Mavic Mini Range (UK)?

[Superbracey]

Morning. I'm a former Phantom 3 Pro owner and want to get back into flying. I was looking to buy another P3P (good performance, great video, good range, getting old) until I saw that the upcoming Mavic Mini can be had for the same price as a used P3P (new, shiney, warrantied, modern).

I have a budget of approx £3-450 and the reviews of the Mini seem largely favourable. I loved the range of my Phantom and can't stretch to a Mavic Pro.

What is the max. range in the UK? I've seen the following specs for the Mavic Mini:

• Max Transmission Distance (unobstructed, free of interference)
• Model MR1SS5
  5.8 GHz: 4000 m (FCC); 2500 m (SRRC)
  Model MR1SD25
  2.4 GHz: 2000 m (MIC/CE)
  5.8 GHz: 500 m (CE)

What is MIC?

Cheers.

 

[Mikero]

MIC is the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications in Japan

 

[Superbracey]

Ah! So that's the potential range in Japan and not an option here in the UK. 500m max in the UK.
Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[pross]

Ah! So that's the potential range in Japan and not an option here in the UK. 500m max in the UK.
Thanks for clearing that up.

No
2.4 GHz: 2000 m (MIC/CE)

2000m if you use 2.4Ghz or 500m if you use 5.8Ghz

 

[Superbracey]

No
2.4 GHz: 2000 m (MIC/CE)

2000m if you use 2.4Ghz or 500m if you use 5.8Ghz

Sorry for my novice questions. Would I have the option of 2.4Ghz or 5.8Ghz by flicking a switch or something?

 

[Keule]

Would I have the option of 2.4Ghz or 5.8Ghz by flicking a switch or something?

No

 

[nafisgal]

The standard model for Europe is going to be the MR1SD25
You cannot fly in FCC in Europe (or in the United Kingdom unless state regulations change ...)

 

[Capt KO]

Just have a friend in the states ship you one. Might be trouble though?

 

[RobChester]

I'm a bit confused. I live in the UK and ordered my MM from a camera stockist here. I have reason to believe my MM may have been shipped from the US (I seem to remember a New York stamp on the package). Sure enough the number on the controller is MR1SS5 and it does not seem I can switch from 5.8 GHz in the DJI fly app. Do I have an American model? If so what does this mean for me flying in the UK?

 

[lannes]

I'm a bit confused. I live in the UK and ordered my MM from a camera stockist here. I have reason to believe my MM may have been shipped from the US (I seem to remember a New York stamp on the package). Sure enough the number on the controller is MR1SS5 and it does not seem I can switch from 5.8 GHz in the DJI fly app. Do I have an American model? If so what does this mean for me flying in the UK?

You'll be limited to a maximum range of 500m with a FCC model in a CE jurisdiction, as that is the range for the 5.8ghz CE settings.
The settings are enabled by the drones gps location.

If you had the CE model you could fly using 2.4ghz and theoretically get 4km, while still being able to use 5.8ghz for high interference locations.

What’s the difference of DJI Mavic Mini two models: model MT1SS5 and model MT1SD25? | GearBest Blog

Most customers may notice that DJI Mavic Mini has two different models, MT1SS5 and MT1SD25 in this new DJI drone specification. Why there are two different DJI Mavic Mini model? What are they difference? Which one should I buy, if I live in Australia, FCC or CE?

www.gearbest.com

So unfortunately you might have the worse combination for the UK
Also DJI won't directly honor the warranty on the FCC model as it is not officially sold in the UK, they don't have an internationally warranty.
You'll have to go back through the retailer and they will have to make arrangements in the country they imported it from.

I personally , would return it for a CE model which is what is normally distributed in the UK.

 

[netsonic]

What is the max. range in the UK?

You can fly with the FCC Mini in EU, however it will have less range than a CE Model. There were video and tests done by someone from Italy. The YouTube video is here:

Then the same persons have used a FCC hack via Fake GPS to trick it into thinking that it's in US. I wrote about it here: Mavic Mini FCC Version Hack for Full Power in EU

Btw.. I can recall that there were some other folks in this forum asking about this previously: CE Version of Mavic Mini. Big disadvantages in UK and EU.

 

[RobChester]

You'll be limited to a maximum range of 500m with a FCC model in a CE jurisdiction, as that is the range for the 5.8ghz CE settings.
The settings are enabled by the drones gps location.

If you had the CE model you could fly using 2.4ghz and theoretically get 4km, while still being able to use 5.8ghz for high interference locations.

What’s the difference of DJI Mavic Mini two models: model MT1SS5 and model MT1SD25? | GearBest Blog

Most customers may notice that DJI Mavic Mini has two different models, MT1SS5 and MT1SD25 in this new DJI drone specification. Why there are two different DJI Mavic Mini model? What are they difference? Which one should I buy, if I live in Australia, FCC or CE?

www.gearbest.com

So unfortunately you might have the worse combination for the UK
Also DJI won't directly honor the warranty on the FCC model as it is not officially sold in the UK, they don't have an internationally warranty.
You'll have to go back through the retailer and they will have to make arrangements in the country they imported it from.

I personally , would return it for a CE model which is what is normally distributed in the UK.

Thanks for your reply. I've since seen that Italian video flying the FCC version in Europe and your figures are at odds with their tests (even for the EC 2.5GHz version). Certainly I flew it further than 500m yesterday but returned after about 900 as I'm still finding my way.

 

[lannes]

Thanks for your reply. I've since seen that Italian video flying the FCC version in Europe and your figures are at odds with their tests (even for the EC 2.5GHz version). Certainly I flew it further than 500m yesterday but returned after about 900 as I'm still finding my way.

My reply was flying the FCC model in the UK as stock, without the FAKE GPS work around.
For me there is less hassle just getting the CE version in the UK and Europe

Some people say they can't get Fake GPS to work, so be careful with that, I read some newer versions of the MM firmware affected it
Have a look at the comments in this video, apparently DJI has blocked the android back button.
I guess you'll have to test it, if they have this would limit you to the same firmware version and not be able to take advantage of any improvements or new functions added to later firmware versions.

Have a look at this post for more info on flying FCC in the UK

CE Version of Mavic Mini. Big disadvantages in UK and EU.

What seems to be completely missing from every single review I've read or watched is that the CE version is actually a different model number, which means that for people who use the fake GPS trick that may be an issue. Also, the CE version has a max range of 2km (not 4km), achieved only in...

mavicpilots.com

 

[RobChester]

My reply was flying the FCC model as stock, without the FAKE GPS work around.

Some people say the hack does not work others say it does, so be careful with that, I read some newer versions of the MM firmware affected it

Have a look at this post for more info on flying FCC in the UK

CE Version of Mavic Mini. Big disadvantages in UK and EU.

What seems to be completely missing from every single review I've read or watched is that the CE version is actually a different model number, which means that for people who use the fake GPS trick that may be an issue. Also, the CE version has a max range of 2km (not 4km), achieved only in...

mavicpilots.com

Yes I was only stating that the Italian test on the FCC (unhacked) got to 1300-1400 M in their didn't it?

 

[lannes]

Yes I was only stating that the Italian test on the FCC (unhacked) got to 1300-1400 M in their didn't it?

You'll have to test it yourself to check the veracity of their claims for the stock FCC, you'll soon know if it stops at 500m or goes further.
I'm not sure I'd rely on a fleeting line of text in a youtube video.

DJI on their own forum have said you'll be limited to 500m flying FCC in the UK, but if you can fly further that would be great.
I guess with a CE model you have a theoretical range of 4km, so with this you'd have less risk from my perspective, that's all

 

[RobChester]

Yes I was only stating that the Italian test on the FCC (unhacked) got to 1300-1400 M in their didn't it?

After testing the "full FCC" hack works for me with latest firmware. Maybe others aren't following the correct procedure. You have to have the MM hover before switching the DJI-fly app on, to do this I found it necessary to switch off "open by default" in the app info. Similarly the app must be closed just before landing.
I haven't seen any video of a CE craft getting anywhere near 4km to be honest. Not that intend to go quite that far with my FCC version.

 

[lannes]

After testing the "full FCC" hack works for me with latest firmware. Maybe others aren't following the correct procedure. You have to have the MM hover before switching the DJI-fly app on, to do this I found it necessary to switch off "open by default" in the app info. Similarly the app must be closed just before landing.
I haven't seen any video of a CE craft getting anywhere near 4km to be honest. Not that intend to go quite that far with my FCC version.

Just something to be aware of:

Is your drone legal?

If you’re think of buying a drone, particularly if you’re considering buying one from overseas, you need to realise that not all of them may be legal in the UK.

www.ofcom.org.uk

 

[RobChester]

Yes I am aware. It means no American can ever take their MM on holiday to Europe? Or the rest of the world for that matter. Is that right?

The fact that the fly app can identify where it is and displays a message downgrading its 5.8GHz signal to the appropriate CE regs suggests suggests DJI have tried to comply. It really is strange they've come up with two versions of the craft though.

 

[pross]

It really is strange they've come up with two versions of the craft though.

Not really.... this is how i see it:

You have one model that sells to the USA with its FCC approved power and another model that sells to the rest of the world on lower power.

The USA model can power down if its not in the USA while the other model is stuck on the lower power .. This means that people outside the usa with their reduced power model cant hack it to get usa power.. because its a different model and its fixed at that power.

 

[RobChester]

Not really.... this is how i see it:

You have one model that sells to the USA with its FCC approved power and another model that sells to the rest of the world on lower power.

The USA model can power down if its not in the USA while the other model is stuck on the lower power .. This means that people outside the usa with their reduced power model cant hack it to get usa power.. because its a different model and its fixed at that power.

Agreed. But as I understand it this is the first time DJI have done it this way. In the past they've made the switch just in the firmware (but with the same model).