Tough choice

[Volante5767]

Hi Guys
Totally new to drones. Apologies for this question, I'm sure it's been asked a million times. I'm trying to decide between the Mini 2 and the Air 2. I have done a ton of research but still can't decide, these aren't cheap and I don't want to make a mistake. I was heavily leaning towards the Mini 2, however am concerned about wind as its so light, is the Air 2 much more forgiving in stronger winds? Thing is, YouTube only shows the Mini enduring strong wind tests, they never actually say what the Mini flies comfortably in, I have now Intention of flying in high winds, I just want something that's capable, just mild to medium winds, is it worth spending a lot more on the Air 2 to ensure this? Many Thanks

 

[msinger]

is it worth spending a lot more on the Air 2 to ensure this?

No -- since both have equal wind resistance.

I have now Intention of flying in high winds

Tread carefully. All kinds of DJI drones are lost when flying in high winds. That's probably the most common cause of a "fly away".

 

[old man mavic]

the Air 2s would be a better choice ,if its windy a lot, where you intend to fly

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

I think the OP meant "no intention", not "now intention". In which case the Mini 2 would be fine.
Still, I would agree with the choice being between the Mini 2 to the Air 2s, not to the Mavic Air 2.

 

[db4476]

Max wind speed resistance is the same for both @ 10m/sec. I fly the mini 2 and Air 2 and both are capable drones and fly well. The mini 2 is an excellent choice for the $$$ IMO. What you give up vs the Air 2 is some advanced modes and obstacle avoidance. If these are not must haves with a drone, then the mini 2 is a good choice for about 1/2 the $$$.

Cheers!

 

[Volante5767]

I guess the bottom line is, it don't want to buy the Mini 2 if it gets blown away in the lightest of winds, for instance if I'm a mile out, i don't want a ' slight breeze or 'puff' of wind to lose it, you hear so many stories...Whereas, the weight of the Air 2 'almost' guarantee's it can handle slight gusts with ease.

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

I fly a Mini 2, and it holds up fine in a light breeze. But if you are planning to fly long distances, the size of the drone may be important in order to allow you to maintain VLOS. There is no way you will see either one a mile away, but you can go further while remaining legal with a larger drone than a smaller one.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

I would suggest that in the long run you would be better served by learning how to deal with the drone being blown away rather than totally relying on the drone's ability to fight the wind. I would venture that at some point, unless you are an extremely conserative pilot, you will face the problem.

It is better to not fly the outbound leg of any flight down wind. That would mean the trip home is up wind and may prove problematic.

To date I have had gusts blow away a Phantom 3, a Mavic Mini and a Mini 2, I have also seen my Mavic 2 Pro or Zoom struggle. I still have all the drones concerned.

Panic and relying on the RTH button can be deadly in such situations.

Your best bet is to learn to recognise the symptoms, switch to the fastest flight mode and, if possible, descend and bring it home under manual control. ("manual control" = no automated procedures i.e. normal flight)
Wind speed tends to be less lower down and conversely faster higher up.
Why not RTH? Generally the angle of tilt of the drone ( its ability to fight wind ) is limited in RTH, secondly the RTH may increase the height of the drone thereby putting it up into faster still wind.

The closest I have come to losing the drone was the Phantom 3, it was being blown over houses, I could not risk descending, and I was about to fly it out over the sea and ditch it in the sea when the prolonged gust finally died.


If you want a harsh but almost perfect lesson in WHAT NOT TO DO have a read of Air 2S Fly away .
Have a look at the analyses and the diagrams.
You could probably skip the OP's posts after post #1.

 

[msinger]

Whereas, the weight of the Air 2 'almost' guarantee's it can handle slight gusts with ease

I'm not sure that's really the case since both of these drones have the same wind resistance.

 

[StantonZ]

I'll tell you the same thing someone told me when I first got into drones (and knew next-to-nothing): don't buy anything with the word Mini in it (and there wasn't a 2 back then). I have never regretted my decision to buy the MA2; the "S" is just an incremental decision.

 

[msinger]

don't buy anything with the word Mini in it (and there wasn't a 2 back then)

I couldn't agree with that statement after owning both the Mini and Mini 2. The Mini 2 is a fantastic drone if you don't need the extra features that come with the Air 2S.

 

[Deleted member 103366]

flying the out bound leg down wind ...........NOT ME

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[MS Coast]

I guess the bottom line is, it don't want to buy the Mini 2 if it gets blown away in the lightest of winds, for instance if I'm a mile out, i don't want a ' slight breeze or 'puff' of wind to lose it, you hear so many stories...Whereas, the weight of the Air 2 'almost' guarantee's it can handle slight gusts with ease.

Look at the facts and performance information rather than listening to the stories. And, regardless of which drone you choose, don't fly in high winds and gusty conditions, especially as a new pilot.

I can assure you that a slight breeze or puff is not going to create a problem with a Mini 2.

I fly a Mini 2 and and Air 2S and while I would choose the Air 2S for higher wind conditions, I don't feel like I have to give up much with the Mini 2. If, for some reason, it was absolutely necessary to fly in risky high wind conditions, I'd probably fly the Mini 2, because it's less expensive to replace.

Unless the higher cost of the Air 2S is not a problem at all, I'd suggest starting with the Mini 2. Later, if you get really involved in drones, step up to the Air 2S or Mavic 3. And keep the Mini 2 for travel when its smaller size is a huge advantage.

 

[cheddar-man]

Mini 2 for me. Very capable and certainly won't get blown away with the slightest puff of wind!
Read the specs. Mini 2 will fly (normal Mose) at around 22mph which basically means it will stay where it is with a wind speed of 22mph.
I personally wouldn't fly with that wind, be a bumpy ride so no good for photography which is the whole purpose of the drone - isn't it?
Oh, in sport mode the speed goes up to 35mph!

 

[db4476]

Some food for thought:

There are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old bold pilots...

Cheers!

 

[Squidinc]

I started my Drone life (there is such a thing guys isn’t there? ) with the Air2 combo and have never looked back. For my flying around the Australian coast, I would consider the mini a 1/2 step backwards in overall features & benefits, and the Air2s a half step upgrade. That’s only my opinion, & some will disagree, and that’s fine. At the end of the day the Air2 is still an amazing drone!

 

[careless]

I have the Mini 2 and Air 2 but seem to grab the Mini 2 if going out for a drive just to get out of the house and maybe see something that I can only see with a drone. A lot of times because it's cold I fly from inside my truck without any problems and yes I love the Air 2 but if something was to happen I would be less of a loss to me.

 

[twickers14]

I think the OP meant "no intention", not "now intention". In which case the Mini 2 would be fine.
Still, I would agree with the choice being between the Mini 2 to the Air 2s, not to the Mavic Air 2.

Bit more expensive though?

 

[Paint Rock Drones]

Bit more expensive though?

Certainly the Air2S is more expensive. Air2s > Air2 > Mini2 in cost and features. But based on the specs for wind resistance, difference between the Mini2 and the Mavic Air2 isn't worth it, as it would not address the concern that the OP asked about.

In the end it seems that much is up to personal preference.

 

[JoelP]

I have the Mavic Air and the Mavic 3, but 2 friends have the Mini 2. It is an impressive drone for the price. It was noticeably improved over the original Mini for wind penetration. It has Occusync which is a robust connection better than my older Mavic Air. It has decent optics and camera. I have had far bigger issues on my Mavic Air with signal loss than with wind. Follow the instruction to fly out upwind and you will be fine with the Mini 2.

Does this have an shortfalls. Yes, it lacks collision avoidance and smart track. Smart track doesn’t get good enough to be very useful until you move up to the much more expensive Mavic 3. Learn to fly with the Mini2 and decide if this a hobby you enjoy.