Please, do not buy the Flip if you intend to regularly use it on high altitude, thinner air, high wind situations. I have one, and let me describe to you the issue.
1. Prop guard: the integrated prop guard is what makes the Flip unique from the other Mini series, and that is also why it flies rather poorly in high wind situations. When you command it to fly in any direction, the prop guard (a bar of plastic directly in the way of the prop's airstream) is now a barrier to the prop getting more air, and also creates some buffeting so that the props are getting turbulent air compared to an open prop drone.
Essentially, the props are always in a slight stall situation when traveling at any direction but up. The Flip has the same wind resistance rating as the Mini series, but mostly because of the slightly more advanced flight computer allowing for more aggressive bank and pitch angles.
The issue is, at higher altitudes, the prop stall situation is even worse, so I imagine the Flip's flight characteristics is going to be much degraded the higher you go. It also has a smaller gimble tilt limit than the
Mini 3/4/5, I often hit the gimble limit of travel when flying in medium winds situation (40km/h or higher)
2. Props: if you have seen how the Flip looks like flying without the integrated prop guards (I have, somebody disassembled all four guards so it's only four metal arms, motors and prop in open air condition), you would be amazed how small the Flip's props are compared to the
Mini 3/4s, let alone the Mini 5's bigger props. It is also why the Flip is inherently more noisy than the Mini series, and kinda getting closer to the
Neo 1/2 series' noise signature.
I would suggest upping the budget and get a
Mini 4 for your purpose.
