So I was about to get into all this Thrust to Weight Ratio stuff. Then I decided to just compare the specs. It turns out the
Air 2s outclasses the
Mini 3 in virtually every area other than flight time. Max speed, max ascent and descent, max service ceiling, etc. It even matches the standard
M3P battery in hover time. They match in wind resistance...supposedly. So no, it doesn't have "more thrust" per se....and even if the ratio is better (which it most certainly is given the
M3P's weight), it doesn't translate to more agile performance our stability.
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Now, as for operating cost: The standard batteries are cheaper. The Plus battery is not much cheaper. You can find new IFBs on ebay for $90. So that's kind of a wash.
Yes, the
M3P will catch up...to a point. With its reduced weight and size though, it may be limited in terms of what kind of accessories it can carry. And with that battery design, you can probably forget about after market add on batteries like we can do with the
2s.
RC Pro: Given that they released the RC Plus, I highly doubt the Pro will be compatible with the Mini. In fact, the consensus here when the RCP was announced was that it wouldn't be compatible with the
2s. I suspect there was a huge outpouring of demand that led to that decision. I find it
highly unlikely they will make it compatible.
Weight: One weighs half a pound. They other weighs about a pound. If either one hits your head from any significant height, you're screwed. If either hits your car from any significant height, the drone and car are likely going to be significantly damaged. You can't possibly be counting
"what if it falls from the sky and hits my dog in the teeth" as a reason to buy one over the other. There are reasons to choose the
M3P over the
Air 2s (cost, video quality, portability, lack of need to register) but
"I'd rather it hit me in the head" is not one of them.