Mavic Air 2 or Mavic Mini?

[skrim_john]

Hello everyone, I'm about to buy my first drone and I cant decide between those 2 models mentioned above. I've watched all the videos on youtube and know all the specs and differences of those drones but still, it's a hard choice for me. Im located in Australia where the mini combo costs 800$, and air 2 combo is 1900$. Its a bigger price difference than in the U.S... For now I'm leaning more towards Air 2 for few reasons:
1. Video Signal - I dont want to be concerned about losing the connection few hundred meters away, I know MA2 will perform much better due to radio signal rather than Wi-Fi with the mini.
2. Windy conditions - I've seen videos and posts where people were describing their experiences with mavic mini and it's performance in the wind.
3. Photo and Video potential - Air 2 gives a lot more possibilities with it's features like point of interest etc, shooting RAW images and recording in 4k also gives me more field to work with in post production.

I guess my fear is that if I get the mini, I'll be disappointed with the quality and the limitation it has - which in result could put me off from pursuing drones as a hobby. What are your thoughts on this? Am I underestimating the mini?

I probably should also mention that I'd mostly fly with my drone on the weekend, as I'm working Mon - Sat, which leaves me only Sundays for longer trips outside the city. (+ flying around my area on weekdays). Thanks!

 

[Thmoore]

Unless you have been working with 4K video quite a bit, the video from the Mini will knock your socks off. It takes beautiful footage.

One difference you didn’t mention is the obstacle avoidance on the MA2. It is far easier to smack the Mini into things than it is the MA2.

Having said that, I recommend starting with the Mini. By the time you feel the need to upgrade, the Air might be up to version three...

 

[DS Dad]

Mavic Mini is okay of course, but I absolutely recommend Air 2. The truth is having the OCUSYNC and front and rear sensors are a HUGE Deal. Also the Air 2 is very sturdy.....I actually crashed mine when not trying to film as it hit a tree (no side sensors unfortunately). But after inspection it is still working perfectly (lucky me though I have the fly more combo for insurance). Here is a video I did with my kid and if you want just watch the first few seconds because I used the Mavic Air 2 with no filter no color grading to capture a local stadium in our town. The reviews and videos I saw on the mini just made me feel that after a few months I would have to upgrade to the Air 2 and didn't want to waste time or money....

 

[chukovskij]

Hi, I also was choosing between Mavic Mini and Air 2. Finally decided to buy Air2 although it requires registration in my and some other countries.


> 2. Windy conditions
IMHO the main advantage of Air 2 is that it is more powerful, so less chance to lose it due to strong wind, etc. Mavic Mini cannot be able to return back in case of strong wind. I take Air 2 to the mountains so I cannot land it on the top/edge of the next summit =). MA2 is relatively not very heavy for the complicated mountaineering routes.

> 1. Radio signal strength
Actually, the drone real signal strength could be much less than what is mentioned in specs (due to electromagnetic interference, obstacles, etc), I don't need to fly 10km away, but I'd like to get a more stable signal for 1km.

 

[Rchawks]

I bought both. The MM first then of course the MA2. As you stated the MM has limitations, but it's good to learn on and isn't as pitch sensitive as the MA2. I fly both drones at different times for the most part depending on the weather and what I want to do. I'm more comfortable with getting in a quick flight with the MM and it tends to draw less attention. The MA2 has more features, but it cost about twice as much and then there's the refresh cost in case of severe damage the MA2 being more. For flying in places such as coves where there's lots of trees and very little wiggle room the MM is much better. Really it depends on what you intend to do with it. Not all flights need to be at 400 ft. Sometimes it's fun to fly for the sake of flying and not always about the video or pictures. At this point personally I wouldn't trade for either one. Great drones from my point of view.

 

[Heindrich1988]

I actually asked pretty much the same question a few days ago. Maybe the responses will be of use to you.

Hey guys, help me choose my first drone please!

Hey guys, I am currently living in Guangdong province, China. I plan to go to the DJI flagship store in Shenzhen on Saturday to purchase my first ever drone! The question is... which one? Mavic Mini or Mavic Air 2? I've done quite a lot of research myself, but I am still undecided, so any...

mavicpilots.com

In the end I picked the Air 2. The Fly More combo is a no-brainer whether you pick the Mini or the Air 2. For me in China, that meant 3399 RMB for the Mini or 6699 RMB for the Air 2. So for double price, you are getting a much more capable drone that is easier to fly for beginners and much less likely to be lost due to high winds.

I am not a drone expert so I won't pretend to understand all the specific technical details, but the research I did suggested that in terms of capability, the MA2 is much closer to the Mavic 2 Pro than the Mavic Mini. However, in terms of cost, it is much closer to the Mini than the Mavic 2 Pro.

Also,the biggest draw of the Mini was supposed to be freedom from regulations... but it looks like governments are applying rules to them regardless, so it makes minimal practical difference because registering itself is not that expensive or complicated in most countries. I got my MA2 registered in China for free from the DJI store when I bought it. When I return to the UK, it just costs a few £ to register there. So the biggest selling point of the Mini is not as huge as I initially thought.

 

[Heindrich1988]

Im located in Australia where the mini combo costs 800$, and air 2 combo is 1900$.

Yikes Aussies really do get a raw deal for all sorts of imported products.

I previously compared prices between China, the US and the UK. For some reason, the prices for China (6699 RMB) and the US are basically the same. (In fact at current exchange rates, the US is slightly cheaper 6687). The MA2 Fly More combo is about 8298 in the UK. I just checked that it is 9381 in Australia.

I was expecting/hoping to find a local discount in China, but there's literally no deals on new DJI products from either their official stores or online retailers. The Mini costs the same today as it did on launch day. If DJI priced products based on local purchasing power, then surely the US should be more expensive than the UK (higher average wages in the US) and certainly more expensive than China. But it looks like despite the trade war and tariffs, DJI drones are basically the same price in the US, but there is a premium for other countries? Seems very arbitrary.

 

[nhgill960]

The range problem for the mini can be solved with a pair of 8 element yagis. I haven’t bought them yet but watched a video where the yagis boosted the signal 4X compared to stock. I bought a mini and have been very happy with it. 2.7k looks great even though it isn’t 4K.

 

[pinballwiz86]

The range problem for the mini can be solved with a pair of 8 element yagis. I haven’t bought them yet but watched a video where the yagis boosted the signal 4X compared to stock. I bought a mini and have been very happy with it. 2.7k looks great even though it isn’t 4K.

An 8 element yagi is a ridiculous overkill. I like it! Lol.

 

[Michael Ainsworth]

I have just bought the Mavic Air 2.
My dilemma was between this or the MP2. That also has about a $1000 difference.
never consider the Mini as in my mind I didn’t think it would be up to the task. I do a lot of DSLR photography and wanted to incorporate the videos and photos. Would have gone for the MP2 but am retired and my financial controller has a big stick ?
Went for the Combo with two extra batteries and ND filters.