Just got the Manic Mini

[alopeznj]

I already own the Mavic Pro which I love.

Despite many reports of crashes and bad experiences, Mini was my best bet financially . I took all precautions , updated software checked everything and had in indoor flight.
I love it !. It hovers indoors solid and responds to commands perfectly. I do have prop guards on and adjusted settings for the extra payload. I can see its so light wind is a bad idea for the mini.
Despite many bad reviews for the mini I think a lot is pilot error. Cant push this little guy.

 

[Hydrostan]

I already own the Mavic Pro which I love.

Despite many reports of crashes and bad experiences, Mini was my best bet financially . I took all precautions , updated software checked everything and had in indoor flight.
I love it !. It hovers indoors solid and responds to commands perfectly. I do have prop guards on and adjusted settings for the extra payload. I can see its so light wind is a bad idea for the mini.
Despite many bad reviews for the mini I think a lot is pilot error. Cant push this little guy.

I've had mine for a couple of months now and really like it. I'm real CAREFUL flying it, and if you are also you will enjoy this fun drone!

 

[Drone Master]

Welcome! I see you have been getting lots of info from the forum. Yes, as you can see, There are plenty of do's and don'ts!
Pilot errors are what make up 85% of crashes or loss.
Just keep taking your time with the mini and you will eventually get the feel of it's limits.

 

[EyesWideShut]

I agree, for the price and features it's a good entry drone with a quality consumer camera and gimbal. Just fly into the wind once GPS lock (Home Point) has been established and test the winds aloft. If you get warnings, land it.

You might want to be aware that while you can fly indoors, if the light level gets too low (insufficient light) and you lose some satellites, it might go into ATTI mode and the controls will handle way different. It will drift after stick inputs are stop and with any air movement. Makes indoor fly more interesting. I've flown around the house, down the stairs and around the basement while having my feet up in my favorite chair.

 

[alopeznj]

I agree, for the price and features it's a good entry drone with a quality consumer camera and gimbal. Just fly into the wind once GPS lock (Home Point) has been established and test the winds aloft. If you get warnings, land it.

You might want to be aware that while you can fly indoors, if the light level gets too low (insufficient light) and you lose some satellites, it might go into ATTI mode and the controls will handle way different. It will drift after stick inputs are stop and with any air movement. Makes indoor fly more interesting. I've flown around the house, down the stairs and around the basement while having my feet up in my favorite chair.

Yes ! Light !. I let this guys hover in the kitchen, put controls down (reckless idea) Made coffee and it was still in same spot. Wind is the issue with Mini. Hands down it goes nuts when it cant fly back or handle the wind. Also props. Very finicky about good props. If its acting up change all 4 even if they look good. Changing props fixes a lot of things. Also the DJI adds ( stick it in your pocket) do not help. That is a precision device and any thing "off" will impact performance. That said, dont stick it in your pocket as it will not come out the same. Treat the Mini like an egg.

 

[alopeznj]

I do have a question for you Pilots. My Pro has a beginner mode. I cannot find that on the mini DJ Fly.Any recommendations here to keep it beginner while I get the hang to the mini ?
So far I went into "Safety" and trimmed everything down. What do you recommend is the best Beginner mode for the Mini.

 

[alopeznj]

I agree, for the price and features it's a good entry drone with a quality consumer camera and gimbal. Just fly into the wind once GPS lock (Home Point) has been established and test the winds aloft. If you get warnings, land it.

You might want to be aware that while you can fly indoors, if the light level gets too low (insufficient light) and you lose some satellites, it might go into ATTI mode and the controls will handle way different. It will drift after stick inputs are stop and with any air movement. Makes indoor fly more interesting. I've flown around the house, down the stairs and around the basement while having my feet up in my favorite chair.

Eyes, I flew indoor without any sat signal and hovered like a fly. I did have plenty of light. So despite I had no SAT I never got ATTI. any idea ?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I do have a question for you Pilots. My Pro has a beginner mode. I cannot find that on the mini DJ Fly.Any recommendations here to keep it beginner while I get the hang to the mini ?
So far I went into "Safety" and trimmed everything down. What do you recommend is the best Beginner mode for the Mini.

Was going to advise not to fly outdoors with the prop guards on (they are really for indoor use), but having them on limits a range of things, so that might suit you if there is virtually no wind.
You should also be able to limit distance and height in settings ?

Otherwise, being experienced with the M1P, you should have no issues flying the Mini without prop guards outside, maybe just start out again in that big, flat, open area, a park or sports oval, take it out and up slowly over a few flights to gain confidence and feel for the drone.

Oh, and give yourself time to see if any uncommanded descents happen !
Don't fly over water for a while.
I don't think there is anything you can do if an uncommanded descent happens, except watch it come down !
Perhaps the right stick forward back might move it to a better place, but from what I've read I don't know for sure any sticks will allow it to be moved (like when RTH landing etc happens).

 

[rscheff]

Was going to advise not to fly outdoors with the prop guards on (they are really for indoor use), but having them on limits a range of things, so that might suit you if there is virtually no wind.
You should also be able to limit distance and height in settings ?

Otherwise, being experienced with the M1P, you should have no issues flying the Mini without prop guards outside, maybe just start out again in that big, flat, open area, a park or sports oval, take it out and up slowly over a few flights to gain confidence and feel for the drone.

Oh, and give yourself time to see if any uncommanded descents happen !
Don't fly over water for a while.
I don't think there is anything you can do if an uncommanded descent happens, except watch it come down !
Perhaps the right stick forward back might move it to a better place, but from what I've read I don't know for sure any sticks will allow it to be moved (like when RTH landing etc happens).

I have read in this forum that a possible way out of the uncontrolled descent is actually to hit the reverse. I forget the reason behind that theory but it did sound logical. So far I have only had one uncontrolled descent in approx. 20 hours of flying and it happened at approx. 3 feet so I did not have time to try. But I always try to keep an eye on drone and camera view just in case.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

20 hours of flying and it happened at approx. 3 feet so I did not have time to try.

Did it crash, or sort of land hard ?
It was all ok, no damage ?

 

[Bosco Bear]

Good choice! There are LOTS of happy Mavic Mini owners out there, including myself.

 

[rscheff]

Did it crash, or sort of land hard ?
It was all ok, no damage ?

Just bounced off the grass, no damage, in fact it was more like a "touch and go" it was back up hovering, the strange thing is it showed nothing in the flight logs.

 

[EyesWideShut]

Eyes, I flew indoor without any sat signal and hovered like a fly. I did have plenty of light. So despite I had no SAT I never got ATTI. any idea ?

@alopeznj Without satellites but having good lighting you will still hold position by the mini using the downward camera sensor plus the landing obstacle sensor. Lose the light and insufficient gps and you now have the warnings and will be in attii (attitude) mode.

Try covering the bottom 3 sensors by putting some tape over the camera and ultrasonic sender/receiving sensors and you'll get the warnings. If you have enough satellites for a fix preventing atti mode, you can negate them by taping some tinfoil on the top body over where the gps sensor is. With the landing proximity sensors covered the mini won't sense how far above objects it is (normally senses about 20") and now you can fly as low as you want, even thru openings. Make sure you have the prop guards on and be prepared for "ground effects" - prop wash hitting the floor and surroundings and affecting the light weight mini's flight.

And another reminder when in Atti mode when you let go off the stick the mini will no longer stop on a dime and wait for you. It'll drift in the direction it was going and slowly slow down unless you give it opposite stick input. Ahhhh, memories of the "early days" of brushed motors and no position electronics.... I can't believe what control and features they've put in the mini for the price and low weight.

 

[pelagic_one]

I do have a question for you Pilots. What do you recommend is the best Beginner mode for the Mini?

Since the Mini does not have Beginner Mode, the nearest slow speed training mode would be to switch to C (CineSmooth) mode. Max flight speed is 4 m/sec, max ascent and descent speed is 1.5 m/sec.

I‘d suspect for a Mavic Pro flyer like yourself, you’re already flying in sport mode.

 

[7bonedrone7]

I love my little drone, I recently lost my wife to cancer and was looking for something fun to do and this has really helped me get out and enjoy myself.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I love my little drone, I recently lost my wife to cancer and was looking for something fun to do and this has really helped me get out and enjoy myself.

Can't do this with the like button, but wanted to give you both of these and say all the best.
Sad to hear of your loss.
You wife (I'm sure) would want you to enjoy your life, and hope you fly the Mini a lot.

 

[wjkrysak]

Welcome to the forum. You will find all sorts of suggestions and recommendations here in the forums. Wish you well. We look forward to seeing your view of the world.

 

[wjkrysak]

I love my little drone, I recently lost my wife to cancer and was looking for something fun to do and this has really helped me get out and enjoy myself.

Sorry for your loss. I wish you well and am happy that you have your drone for some comfort. Know that we are sending you care, too.

 

[7bonedrone7]

Sorry for your loss. I wish you well and am happy that you have your drone for some comfort. Know that we are sending you care, too.

Thanks

 

[7bonedrone7]

Can't do this with the like button, but wanted to give you both of these and say all the best.
Sad to hear of your loss.
You wife (I'm sure) would want you to enjoy your life, and hope you fly the Mini a lot.

Thanks. I fly it every chance I get.