smoother shots and more cinematic footage. Pilots can also choose from several pre-programmed flight maneuvers known as QuickShots. Simply tap the desired mode and Mavic Mini will automatically create stunning, cinematic content:
- Rocket – Mavic Mini 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 feet.
- Circle – Mavic Mini will circle around your subject at a constant altitude and distance.
- Dronie – Mavic Mini flies backward and upward, with the camera tracking your subject. Set a height limit of 40, 60, 80, 100, or 120 feet.
- Helix – Mavic Mini flies upward and away, spiraling around your subject. Set a height limit of 40, 60, 80, 100, or 120 feet.
Get Creative with New Accessories
Exciting and unique accessories allows pilots to get the most out of their Mavic Mini. Customers can choose from options including:
- 360° Propeller Guard: Provides a 360° guard for added safety.
- Charging Base: Charge and display Mavic Mini with this unique, illuminated station.
- Propeller Holder: Travel easier with Mavic Mini with the propeller holder that locks the props into place.
- DIY Creative Kit: Personalize your Mavic Mini with custom stickers or draw your own design.
- Snap Adapter: Attach a toy building brick or a mini LED display to Mavic Mini to write custom messages.
- Mini Travel Bag: Bring Mavic Mini everywhere with the custom bag that fits Mavic Mini and the controller perfectly.
- Two Way Charging Hub: Charge up to three Mavic Mini batteries or use the charging hub as a power bank.
Detailed information on these accessories can be found here: www.dji.com/mavic-mini
Price and Availability
Mavic Mini will be available for pre-order beginning October 30 at store.dji.com, flagship stores and authorized retailers and partners. Mavic Mini will come in two purchase options, the standard version which includes Mavic Mini, remote controller, one battery , extra propellers and all necessary tools and wires for $399 USD. Or the Mavic Mini Fly More Combo which includes all of the components from the standard version with the addition of the 360° Propeller Cage, Two-Way charging Hub, three batteries in total, three sets of extra propellers and a carrying case for the price of $499 USD. Mavic Mini will begin shipping on November 11. Accessories for Mavic Mini will be available for pre-order beginning October 30. For additional information on both Mavic Mini and its accessories, please visit: www.dji.com/mavic-mini
DJI Care Refresh
DJI Care Refresh is now available for Mavic Mini. For an additional $39 USD. DJI Care Refresh offers comprehensive coverage as well as up to two replacement units within one year. Receive your replacement even sooner with DJI Care Refresh Express. DJI Care Refresh also includes VIP after-sales support and free two-way shipping. For a full list of details, please visit: https://www.dji.com/service/djicare-refresh
