Is the DJI Mini 3 the right drone for me?

[invisibleflash]

Hello drone pilots!

I know nothing about drones and have never flown one. I surveyed them for a couple days and settled on a DJI Mini 3 with screen controller. My concern is the DJI Mini 3 does not have obstacle avoidance. My drone use will be to go straight up and survey some land for a mile or so them come back home. If I fly it to avoid obstacles, which are just some trees in the takeoff, will it mirror my flight takeoff to come home and avoid the trees on its own? Or do I have to land it manually to avoid the trees?

My other option is for the Mini Pro 3 or 4 which has obstacle avoidance. But I prefer to not spend the money if the obstacle avoidance is not needed. Will the Mini Pro 3 or 4 be able to come back home and avoid trees on its own?

I am not that interested in taking photos or video, I'm mainly just looking on the screen controller.

Thanks!

 

[msinger]

Will the Mini Pro 3 or 4 be able to come back home and avoid trees on its own?

Yes, all currently available DJI drones can do that. However, the obstacle avoidance isn't foolproof, so it's always better to ensure the drone is flying high enough to clear any obstacles in the intended flight path.

My drone use will be to go straight up and survey some land for a mile or so them come back home

If you're going to be flying in the US, don't forget you'll need to be able to clearly see the drone with your eyes at all times. Flying a mile or so away might not be possible.

 

[Cafguy]

1. We can hear you just fine without the loud text!
2. Obstacle avoidance is a "feature" and should not be used as a piloting tool.
3. What you are wanting to do with your drone is not legal in the U.S. You must be able to see AND determine the Drones orientation with the unaided eye.
4. If your part of the world is not windy all the time a mini would be a good choice. If setup correctly you could safely execute a RTH. see post #2
5. Welcome to the forum!!

 

[invisibleflash]

1. We can hear you just fine without the loud text!
2. Obstacle avoidance is a "feature" and should not be used as a piloting tool.
3. What you are wanting to do with your drone is not legal in the U.S. You must be able to see AND determine the Drones orientation with the unaided eye.
4. If your part of the world is not windy all the time a mini would be a good choice. If setup correctly you could safely execute a RTH. see post #2
5. Welcome to the forum!!

OK, thanks. Did not know you had to see it at all times.

 

[invisibleflash]

Yes, all currently available DJI drones can do that. However, the obstacle avoidance isn't foolproof, so it's always better to ensure the drone is flying high enough to clear any obstacles in the intended flight path.



If you're going to be flying in the US, don't forget you'll need to be able to clearly see the drone with your eyes at all times. Flying a mile or so away might not be possible.

Yes, all currently available DJI drones can do that. However, the obstacle avoidance isn't foolproof, so it's always better to ensure the drone is flying high enough to clear any obstacles in the intended flight path.



If you're going to be flying in the US, don't forget you'll need to be able to clearly see the drone with your eyes at all times. Flying a mile or so away might not be possible.

I thought you could just fly them and look at the screen.

 

[msinger]

I thought you could just fly them and look at the screen.

For recreational flying, you can find the rules here. If you plan on becoming a commercial operator ("Part 107"), then see these rules instead.

 

[ryguy80]

I thought you could just fly them and look at the screen.

The most important rule is that you need visual line of sight (VLOS).

For return to home, you can tell the drone through the software to fly to a certain height to avoid any trees and other tall objects until it reaches home.

 

[moldorf]

as people have said, the regulation is VLOS and a white Mini 3 pro will rarely be visible at 1/5 of a mile, let alone a mile. I have a hard time seeing my Mini 3 more than 600-700 feet away (old eyes). And definitely if I look down at the screen and look back up it's really hard to regain VLOS

a Mavic 3 is much more visible, but it's also more expensive...and a much bigger & heavier drone. You'll need to register with the FAA. Now that's not much of an obstacle and is pretty easy to do online. Still costs $5 IIRC. And the Pilot Institute use to send nice little FAA registration stickers you can put on your drone(s). I'm not sure if they still do that

obstacle avoidance is a nice feature but you should not rely on it for navigation. And keep in mind that even thin branches of trees can knock a drone down and damage it. And obstacle avoidance can sometimes 'not see' those thinner branches, especially in winter when there are no leaves

just about all DJI drones have return to home. If you are taking off in an area with lots of trees it's important to set the RTH altitude significantly higher that any trees around. You also might need to turn off smart RTH as that will have the drone start it's descent before it gets above home point. I narrowly avoided a tree one time with smart RTH

now, with my Mini 3, I always had to stop RTH a little before the landing. That's because it doesn't have precision landing and it's idea of RTH was about a 12 foot diameter circle. The Mini 3 pro is supposed to have precision landing but I've read here people saying it's prone to missing by feet, not inches. If I follow the process on takeoff, my Mavic 3 will return to home and land within 6 inches of where it took off

 

[MARK (LI)]

Start off using the links provided in post #6 they take you to the FAA's Drone Zone......go to item 7 in the section for Recreational Flyers...you need the credentials referenced there...your TRUST Certificate