Hi from Italy

[nicdain]

Hi everybody,
Thank you for admitting me to this community!
I am a newbie in the world of drones and I don't own one yet. I live in Italy (Florence) and I have waited for the italian regulations to adhere to european laws before buying a drone.
I will probably opt for a light UAV (<250 grams) because there is no need for license in order to fly it.
Since I still have to start practicing piloting, I am still uncertain if buying a rather inexpensive Mavic Mini or jump to the newer but more pricey Mini 2, given the fact that I would also like to practice with some 3D mapping and, at present, Mini 2 SDK are not available and it is not clear when they will be.
Any advices?
Thanks

 

[MA2 317]

Hello from the Hoosier Heartland nicdain.

If I had to choose, I would go for the mini 2 just because it's better than the mini 1.

But as you stated, the SDK hasn't been released yet for your specific task of mapping.

DJI recently released the SDK for the Mavic Air 2 so the mini 2 may be released in the future. ?

Good luck and welcome to the Forum.

 

[old man mavic]

welcome to the forum

 

[Mavikhan]

WELCOME ABOARD! ?

 

[eaglesurfing]

Welcome to the forum and enjoy.

 

[mrjohnc1]

Welcome!

 

[Deleted member 103366]

Welcome, enjoy whatever you get.
I bought a 2nd Mavic Mini ( second hand) following the launch of the Mini 2. The main reasons being
a) compatibility with what I already owned.
b) a glut on the 2nd hand market and some reduction in price.
I think the MM does a grand job PROVIDING you bear in mind its limitations, i.e. It struggles in strong wind. The Mini 2 is slightly better but in conditions where the Mini 2 could fly and the MM could not, I would be using a Phantom 3 or an M2P, so that isn't a consideration for me.
Some people see the increased control range of the Mini 2 as essential, I do not. The MM flies to the limit of my eyesight, normally without trouble, and beyond. So, the MM's control range is perfectly adequate for my flying.
RAW or not hmmm, I have DSLR's that can shot raw and to be honest I don't often use it.
Then there is the increased size of the controller, it's not that big an increase but it is bigger and perhaps slightly less portable than the MM controller. The bigger capacity battery in the Mini 2 controller is a definite advantage if you use an Android screen device and equalling that with a MM requires carrying additional power packs or backup controllers.
I also think that the 1.2.abc version of the app, that is required for the Mini 2, is still early in its development and still a bit 'buggy', I tried it and 20min later was back onto 1.6 or 1.9, (Android). If you are an Apple user and if you have yet to install the App on your phone you may not have a choice of versions available to you and will end up with 1.2.... irrespective of whether you get a MM or a Mini2
The Mini 2 might offer increase video resolution etc. but can your TV or computer handle it?

Of course there is little or no warranty with a second hand MM whereas you might get one with a new Mini 2. Care refresh, if available to you, is easier to get with a new drone than with a 2nd hand drone (bear in mind the 48hr from activation window)

 

[nicdain]

MA2 317" data-source="post: 1191309" class="bbCodeBlock bbCodeBlock--expandable bbCodeBlock--quote js-expandWatch">

Hello from the Hoosier Heartland nicdain.

If I had to choose, I would go for the mini 2 just because it's better than the mini 1.

But as you stated, the SDK hasn't been released yet for your specific task of mapping.

DJI recently released the SDK for the Mavic Air 2 so the mini 2 may be released in the future. ?

Good luck and welcome to the Forum.

Hi MA2 317, thank you for the reply. That's what I was thinking about, Mini 2 is better than Mini and surely worth the purchase, considering that it costs only an extra 150 euros in respect to the Mini.
If I was sure that DJI will actually release SDK for Mini2 in the next future (they could even not release them at all?), I could go for the Mini2 right now and practice piloting while waiting for SDK to do some mapping...

 

[THE CYBORG]

Hi nicdain Welcome to Mavic Pilots.

 

[pelagic_one]

Welcome to the forum! Having visited your lovely city on a couple occasions, I could spend weeks there just enjoying the architecture. With a Mavic, I could imagine months of flying around. Perhaps you’ll find a used Mini Fly More Combo on the Ponte Vecchio?

Safe flying to you in 2021!

 

[nicdain]

Welcome, enjoy whatever you get.
I bought a 2nd Mavic Mini ( second hand) following the launch of the Mini 2. The main reasons being
a) compatibility with what I already owned.
b) a glut on the 2nd hand market and some reduction in price.
I think the MM does a grand job PROVIDING you bear in mind its limitations, i.e. It struggles in strong wind. The Mini 2 is slightly better but in conditions where the Mini 2 could fly and the MM could not, I would be using a Phantom 3 or an M2P, so that isn't a consideration for me.
Some people see the increased control range of the Mini 2 as essential, I do not. The MM flies to the limit of my eyesight, normally without trouble, and beyond. So, the MM's control range is perfectly adequate for my flying.
RAW or not hmmm, I have DSLR's that can shot raw and to be honest I don't often use it.
Then there is the increased size of the controller, it's not that big an increase but it is bigger and perhaps slightly less portable than the MM controller. The bigger capacity battery in the Mini 2 controller is a definite advantage if you use an Android screen device and equalling that with a MM requires carrying additional power packs or backup controllers.
I also think that the 1.2.abc version of the app, that is required for the Mini 2, is still early in its development and still a bit 'buggy', I tried it and 20min later was back onto 1.6 or 1.9, (Android). If you are an Apple user and if you have yet to install the App on your phone you may not have a choice of versions available to you and will end up with 1.2.... irrespective of whether you get a MM or a Mini2
The Mini 2 might offer increase video resolution etc. but can your TV or computer handle it?

Of course there is little or no warranty with a second hand MM whereas you might get one with a new Mini 2. Care refresh, if available to you, is easier to get with a new drone than with a 2nd hand drone (bear in mind the 48hr from activation window)

Hi PhiliusFoggg,
thank you for the reply and for sharing your useful thoughts. I am currently very uncertain about what to buy. As you say, when conditions do not suit the MM, you fly a bigger drone. And that's what I will probably do in the future, but I have to start with something small and cheap, so maybe the MM is good enough.
My aim is professional mapping with photogrammetric surveys, so I will eventually go for something like Phantom or Mavic 2 Pro as well, keeping the MM or MM2 as an aid for field work (I am a geologist) or just for fun.

 

[nicdain]

Welcome to the forum! Having visited your lovely city on a couple occasions, I could spend weeks there just enjoying the architecture. With a Mavic, I could imagine months of flying around. Perhaps you’ll find a used Mini Fly More Combo on the Ponte Vecchio?

Safe flying to you in 2021!

Hi pelagic_one, hope you can come back as soon as this covid19 madness is over...
Ah, just checked... no second hand Minis on Ponte Vecchio!

 

[Kendallfordguy]

Welcome from Wisconsin!

 

[Thomas B]

Welcome to the forum from the deserts of Arizona! Enjoy.

 

[wjkrysak]

Welcome to the forum. We look forward to your participation and your view of the world.

 

[anotherlab]

Welcome aboard nicdain and greetings from Albany, NY!?

 

[Laborous]

Welcome to the forum from the beautiful woods of Maine!

 

[Jay241]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Steel63]

Greetings ?

 

[Hauptmann]

Welcome to the forum, from Hauptmann, in the friendly skies of North Texas!