The most popular palm-sized drone in America just got better, with a larger sensor, obstacle avoidance system and intelligent flight modes. It’s top-rated by both beginners and experts, and highly recommended by travelers.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
DJI Mini 2 SE - Lightweight and Foldable Mini-Drone
Highlight: Sensor is multi-directional to ensure extra safety.
Most helpful review: Oh man, where do I start? Honestly, I feel like a kid again after using this thing haha. It’s one of the fun, satisfying purchases I’ve ever bought in my life, no joke about that. It took me a little bit of time to figure out how to use it, but miraculously I managed to play with it without it crashing, which is honestly a miracle haha. It’s only been a month though , so fingers crossed!
They list the video quality as 2.7K, which some reviewers were like, “it’s only” 2.7K. Only?! This is more than enough for me. Like unless you’re a national geographic videographer, this is going to do more than enough to get beautiful and scenic videos.
Now when it comes to actually using it, take my advice on this: use an approved SD card, because if you don’t, you’re going to have issues. I’d also recommend a couple different things…make sure to read the manual fully before letting your excitement get away with you! You’ll want to turn off your phone’s bluetooth and wifi before you use it. If you don’t, you’ll face interference and you might make my mistake and assume it’s broken and consider returning it before you realize you just let your impatience get the better of you. The easiest solution is to put your phone on airplane mode, that way you’ll have no issues. You only need internet on your phone for the first time you fly it so you can have it registered.
Removing the battery is kind of hard, and it might pop out when you least expect it, so make sure you’re doing it over something so it doesn’t fall far to the ground. If you use a good USB-C charger, you’ll find that you won’t have any problems charging the battery. Now, if you want to fly for an extra long time, I’d recommend buying a couple extra batteries, even though you’re probably going to get a solid amount of time on one battery. I’m just paranoid and like having extra ones!
Overall, I’m really impressed with the quality of this thing. It does feel fragile, but that’s only because it’s lightweight. Overall, it’s really durable and sturdy, and you can just tell how well made it is.
When I uploaded the images and video to my phone, some of the graphics glitched a little, but they’re so minor, it’s really not that obvious or bothersome. It doesn’t affect the actual video that’s recorded on the SD card, and you’ll find that it doesn’t affect how you control the drone either. My experience has been super positive, I’m leaning towards buying another for my wife!
A FEW WORDS FROM A FRIEND:
I bought this drone after a bad experience with another one bought from a popular brand and let me tell you, after discovering the differences from these two products back to back, the DJI Mini 2SE blows all other models out of the water. I seriously can’t get enough of this thing. For under 350 bucks you’re getting so much. It’s small, but don’t mistake that for a lack in quality. One hundred percent, you’re getting something awesome to work with. Not only does it fly smoothly, it’s easy to figure out how to use. You’ll feel like a pro after only a few times of playing around with it.
I was worried the wind would make me lose control of it, but that hasn’t happened at all, which was super surprising given the weight, but that’s just a sign of how well built the product is. The battery life is great, too, one charge can get you over twenty minutes, which when you compare other models, it’s pretty darn good for this size. I have a short term attention span anyways, so twenty minutes is more than enough time. Any longer, and you’ll probably get tired, because it does take some focus.
The best part about this? The quality is phenomenal! Both photos and videos. Honestly it’s so easy to just move the image and videos from the drone to my phone using the app, and that’s by far one of the coolest aspects of it. And then I just use airplay to move what’s on my phone onto the TV so I can show off all the cool things I’ve filmed.
I was kind of worried about the connection, but that hasn’t been an issue at all. I’ve flown it over 1,000 meters (yep, you read that right) and it still works! I never worried once that I would lose it. It’s that awesome!
When it comes to getting it started, I would recommend watching a few videos online to make sure you have an idea of how to use it, so just keep that in mind. But once you use it a few times, you’re going to find that it’s easy and feel like you’ve been using it forever. Oh, and I love that I don’t have to register it with the FAA, and it’s below 250g so that’s cool, too. This is a great drone, so if you’ve been on the fence about taking a leap to get one, let this be your sign: it’s seriously worth it! I’ve already bought and reviewed other ones, so I can tell you with confidence, that this one isn’t going to disappoint you! — Ray Campbell
Get it from Amazon now: $429.00 & FREE Returns
