Mini 2 or Mavic Air 2?

waynnad · Jul 28, 2021

Hi guys. As a newbie, I'm planning to get one of these (for my trips) and trying to find out the following.

1. Which drone is best for a beginner - Mini 2 or Mavic Air 2?

I'm not savvy when it comes to operating drones especially, but am willing to learn. But what really matters most to me are:

Wind resistance
The ability to track me as the subject and my movements without having to operate and hold onto the remote or my phone
Ease of operating and flying the drone as a beginner
Obstacle avoidance (a bonus, but not necessary)

2. And is the Fly More Combo worth the additional cost?
3. Is an ND filter necessary?

Phantomrain.org · Jul 28, 2021

Despite the Legend of the Mini 2 , its the Air 2 that you will always keep you surprised , the same goes for the Air 2S

Phantomrain.org
Gear to fly your Air 2 in the Rain

Tufargon · Jul 28, 2021

waynnad said:
Hi guys. As a newbie, I'm planning to get one of these (for my trips) and trying to find out the following.

1. Which drone is best for a beginner - Mini 2 or Mavic Air 2?

I'm not savvy when it comes to operating drones especially, but am willing to learn. But what really matters most to me are:

Wind resistance

The ability to track me as the subject and my movements without having to operate and hold onto the remote or my phone

Ease of operating and flying the drone as a beginner

Obstacle avoidance (a bonus, but not necessary)

2. And is the Fly More Combo worth the additional cost?
3. Is an ND filter necessary?

The Air 2 is better for wind resistance,
The Mini 2 doesn't have tracking as far as I know.
They both have the same app so it's extremely similar.
I never rely on obstacle avoidance but the Air 2 has it.
Also the SDK is not out for the Mini 2 yet so you'll have to wait till it's released to get third party software for it like litchi, dronelink etc...

db4476 · Jul 28, 2021

Learning curve is about the same for both, I have both, the Air 2 has a few more features. If you think you'll be into it for the long haul, then the Air 2 is a solid choice if you want a few more bells and whistles. Personally, the obstacle avoidance and tracking on the Air 2 I rarely use, while the size of the mini 2 travels a bit easier.

Cheers!

waynnad · Jul 28, 2021

db4476 said:
Learning curve is about the same for both, I have both, the Air 2 has a few more features. If you think you'll be into it for the long haul, then the Air 2 is a solid choice if you want a few more bells and whistles. Personally, the obstacle avoidance and tracking on the Air 2 I rarely use, while the size of the mini 2 travels a bit easier.

Cheers!

Thanks for the input! So which one have you traveled with and utilized more often?

db4476 · Jul 28, 2021

Funny you should ask. An 8-day road trip starts tomorrow through the western states, the mini 2 and air 2 will be tagging along. The mini 2 always travels with me, but the Air 2 has about 100 more flights than the mini. I'm just hoping all the smoke from the wildfires clears up, and I can fly. Both birds fly about the same with the Air 2 having more speed and handles higher winds while the mini 2 I like a bit better at those slow cinematic shots. Either way you go I think you will be pleased as both are solid birds.

Cheers!

Steel63 · Jul 29, 2021

If you're looking for a drone that track's you without holding onto a remote check out the skydeo2 the air 2 has activetrack but it's not reliable just my opinion good luck .!

Bill Dunnuck · Jul 29, 2021

I have both and they are both great drones. I like to fly more than film and I seem to use the Mini 2 much more frequently. It is very smooth and does the freestyle flying that I like to do better than the Air 2. You can’t go wrong with either.

MARK (LI) · Jul 29, 2021

I think the Mini2 , because of its size travels much better, but if you are thinking of "upgrade" the Air 2S has better photography capabilties I fly with another forum member who has the 2s...it is easier to see in the sky, and does maneuver a lot more smoothly than the mini

MARK (LI) · Jul 29, 2021

Bill Dunnuck said:
I have both and they are both great drones. I like to fly more than film and I seem to use the Mini 2 much more frequently. It is very smooth and does the freestyle flying that I like to do better than the Air 2. You can’t go wrong with either.

@Bill Dunnuck ...any tips on free style flying?

hiflyer201 · Jul 29, 2021

Sounds like you answered your own question. You want the Air 2 but I think you'll soon tire of tracking yourself. Most of the beginner accident's with the Mini that I've seen on this forum would have never happened with the Air 2.

waynnad · Jul 30, 2021

Thanks everyone! I've decided to go with the Mavic Air 2 - I figured the investment is worth the money given that its obstacle avoidance could save me from crashes and additional cost incurred in the replacement/further repairs.

benhuntn · Jul 30, 2021

I have a mini 2 and a mp2. I enjoy both and fly both often. Ease of transporting- Mini2, ease of set up mini2 and flying to learn skills-Mini2. I do not have a air2 but if they are similar you can't go wrong. The mini2 is cheaper to purchase and is a great way to improve your skills. The fly more combo is the way to go.

deniscell · Sep 7, 2021

waynnad said:
Hi guys. As a newbie, I'm planning to get one of these (for my trips) and trying to find out the following.

1. Which drone is best for a beginner - Mini 2 or Mavic Air 2?

I'm not savvy when it comes to operating drones especially, but am willing to learn. But what really matters most to me are:

Wind resistance

The ability to track me as the subject and my movements without having to operate and hold onto the remote or my phone

Ease of operating and flying the drone as a beginner

Obstacle avoidance (a bonus, but not necessary)

2. And is the Fly More Combo worth the additional cost?
3. Is an ND filter necessary?

mini 2 cheaper, under 249g, same wind resistance, same camera, better airtime

Tufargon · Sep 7, 2021

deniscell said:
mini 2 cheaper, under 249g, same wind resistance, same camera, better airtime

It doesn't have the same wind resistance or camera. I'm not sure about air time.

MARK (LI) · Sep 7, 2021

As a beginner you will face less hassles with the Mini2...being less than 250 grams, you have absolutely no involvement with the FAA in regards to registering the drone or yourself...you will have to obtain TRUST cert you do have to obey FAA regs...for trips it is really compact and easy to carry around..if you are going out of the country ...check the prevailing regulations...actually you do need to check prevailing regs even in the US...there are a lot of local ordinances and laws that prohibit you from launching/landing/operating within their jurisdiction..I have a Mini2...right now the only other drone that I would consider is the Air2s...with its better camera...I fly with a guy who has the 2s and it is easier to see in the sky, produces better videos and photos, and seems to fly more smoothly than the Mini2....and it is fast
Edit:.....just noticed that you are in Canada....check your country's laws...I understand that they are stricter than ours...not sure if you have something comparable to TRUST

VenomXts · Sep 7, 2021

air 2, registering your drone is simple and you have to abide by all the other crap regardless.. go for the air 2.

JoeSchu · Sep 8, 2021

I recently purchased the Mini 2 and the biggest thing on your list that jumps out at me is the desire to track a moving subject. While the QuickShot's on the Mini 2 are really fun, the concept that you're going to be able to just launch and have it take great video of you on your bike or hiking or whatever without a competent pilot is a full no-go. There's no POI or Active Tracking on the Mini 2, so the Air is truly your only option.

Personally, this is my first drone, so I wasn't looking to break the bank, yet have a good platform to learn on. I've found the Mini 2 perfect for this purpose. I'm taking the time to learn to fly and film safely and creatively. I might regret this when I go on my Alaska trip and wish I could film myself actively kayaking with tracking. On the other hand, I think I'll appreciate the smaller size and flexibility throughout that trip.

Feels like a highly personal decision based on use-case and budget. I've been happy with mine.

deniscell · Sep 17, 2021

Tufargon said:
It doesn't have the same wind resistance or camera. I'm not sure about air time.

Mavic air 2 Max Wind Resistance
8.5-10.5 m/s (Level 5)
Mini 2 Max Wind Speed Resistance 8.5-10.5 m/s (Scale 5)

Specs are here :
DJI Mini 2 - Specifications - DJI
and here:

DJI Air 2S - Specs - DJI

Check out DJI Air 2S specs for product features and detailed explanations. Integrated with a 1-inch camera sensor for up to 5.4K UHD video, 12km transmission range, and intelligent shooting modes like MasterShots, DJI Air 2S is an all-in-one film crew that records your adventures with ease.

www.dji.com

Tufargon · Sep 17, 2021

deniscell said:
Mavic air 2 Max Wind Resistance

8.5-10.5 m/s (Level 5)

Mini 2 Max Wind Speed Resistance 8.5-10.5 m/s (Scale 5)

Specs are here :
DJI Mini 2 - Specifications - DJI
and here:

DJI Air 2S - Specs - DJI

Check out DJI Air 2S specs for product features and detailed explanations. Integrated with a 1-inch camera sensor for up to 5.4K UHD video, 12km transmission range, and intelligent shooting modes like MasterShots, DJI Air 2S is an all-in-one film crew that records your adventures with ease.

www.dji.com

You can look at those numbers all day but a drone over twice the weight is going to have more resistance. A gazillion videos on youtube prove it and say it and I know 99.9% of people here would agree with me.
Also if you want to compare the cameras with those specs. Not quite the same.
I'm sure you like your Mini 2 and it is a great drone but it is what it is compared to the Air 2.