Fabulous1too

Your thoughts on this drone? Curious is anyone using it on a professional level (Weddings, Real Estate?) The camera is only 12Mp but put through certain software you can expand, not looking to go pro but just curious. Thanks.

tallshooter

Already have Parrot Anafi (4K, 21 MP camera) so did not buy the Mini. I did, however, get the Mavic Air 2 (combo). It is very nice, but the Anafi has better software and will fly anywhere anytime.

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

I was almost ready to pull the trigger on one. Until I realized it doesn't take pictures in RAW.

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

I have one, it is an amazing little drone, I just have fun with it and make videos for fun. Any time you want to make money with any drone you must be licensed by the FFA. If you ever get caught I understand the fines are quite high ($$$). I used to do roof inspections for a few businesses here and stopped for that very reason. I also know the test and prep is difficult and costly; apparently its like getting a private pilot's license but never flying an airplane. You had better check into it. The Mavick Mini is a great drone, though a pretty expensive toy.

PhotoKurtz Loc: Carterville, IL

FFA? lol... That's for farm kids. I believe you meant FAA. Yes, the licensing for commercial work is a challenge. Thanks for the feedback on the mini... I'm tempted.

Fabulous1too

Thank you, I want to stay under the 250g so I won’t have to register it, thx for your input!

DaveD65 Loc: Queen City, Ohio

Less than 250 grams means absolutely nothing if you are making money with your drone. Even if your drone only weighs 25 grams and you use it for to make any amount of money, you are still breaking the law.

dhnieman

If you're thinking of buying a drone for commercial (real estate, mapping or the like) use I would suggest going no less than the Mavic 2 Pro. And, oh yes, the Part 107 commercial test you will need to study for to pass. Another suggestion, the King School class was very helpful . https://www.kingschools.com/ground-school/drone-pilot/ I have taken the initial rating test and the renewal test (every 2 years you need to renew) and the King course was very helpful.

SteveLoker Loc: Fort Worth, TX

Keep in mind that to use ANY drone used commercially you must have a an FAA 107 permit no matter what size the drone is. A lot of YouTubers got in trouble for posting video and got ad revenue from them.
If you fly any drone for anything other than recreational use, it'll have to be registered and you'll need the FAA Part 107 permit.
Here's a link to the FAA's site on drone regs: https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/register_drone/.

SteveLoker Loc: Fort Worth, TX

I'm in line with dhnieman on the Mavic 2 Pro. It is stable and has lots of features and a great camera. I'd take it over the Mavic 2 Zoom because of the camera alone even though they run a little cheaper.
A word of warning: owning a drone will make you susceptible to even more GAS! I have 7 different drones and STILL "need" another one...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Read about it from people who test lots of drones.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mavic+mini+reviews&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS911US911&oq=Mavic+Mini+reviews&aqs=chrome.0.0l8.4679j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

claytonfm

The Mavic Mini is a very nice drone but has one limitation in that it has no collision avoidance sensors as opposed to the more expensive versions.

Lucian Loc: From Wales, living in Ohio

I have the Mavic 2 PRO which is an excellent drone and camera. It all depends on what you want to do with the photos. The Mavic Mini is under the weight category for registration, though with that said, it is simply $5 to register with the FAA and then you have to affix your registration info to the drone itself. So, no big deal for just recreational use.

As has been mentioned, to use it for commercial use, it makes no difference whether it is under 250gms or over, you need to pass FAA Part 107. Though not easy, it is also not terribly difficult and is no where near as much as you need to know as a private pilot. I am also a pilot and was a flight instructor, so I can tell you the test is not too much but of course, if you have no previous experience with aviation, it is a bit of studying, mostly airspace info to know where it is safe to fly.

Drones can be great fun and the Mini is a great little entry level for many people. The new Mavic Air2 is your best cost effective choice though. After that it would be the Mavic 2 Pro or Zoom, depending on what you want to do as an end result, with your photography.

jrm21

Depending on your particular needs, you may want to look at the Autel Evo II or the Skydio 2 drones. They are more along the lines of a Mavic 2 (abilities and cost).

The Mavic Mini does not need FAA registration for non-commercial use, which makes it very attractive. It does have other limitations that may of may not be important to you. Check the feature list of this vs other drones.

All DJI drones also have geofencing. Some find this to be an unnecessary burden. In my experience, their system is not very accurate and can cause warnings or lockouts in areas that should have no restrictions. (I fly in a rural area where DJI lists a cornfield as an active airport. They also list a grass strip that has been non-operational for over 5 years). YMMV.

Elfman9

I thought about the mini, but for the differences in the hardware and performance, I would go with the Mavic Air 2.