I got a great gift: DJI Mini 2 SE – It’s time to write a review
There is a saying: Don’t question the value of a gift. What does it mean? If you’re interested in that saying check a dictionary. If not, continue reading this DJI Mini 2 SE review. I’ve been using this drone for a few months now, and it is time to write a short review. Furthermore, I’ll show you some of my recordings uploaded on my YouTube channel. Before I start reviewing this drone you can see my recording progress. This is the first and only drone I currently use. This is important to say because of the video quality. There is much more room to improve, and that is my own improvement, not the drone capabilities.
I received this drone as a gift
Even though I received the DJI Mini 2 SE as a gift, I will make a fair and honest review. At this point, I can do a spoiler and tell you that it is a great drone. However, it is the only drone I’ve used, meaning it won’t be a first choice for someone who is more into this. I’ll write my own impression and detailed analysis of this model. Let’s find out, how good or bad is DJI Mini 2 SE drone is.
If you’re looking for an entry-level professional drone, this could be your choice. If not, read something else on this site.
DJI Mini 2 SE Review
First of all, I don’t have experience flying any other drone than DJI Mini 2 SE. Keep this in mind while reading my review. DJI is a well-known drone manufacturer and there is no need to explain the brand itself. On the other hand, DJI offers many drone models, starting with a price tag from $300 to up to a few thousand dollars. DJI Mini 2 SE, as I wrote before comes as an entry-level model, and you can find it for around $300.
There you can choose between a drone with a single battery pack and a Fly More Combo.
My personal option is the Fly More Combo. Later on, you’ll find out why I prefer that option.
Price And Packages With Extra Gear
One of the most wanted packages, when it comes to purchasing DJI Mini 2 SE is Fly More Combo Kit. That is the model I got, and I’ll write more about it.
What does Fly More Combo actually give you? Well, this is a great extra gear that helps you fly more. It means you’ll get a charger for 3 DJI batteries, and 3 DJI batteries in the package. Each battery gives you around 30 minutes of flight. 3 x 30 minutes gives you a lot of time to make great videos and to shoot some great photos as well. For me, it is a great extension and it helps me a lot while recording. I’m not limited with time, worrying about how to capture the perfect scene. With 3 batteries fully charged, I’m totally relaxed and focused on flying and I actually enjoy flying. Once the battery shows empty, I just remove that one and replace it with a second battery, that is fully charged. With one hour and a half, believe me, you can make plenty of great scenes and photo shoots.
Furthermore, the DJI charger gives you the option to recharge your smartphone or tablet device as well. With 3 batteries inside the DJI charger, you can easily connect your device using a USB Type-C cable and recharge your smartphone or tablet device. I haven’t used this feature, but it can be handy for many other people out there.
Before going to another subheading, I want to note that I found Fly More Combo very useful. Keep this in mind if you’re looking to buy a DJI Mini 2 SE.
DJI Mini 2 SE – The Drone Itself
What to say about the DJI drone? Well, the drone is lightweight but full of smart features. It is made mostly of plastic, but with high-quality brushless motors and some smart electronics inside. I don’t want to forget the gimbal and camera. These shall get some extra space on this post later on.
I won’t write about specifications. You can find them on an official site. What I want to write about is how this drone feels in hands, in the air, and how it performs while flying.
The drone isn’t fragile. However, you need to be careful while preparing it for a flight. Don’t rush, and be careful while preparing your drone for a flight. This especially applies to a gimbal, because it can be sensitive.
Besides a gimbal, you need to be careful while stretching the arms, and propelers in a free-flight position. Other than that, the drone is free to go. It will fly and take care of itself. How is that possible you wonder? Well, here are all the smart features that the DJI Mini 2 SE has.
DJI Mini 2 SE uses smart software paired with sensors. It means it can stay in the air, no matter the wind or other distractions. This drone stays in place till you give it the order to fly in any direction. Moreover, it has a Geofencing built-in. This technology helps you stay out of trouble. If you get close to the airport, Geofence triggers and lets you know that it is time to return your drone. Not only that, the drone knows when it navigates over a populated area (City, village…). It can ask you to confirm your acknowledgment of that, sending an SMS code, or some other kind of confirmation.
Some people don’t like the Geofence. I personally like this feature. It gives me warnings if I go where I shouldn’t.
Return To Home (RTH)
DJI Software, together with its hardware (GPS, altimeter, and maybe some other sensors) has this great feature to bring your drone back to its starting point. How does it work?
Well, before you can take off, the drone finds a GPS signal and marks its take-off point on the map. It is called Return To Home point.
In case there is a need to come back (for any reason), the drone knows where to go. Moreover, users can input some parameters, and the most common is the drone’s come-back altitude. Depending on the terrain, and other factors, before flying your drone, make sure to set its RTH altitude. RTH triggers when a battery is low, or when the drone loses signal to its remote controller. DJI Mini 2 SE gives a user the option to manually activate RTH via remote if necessary.
DJI Mini 2 SE Stays Steady In The Air
I believe other high-quality drones behave similarly. However, I want to highlight how steady the DJI Mini 2 SE actually is.
The gimbal works flawlessly. Pictures and videos are steady without any interruptions.
Even if you flying on a windy day, your scenes will be steady. Just make sure to calibrate the drone and gimbal before flying.
There is no need to calibrate either one each time you start your drone. The remote controller app will let you know if calibration is necessary. Moreover, DJI drone won’t take off, if there is obstruction of any kind.
Before it can take off, the drone needs to catch a GPS signal, it has to be calibrated, and if the gimbal isn’t calibrated you’ll get a message to do so.
With a 38kph (Level-5) Wind Resistance, advertised on the official DJI webpages, this drone stays steady in the air without any trouble. I was flying multiple times when there were windy, and I didn’t feel any distraction because of it. It is easy to fly and operate. Once the drone is in the air, and the wind occurs, you’ll get a notification on the remote (smartphone screen). The drone cancels the wind by itself, and all you need to do is enjoy flying. Furthermore, the gimbal cancels all the lunges while the drone is in the air.
DJI Mini 2 SE Battery Consumption
With a Fly More Combo, you’ll get 3 DJI Mini 2 SE batteries to use. Personally, I find this as a great purchase. With 3 batteries in a pack, you can go and fly wherever you want. This package gives you 3x recording time. While writing this DJI Mini 2 SE review, I have to single out the battery pack and explain how these batteries operate. Before going any further, these are intelligent batteries.
A fully charged battery gives you 20-30 minutes of flying. It all depends on how you fly, the weather conditions, and the flying mode you choose. I’m satisfied with the batteries and flight duration. These are advertised for up to 31 minutes of flying. However, that’s the flying time in perfect conditions. In real flying conditions, battery life goes from 20 minutes to up to 30 minutes.
What does it mean? Intelligent batteries are designed to provide more flying time and to self-preserve. When not in use, and when kept out of HUB, batteries shall empty gradually.
NOTE: When not in use, batteries should be kept out of HUB. Take the battery from the drone also. Intelligent technology is designed to prevent any damage to the batteries.
Take a look at this video, and find out how battery discharge operates.
DJI Mini 2 SE Remote Controller (RC-N1)
Once the DJI Mini 2 SE review has been done, it is time to write a few words about its remote controller. Although I like this remote, one thing bothers me. Before going to that point, I’ll make a quick review based on a DJI Mini 2 SE remote controller.
DJI Mini 2 SE remote controller (DJI RC-N1) build quality stands out. In my own opinion, this remote controller is made of high-quality materials. Technical specifications follow a trend, and I can’t see any major disadvantage. The remote controller gives you a nice feel in your hands.
The grip is awesome, especially if you consider using a heavy smartphone on top. No matter what smartphone you’re using, the remote controller stays in your hands with ease.
The remote controller weight is something you don’t need to bother with. Smartphone weight is another thing. That is the thing that bothers me. As I wrote at the beginning of this chapter, one thing that bothers me is the fact this drone remote controller doesn’t have its own display.
Above all, DJI Mini 2 SE can’t be paired with a DJI remote controller other than RC-N1. It means that an upgrade isn’t an option. If there is one thing I would buy to upgrade the DJI Mini 2 SE, I would go with DJI RC. Before flying, while preparing the drone, a big hassle for me is smartphone setup. Maybe because I use my everyday smartphone, but once it is connected to the remote controller, I feel like I miss something. Therefore, I can’t take photos of my drone flying, I can’t answer calls or any other messages. For all these reasons I would like to have RC with a built-in display.
My DJI Mini 2 SE YouTube Videos
OK, now I’ll show you some of my videos. Keep in mind that I’m not professional. These videos are edited with Microsoft Clipchamp software, without any professional tools used. These are my favorite. Hope you’ll enjoy it.
Filter Combo For Next Review
Before writing a conclusion, here is a sneak preview of my upcoming review. I’ll test and make a Filter Combo review for these DJI lenses.
GLOBACT lenses are sold on Amazon. If you want to see them in action before purchasing your set, wait for my next review.
For the upcoming review, I’ll make sure to test each lens and give you pictures and videos of each one.
Till then, enjoy this DJI Mini 2 SE review. I hope it gives you an answer to your question about this drone. Moreover, this review should guide you in choosing the best DJI drone model for your needs and budget.
I’m going to use my drone, hopefully for a long time. It is a great tool for making some great photos and videos. With some extra touch, you can make videos like a professional. Once you make scenes, give yourself time and wake an artist in you. That is a perfect combination for creating extraordinary videos and photos.
You don’t need anything more than this drone to make videos people would enjoy watching. In addition, this is an entry-level DJI drone, meaning it is a great option for beginners. It comes as a logical choice for people who have never flown a drone before. It is a great starting point. You can learn how to fly and operate a DJI drone. Once you master flying this drone, any other shouldn’t be a big challenge.
Software & Firmware
Tips for first-time use: read the documentation carefully. Before the first flight, make sure to download and install the appropriate DJI application. I suggest you download the DJI Fly application from the manufacturer’s official site. Don’t use applications from the Google Store or iOS App Store. For some reason, they won’t connect.
When asked, do a Firmware upgrade. Some people don’t like this because of security update measures. However, with a Firmware upgrade, you’ll get much more. For instance, battery life can be extended, or optimized with a new Firmver installed. Firmware upgrade fixes many bugs and maybe some new features as well.
Conclusion
Overall, the DJI Mini 2 SE drone is a great option for both, either as a recreational aircraft toy or professional recording extension tool. I find it more as a professional tool to make great photos and videos.
With this drone, you can’t go wrong. This especially applies to people first time flying and choosing the best drone for themselves for. It gives you a Best-buy option for entering the drone flying & recording world. For around $300 you won’t be disappointed at all. One thing the drone could get is an option to upgrade RC-N1 with a better RC model with a display built-in. Unfortunately, it can’t be done right now. Maybe, with some new Firmware upgrades, this will be possible in the future.
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