First-time Buyer/Beginner Seeks Your Advice

[output555]

First if all, let me apologize for being redundant here. I know there are a gazillion similar inquiries like this, but I find the more I read about buying options, the harder it is for me to choose. So, here I go:

I am an absolute beginner, zero experience with drones. What I do have experience with is cameras. I've been a professional photohog for more than two decades, and know quite a lot about creating great images. My purpose in purchasing a drone is simply to have fun shooting aerial videos, and to use them to scout locations. I do not plan on using the videos for commercial purposes. High quality is important, but it doesn't need to be commercial level.

I have been looking at the under $250 drones on Amazon because I've been told to start here as a beginner. I figure I'm going to crash a lot at first so why buy an expensive drone while learning the basics. Then again, I don't want to buy a piece of crap that will be difficult to use, have poor reliability and produce unsatisfying images. I'm the kind of person who will regret buying on the cheap, and will immediately want to move up in quality if unhappy.

So, I'm looking at the lower priced DJI Mavics. Specifically, the Mini 2 and the Mavic Air 2. Both are above my newbie budget, and make me nervous because if I kill or lose either, I'll be pissed--and leave this hobby behind in a heartbeat.

But, assuming I catch on quickly and get decent at controlling a drone, which of the two should I get? The Air 2 is obviously superior, but it's about $300 more; almost twice as much as the Mini 2. Is it really worth the extra $$$ given my needs? More bells and whistles are great, better videos are great, but is the Air 2 that much superior to the less expensive Mini 2?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and recommendations.

 

[netfolks2000]

First pick your budget. THEN pick your drone. There a lot of great videos of all kinds of drones by Captain Drone and others on YouTube, even by categories. What some of those before you decide. I have had the bigger DJI drones but now I am down to just the Mini 2. I'm not a professional, though. I use mine in agriculture/ranching and it works perfectly for me. In reviews you will see there are some less costly drones, like the Fimi and others, just study them a bit and see if you find a fit for your needs, risk and budget. The Mini 2 is very capable and flies fine but it has no obstacle avoidance. That can also be a plus as you will HAVE TO fly conservatively and think about where you are all the time. OA is also not perfect so if you fly cautiously you're even better off. Hope that helps a little.

 

[Adolf]

I would try and set the budget on a Mini 2 Combo, which gives You nice extras to start with. Coming from a Phantom 4, I rather now prefer to take out the Mini, for nice arial pics etc. Note, I am not a professional photographer, but needed a smaller packed drone for a quick start up and the Mini2 fits that criteria perfect. It is easy to fly and manage subject to phone compatibility.

 

[THE CYBORG]

Don't be intimidated.
If you buy a cheep drone you will probably be disappointed & it will be easy to crash.
Any of the DJI drones are easy to fly & give good footage.
I know budget can play a big part when buying a drone but it is worth saving a little longer & getting something you will be happy with rather than something that could put you off the hobby altogether

 

[Howard70]

I would definitely recommend you move into the DJI universe with either the Mini 2 or the Mavic Air 2 (MA2). I would also recommend, as others above have mentioned, that whichever you choose you start with the Fly More Combo.

Then, if I was in your shoes and knew what I know now after several months with both the Mini 2 and MA2, I would get the MA2 - as long as I didn’t think I’d expand the use of drones in my photography beyond scouting & enjoying flying. If I thought expansion of drones in my use was likely, I would get the Mini 2 and immediately start saving for a Mavic 3 Pro (or whatever it may be called) which is sounding more and more likely for a late 2021 or early 2022 entry in the market.

Whatever way you go, you’ll have a great time because flying a drone is incredibly fun. You’ll also wonder if another drone would be more fun......

Howard

 

[Bigfoot Hunter]

I started with a ZLRC SG906 pro $200.00 It was a pretty good drone. I was an easy transition to a DJI Mav. mini. I got my info from Cpt. Drone on Youtube another good source on youtube is Quadcopter 101..

 

[Mavic 57]

First if all, let me apologize for being redundant here. I know there are a gazillion similar inquiries like this, but I find the more I read about buying options, the harder it is for me to choose. So, here I go:

I am an absolute beginner, zero experience with drones. What I do have experience with is cameras. I've been a professional photohog for more than two decades, and know quite a lot about creating great images. My purpose in purchasing a drone is simply to have fun shooting aerial videos, and to use them to scout locations. I do not plan on using the videos for commercial purposes. High quality is important, but it doesn't need to be commercial level.

I have been looking at the under $250 drones on Amazon because I've been told to start here as a beginner. I figure I'm going to crash a lot at first so why buy an expensive drone while learning the basics. Then again, I don't want to buy a piece of crap that will be difficult to use, have poor reliability and produce unsatisfying images. I'm the kind of person who will regret buying on the cheap, and will immediately want to move up in quality if unhappy.

So, I'm looking at the lower priced DJI Mavics. Specifically, the Mini 2 and the Mavic Air 2. Both are above my newbie budget, and make me nervous because if I kill or lose either, I'll be pissed--and leave this hobby behind in a heartbeat.

But, assuming I catch on quickly and get decent at controlling a drone, which of the two should I get? The Air 2 is obviously superior, but it's about $300 more; almost twice as much as the Mini 2. Is it really worth the extra $$$ given my needs? More bells and whistles are great, better videos are great, but is the Air 2 that much superior to the less expensive Mini 2?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and recommendations.

I started with £40 Syma drones, no GPS so constant inputs on the sticks to control a difficult new toy. Many crashes, one flew away (Windy). I learnt a lot about flying drones, hand eye coordination, but the camera was very poor.

I then bought my first DJI drone after watching and reading a lot. So first flight, wow so easy, GPS locked the drone in position in the air and all I had to do was practise moving around. The 4k camera was outstanding. The return to home at a push of a button amazing.

To sum up, flying a DJI drone is relatively easy. A Mini 2 would be ideal, just remember there is no obstacle avoidance, if you fly with in line of sight, shouldn't be a problem. If you hit RTH you need to remember it will fly into anything in its way, so set return height above the highest objects where your flying, READ THE MANUAL. Good luck, you will get hooked !

 

[Dale D]

First if all, let me apologize for being redundant here. I know there are a gazillion similar inquiries like this, but I find the more I read about buying options, the harder it is for me to choose. So, here I go:

I am an absolute beginner, zero experience with drones. What I do have experience with is cameras. I've been a professional photohog for more than two decades, and know quite a lot about creating great images. My purpose in purchasing a drone is simply to have fun shooting aerial videos, and to use them to scout locations. I do not plan on using the videos for commercial purposes. High quality is important, but it doesn't need to be commercial level.

I have been looking at the under $250 drones on Amazon because I've been told to start here as a beginner. I figure I'm going to crash a lot at first so why buy an expensive drone while learning the basics. Then again, I don't want to buy a piece of crap that will be difficult to use, have poor reliability and produce unsatisfying images. I'm the kind of person who will regret buying on the cheap, and will immediately want to move up in quality if unhappy.

So, I'm looking at the lower priced DJI Mavics. Specifically, the Mini 2 and the Mavic Air 2. Both are above my newbie budget, and make me nervous because if I kill or lose either, I'll be pissed--and leave this hobby behind in a heartbeat.

But, assuming I catch on quickly and get decent at controlling a drone, which of the two should I get? The Air 2 is obviously superior, but it's about $300 more; almost twice as much as the Mini 2. Is it really worth the extra $$$ given my needs? More bells and whistles are great, better videos are great, but is the Air 2 that much superior to the less expensive Mini 2?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and recommendations.

Since you and I are BOTH long time photographers, you will understand the following logic:

I am 82, have gone through at least 6 tripods, all were crap. I could never bring myself to buy an expensive tripod. In fact, I actually travel with two tripods, and two camera bodies for making simultaneous timelapses. On one trip, both of the tripods broke!! One got sand in the ferrules, and the other just broke. I wound up finally buying a Really Right Stuff tripod. It was truly expensive. But I am sorry now I didn't have that tripod all of these years. What a pleasure to have a quality product to use! Of course there is far less risk losing a tripod than losing a drone.

I started out with a Mavic Air 1. Learned a lot for a year, then it crashed and I replaced it under DJI Refresh. I sold the "New" "refurbished" drone and put that money toward the Mavic 2 Pro. Again, wish I had the better drone all along.

 

[Duke_Mulligan]

Two cents - if you’re an experienced photographer, I suspect that you may get more from a unit with a better sensor and more capability. Air 2/Zoom/Pro all have some amount of obstacle avoidance capability, which will protect your investment better, as well - even if only in a situation where “return to home” is activated and an obstacle is encountered.

 

[OldGuy]

First if all, let me apologize for being redundant here. I know there are a gazillion similar inquiries like this, but I find the more I read about buying options, the harder it is for me to choose. So, here I go:

I am an absolute beginner, zero experience with drones. What I do have experience with is cameras. I've been a professional photohog for more than two decades, and know quite a lot about creating great images. My purpose in purchasing a drone is simply to have fun shooting aerial videos, and to use them to scout locations. I do not plan on using the videos for commercial purposes. High quality is important, but it doesn't need to be commercial level.

I have been looking at the under $250 drones on Amazon because I've been told to start here as a beginner. I figure I'm going to crash a lot at first so why buy an expensive drone while learning the basics. Then again, I don't want to buy a piece of crap that will be difficult to use, have poor reliability and produce unsatisfying images. I'm the kind of person who will regret buying on the cheap, and will immediately want to move up in quality if unhappy.

So, I'm looking at the lower priced DJI Mavics. Specifically, the Mini 2 and the Mavic Air 2. Both are above my newbie budget, and make me nervous because if I kill or lose either, I'll be pissed--and leave this hobby behind in a heartbeat.

But, assuming I catch on quickly and get decent at controlling a drone, which of the two should I get? The Air 2 is obviously superior, but it's about $300 more; almost twice as much as the Mini 2. Is it really worth the extra $$$ given my needs? More bells and whistles are great, better videos are great, but is the Air 2 that much superior to the less expensive Mini 2?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and recommendations.

Don't get it into your head that you will crash your first drone. I have been flying drones for years and have yet to crash one. DJI drones are pretty fool proof especially if you find a drone flier in your area and get help from them for you first flights. To me it sounds like the Air 2 would be the one for you because it has obstacle avoidance and many other features so it's worth the extra $300. Don't waste your money on cheap drones you will only regret it in the long run!

 

[output555]

First pick your budget. THEN pick your drone. There a lot of great videos of all kinds of drones by Captain Drone and others on YouTube, even by categories. What some of those before you decide. I have had the bigger DJI drones but now I am down to just the Mini 2. I'm not a professional, though. I use mine in agriculture/ranching and it works perfectly for me. In reviews you will see there are some less costly drones, like the Fimi and others, just study them a bit and see if you find a fit for your needs, risk and budget. The Mini 2 is very capable and flies fine but it has no obstacle avoidance. That can also be a plus as you will HAVE TO fly conservatively and think about where you are all the time. OA is also not perfect so if you fly cautiously you're even better off. Hope that helps a little.

Thanks, that's good advice. I'll watch Captain Drone's videos to see if they can help me decide.

 

[output555]

I would try and set the budget on a Mini 2 Combo, which gives You nice extras to start with. Coming from a Phantom 4, I rather now prefer to take out the Mini, for nice arial pics etc. Note, I am not a professional photographer, but needed a smaller packed drone for a quick start up and the Mini2 fits that criteria perfect. It is easy to fly and manage subject to phone compatibility.

Thanks, based on what others are recommending the Mini 2 seems to be a good fit. That said, to avoid buyer's remorse I might dig a little deeper in the wallet for the MA2 because it has some weight and crash avoidance advantages, Decisions, decisions!

 

[output555]

Since you and I are BOTH long time photographers, you will understand the following logic:

I am 82, have gone through at least 6 tripods, all were crap. I could never bring myself to buy an expensive tripod. In fact, I actually travel with two tripods, and two camera bodies for making simultaneous timelapses. On one trip, both of the tripods broke!! One got sand in the ferrules, and the other just broke. I wound up finally buying a Really Right Stuff tripod. It was truly expensive. But I am sorry now I didn't have that tripod all of these years. What a pleasure to have a quality product to use! Of course there is far less risk losing a tripod than losing a drone.

I started out with a Mavic Air 1. Learned a lot for a year, then it crashed and I replaced it under DJI Refresh. I sold the "New" "refurbished" drone and put that money toward the Mavic 2 Pro. Again, wish I had the better drone all along.

Thanks, your point is well taken. I'm a couple of decades younger than you, but, I, too, have learned it's better to buy the best (or best you can afford) first, rather than climb the ladder continually. Penny wise, pound foolish. My main hesitancy isn't so much price as losing my investment in a crash--or losing interest after a while.

 

[output555]

Don't be intimidated.
If you buy a cheep drone you will probably be disappointed & it will be easy to crash.
Any of the DJI drones are easy to fly & give good footage.
I know budget can play a big part when buying a drone but it is worth saving a little longer & getting something you will be happy with rather than something that could put you off the hobby altogether

Thanks, I know what you mean. I took out a $100 "toy" drone today and quickly got the feel for it, but also quickly knew it wasn't what I wanted. That's not to say it wasn't fun: It had a bunch of nice features, and provided decent videos, but I the battery life was inadequate and the motors couldn't handle a mild wind. I'll be moving up a DJI ASAP.

 

[output555]

Two cents - if you’re an experienced photographer, I suspect that you may get more from a unit with a better sensor and more capability. Air 2/Zoom/Pro all have some amount of obstacle avoidance capability, which will protect your investment better, as well - even if only in a situation where “return to home” is activated and an obstacle is encountered.

Thanks, you're right. The MA2 is enticing. I am currently weighing the advantages vs. the cost difference. Again, my biggest hesitancy is losing my investment in a crash or fly away. The MA2 costs more but has more safeguards and features. The Mini 2 is a good value and would hurt slightly less if trashed.

 

[Rich QR]

Don't get it into your head that you will crash your first drone.

Agreed! It does happen, but is usually avoidable. I suggest reading as many accounts from the Crash / Flyaway assistance forum as you can stand. There are many who crash, but there aren't so many unique causes.

• Don't fly in heavy winds
• Understand how return to home works and how to keep it away from obstacles.
• Give tree limbs a wide berth
• Recognize what can cause loss of GPS
• Don't take off from magnetic surfaces

 

[African wildlife]

Hi Output555. We only use a drone for professional work. We mainly use the superb Phantom 4 pro Plus, but we also have a Mini 2 - which is surprisingly good when you know how to get the best out of it.

How many times have you dropped or trashed your camera gear? Never? Good Then do the same with a drone. We have never crashed a drone. It's mainly about your mentality If you're careful and detailed, you should be fine.

I'm skeptical about the use of a drone as a location scout - if it's for stills photography. Why? Simply because it looks significantly different "up there" to "down here" But I'm reasonably sure that once you have a drone, you'll be adding aerial shots to your portfolio.

The Mini 2 is a better option for you than a MA2, not least because of cost. And I repeat: we have the Mini 2 as a work tool. It's easy/great to fly and super-lightweight (which also helps with new regulations).

 

[UK-JonJ]

All great advice from all on here. I was new to drones last year, and started with a Mini 2 Fly More combo. Mainly for photography.

I want to reassure you, as have others, that as long as you take the time to understand the drone, treat your flights with respect, prep and check ahead of a flight and don't fly in bad conditions there is a very low risk of crashing/fly away. My only minor issues have been user error (I crashed it on using return from home landing and it dropped down onto a patio wall - no damage but ALL down to me and not the drone) and if you are making sure you are using line of sight on the drone, as you are legally required to do - even if you have an issue - it's not going to be far away. DJI's are super easy to fly and have good features. Collision detection is fine, but none of these things make up for being clear where you are flying, what's in the way etc.

As others have said, the Mini 2 does allow you the most flexibility in terms of where to fly. No doubt there are more powerful drones out there - but it's also cheaper to insure. And I do recommend you get personal liability insurance and some sort of cover if you are flying a lot in urban areas - policies can be had for less than £30 for recreational cover - subject to policy etc. etc. I really think of it that I need to consider what would happen to other's property if I had an issue so consider insurance a (personal choice) must.

This forum is the best I've seen for advice. Plus, YouTube is your friend for reviews and I particularly like IanInLondon.

 

[output555]

Agreed! It does happen, but is usually avoidable. I suggest reading as many accounts from the Crash / Flyaway assistance forum as you can stand. There are many who crash, but there aren't so many unique causes.

• Don't fly in heavy winds
• Understand how return to home works and how to keep it away from obstacles.
• Give tree limbs a wide berth
• Recognize what can cause loss of GPS
• Don't take off from magnetic surfaces

Great advice, thanks!

 

[output555]

All great advice from all on here. I was new to drones last year, and started with a Mini 2 Fly More combo. Mainly for photography.

I want to reassure you, as have others, that as long as you take the time to understand the drone, treat your flights with respect, prep and check ahead of a flight and don't fly in bad conditions there is a very low risk of crashing/fly away. My only minor issues have been user error (I crashed it on using return from home landing and it dropped down onto a patio wall - no damage but ALL down to me and not the drone) and if you are making sure you are using line of sight on the drone, as you are legally required to do - even if you have an issue - it's not going to be far away. DJI's are super easy to fly and have good features. Collision detection is fine, but none of these things make up for being clear where you are flying, what's in the way etc.

As others have said, the Mini 2 does allow you the most flexibility in terms of where to fly. No doubt there are more powerful drones out there - but it's also cheaper to insure. And I do recommend you get personal liability insurance and some sort of cover if you are flying a lot in urban areas - policies can be had for less than £30 for recreational cover - subject to policy etc. etc. I really think of it that I need to consider what would happen to other's property if I had an issue so consider insurance a (personal choice) must.

This forum is the best I've seen for advice. Plus, YouTube is your friend for reviews and I particularly like IanInLondon.

Thanks for the very thorough and informative message. I plan on only flying in good conditions and keep the drone in sight. Liability insurance is a great idea, especially knowing how accidents can happen.