Correct connections for DJI Mini 2

[KennethH]

Since I'm always confused about if DJI Mini 2 is the same as DJI Mavic Mini 2, I'll ask this here. I've been away from my drone for several months now, but want to use it to get some good looks at my house. I've looked over the old roof before, and it does a good job with its excellent optics. But now, as I try to get it to start up again, all I get from DJI Fly is that the Mini 2 needs a software upgrade. But Fly keeps saying the upgrade didn't install. I had it running two days ago long enough to feel it would work, but now it won't give me a FLY. It now wants that new patch.
I've given all things a full charge, the Mini batteries, the Samsung tablet running DJI Fly, and the RC controller. Fly runs, but still I can't seem to do that software patch. What do I plug into what to get this working? It is plain that it needs that upgrade patch, as that now stalls it every time. Do I plug the tablet into the drone, or the controller into the drone? I'm at a loss.

 

[old man mavic]

@KennethH the mavic name was dropped after the Mini 1 came out, so Mini 2 is the correct name
you need to have everything connected up as if you were going to fly
then on the device screen touch the three dots and from the menu select about then you will have the option to check for updates select that and if there are any updates needed then it will tell you and then you start update and wait until it is finished ,if the update included the battery then if you have more than one battery you will need to put them in the drone so that they can be updated as well

 

[KennethH]

@KennethH the mavic name was dropped after the Mini 1 came out, so Mini 2 is the correct name
you need to have everything connected up as if you were going to fly
then on the device screen touch the three dots and from the menu select about then you will have the option to check for updates select that and if there are any updates needed then it will tell you and then you start update and wait until it is finished ,if the update included the battery then if you have more than one battery you will need to put them in the drone so that they can be updated as well

Old Man Mavic: Thanks for that. I thought I had hooked up everything right a day before, and did get the Mini 2 to rev up and fly. I only had to have the controller plugged into the tablet and DJI Fly came on, and after a couple checks, it gave me the FLY message. Yesterday it did not do that. DJI Fly came up on the tablet, and then it demanded the update. No matter how I tried, the update failed. I couldn't remember ever plugging anything directly into the Mini 2, except to download videos taken. Right now I remember if I got a notice that a update was needed, that either it would happen automatically, or have me click on something. I'll go through the steps you mentioned and see what happens.

 

[old man mavic]

@KennethH there have been several Fly App updates ,recently and the latest one is showing 1.9.0
if you are using an IOS device you can still download from the App Store ,but for android you now have to go directly to the DJI website ,as the APP is no longer supported in Play store

 

[KennethH]

Old Man Mavic: Thanks for that. I thought I had hooked up everything right a day before, and did get the Mini 2 to rev up and fly. I only had to have the controller plugged into the tablet and DJI Fly came on, and after a couple checks, it gave me the FLY message. Yesterday it did not do that. DJI Fly came up on the tablet, and then it demanded the update. No matter how I tried, the update failed. I couldn't remember ever plugging anything directly into the Mini 2, except to download videos taken. Right now I remember if I got a notice that a update was needed, that either it would happen automatically, or have me click on something. I'll go through the steps you mentioned and see what happens.

So I went through the steps and it started right up. For some reason it took the update first thing as part of the start up.

So now I have a propeller that has come loose. The plate on top of the motor (an add-on I added many months ago to protect the motors), where the props screw in is stripped out. Shown is a cover plate to protect the motors.



A new screw doesn't work. I have new plates on order.

My answer for now is to take the cover off...



Finally got the drone up there to take video, but now it's too dark. Tomorrow will be soon enough.

 

[KennethH]

@KennethH there have been several Fly App updates ,recently and the latest one is showing 1.9.0
if you are using an IOS device you can still download from the App Store ,but for android you now have to go directly to the DJI website ,as the APP is no longer supported in Play store

That's where I got Fly, at the DJI Store. I'm using a Samsung tablet, Android. Now looking thru the DJI Store, I can't find DJI FLY. That's where I bought it for both my tablet and my old phone.

Hmm. Looks like when I traded in my old phone they transferred everything over to the new one.

 

[mobilehomer]

Just do the update through the app. Then leave the motor covers off, all they do is keep the heat in.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

I just decline all updates full stop, infact I try to remember to switch the phone's wifi off before I boot the FLy App.
I too would say leave the covers off.

 

[KennethH]

So I went through the steps and it started right up. For some reason it took the update first thing as part of the start up.

So now I have a propeller that has come loose. The plate on top of the motor (an add-on I added many months ago to protect the motors), where the props screw in is stripped out. Shown is a cover plate to protect the motors.

View attachment 158632

A new screw doesn't work. I have new plates on order.

My answer for now is to take the cover off...

View attachment 158633

Finally got the drone up there to take video, but now it's too dark. Tomorrow will be soon enough.

I don't want to crash it, as I doubt in my recent condition I could get up there. I'm 74 now.

 

[KennethH]

Just do the update through the app. Then leave the motor covers off, all they do is keep the heat in.

Point taken...

 

[old man mavic]

@KennethH just to concur with what others have mentioned about the motor covers
to be perfectly honest with you they really dont serve any other function ,bu to look pretty
if DJI had thought that the motors needed a cover then they would have made one themselves
they wont really harm the motors ,but really they are just a gimmick

 

[KennethH]

@KennethH just to concur with what others have mentioned about the motor covers
to be perfectly honest with you they really dont serve any other function ,bu to look pretty
if DJI had thought that the motors needed a cover then they would have made one themselves
they wont really harm the motors ,but really they are just a gimmick

The interesting part is the motor covers don't cost very much. But they've made them so thin (1 gram) that it doesn't take much for their threads to strip out.

 

[KennethH]

So I went through the steps and it started right up. For some reason it took the update first thing as part of the start up.

So now I have a propeller that has come loose. The plate on top of the motor (an add-on I added many months ago to protect the motors), where the props screw in is stripped out. Shown is a cover plate to protect the motors.

View attachment 158632

A new screw doesn't work. I have new plates on order.

My answer for now is to take the cover off...

View attachment 158633

Finally got the drone up there to take video, but now it's too dark. Tomorrow will be soon enough.

So regarding my flight problem, today my Mini 2 started right up, and almost begged for updates and accepted them. Why I had those problems earlier in the week is beyond me.

I flew up to the back eaves of my house and inspected the problem area up close. Now my problem is that I probably need to start early in the morning, before the Sun gets right above the eave in question, as I have to be facing due South, as that seems to cause the optical system to stop down, making the problem area seem deep in the shadows. But it beats, at 74, climbing a ladder and crawling along the roof. Next best thing would be to hire someone who knows what they're doing to investigate. But I do love the optical system of the drone. So sharp.
Thanks for all the good advise.

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Can you use a combination of height and gimbal tilt over come the stop down? Or switch the camera to manual exposure and get the bits your want correct and over expose the sky etc..
In these circumstances blown sky would be no harm.

 

[KennethH]

Can you use a combination of height and gimbal tilt over come the stop down? Or switch the camera to manual exposure and get the bits your want correct and over expose the sky etc..
In these circumstances blown sky would be no harm.

I was checking out the exposure settings, thinking that I could get the camera to open up wider to show more detail in the shadows. Then Christmas happened and I had to put a hold on it. It's not that I am getting the sky in the images, but that the amount of light is affecting the exposure anyway. I'll get back to it tomorrow.

 

[KennethH]

I was checking out the exposure settings, thinking that I could get the camera to open up wider to show more detail in the shadows. Then Christmas happened and I had to put a hold on it. It's not that I am getting the sky in the images, but that the amount of light is affecting the exposure anyway. I'll get back to it tomorrow.

Finally found a setting that opens up the exposure (EV value) to 3.0. Still can't see deep inside the vent, but can see all the way to the front vent of the house. Still the video quality is excellent. Can't believe that is a 40 year old Timberline roof. Everything else needs work. Need to get the hood back on my tablet.

 

[Deestylze]

Where do I download the app to fly my mini 2? Do I go to the play store on my android phone, the galaxy store or do I go to DJI website?

 

[old man mavic]

Where do I download the app to fly my mini 2? Do I go to the play store on my android phone, the galaxy store or do I go to DJI website?

the DJI website

 

[KennethH]

Like old man mavic said, the DJI Store online. The Play Store no longer carries Fly.

 

[LoudThunder]

This is a link to the DJI Web Site and it contains every download that DJI has on the Mini 2. On 14 Jan 2023, the latest version of the Fly App is 1.9.1.

DJI Mini 2 - Download Center - DJI

Learn and download DJI Mini 2 related apps, software, and manuals at the DJI Download Center

www.dji.com

The User Manual is also available here and I think you need to read it, then read it again to pick up all that you missed the first time…

Finally, you might want to watch several YouTube Videos on setting up and using your camera. I suggest you hover your drone is place and while it is hovering in the location where you want to photograph or video. Then you play around with the various settings on your camera. You might also have to move the drone up, down, left or right a bit to avoid the worse of the sun glare, you might also consider doing the west side of the house in the afternoon so the sun is behind the drone and the east side in the morning when the sun is again behind the drone. On the south side, you may have to wait until it is cloudy to avoid overexposure. And the North side might need to be done when it is cloudy to avoid sun flare…

But isn't this all what it's about, to have fun and learn?