If you were in the US I would suggest the Mini2 because of the new laws going in to place soon(ish) but I dont know what they are in Israel. The MA2 is the better drone in so many, sometimes little, ways but the Mini2 is close enough while falling under the 250g limit that the FAA set and is also significantly cheaper to buy. I love my MA2 and am willing to pay what I need to bring it up snuff with the new regulations but under the new rules I might still pick up the Mini2 once everything is finalized if they are too restrictive for where I plan to fly
Which better to buy Air 2 or Mini 2?
- Thread starter azould
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I have the Mavic air 2 and my friend has the Mavic mini 2. We tested them yesterday up to 2 miles out in different situations and the Mavic mini battery stayed exactly the same as the Mavic air 2 in every flight. We were flying at the same height and the same distance at the same time. The Mavic mini camera looks better and we were both using the iPhone 11. I did not have a filter on the Mavic air to keep it even. The Mavic air 2 lost complete reception twice where the Mavic mini did not even have a single glitch. The Mavic mini had 4x zoom and Mavic Air only had 2x. The Mavic air 2 RTH was perfect while the mini was a few feet away every time. At 250 feet You could barely hear the Mavic air 2 but you could hear the mini pretty good. I am thinking I’m going to sell the air and get the mini and put a little money back in my pocket.
Mavic 57
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No doubt the Air 2 is the better drone, however I have a Mavic2pro and I have just bought a Mini 2, should arrive tomorrow.
Why did I buy a Mini 2 when I have a M2P, I live in the UK and the CAA rules changed this week. The
I have to be 150m from residential, industrial, and recreation areas aswell as people under the new rules using my M2P. The Mini 2 I can fly over people and in all the areas that I can't with the M2P, as long as I am not endangering people, not in NFZ zones.
The Mini 2 will have its advantages, and quality disadvantages compared to the M2P, but I will be able to fly the Mini 2 much more.
So the Air 2 is a better drone, but the Mini 2 is more useful for ad hoc flying and filming. (I hope ?).
Given the new requirements in the EU I can almost guarantee DJI will be coming out with several new drones 2021 or 2022 that can be certified under the new EU laws. Existing drones will be subject to the most onerous of requirements and restrictions.
I have both. Air when its windy and I need more endurance and no issues with people or flying restrictions. Mini2 when its easier flying, or someone may be within earshot and complain about my “toy” and I have to be under the 250 grams. I do a lot of aerial video for youtube and friends and they are both so close, especially with post tweaking and youtube compression that image quality isn’t really a deal now.
I had both and returned the Mini 2 for these reasons:
the battery life was a lot shorter vs ma2
the gimbal tilted down when in sport mode meaning you can’t see where you are going
the sound or noise for both drones was very similar to my ears
The zoom on the camera didn’t zoom in as far
i live in the Lake District so don’t fly direct near buildings or people
the ma2 build quality is far better (not that this matters)
the battery life was a lot shorter vs ma2
the gimbal tilted down when in sport mode meaning you can’t see where you are going
the sound or noise for both drones was very similar to my ears
The zoom on the camera didn’t zoom in as far
i live in the Lake District so don’t fly direct near buildings or people
the ma2 build quality is far better (not that this matters)
Technology is too fast to go by a decade's time, and the decade is too young anyway.
P3P probably was the drone of the decade, until the original Mavic. Then the Air, then the M2 series, each topping the other.
Gr8fulTed
Well-Known Member
F#*k it, Dude. Let's go flying.I believe there's more to the decision than purely money and specs. I was in the same boat and labored over the decision as well. Money was not a deciding factor, and I even had discounts that would narrow the price between the two by less than $200.
What it came down to for me was the conspicuity. I like to fly in both urban and beautiful public nature areas. I highly value not disturbing others' experience when outdoors or at their homes, so it was more important to me to not infringe on others with a larger and louder drone, and worth losing the few advantages that the larger Air 2 have over the Mini 2. Strange concept, I know. I also hike, mountain bike and gravel cycle, so overall system weight and size was a big factor, as I'd like to take it with me on longer rides.
From personal experience before getting into drones, I'd been on hikes in the past and been annoyed as hell by someone flying low over the trails for over an hour. It was cool at first, but became like a splinter in my ear I couldn't unhear the entire time they were flying, which really put a damper on my limited time outdoors. I was not alone on this, as others on the trail started getting annoyed and even paranoid, fearing their picture was being taken by some "nefarious" unknown entity. (We have to keep in mind this is how a lot of the general public view drones).
So although they are fascinating and cool to me now, I have to keep this experience in mind and realize nearly everyone out enjoying nature is not going to be pleased by hearing and seeing a loud and large drone. And the last thing the hobby needs is more of the general public hating drones. Thus, I chose the Mini 2 which has been hardly noticeable once high in the sky. I also make an effort to launch and fly as far away from others as possible, but realize I will probably still annoy someone if I'm staying in the same area for a long time, so I try to move around. It's a personal feeling, but I get more enjoyment and less stress flying when I know I'm more inconspicuous and less likely to bother others or be approached by an angered redneck or Karen.
The second most common argument for the Air 2 seems to be the camera. To me it's a moot point, as even in side-by-side comparisons there is not a massive difference. I'm not shooting videos for Hollywood. 99.9% of people watching my videos (that are going to be compressed/degraded by whatever site you're sharing them on, by the way) are not going to be pausing and pixel-peeping by zooming in 400% to assess the image quality. Content and editing trump the minute image differences. So then you have to weigh the other advantages like a supposed wind advantage, sensors, hyperlapse and active tracking, which are all legitimate reasons to go Air 2 if you need/want those. Again, for me they didn't outweigh the conspicuity and portability. Either way, you're getting a great drone no matter which you choose!
I found this other thread really interesting, as it's also one of the few comparisons where I've seen someone that is not "campy" (aka, staunch purchase decision loyalty) and a realist compare the two after switching to the Air 2.
Again, either way you're going to have a great time!
Findings after returning Mini 2 for Air 2, Amateur Comparison.
Preparing for a trip to the mountains this month I purchased a Mini 2 on 12/1/20. After flying it for several days and getting some good footage I realized how much I enjoyed this drone and began looking at other DJI products. I found the Air 2 decided that the better camera, Focus Track Modes...mavicpilots.com
African wildlife
Well-Known Member
Hi Azould. Here's why we decided on a Mini 2 and what we think of it (and we're using it for professional purposes): Great drone
silverdragon
Well-Known Member
This was a clincher for me as well. The price was a consideration as well especially for something crashable. But the deciding factor was that it doesn't bother people around it even at moderate altitude. I won't lie i do miss active track features. But ultimately it was more important for me to have something that I could use almost anywhere.
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Im lucky its the middle of the winter here in Minnesota. This is helping me procrastinate my decision between the two drones also. I'm just a hobbyist who has simple needs. Like most things electronic these days, there are so many settings and functions it makes a person dizzy. I ask myself, will I personally use Active tracking, most likely not. Do I care if my I can shoot 4k video in a higher resolution? Not really since I have nothing 4K to view it on. And if I did, would it really matter if the resolution was a bit better, not to me. I bought my son in law a mini 1 two years ago for xmas when it came out. I was really surprised at the pic and video quality. To me it was significantly better than my brothers MP1. So as far as the video quality is concerned, I know I would be overly satisfied with the M2. One reservation with the M1 was wifi signal which prevented me from buying one myself. I live in a rural area with hardly any homes and a lot of wooded surroundings and open agriculture fields. This allows me to safely push the drone past LOS ( yea I know). I can easily go over a mile plus in a 270 degree pattern without a single structure or home. The biggest factor I'm watching is the ability to handle wind resistance. I've always kept close attention to wind speed before launching any drone like all of us. And yes, there are days I've wanted to fly but just couldn't because of the wind. But I know Mother Nature can do what she wants when she wants. And if she rears her head in the middle of a flight, I'd like to know whatever drone I'm flying has a fighting chance.
Another factor not always brought up is the ability to fly in other countries. This may or may not be a issue for some. But we like to travel and I know some countries have flying restrictions that could possibly ground a larger drone.
Recently, I've read about stress cracks on the MA2 which have caught my attention. It appears to be a real thing, although I don't know how wide spread it really is. Hopefully, it was a small percentage and addressed. I feel bad for those buyers who have this issues and were left hanging my dji. I have nothing against the MA2, I just wonder if its more than what I really need, if I bought one I know I'd love it. Just my (confused) thoughts.
Another factor not always brought up is the ability to fly in other countries. This may or may not be a issue for some. But we like to travel and I know some countries have flying restrictions that could possibly ground a larger drone.
Recently, I've read about stress cracks on the MA2 which have caught my attention. It appears to be a real thing, although I don't know how wide spread it really is. Hopefully, it was a small percentage and addressed. I feel bad for those buyers who have this issues and were left hanging my dji. I have nothing against the MA2, I just wonder if its more than what I really need, if I bought one I know I'd love it. Just my (confused) thoughts.
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