Back up Drone

[minipro3]

I fly my Mini Pro 3 mostly with obstacle avoidance off because of the areas where I take videos. I recently took a dunk and had to use Care Refresh which was a great experience. New replacement in two weeks. Thinking of buying a replacement drone in case of an accident again. Looking for suggestions on a used or refurbished mini pro 3. Since it's only back up, I'd rather not pay the money for a new one. ??

 

[rwilliam99]

With the mini 4 just being released there have been several listed here for sale. That would be my first suggestion.

 

[LoudThunder]

Looking for suggestions on a used or refurbished mini pro 3. Since it's only back up, I'd rather not pay the money for a new one. ??

Used Drone verses a Refurbished Drone…

If you are looking at a used Drone, make sure the seller brings their Flying device (phone or tablet) if needed (depending on type of controller), you will want to view the Apps Menus and the seller's Profile… Tell them to make sure they know their DJI Account email and password so they can unbind the drone if you buy it… Tell them you wil also want to fly it so the controller's and the Drone's batteries need to be charged…

With that being meet, the Used Drones history is sketchy at best. You have only the seller's word at face value. Ask him why they are selling it, ask them about the flight history, how far, how often where it is normally flown. The purpose of this is to establish the veracity of what they say… Once you check their App, a lot of this will be verified or not…

Visually scan every inch of the drone, looking for cracks, scratches, marks, dents, scrapes. Look over the gimbal very carefully, looking for dirt debris, etc… Open and close the arms several times, the feel should be smooth and noiseless. Rotate the motors, they should feel and sound relatively the same. Now, you can check the Drone's serial number looking for “S” or “R” in the fifth character (if so, it is already a Refurbished Drone…). Not a bad thing, but it's bargaining position…

Now the Controller, give it the same visual treatment. Does it act normally when turned on, look for dings, dent, scuffs, dirt. Turning on the controller, you can check the number of the batteries' charge cycles (Safety, Battery Info…), you can look at the seller's profile and get an idea of the Flight Time and Flight Distance (Profile, Flight Management…), you can view the past Flight Records and view the type of flights that the seller normally flies (Profile, More…).

If you are still interested, fly the drone, you are not a newbie, you know how it should react… Try not to go swimming with this one too… The old adage applies, "It's nice to handle, it's nice to hold, if you break it, it's marked SOLD…"

If you are still interested, remember this, the one who cares the least wins. Meaning if the seller wants to sell it more than you want to buy it, you'll get t better price. But if you fall in love with it and you want to buy it more than the seller wants to sell it, you'll pay more…

Now, before any cash is transferred, you get that seller to unbind the drone from their account… It's a two-step process and the video below shows you how…

If you decide to buy a Refurbished Drone, you get a drone with the same warranty and guarantee as a new one and most are said to be indistinguishable from a brand new one…

It'a all on you and you have to decide…

Good Luck!

 

[mavic3usa]

Seems like there are plenty of used singles or "drone only" mini 3 on ebay.

 

[rjwmorrell]

I fly my Mini Pro 3 mostly with obstacle avoidance off because of the areas where I take videos. I recently took a dunk and had to use Care Refresh which was a great experience. New replacement in two weeks. Thinking of buying a replacement drone in case of an accident again. Looking for suggestions on a used or refurbished mini pro 3. Since it's only back up, I'd rather not pay the money for a new one. ??

Get a Mini 3 as a back up. It will be very familiar already, and only lacks the OA which you don't use anyway, and some extra automated shot features that don't get used very often either most likely. The camera is identical and you get more flight time. If you're not flying unusually far or high, the RC connection is fine.

 

[minipro3]

Used Drone verses a Refurbished Drone…

If you are looking at a used Drone, make sure the seller brings the their Flying device (phone or tablet) if needed (depending on type of controller), you will want to view the Apps Menus and the seller's Profile… Tell them to make sure they know their DJI Account email and password so they can unbind the drone if you buy it… Tell them you wil also want to fly it so the controller's and the Drone's batteries need to be charged…

With that being meet, the Used Drones history is sketchy at best. You have only the seller's word at face value. Ask him why they are selling it, ask them about the flight history, how far, how often where it is normally flown. The purpose of this is to establish the veracity of what they say… Once you check their App, a lot of this will be verified or not…

Visually scan every inch of the drone, looking for cracks, scratches, marks, dents, scrapes. Look over the gimbal very carefully, looking for dirt debris, etc… Open and close the arms several times, the feel should be smooth and noiseless. Rotate the motors, they should feel and sound relatively the same. Now, you can check the Drone's serial number looking for “S” or “R” in the fifth character (if so, it is already a Refurbished Drone…). Not a bad thing, but it's bargaining position…

Now the Controller, give it the same visual treatment. Does it act normally when turned on, look for dings, dent, scuffs, dirt. Turning on the controller, you can check the number of the batteries' charge cycles (Safety, Battery Info…), you can look at the seller's profile and get an idea or the Flight Time and Flight Distance (Profile, Flight Management…), you can view the past Flight Records and view the type of flights that the seller normally flies (Profile, More…).

If you are still interested, fly the drone, you are not a newbie, you know how it should react… Try not to go swimming with this one too… The old adage applies, "It's nice to handle, it's nice to hold, if you break it, it's marked SOLD…"

If you are still interested, remember this, the one who cares the least wins. Meaning if the seller wants to sell it more than you want to buy it, you'll get t better price. But if you fall in love with it and you want to buy it more than the seller wants to sell it, you'll pay more…

Now, before any cash is transferred, you get that seller to unbind the drone from their account… It's a two-step process and the video below shows you how…

If you decide to buy a Refurbished Drone, you get a drone with the same warranty and guarantee as a new one and most are said to be indistinguishable from a brand new one…

It'a all on you and you have to decide…

Good Luck!

Thank you for taking the time to share this info !

 

[BetterBizWorks]

I fly my Mini Pro 3 mostly with obstacle avoidance off because of the areas where I take videos. I recently took a dunk and had to use Care Refresh which was a great experience. New replacement in two weeks. Thinking of buying a replacement drone in case of an accident again. Looking for suggestions on a used or refurbished mini pro 3. Since it's only back up, I'd rather not pay the money for a new one. ??

I would pick up an Air 2S. They aren't expensive, take beautiful shots and they are very stable in higher winds. This way you have two different body types.

 

[Phantomrain.org]

I fly my Mini Pro 3 mostly with obstacle avoidance off because of the areas where I take videos. I recently took a dunk and had to use Care Refresh which was a great experience. New replacement in two weeks. Thinking of buying a replacement drone in case of an accident again. Looking for suggestions on a used or refurbished mini pro 3. Since it's only back up, I'd rather not pay the money for a new one. ??

I am also going to vote for the Air 2S if you can find a non blemished one an simply ask the Seller how many flights as well. We had this voted as our number one drone pic for getting a client started in the drone world as we have done exclusvie testing , with this Drone our Wet Suits and even our Rescue Float that allows it to land on Water.

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain.

 

[minipro3]

I would pick up an Air 2S. They aren't expensive, take beautiful shots and they are very stable in higher winds. This way you have two different body types.

Have to stay with Mini pro because of size. I am doing a lot of vids indoors

 

[Phantomrain.org]

Are you referring to the Noise of the Props as you the air 2s is not that big has a nicer sound than the Mini 3 Pro .
Can you post a video ?

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly in the Rain. Land on the Water.

 

[BetterBizWorks]

Have to stay with Mini pro because of size. I am doing a lot of vids indoors

Then the mini 2 is great I have one. I use it for indoor real estate with the baskets. Picture quality is not as good in low light.

 

[YVRGUY]

Then the mini 2 is great I have one. I use it for indoor real estate with the baskets. Picture quality is not as good in low light.

Agree, I too have a mini 2 as a back up to my mini 3 pro…it’s the VW Bug of DJI drones IMHO. It is “great”

 

[LoudThunder]

if you can find a non blemished one an simply ask the Seller how many flights as well.

Assuming the seller has not already Un-bound the drone, the buyer can view the Profile and Profile, Management for distances flown in kilometers and miles and Hours flown, and under Profile, More, you can view the types and distances of flights flown and even play the flights (it's a bit link having a Nanny Cam…)…

Nothing like the seller saying they only flew the drone around their back yard and the past flight show long distance flights pushing the battery into the "dead" zone…