Thank you very much for noticing and taking the time to mention it, really appreciated! I try not to just stand in front of a fixed camera and ramble on, but try and make it professional and interesting too, but it is a LOT of work, so thanks again for noticing!
@@AlienDronestrue. Some creators ramble and they don’t actually start until 4 min in after saying 12 times “ok let’s get started; enough talking” great content t 👍
I bought the Mini 2 SE because I wanted a drone with a halfway decent camera, and I didn't want to waste money buying some cheap no-name drone from amazon that has a camera right off a Moto Razr V3 and no range to speak of. The Mini 2 SE has been nothing short of amazing. I'm blown away by how steady the image is when taking a picture. I'm an architectural draftsman by trade, and I've been using this little drone a lot for taking pictures of buildings and inspecting things that would normally need a ladder. If I keep using it as much as I do, I'm probably going to replace it with a Mini 3 that has a 4k camera. I figure that the first time I don't fall off a ladder, the drone will have paid for itself.
When I ignored the BIG YELLOW WARNING LABEL on my ladder it cost my insurance company over $300k. The pain of a broken ankle, shattered tibial plate and T12 compression fracture as well as physical therapy were icing on the cake. Have to be a really good drone to cost that much...
It’s perfect for beginners. Just bought a refurbished Mini 2 from DJI a week ago. So many options but I chose the mini 2 because it is relatively quiet and easy to fly.
I just got the Mini 2 SE yesterday and it's my first experience with a drone. For my purposes (learning how to use it and seeing if I want to continue messing around with them) it's perfect. Inexpensive, easy to fly, and takes good enough pictures and video to impress people in my little world. I've thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your video on it, I've learned a couple of tweaks I can use now.
I recently got this drone and I've never had a DJI drone before and I'm very happy with my purchase. 2.7k video, 4k photos, and when the sun is out the colors just pop. Ocusync 2.0 is crazy good, so if you minimize the amount of obstructions between you and your drone it'll never lose signal. As already mention it is a very stable drone and I'd like to add that it can handle winds that are higher than it's rating (not advisable to fly in high winds unless you know what you're doing), just don't fly down wind from yourself in this condition because it'll go very slow in a strong headwind. Something I don't see mentioned a lot with this drone is the 360 panorama, the DJI fly app will stitch them together for you and I like to view them in google photos on my phone because it allows you to look around by simply moving your phone around. The quickshots are pretty finicky, I think they work via contrast so if your subject blends in or is to far away, it'll just give up. I understand that this drone falls short for a lot of you that have experienced better drones, but for people who are new to the hobby, I think this drone is absolutely fantastic.
Compare still frames - 4K and 2.7K. Doubt that dad, granny or the cat can see much difference. An owl would, 'spose. How many owls watch your boring productions, anyway ?
I bought this as my second drone after my magic mini. Both drones have reached way above my expectations and I recommend both to anyone interested in flying for work or hobby. Thanks for the video and I think after you fly it a little more you will discover what a fantastic drone it really is for it's class and the price.
Thanks for sharing, but honestly there's plenty of contrast, and a dark shadow that should have worked just fine. Skydio uses GPS if it loses the image then switches back, when the image is visible. That image track is the best I've ever seen and I wish DJI would do more of this...
@@Roboticdoughbull3kdid you even read what the comment was talking about. You’re talking about terrorist and the amendments. We’re talking about a green shirt possibly obstructing the view of him in the grass
I should mention this: During your circle quickshot it appeared your drone was in sport mode. That’s the reason for the strange activity. Only use sport to get from point A to B fast, not necessarily filming in most cases. Hope this helps
I have a DJI Spark that I bought 6 years ago and have not flown since then until recently. I bought new batteries for it and had to have the controller repaired, and am flying it regularly now. It shoots 1080p video, which seems comparable to the 2.7K video for the Mini SE. Honestly, the difference between 4K and 2.7K is pretty much undetectable at UA-cam resolution. Unless you are a professional selling to real estate brokers or TV stations, I don't see why anyone needs better resolution, as pilot skill and experience are much more important factors than raw image quality. All that said, after viewing your very helpful video, I don't see any reason not to stick with my old reliable Spark, even though it lacks built-in orbit capabilities. Just another good reason to develop manual flying skills.
I just purchased this drone yesterday from a big box store. One of the batteries would not charge and DJI won't support the product if bought at a big box store. But ...... the purchase price was only $289 !!!! So I just went online and ordered two more batteries and a DJI charging case so I'm still pretty pleased. As a beginner I am very pleased with how well the drone flies and the stability of the camera is pretty cool. The price point is really good for me as a new pilot because if I break it or crash it or somehow lose it, I won't be devastated. Aside from the broken battery I am really excited and pleased with the product.
DJI won't support product from a big box store?!?! I just bought mine from Sam's Club, set it up which essentially registers you with DJI and provides serial number info. I think you are incorrect unless you are dealing with gray-market goods. Those would be non-USA product and would not be warranted. Did you buy from a 3rd party non-USA vendor?
I bought it and i really like it. If you're not planning on making crazy professional footage it's great! For me the automated flight paths work more than well enough, never had any issues with not detecting me or stuff like that, also never had the image disturbing you experienced. I love this thing and i would recommend it to anyone who would like to get into flying drones and just wants to take beautiful shots for themselves, or even for small business stuff like for example gardeners. I never had any real issues or malfunctions with it and it has always worked fine with me. The battery's last long enough, definitly if you have the fly more combo. Big win for me!
I have been flying drones for a little over a year now. Started out with the UDI U818A-HD that cost $47.50 with tax. This drone has zero bells and whistles so it forced me to learn how to fly it and was able to take a lot of crashes without being damaged. The next drone I bought was the HS 175D that cost $160 with tax and SD card, and if it wasn't for my first drone I would have lost it. HS 175D frequently loses gps signal and would fly off on me, fortunately I had enough skill to be able to fly it back to me. From there I really put a lot of though what I wanted in my next drone. I wanted a drone app to show how many satellites the drone was hooked up to instead of just showing it was linked up to gps. I wanted a 3-axis gimbal and at least a level 5 wind resistance. I did a lot of research into 2.7K VS 4K to see what would be right for me. I settled on the DJI mini 2se fly more combo that cost $600 with tax, insurance plan and SD card, and all I can say is this drone makes flying fun. When I first set up the drone in the house after all of the updates I hooked up to 14 satellites. Outside I hook up to 21-27 satellites. I like that the app tells me the home point has been updated after launch, and when you let off the controller sticks the drone just stops without drifting. Keith I think it would be cool if you did a video on what you think is important features on a drone. For us new to the hobby it is very confusing on what is the right drone to buy. I don't want other new drone flyers to have the bad experience like I did and also throw away the money like I did. I now own two drones that are nothing more than paper weights. Keep up the good work and happy drone flying.
Definitely that; Level 5 Wind resistance, stability in air specially when joysticks are released, GPS accuracy. Did I mention Level 5 Wind resistance at this price point. No one mentioned minimum response time delay / lag.
good day, is this review still applicable today or do you have new suggestion for begginers ? its gonna be my frist. thanks very much, hope to hear back from you 😊
I would go with the DJI mini 4k drone, it's only 20 dollars more than the mini 2se. I have owned my mini 2se for a little over a year now, and have flown it many times with zero problems. The mini 4k is the same drone as the mini 2se except for the camera.
No one mentioned minimum response time, delay / lag, it could be improved like in O3+, and i think it is important. Level 5 wind resistance is very nice at this price point.
Been looking at both the DJI Mini 2 SE and the Potensic Atom, decided to go with the Potensic as my first drone. Got the fly more combo for only $218 + tax. I didn't need the 10km range and the 4k range is good enough for me. The 4k video's look great, although you do have to be light on the controls so you don't jerk the drone much when turning since it has only 1 gimble, but for about half the price of the DJI, I thinks it's well worth the money.
Thanks for sharing! Indeed, it's hard to overlook the Atom SE. It has been a great flier and you're right about being dainty with the controls, though for half the price it seems to be a great buy. Has the Atom been a good flier for you?
I was getting the potensic Atom. Unfortunately I watched a terrible review. Only became clear after watching more.The hey was deliberately flying it badly to plug dji drones !
I looked a lot of vids before buying my mini 2 se, and being my first drone and after using it the first time, I must say that for now its wonderful, very stable, really smart, and the camera and gimball stabilization can hold a fight to today standards
To me coming from the fact ive only flown a cheap wal mart drone before the mini 2 se, it was state of the art to me. Now im upgrading to a mavic 3 pro which ill have in a couple of days.
I ended up just getting the Mini 2 refurbished with extra batteries but no case or charging hub. I bought the mini 2 case and charging hub separately which now makes it a Mini 2 Fly More Combo and am in it like $60 less than a Mini 2 SE Fly More Combo. . For me it was a better choice than not having 4k video. Also want to note, the Mini 2 also doesn't have the "Follow Me" function but I think there is a 3rd party app that you can get but it isn't that good.
Perfect drone for traveling and all that stuff, as you say the follow mode is a big miss but over all a good drone. Flying in the Netherlands i had a good signal about 5 a 6 kilometers.
Just got Mini 2 SE. Would I like to have follow me, yes. What sealed the deal was the strong signal, image quality, and control of the drone all for $300. So far it has been great and looking forward to using little done on vac.
I have a Mini 2 (non-SE) and it is excellent so far. It has taken so many beautiful clear photos and videos. The ocusync on the controller did loses some signal (even not so far) if flown within inside city around tall buildings. Probably due to cell towers, wifi, and building structures.
I have the Phantom 2 Pro as well ... definitely an awesome drone. Are you still able to update your software? I heard that support for our models is no longer available. Can you confirm or deny whether that is correct? Thanks!!
i think the reason DJI dont have follow or tracking mode is i really believe they dont want us to crash it ,and sure they could easily have them like cheaper drones have but other companies dont really care much if you crash them also like to mention the Mini 2 and the MINI 3 dont have that as well probably cause there no obstacle avoidance feature, as far as the SE drone i think its great its similar to the Mavic Mini that being said i have as well the Mini 2 and the Mini 3 pro and their the best in my opinion
Potensic Atom with the 3 axis gimbal is superior. The difference in cost between DJI's base level kit and the Fly More Package is ridiculous for just a couple more batteries. I would either get the Fimi X8 Mini V2 or the Potensic Atom with 3 axis gimbal at this price point. Wanna spend more? Then go with the DJI Mini 3 or 4. The Mini 2SE falls short. They should be selling the full version of the Mini 2 at this price. I get it DJI makes good products. But many people are on a bandwagon about it and some channels (not this one) are particularly biased against anything that is not DJI. I have the Potensic Atom with the 3 axis gimbal and I have no complaints. Only complaint is the colors are oversaturated on the Potensic. But probably I could adjust this out in the manual camera settings.
@AlienDrones Only edge DJI has is the bigger image sensor size than the Potensic even the Mini 2SE. Debating adding the MIni 2SE to my collection because I don't own a DJI but just can't justify it. Fly More Combo pushes out of budget drone territory. I could understand if it was $100 more like the Potensic but it's almost double the price for the Mini 2 SE fly more. DJI batteries are just prohibitedly expensive plus the tracking (circle) was just as bad as cheap $50 drones. Hard to believe this is a DJI product.
I love this drone I don’t use follow ever and I don’t need 4K. I want it for the gimbal. Thank you for sharing other people just talk about “how great this is” and not honest. You are. Thank you
I love my mini 2 se, before it I had only ever had toy type drones with crappy cameras and a 75-100 feet limit. This little thing has blown me away with its capabilities, especially for under $400.
This is my first real drone and I think it is a great learning tool to start beginners like me who want to learn and explore on a cheaper model rather than spend thousands on something I might damage or possibly later decide I don’t want to fly drones anymore. It’s a great little drone for the price and I’m enjoying it! Thanks for your demo as well. I am still learning about the features my little drone has and how to use them. 🐝
I bought a Holystone 510S for €250 2 years ago, had a lot of fun with it despite it being rather basic. Then the battery went, was going to cost around €80 €90 for a new battery, looked at DJI Mini 2, was under €400 ...decided to upgrade, its meant to be arriving tomorrow....cant wait.
with my mini 2 se I can go over 3km no issues and no loss of signal and my house is surrounded by trees. I got a signal booster for like $5 on TEMU and can go WAY further if I want the range on this thing for $359.99 at costco is amazing!
I purchased the dji mini 2 se yesterday and i like it alot, the pictures and videos are cool for me because its my first ever drone however i did notice the battery didnt last 31 minutes i fully charged the remote and drone before first use and im not sure how long i used it maybe 20 something minutes but definately not 31 minutes. I do like it though to be honest.
My father in law got me one of these for Xmas and I love it. First drone; super easy to use. I put it in sport mode and it took off like a rocket. -Mike
I have been flying china made very cheap drones for quite some time. Bought them from tiktok shop. Lost 2 on tree branches and thick bushes. Soon, my daughter will be buying a dji mini 2 SE for my birthday. Will keep on viewing your videos and get educated. Thank you very much for the info.
Have had my Mini 2 SE for almost 2 weeks and have doing some test flights around the house. Works quite well but found out today the Mini 2 SE is not included in DJI's software development kit (SDK) which means third party apps like Dronelink and Litchi cannot support it. Strange because the Mini 2 and Mine SE are both supported by DJI's SDK and thus, the third party apps.
While DJI haven’t any current plans on the sdk for the 2se, you gotta think that they will eventually open it up. I think they took several months for the mini 2. So the decision is either live without that for now or spend more and get a mini 3 or 3 pro.
Same here ,but if u have an android it's gonna hard to the app u really need which is dji fly.....dji & Samsung are not friends at all. Only apple products,I went & bought an iPad for the right app & larger screen. U gonna have to go thru some hoops & hurdles to get it on android if that's what ur running.
As a beginner I'm considering this drone for only a few months to make sure I like flying, then I'll upgrade to a mini 4 pro, so I'm not really worried about the fly more pack because I want it as cheap as possible since it's simply a transition drone. Great video though thanks!
Not a miss, for the price it dose what you need. I'm sure if we ask they will up date the return home to work better or we can learn how the adjust parameters, that will make us better understand the unit. Good video, Thank you.
This was so helpful. Many thanks. I recently lost my mavic mini 2 - it dropped into the sea. Luckily, I used it for about 4 years and got so many amazing images.
Thanks! Indeed, it happens, but 4 years is a good run! DJI brought back the Mini 2 under a couple of different names a couple of months ago so all is not lost, and for the price it's a no brainer... Mini 4k: amzn.to/4fnKSHx and Specta Mini has the DJI ban resistant attempt one too (pretty sure it's made by DJI) amzn.to/3LErjNt and it's on sale for $269 now, a good deal for the tech... 🤙🤙
It can perform a follow by doing the following. Set it up to do an orbit, then as you start it, begin walking, match the drones speed and it is unable to circle you and will just follow.
Lol. Agreed. Maybe just a walk prevents it being able to get in front of you to start it's orbit. Try it. It does work. I haven't done the math about the speed thing.
Im getting mine tomorrow of Shpock.£170 so a good price, one battery so will have to buy a few more batts eventually.This will be my first DJI so I will let U guys know if im impressed.
I have a few drones and love the Mini 2 SE. So it does not have 4K, no big deal as i only film in 1080p with all my drones. The Mini 2 SE is a lot louder than the Mini 2. As for the battery i got 20 plus minutes flight time the other day. Also there was a slight wind from time to time.
All great information for a new drone (such as myself) user. The one thing I take from the FAA website is that any drone flight that takes the footage and posts it to social media is now considered a commercial flight not recreational and regardless of the 250g weight now has to be registered. Basically, being every drone video on UA-cam.
So the FAA thinks all photos of family/friends/vacations etc. on social media are commercial? If they are not monetized in any way I would go to court with them on that and I think win. Public opinion would be overwhelming. Blue skies!
@@bwvideo0905 totally agree with you, but if the description box to the video has any link that is or anything is even said in the video such as merch that the creator sells.
Understood and I can understand some reasoning on that. Not an issue with my YT. It's recreational only too.😁 I want to be 100% safe and legal but if it does not make common sense..... 👍👍@@Frank-uf2vn
I have gotten the pixel issue close range but glad i just didn't get a bad model and a software update could fix it in the future. So far i love it and mine has rth with in 6 inches of take off every time
flying over 50ft, signal already lost at 400m away( only trees as obstacles) need to increase alt to get signal or the rth will help to establish alt and signal. i felt incomplete due to lack of 4k footage sport mode - 13mins normal mode - 15min cine mode - 15- 19mins all mode are all moving and full forward trottle
I'm so close to buying one. The fact it doesn't have a follow mode doesn't put me off but I can understand why it would with people. The important things to me are.... a half decent camera, decent battery life (20 mins is ok) and good flying distance. 10 km is brilliant. And yeh, I know you're not gunna quite get that but even 5 km away and back will be awesome. I've wanted a drone for years... and on a budget so this seems perfect. Great video thank you.
@xCHOPP3R Got the SE. Quick play the day before yesterday.... Shute weather yesterday.... Dry today with a bit of wind so should get a session between running the hound. 👍
Iv was gonna go straight for the dji 4 pro n then I seen this n was like yes saved me money I thought this was old that’s why I wasn’t gonnna buy it saved a good 600 dollars I’m picking it up tomorrow hopefully
It's a really good flyer for sure! DJI now relabeled the Mini 2 the "Mini 4k" (a couple of days ago) and did a price drop on it. Might want to check that out as it is the same thing as the SE, a lot cheaper than it was and it has 4k besides. amzn.to/4doyI0a
Honestly i cant even tell a difference between 2.7 at 25-30 fps and 4k.. 4k needs at least 30 fps not to stutter or have jello. 2.7 looks amazing enough for me! But for $500 I think id rather buy a used/open box mini SE or mini 2 for a fraction of the price. Or spend a little more for a mini 3 pro. Thanks for review man
Thanks! Indeed, I thought the 2.7k was decent, though they could have increased the bitrate just a bit. Didn't make the cut of my dislikes (was next in line though), it's sitting at 40 Mbps which is too low, I noticed stutter if panning and moving quick...
After I got my mini 2 SE I was disappointed to learn that it doesn't support the Litchi app. I wish they would do a firmware update to make this possible because then we could have better follow me options and programmable movements.
Well done review. I have the Mavic 3, Air2S and the Mini 3 Pro but after watching your video, I wanted to go buy the Mini 2 SE. Please join us at the 4th Annual South Florida Drone Meetup.
Really appreciate the informative deep dive on this video. I may not be buying a DJI mini SE anymore, but I’ll certainly look through your other videos to find a drone that does suit me
I was going to get DJI Mini 2 SE but upon watching a bunch of reviews including yours on various beginner's drones I decided go with Potensic ATOM SE. The fly more bundle of ATOM SE is over $200 cheaper than Mini 2 SE bundle. I have no regrets so far. I can always upgrade later if I stick with this hobby.
The ATOM SE is a great little flyer for sure. Starting with a good beginner drone like that is a great idea as you can learn what you like, what you need and if you crash it it stings a lot less! 🤙🤙
Another great video Keith! Yours was one I watched in my research before I purchased a Mini 2 SE a couple months ago (for recreational only). I'm thrilled with it. I've yet to see any comments from anywhere about someone regretting that purchase. One question for you: If it had "Follow mode" as some drones do, how would you maintain VLOS assuming you would have your back to it while it was following you? Walk backward? Would you have to have a VO? Maybe I'm missing something. 🤔Thanks much in advance and keep up the great work! BTW, subscribed!
i took mine about a mine in a half in decent winds, it wasnt cutting out at all, i think it could go quite a bit further, when i get to the mountain i was shooting i was about 60 percent battery shot i shot it and headed back.
DJI Mini 2 does not feature Follow Me mode due to its restricted weight maintenance. Pilots can use the helix mode hack and the circle mode hack to mimic the Follow Me feature in this drone. I think it's a great started kit but the return to home and follow me worry me about that because I don't want to lose my drone and last but least they are selling for well under 300 now. I can get one of these for free from work as 15 year employee reward so I have nothing to lose here.
I don't believe the one for $330 at Sam's is the fly more, it just has 2 batteries and a case, if the picture shown is true. Still a decent deal, but to be a fly-more it at least needs the extra props, 3rd battery and charging hub. But agreed, it is a capable drone kit for that price and does a good job. 🤙
I think this drone is perfect for me. I have never had FPV distortion, and even at far ranges, never. I can agree about the battery life, but all you really have to do is just buy at least two more, and I wouldn't mind. I never really try return to home, and I think it is very odd that it doesn't let you come back within 20 meters of home point. Very strange. Overall, I really like the drone.
Just bought the Mini SE 2 as my very first drone. I did my research and I was torn between the cheaper makes and dji as they come with a premium price tag. Most of the cheaper models had the follow me function and way points, but went for DJI as I thought, and my own fault for not researching properly DJI, that being a premium make in the market that these features were not standard on this model. I was really disappointed when I found that DJI Mini SE 2 did not have these features when I got it. I bought the fly more package at £415.00. I know cheaper drones may be more unstable or not have the kudos of DJI, but as a begginer I wanted these features, but I have kept it in the hope that DJI may do an update in response to serious drone pilots doing these reviews and telling DJI that cheaper drones have this and would be expected in their drones given the price of them. Thanks for the video.
Unless you live in the desert, you don’t want follow me without good obstacle, avoidance. It’s not worth wrecking your drone for something most people don’t use. And if you think follow me is something, you would use a lot you need a good drone with really good avoidance.
@@toadsauce8091 Absolutely disagree. Follow mode has many applications in many areas and obstacle avoidance is NOT a prerequisite. Let's just call it what it is, this is simply a business decision by DJI to not make this model _too_ good as to not compete with more expensive models, and there's nothing wrong with that! It's important to market all your products in such a way that they don't compete with each other as much, so it's not a problem, it's a strategy. I'm sure there were multiple focus groups on this topic alone inside DJI. That's their purgative but that being said, to try and justify it by saying it is unsafe without OA is disingenuous and flatly absurd. Many, many $200 drones have follow mode without OA and the final use case is left up to the consumer not the marketing team at the manufacturer.
Thanks for a great video. After a fair amount of online sleuthing I had decided on the feature rich Potensic Atom as the value leader over the DJI Mini 2 SE. I did take note that several reviewers made case regarding the solid, quality of DJI as a long established brand particularily for a drone novice (me). On that note I elected to drive out & visit a few local electronics retailers (Best Buy, etc). Saw no Potensic on the shelves, but everyone had DJI. That same day Costco posted a 'Members Only' special on the Mini 2 SE (there only drone) which I bought. *I wanted a drone to do roof & gutter inspections, picture quality & drone stability being paramount, which so far, the DJI does well. It was/is also paramount that the drone be reliable & well supported. *Having said all this, I too am disappointed by the poor RTH on this machine and "no where close to 31 min" run time... & truth be known, also dissapointed by the lack of a "follow me".feature. Truly hope DJI rectifies these issues in coming upgrades. Cheers from Vancouver 🇨🇦
@@AlienDrones Thx for the reassurance, appreciated. *Returned my Mini 2 SE yesterday. Costco (being Costco) no fuss instant 100% refund. Kudos to DJI Service as well. They refunded my 2 yr Refresh and additional battery & charger I'd ordered, again without fuss. 🙏 *Ordered Atom Fly More kit from Amazon. 👍 Cheers
I ordered a Stealth Drone 4k for $100. It is terrible. Fortunately, I got my money back and ordered this drone. I've had it for a few weeks and it is fun. The follow me feature was not a deal breaker and I ordered the basic kit from Amazon. I would buy an extra battery however. Flying it with its auto takeoff and landing plus maneuverability is fun and easy. I would highly recommend getting your Part 107 license. I'm already a licensed Sport Pilot so obtaining a 107 endorsement was easy. For the price, this is a great starter drone.
Yeah, right off the bat you just reminded me why I don't like DJI drones - the way you have to calibrate the compass so often before you can use it. I have a Mavic Air, which is apparently so obsolete now, at an ancient 5 years, that spares are not available and the lastest app doesn't work with it. Thanks DJI! And as I almost, somewhat, think of getting a newer one.. you remind me about that damn compass. I'll stick with my 'toy' drone then.
Just some FYI on the DJI.... when you did orbit.. there was a tripod with a white thing on it and maybe the tracking was getting confused.. you should have stood more in the open alone... Just Saiyan.... was my thoughts
Indeed, could have done that, but we should have higher expectations for the market leader too... In real world situations we can't always stand in the perfect open and give perfect conditions.🤙
Thank you for this amazing video! You mentioned everything, showed and explained good and bad things about this drone. Great job! PS. Wish you'd had a video about DJI Mini 3 ;)
Great review. I own this drone and love it. I 100% agree it should have follow me mode. As far as RTH, you can adjust the settings although, I believe it has a limit......if you're only 20 meters out it won't engage. Why would it? It's right there.
Thanks! You are correct that you can see it, but why does the distance dictate that it can't return to the home point? You could argue anything in VLOS you can still see it, so disable the auto return to home feature with 400' or 500' would be the same. Seems like an arbitrary omission on DJIs part, especially for a "beginner" drone, and being the market leader they can do better than such silly quirks. 🤙
Never owned a drone but I am looking to get something respectable to start my journey. Probably just for hobby stuff but I am thinking is might grab one of these
@@AlienDrones Hello from Ohio, I'm 60 and a boater not a drone pilot...lol. I'd like to get footage out on the lake with this drone in front of me . Would this handle the elements? Its on sale for 299 right now. Looks like a nice drone. Any others that you would recommend in that $$ range or this one of the best ? (You were very disappointed with no follow mode?) Thanks Tom
What I don't understand about drones trying to be less than 250g is that registration with the FAA is not required, but the registration is only $5. That's my take on that. I would rather go for the mini 2 because for around the same price point as the mini 3, you can have the drone with more accessories (according to amazon).
Unfortunately the mini 2 is not being made anymore, it has been obsoleted. The issue with registration isn't the registration fee, it's that once it's registered it is also required to now have remote ID. Forced remote ID is fightin' words for a lot of folks...
the reason for why RTH doesn't work with in 20 meter is because theres no point in going up to altitude 120m then more 20> meters then come back down, and it doesn't have active track because theres not enough sensors so if its moving side ways it doesn't crash. and 20min fly time is realy good on most drone at this price range the fly time is 10 to 5 mins
Nah, if it isn't home, it should go there and land, no excuses. If it is close and below some altitude, then go sideways then land. No one said it has to go to max altitude before heading to home, don't care if it has to go 5 ft. Holy Stone, Potensic, Fimi, Autel, Skydio, other models of DJI all do this, so no excuses, it's just lacking. It does not need obstacle avoidance to have a follow mode. Check out the Potensic ATOM ua-cam.com/video/3Q409z0Evv4/v-deo.html that is a similar package, no obstacle avoidance, the active track/visiual follow works just fine. 18 minutes flight time? $169 throwaway drone has that battery life. ua-cam.com/video/cVv41HBNoeE/v-deo.html . I'm not against the Mini 2 SE, it's a good little drone and a good flyer for the price, but I'm not going to make excuses for them either when they either accidentally or purposely missed on functionality or features. DJI is the market leader, they can, and have done better. 🤙
@@3D_AIRSOFT626 It's not about importance, just simply calling it out as a deficiency as this function exists in even lower quality and less expensive products. The market leader can do better and doesn't get a pass on missing or poor functionality, performance or features.
@@3D_AIRSOFT626 Sorry, No not really. No other competitors do this and there is no logical reason for it. If you are flying over a lake only 20 meters away and your controller dies, automatically landing in the lake instead of returning home doesn't make sense, at all. That's just lazy programming.
Thanks! In this video I'm using the DJI mic, does a decent job. Recently I switched to the Hollyland Lark Max (has better battery and a few things that I like better) and I went through them both here: ua-cam.com/video/tCz0nqaqxos/v-deo.html . In the end they both do a decent job and are now similar in price...
i just ordered this one and i think i just might return it when i get in a few days. everywhere you would want to fly or get cool shots from is a no fly zone. just flying this at home will get boing after awhile and would just not be used any more. i was on the beer when i ordered it.
Not sure what you ended up doing, but it’s a great drone to practice techniques with and for trying some fun flying around certain areas. Join some drone clubs or drone groups and you will find a ton of hidden gems to fly around. You can get some cool ideas for skills practice off UA-cam, but be careful…this stuff can end up expensive if you get the bug for it 😬😂.
@@treykerr1868 i did end up liking it and wish i got the mini 4 pro. So fun and easy to use. I’ve logged over 65 miles on it but for some reason it doesn’t upload my flights. Now im at 7 flights not uploaded. I live in CT and have a lot of areas that are no fly zones and wish i could fly at the beaches.
I fell like this makes more senese to get than the base model mini 3 because it's not that much of a downgrade, and its a lot cheaper. the only logical next upgrade would be the mini 3/4 pro
Really glad I saw this video thanks.. I was about to buy one but since it has no follow and the orbit was questionable ..I will give it a miss ...Im now looking at the Holy Stone maybe you could do a review on that one please...Vince
I have two of the Phantom 3 have had them since they came out I'm very happy with them they're good-sized they fly great picture quality not so good but I'm not a photographer I'm a flyer and I love the old throne and the size of it more than anything wish they would come out with some new drums that were equal in size
Certainly can relate to your Phantom 3 it's size, reliability and a pleasure to fly, had one for years. Yesterday I went to the DJI Shop and had a close look and demonstration of the DJI Mini 2e. I was totally impressed from its software, design and above all its portability in its case! The plus pack offers 3 batteries with many other excellent accessories in addition. I am about to go back and purchase one of these little marvels. My first reason to buy a Drone again is to inspect my roof frequently of its paint condition which protects the Polyurethane foam I sprayed 2 years ago. It is a flat roof very high and a ladder isn't good enough to reach the top with safety. A scaffolding is needed to go onto the roof. And my second use of this Drone will be to shoot some pics and short videos on my travels through the country only for memories from our travels from a different dimension, bird eye view😊
Nice video but you did not talk about or mention the DJI no fly zones. The no fly zones are why I got rid of my mini 2 and now fly another brand drone without the annoying no fly zones ..
You are absolutely right. They are terrible, and this alone makes me choose another brand most of the time. I mentioned it in a different video here: ua-cam.com/video/YK-oSEPZCOI/v-deo.html but just plain missed mentioning it in this video...
Good info, I didn't even know that existed. Looked at the DJI GEO zones map, I live in a warning zone, and there's an authorization zone nearby (seems that every football (soccer) team playing in the Belgian pro league has an authorization zone (radius 0.5 km) around its stadium).
I know that it takes time to put all of the facets of your video together. Thank you. You are the best for drone information.
Thank you very much for noticing and taking the time to mention it, really appreciated! I try not to just stand in front of a fixed camera and ramble on, but try and make it professional and interesting too, but it is a LOT of work, so thanks again for noticing!
I was thinking of that too
@@AlienDronestrue. Some creators ramble and they don’t actually start until 4 min in after saying 12 times “ok let’s get started; enough talking” great content t 👍
I bought the Mini 2 SE because I wanted a drone with a halfway decent camera, and I didn't want to waste money buying some cheap no-name drone from amazon that has a camera right off a Moto Razr V3 and no range to speak of. The Mini 2 SE has been nothing short of amazing. I'm blown away by how steady the image is when taking a picture. I'm an architectural draftsman by trade, and I've been using this little drone a lot for taking pictures of buildings and inspecting things that would normally need a ladder. If I keep using it as much as I do, I'm probably going to replace it with a Mini 3 that has a 4k camera. I figure that the first time I don't fall off a ladder, the drone will have paid for itself.
When I ignored the BIG YELLOW WARNING LABEL on my ladder it cost my insurance company over $300k. The pain of a broken ankle, shattered tibial plate and T12 compression fracture as well as physical therapy were icing on the cake. Have to be a really good drone to cost that much...
Hope u get better soon @@Biser10562
the dji mini 2 has a 4k and 60 fps camera that's the difference between se and the normal one
@@aciidd6369not 60fps at 4k. 30 fps only.
yeah i forgot@@anzaa91
It’s perfect for beginners. Just bought a refurbished Mini 2 from DJI a week ago. So many options but I chose the mini 2 because it is relatively quiet and easy to fly.
I just got the Mini 2 SE yesterday and it's my first experience with a drone. For my purposes (learning how to use it and seeing if I want to continue messing around with them) it's perfect. Inexpensive, easy to fly, and takes good enough pictures and video to impress people in my little world. I've thoroughly enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your video on it, I've learned a couple of tweaks I can use now.
Thanks for sharing! It is a good drone that should treat you well, have fun!
Same
Can you have Audio with it like with dji neo?
I recently got this drone and I've never had a DJI drone before and I'm very happy with my purchase. 2.7k video, 4k photos, and when the sun is out the colors just pop. Ocusync 2.0 is crazy good, so if you minimize the amount of obstructions between you and your drone it'll never lose signal. As already mention it is a very stable drone and I'd like to add that it can handle winds that are higher than it's rating (not advisable to fly in high winds unless you know what you're doing), just don't fly down wind from yourself in this condition because it'll go very slow in a strong headwind. Something I don't see mentioned a lot with this drone is the 360 panorama, the DJI fly app will stitch them together for you and I like to view them in google photos on my phone because it allows you to look around by simply moving your phone around. The quickshots are pretty finicky, I think they work via contrast so if your subject blends in or is to far away, it'll just give up.
I understand that this drone falls short for a lot of you that have experienced better drones, but for people who are new to the hobby, I think this drone is absolutely fantastic.
Thanks for sharing! It's a decent flier for sure!
Compare still frames - 4K and 2.7K. Doubt that dad, granny or the cat can see much difference.
An owl would, 'spose. How many owls watch your boring productions, anyway ?
I bought this as my second drone after my magic mini. Both drones have reached way above my expectations and I recommend both to anyone interested in flying for work or hobby. Thanks for the video and I think after you fly it a little more you will discover what a fantastic drone it really is for it's class and the price.
Agreed, for its price the video is crazy good. The smoothness and cinematic quality of the camera are fantastic.
It lost you on the circle orbit thing because you were wearing green in a grassy green background to be fair..😅
Thanks for sharing, but honestly there's plenty of contrast, and a dark shadow that should have worked just fine. Skydio uses GPS if it loses the image then switches back, when the image is visible. That image track is the best I've ever seen and I wish DJI would do more of this...
@@Roboticdoughbull3k 👁️ 👄 👁️
@@Roboticdoughbull3kdid you even read what the comment was talking about. You’re talking about terrorist and the amendments. We’re talking about a green shirt possibly obstructing the view of him in the grass
DJI’s only track terrorists in red shirts man!
I should mention this: During your circle quickshot it appeared your drone was in sport mode. That’s the reason for the strange activity. Only use sport to get from point A to B fast, not necessarily filming in most cases. Hope this helps
I'm sold I'm definitely getting this for my next vacation...the 2.7 video resolution is fine for esp at the price they're offering on Amazon
I have a DJI Spark that I bought 6 years ago and have not flown since then until recently. I bought new batteries for it and had to have the controller repaired, and am flying it regularly now. It shoots 1080p video, which seems comparable to the 2.7K video for the Mini SE. Honestly, the difference between 4K and 2.7K is pretty much undetectable at UA-cam resolution. Unless you are a professional selling to real estate brokers or TV stations, I don't see why anyone needs better resolution, as pilot skill and experience are much more important factors than raw image quality. All that said, after viewing your very helpful video, I don't see any reason not to stick with my old reliable Spark, even though it lacks built-in orbit capabilities. Just another good reason to develop manual flying skills.
Thanks for sharing!
I miss my Spark and the object avoidance it had. It flew perfectly and the video quality was great. 😃
I flew mine for the first time today, love it. But im also used to cheap safety hazards so this was my introduction to a good drone.
Just bought the mini se. Wonderful drone. So easy to fly and excellent camera. Fantastic for the money.
It's a good flier for sure!
I just purchased this drone yesterday from a big box store. One of the batteries would not charge and DJI won't support the product if bought at a big box store. But ...... the purchase price was only $289 !!!! So I just went online and ordered two more batteries and a DJI charging case so I'm still pretty pleased. As a beginner I am very pleased with how well the drone flies and the stability of the camera is pretty cool. The price point is really good for me as a new pilot because if I break it or crash it or somehow lose it, I won't be devastated. Aside from the broken battery I am really excited and pleased with the product.
Thanks for sharing!
What's the best app for this drone
@@lotheco You should use the app from DJI that is listed in the packaging for the drone.
DJI won't support product from a big box store?!?! I just bought mine from Sam's Club, set it up which essentially registers you with DJI and provides serial number info. I think you are incorrect unless you are dealing with gray-market goods. Those would be non-USA product and would not be warranted. Did you buy from a 3rd party non-USA vendor?
I bought it and i really like it. If you're not planning on making crazy professional footage it's great! For me the automated flight paths work more than well enough, never had any issues with not detecting me or stuff like that, also never had the image disturbing you experienced. I love this thing and i would recommend it to anyone who would like to get into flying drones and just wants to take beautiful shots for themselves, or even for small business stuff like for example gardeners.
I never had any real issues or malfunctions with it and it has always worked fine with me. The battery's last long enough, definitly if you have the fly more combo. Big win for me!
I have been flying drones for a little over a year now. Started out with the UDI U818A-HD that cost $47.50 with tax. This drone has zero bells and whistles so it forced me to learn how to fly it and was able to take a lot of crashes without being damaged. The next drone I bought was the HS 175D that cost $160 with tax and SD card, and if it wasn't for my first drone I would have lost it. HS 175D frequently loses gps signal and would fly off on me, fortunately I had enough skill to be able to fly it back to me. From there I really put a lot of though what I wanted in my next drone. I wanted a drone app to show how many satellites the drone was hooked up to instead of just showing it was linked up to gps. I wanted a 3-axis gimbal and at least a level 5 wind resistance. I did a lot of research into 2.7K VS 4K to see what would be right for me. I settled on the DJI mini 2se fly more combo that cost $600 with tax, insurance plan and SD card, and all I can say is this drone makes flying fun. When I first set up the drone in the house after all of the updates I hooked up to 14 satellites. Outside I hook up to 21-27 satellites. I like that the app tells me the home point has been updated after launch, and when you let off the controller sticks the drone just stops without drifting. Keith I think it would be cool if you did a video on what you think is important features on a drone. For us new to the hobby it is very confusing on what is the right drone to buy. I don't want other new drone flyers to have the bad experience like I did and also throw away the money like I did. I now own two drones that are nothing more than paper weights. Keep up the good work and happy drone flying.
Thanks for sharing and the kind words!
Definitely that; Level 5 Wind resistance, stability in air specially when joysticks are released, GPS accuracy. Did I mention Level 5 Wind resistance at this price point. No one mentioned minimum response time delay / lag.
good day, is this review still applicable today or do you have new suggestion for begginers ? its gonna be my frist. thanks very much, hope to hear back from you 😊
I would go with the DJI mini 4k drone, it's only 20 dollars more than the mini 2se.
I have owned my mini 2se for a little over a year now, and have flown it many times with zero problems.
The mini 4k is the same drone as the mini 2se except for the camera.
No one mentioned minimum response time, delay / lag, it could be improved like in O3+, and i think it is important. Level 5 wind resistance is very nice at this price point.
What does level 5 even mean?
I got mine going last night and took some great pictures with it at sunset. Very pleased so far. Hoping to get some video this weekend.
Nice 👍
Been looking at both the DJI Mini 2 SE and the Potensic Atom, decided to go with the Potensic as my first drone. Got the fly more combo for only $218 + tax. I didn't need the 10km range and the 4k range is good enough for me. The 4k video's look great, although you do have to be light on the controls so you don't jerk the drone much when turning since it has only 1 gimble, but for about half the price of the DJI, I thinks it's well worth the money.
Thanks for sharing! Indeed, it's hard to overlook the Atom SE. It has been a great flier and you're right about being dainty with the controls, though for half the price it seems to be a great buy. Has the Atom been a good flier for you?
@@AlienDrones Yes, it's been good to me, especially being a first time drone flyer.
Another vote here for the Atom SE as first drone. (Or 3rd in my case) Looking forward to their 3 axis gimbal version.
They say you get what you pay for with drones and it’s not really a waste of money but sucks that the dji 2 se doesn’t have the follow option
I was getting the potensic Atom. Unfortunately I watched a terrible review. Only became clear after watching more.The hey was deliberately flying it badly to plug dji drones !
I looked a lot of vids before buying my mini 2 se, and being my first drone and after using it the first time, I must say that for now its wonderful, very stable, really smart, and the camera and gimball stabilization can hold a fight to today standards
It's a good flyer for sure!
@@AlienDrones yeah, dji Is indeed in another level 🫶
To me coming from the fact ive only flown a cheap wal mart drone before the mini 2 se, it was state of the art to me. Now im upgrading to a mavic 3 pro which ill have in a couple of days.
There's no comparison between a cheapo brand and a better build like this one for sure.... 🤙
I ended up just getting the Mini 2 refurbished with extra batteries but no case or charging hub. I bought the mini 2 case and charging hub separately which now makes it a Mini 2 Fly More Combo and am in it like $60 less than a Mini 2 SE Fly More Combo. . For me it was a better choice than not having 4k video. Also want to note, the Mini 2 also doesn't have the "Follow Me" function but I think there is a 3rd party app that you can get but it isn't that good.
Litchi is so worth the $25 compared to the crap DJI app
i bought one a month ago ..... its worth it .. its great for beginners and mid user
Perfect drone for traveling and all that stuff, as you say the follow mode is a big miss but over all a good drone. Flying in the Netherlands i had a good signal about 5 a 6 kilometers.
It's a solid drone for sure!
Just got Mini 2 SE. Would I like to have follow me, yes. What sealed the deal was the strong signal, image quality, and control of the drone all for $300. So far it has been great and looking forward to using little done on vac.
Its a good flier for sure and should treat you well!
There is a follow me cheat, it will track you if you fly the drone at the side of you in circle mode and walk in the direction of the circle.
Thanks for the tip. Found I use the circling of a object the most. @@DadsDrones-xf7cd
I have a Mini 2 (non-SE) and it is excellent so far. It has taken so many beautiful clear photos and videos. The ocusync on the controller did loses some signal (even not so far) if flown within inside city around tall buildings. Probably due to cell towers, wifi, and building structures.
Thanks for sharing! Does a good job for sure!
I paid 250 for the drone with three batteries and I’m happy. I have the atom as well and a phantom 3. All decent
I have the Phantom 2 Pro as well ... definitely an awesome drone. Are you still able to update your software? I heard that support for our models is no longer available. Can you confirm or deny whether that is correct? Thanks!!
i think the reason DJI dont have follow or tracking mode is i really believe they dont want us to crash it ,and sure they could easily have them like cheaper drones have but other companies dont really care much if you crash them also like to mention the Mini 2 and the MINI 3 dont have that as well probably cause there no obstacle avoidance feature, as far as the SE drone i think its great its similar to the Mavic Mini that being said i have as well the Mini 2 and the Mini 3 pro and their the best in my opinion
Thanks for sharing!
Air2s or mini 4 pro
Potensic Atom with the 3 axis gimbal is superior. The difference in cost between DJI's base level kit and the Fly More Package is ridiculous for just a couple more batteries.
I would either get the Fimi X8 Mini V2 or the Potensic Atom with 3 axis gimbal at this price point.
Wanna spend more? Then go with the DJI Mini 3 or 4. The Mini 2SE falls short. They should be selling
the full version of the Mini 2 at this price.
I get it DJI makes good products. But many people are on a bandwagon about it and some channels (not this one) are particularly biased against anything that is not DJI.
I have the Potensic Atom with the 3 axis gimbal and I have no complaints. Only complaint is the colors are oversaturated on the Potensic. But probably I could adjust this out in the manual camera settings.
Thanks for sharing!
@AlienDrones Only edge DJI has is the bigger image sensor size than the Potensic even the Mini 2SE.
Debating adding the MIni 2SE to my collection because I don't own a DJI but just can't justify it. Fly More Combo pushes out of budget drone territory. I could understand if it was $100 more like the Potensic but it's almost double the price for the Mini 2 SE fly more. DJI batteries are just prohibitedly expensive plus the tracking (circle) was just as bad as cheap $50 drones. Hard to believe this is a DJI product.
@@asdaven1 Indeed, batteries are ridiculous. I just bought one for an Air 3 and it was $160 for 1 battery. Terrible.
I love this drone I don’t use follow ever and I don’t need 4K. I want it for the gimbal. Thank you for sharing other people just talk about “how great this is” and not honest. You are. Thank you
My pleasure, thanks for sharing!
I love my mini 2 se, before it I had only ever had toy type drones with crappy cameras and a 75-100 feet limit. This little thing has blown me away with its capabilities, especially for under $400.
This is my first real drone and I think it is a great learning tool to start beginners like me who want to learn and explore on a cheaper model rather than spend thousands on something I might damage or possibly later decide I don’t want to fly drones anymore. It’s a great little drone for the price and I’m enjoying it!
Thanks for your demo as well. I am still learning about the features my little drone has and how to use them. 🐝
Glad it was helpful! 🤙🤙
I bought a Holystone 510S for €250 2 years ago, had a lot of fun with it despite it being rather basic. Then the battery went, was going to cost around €80 €90 for a new battery, looked at DJI Mini 2, was under €400 ...decided to upgrade, its meant to be arriving tomorrow....cant wait.
It's a good flyer, enjoy!
with my mini 2 se I can go over 3km no issues and no loss of signal and my house is surrounded by trees. I got a signal booster for like $5 on TEMU and can go WAY further if I want
the range on this thing for $359.99 at costco is amazing!
I purchased the dji mini 2 se yesterday and i like it alot, the pictures and videos are cool for me because its my first ever drone however i did notice the battery didnt last 31 minutes i fully charged the remote and drone before first use and im not sure how long i used it maybe 20 something minutes but definately not 31 minutes. I do like it though to be honest.
Thanks for sharing! It is a good flyer and has fair functionality. It is good for a first drone, it should treat you well! Have Fun!
My father in law got me one of these for Xmas and I love it. First drone; super easy to use. I put it in sport mode and it took off like a rocket. -Mike
It’s really like the perfect Christmas present good father in law
It is. We live in a RV full time so space is limited. Gifting is always a gamble. @@timoe360
I have been flying china made very cheap drones for quite some time. Bought them from tiktok shop. Lost 2 on tree branches and thick bushes. Soon, my daughter will be buying a dji mini 2 SE for my birthday. Will keep on viewing your videos and get educated. Thank you very much for the info.
Have had my Mini 2 SE for almost 2 weeks and have doing some test flights around the house. Works quite well but found out today the Mini 2 SE is not included in DJI's software development kit (SDK) which means third party apps like Dronelink and Litchi cannot support it. Strange because the Mini 2 and Mine SE are both supported by DJI's SDK and thus, the third party apps.
Thanks for sharing!
so thats why it wont connecting on my litchi app
While DJI haven’t any current plans on the sdk for the 2se, you gotta think that they will eventually open it up. I think they took several months for the mini 2. So the decision is either live without that for now or spend more and get a mini 3 or 3 pro.
Same here ,but if u have an android it's gonna hard to the app u really need which is dji fly.....dji & Samsung are not friends at all. Only apple products,I went & bought an iPad for the right app & larger screen.
U gonna have to go thru some hoops & hurdles to get it on android if that's what ur running.
It actually took a year and a bit for the mini 2 to get it.
Crazy insane that 2 se can't do it- even the 3 and 3 pro have an opened SDK
As a beginner I'm considering this drone for only a few months to make sure I like flying, then I'll upgrade to a mini 4 pro, so I'm not really worried about the fly more pack because I want it as cheap as possible since it's simply a transition drone. Great video though thanks!
Not a miss, for the price it dose what you need. I'm sure if we ask they will up date the return home to work better or we can learn how the adjust parameters, that will make us better understand the unit. Good video, Thank you.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for making an honest review and not a review-disguised ad
Thanks for noticing! 🤙
Enjoyed the video. You always have fair, unbiased reviews.
Thanks, I try! 🤙
I am just looking to see if i could add this to my photography hobby this was helpful thank you.
This was so helpful. Many thanks. I recently lost my mavic mini 2 - it dropped into the sea. Luckily, I used it for about 4 years and got so many amazing images.
Thanks! Indeed, it happens, but 4 years is a good run! DJI brought back the Mini 2 under a couple of different names a couple of months ago so all is not lost, and for the price it's a no brainer... Mini 4k: amzn.to/4fnKSHx and Specta Mini has the DJI ban resistant attempt one too (pretty sure it's made by DJI) amzn.to/3LErjNt and it's on sale for $269 now, a good deal for the tech... 🤙🤙
@@AlienDrones Thanks. All the best.
I have this drone and the orbit worked perfectly for me. I do wish it had the follow mode.
It can perform a follow by doing the following. Set it up to do an orbit, then as you start it, begin walking, match the drones speed and it is unable to circle you and will just follow.
Walking at 7 MPH might be a little tough for me but would be interesting for sure!
Lol. Agreed. Maybe just a walk prevents it being able to get in front of you to start it's orbit. Try it. It does work. I haven't done the math about the speed thing.
The way the frames keep jumping on all the movement shots is a complete miss for me.
Im getting mine tomorrow of Shpock.£170 so a good price, one battery so will have to buy a few more batts eventually.This will be my first DJI so I will let U guys know if im impressed.
I have a few drones and love the Mini 2 SE. So it does not have 4K, no big deal as i only film in 1080p with all my drones. The Mini 2 SE is a lot louder than the Mini 2. As for the battery i got 20 plus minutes flight time the other day. Also there was a slight wind from time to time.
Thanks for sharing! Nice to know about the sound, quieter is bonus for sure!
All great information for a new drone (such as myself) user. The one thing I take from the FAA website is that any drone flight that takes the footage and posts it to social media is now considered a commercial flight not recreational and regardless of the 250g weight now has to be registered. Basically, being every drone video on UA-cam.
Thanks!
So the FAA thinks all photos of family/friends/vacations etc. on social media are commercial? If they are not monetized in any way I would go to court with them on that and I think win. Public opinion would be overwhelming. Blue skies!
@@bwvideo0905 totally agree with you, but if the description box to the video has any link that is or anything is even said in the video such as merch that the creator sells.
Understood and I can understand some reasoning on that. Not an issue with my YT. It's recreational only too.😁 I want to be 100% safe and legal but if it does not make common sense..... 👍👍@@Frank-uf2vn
Been looking at this for a while but after watching this it's a No from me.
No follow mode is a FAIL.
Thanks for the video ✌️💜
My pleasure, glad it helped! A basic follow is important to a lot of people for sure...
I have gotten the pixel issue close range but glad i just didn't get a bad model and a software update could fix it in the future.
So far i love it and mine has rth with in 6 inches of take off every time
worth it holds sharpness scaling it to 4k for videos just need to do some adjusting in editing software
I just bought this one. So far for me, its worth it for beginner like me. Will probably upgrade soon.
Good choice! It does a good job for sure for the price.
flying over 50ft, signal already lost at 400m away( only trees as obstacles) need to increase alt to get signal or the rth will help to establish alt and signal. i felt incomplete due to lack of 4k footage
sport mode - 13mins
normal mode - 15min
cine mode - 15- 19mins
all mode are all moving and full forward trottle
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Really appreciate it. Helped me decide on the Mini 3 instead.
The GPS signal is amazing. I can sit in my car with the AC and do a gig with the drone
Does a good job!
I'm so close to buying one.
The fact it doesn't have a follow mode doesn't put me off but I can understand why it would with people.
The important things to me are.... a half decent camera, decent battery life (20 mins is ok) and good flying distance. 10 km is brilliant. And yeh, I know you're not gunna quite get that but even 5 km away and back will be awesome.
I've wanted a drone for years... and on a budget so this seems perfect.
Great video thank you.
Glad it is helpful, thanks for sharing! 😎
check out the dji mini 4k
@@xCHOPP3R or the mini 2 at a lower price. lol.
@xCHOPP3R
Got the SE. Quick play the day before yesterday.... Shute weather yesterday....
Dry today with a bit of wind so should get a session between running the hound. 👍
Iv was gonna go straight for the dji 4 pro n then I seen this n was like yes saved me money I thought this was old that’s why I wasn’t gonnna buy it saved a good 600 dollars I’m picking it up tomorrow hopefully
It's a really good flyer for sure! DJI now relabeled the Mini 2 the "Mini 4k" (a couple of days ago) and did a price drop on it. Might want to check that out as it is the same thing as the SE, a lot cheaper than it was and it has 4k besides. amzn.to/4doyI0a
Another informative, well paced and professional video.
Thanks for the kind words, we try!
Thinking about buying this for duck hunting. Save me a ton of time when we’re scouting.
I'm annoyed it doesn't come with a follow mode. I was hoping to use it while driving or Moto vlogging I'm stuck being stationary
Indeed, my guess is that it is a conscious decision to push buyers to the Mini 3 or mini 4 models at 2-3x the price. All in the market strategy...
@@AlienDrones it does have a form of tracking. I bet it's in the code but locked behind the model drone you have.
@@azndrifter204 Yes, it has tracking in the quick shots so it is there...
Honestly i cant even tell a difference between 2.7 at 25-30 fps and 4k.. 4k needs at least 30 fps not to stutter or have jello. 2.7 looks amazing enough for me! But for $500 I think id rather buy a used/open box mini SE or mini 2 for a fraction of the price. Or spend a little more for a mini 3 pro. Thanks for review man
Thanks! Indeed, I thought the 2.7k was decent, though they could have increased the bitrate just a bit. Didn't make the cut of my dislikes (was next in line though), it's sitting at 40 Mbps which is too low, I noticed stutter if panning and moving quick...
@@AlienDrones Gotcha
After I got my mini 2 SE I was disappointed to learn that it doesn't support the Litchi app. I wish they would do a firmware update to make this possible because then we could have better follow me options and programmable movements.
Did you check rainbow DJI?
11:55 thanks for letting me know I should probably wait a bit longer before i get into drones lol
Well done review. I have the Mavic 3, Air2S and the Mini 3 Pro but after watching your video, I wanted to go buy the Mini 2 SE. Please join us at the 4th Annual South Florida Drone Meetup.
Looking to buy first drone. Great review, touched on important user features - orbit and follow. Thanks for the candid comments.
Of course, thanks for sharing!
Had I known that dji would not include the follow me or released the software so that Litchi can support it, I would definitely NOT have purchased it.
Me gusta que el cielo no se ve quemado en el horizonte, los colores son bastante consistentes. Me hubiera gustado que alcanzara los 60fps en FHD.
Really appreciate the informative deep dive on this video. I may not be buying a DJI mini SE anymore, but I’ll certainly look through your other videos to find a drone that does suit me
Thanks! No worries, try to run through a lot of options out there just to add perspective. Any questions let us know, happy to help. 🤙
I was going to get DJI Mini 2 SE but upon watching a bunch of reviews including yours on various beginner's drones I decided go with Potensic ATOM SE. The fly more bundle of ATOM SE is over $200 cheaper than Mini 2 SE bundle. I have no regrets so far. I can always upgrade later if I stick with this hobby.
The ATOM SE is a great little flyer for sure. Starting with a good beginner drone like that is a great idea as you can learn what you like, what you need and if you crash it it stings a lot less! 🤙🤙
Another great video Keith! Yours was one I watched in my research before I purchased a Mini 2 SE a couple months ago (for recreational only). I'm thrilled with it. I've yet to see any comments from anywhere about someone regretting that purchase.
One question for you: If it had "Follow mode" as some drones do, how would you maintain VLOS assuming you would have your back to it while it was following you? Walk backward? Would you have to have a VO?
Maybe I'm missing something. 🤔Thanks much in advance and keep up the great work! BTW, subscribed!
Thanks for the kind words! Indeed, if you can't keep at least semi-intermittent VLOS then a VO is the only way to go legally. 🤙
Thanks again for the reply! Blue skies to you sir!
i took mine about a mine in a half in decent winds, it wasnt cutting out at all, i think it could go quite a bit further, when i get to the mountain i was shooting i was about 60 percent battery shot i shot it and headed back.
DJI Mini 2 does not feature Follow Me mode due to its restricted weight maintenance. Pilots can use the helix mode hack and the circle mode hack to mimic the Follow Me feature in this drone.
I think it's a great started kit but the return to home and follow me worry me about that because I don't want to lose my drone and last but least they are selling for well under 300 now. I can get one of these for free from work as 15 year employee reward so I have nothing to lose here.
They have them at Sam’s club with the fly more combo for 330 trust me this drone rocks
I don't believe the one for $330 at Sam's is the fly more, it just has 2 batteries and a case, if the picture shown is true. Still a decent deal, but to be a fly-more it at least needs the extra props, 3rd battery and charging hub. But agreed, it is a capable drone kit for that price and does a good job. 🤙
I think this drone is perfect for me. I have never had FPV distortion, and even at far ranges, never. I can agree about the battery life, but all you really have to do is just buy at least two more, and I wouldn't mind. I never really try return to home, and I think it is very odd that it doesn't let you come back within 20 meters of home point. Very strange. Overall, I really like the drone.
It's a good flier for sure! A few oddities, but nothing is perfect, so overall it would treat you well... 🤙
I just got one a couple days ago and so far I love it
Good to hear, it's a good little flyer!
Just bought the Mini SE 2 as my very first drone. I did my research and I was torn between the cheaper makes and dji as they come with a premium price tag. Most of the cheaper models had the follow me function and way points, but went for DJI as I thought, and my own fault for not researching properly DJI, that being a premium make in the market that these features were not standard on this model. I was really disappointed when I found that DJI Mini SE 2 did not have these features when I got it. I bought the fly more package at £415.00. I know cheaper drones may be more unstable or not have the kudos of DJI, but as a begginer I wanted these features, but I have kept it in the hope that DJI may do an update in response to serious drone pilots doing these reviews and telling DJI that cheaper drones have this and would be expected in their drones given the price of them. Thanks for the video.
No worries, glad it is useful!
Unless you live in the desert, you don’t want follow me without good obstacle, avoidance. It’s not worth wrecking your drone for something most people don’t use. And if you think follow me is something, you would use a lot you need a good drone with really good avoidance.
@@toadsauce8091 Absolutely disagree. Follow mode has many applications in many areas and obstacle avoidance is NOT a prerequisite. Let's just call it what it is, this is simply a business decision by DJI to not make this model _too_ good as to not compete with more expensive models, and there's nothing wrong with that! It's important to market all your products in such a way that they don't compete with each other as much, so it's not a problem, it's a strategy. I'm sure there were multiple focus groups on this topic alone inside DJI. That's their purgative but that being said, to try and justify it by saying it is unsafe without OA is disingenuous and flatly absurd. Many, many $200 drones have follow mode without OA and the final use case is left up to the consumer not the marketing team at the manufacturer.
Thanks for a great video. After a fair amount of online sleuthing I had decided on the feature rich Potensic Atom as the value leader over the DJI Mini 2 SE. I did take note that several reviewers made case regarding the solid, quality of DJI as a long established brand particularily for a drone novice (me). On that note I elected to drive out & visit a few local electronics retailers (Best Buy, etc). Saw no Potensic on the shelves, but everyone had DJI. That same day Costco posted a 'Members Only' special on the Mini 2 SE (there only drone) which I bought. *I wanted a drone to do roof & gutter inspections, picture quality & drone stability being paramount, which so far, the DJI does well. It was/is also paramount that the drone be reliable & well supported. *Having said all this, I too am disappointed by the poor RTH on this machine and "no where close to 31 min" run time... & truth be known, also dissapointed by the lack of a "follow me".feature. Truly hope DJI rectifies these issues in coming upgrades. Cheers from Vancouver 🇨🇦
Thanks for sharing! The Mini 2 SE is a good flyer and should treat you well! 🤙
@@AlienDrones Thx for the reassurance, appreciated. *Returned my Mini 2 SE yesterday. Costco (being Costco) no fuss instant 100% refund. Kudos to DJI Service as well. They refunded my 2 yr Refresh and additional battery & charger I'd ordered, again without fuss. 🙏 *Ordered Atom Fly More kit from Amazon. 👍 Cheers
@@danielwittmotorycle6541 Indeed the ATOM does a good job and is one of the best values out there... 🤙
I got this exact kit from Sam’s Club for $250. It’s been fun!
Nice! It's a good flyer for sure!
I ordered a Stealth Drone 4k for $100. It is terrible. Fortunately, I got my money back and ordered this drone. I've had it for a few weeks and it is fun. The follow me feature was not a deal breaker and I ordered the basic kit from Amazon. I would buy an extra battery however. Flying it with its auto takeoff and landing plus maneuverability is fun and easy. I would highly recommend getting your Part 107 license. I'm already a licensed Sport Pilot so obtaining a 107 endorsement was easy. For the price, this is a great starter drone.
Thanks for sharing! Indeed, a bad flier can ruin the experience, and a good flier can make it a fantastic experience!
Yeah, right off the bat you just reminded me why I don't like DJI drones - the way you have to calibrate the compass so often before you can use it. I have a Mavic Air, which is apparently so obsolete now, at an ancient 5 years, that spares are not available and the lastest app doesn't work with it. Thanks DJI! And as I almost, somewhat, think of getting a newer one.. you remind me about that damn compass. I'll stick with my 'toy' drone then.
Just some FYI on the DJI.... when you did orbit.. there was a tripod with a white thing on it and maybe the tracking was getting confused.. you should have stood more in the open alone... Just Saiyan.... was my thoughts
Indeed, could have done that, but we should have higher expectations for the market leader too... In real world situations we can't always stand in the perfect open and give perfect conditions.🤙
No follow is a deal breaker for me. But thanks for the video. They're on sale at Sam's club pretty cheap.
Very informative. Thank you!
I think this drone is still pretty good. Thanks for the tutorial.
Indeed, it's a great little flyer! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for this amazing video! You mentioned everything, showed and explained good and bad things about this drone. Great job!
PS. Wish you'd had a video about DJI Mini 3 ;)
Thanks! Maybe the mini 5! 😎
I bought the kit with the 3 batteries. It is my first drone and for my expected usage, it is great. Ps. DJI service is fantastic
Nice! Have fun!
Price?
Great review. I own this drone and love it. I 100% agree it should have follow me mode. As far as RTH, you can adjust the settings although, I believe it has a limit......if you're only 20 meters out it won't engage. Why would it? It's right there.
Thanks! You are correct that you can see it, but why does the distance dictate that it can't return to the home point? You could argue anything in VLOS you can still see it, so disable the auto return to home feature with 400' or 500' would be the same. Seems like an arbitrary omission on DJIs part, especially for a "beginner" drone, and being the market leader they can do better than such silly quirks. 🤙
Never owned a drone but I am looking to get something respectable to start my journey. Probably just for hobby stuff but I am thinking is might grab one of these
It does a good job and the price is down a little bit right now too. It should treat you well! 🤙
@@AlienDrones Hello from Ohio, I'm 60 and a boater not a drone pilot...lol. I'd like to get footage out on the lake with this drone in front of me . Would this handle the elements? Its on sale for 299 right now. Looks like a nice drone. Any others that you would recommend in that $$ range or this one of the best ? (You were very disappointed with no follow mode?) Thanks Tom
What I don't understand about drones trying to be less than 250g is that registration with the FAA is not required, but the registration is only $5. That's my take on that. I would rather go for the mini 2 because for around the same price point as the mini 3, you can have the drone with more accessories (according to amazon).
Unfortunately the mini 2 is not being made anymore, it has been obsoleted. The issue with registration isn't the registration fee, it's that once it's registered it is also required to now have remote ID. Forced remote ID is fightin' words for a lot of folks...
@@AlienDrones That makes sense.
the reason for why RTH doesn't work with in 20 meter is because theres no point in going up to altitude 120m then more 20> meters then come back down, and it doesn't have active track because theres not enough sensors so if its moving side ways it doesn't crash. and 20min fly time is realy good on most drone at this price range the fly time is 10 to 5 mins
Nah, if it isn't home, it should go there and land, no excuses. If it is close and below some altitude, then go sideways then land. No one said it has to go to max altitude before heading to home, don't care if it has to go 5 ft. Holy Stone, Potensic, Fimi, Autel, Skydio, other models of DJI all do this, so no excuses, it's just lacking. It does not need obstacle avoidance to have a follow mode. Check out the Potensic ATOM ua-cam.com/video/3Q409z0Evv4/v-deo.html that is a similar package, no obstacle avoidance, the active track/visiual follow works just fine. 18 minutes flight time? $169 throwaway drone has that battery life. ua-cam.com/video/cVv41HBNoeE/v-deo.html . I'm not against the Mini 2 SE, it's a good little drone and a good flyer for the price, but I'm not going to make excuses for them either when they either accidentally or purposely missed on functionality or features. DJI is the market leader, they can, and have done better. 🤙
@@AlienDrones why is it so important thqt it goes home if it is whitin 20 meters?
@@3D_AIRSOFT626 It's not about importance, just simply calling it out as a deficiency as this function exists in even lower quality and less expensive products. The market leader can do better and doesn't get a pass on missing or poor functionality, performance or features.
@@AlienDrones but it kind of makes sense fkr it not to do it at that distance
@@3D_AIRSOFT626 Sorry, No not really. No other competitors do this and there is no logical reason for it. If you are flying over a lake only 20 meters away and your controller dies, automatically landing in the lake instead of returning home doesn't make sense, at all. That's just lazy programming.
Awesome video, very helpful. What is the microphone you're using? Do you recommend it? Thanks so much!
Thanks! In this video I'm using the DJI mic, does a decent job. Recently I switched to the Hollyland Lark Max (has better battery and a few things that I like better) and I went through them both here: ua-cam.com/video/tCz0nqaqxos/v-deo.html . In the end they both do a decent job and are now similar in price...
i just ordered this one and i think i just might return it when i get in a few days. everywhere you would want to fly or get cool shots from is a no fly zone. just flying this at home will get boing after awhile and would just not be used any more. i was on the beer when i ordered it.
That beer makes everything seem better 😂
@@AlienDrones almost at 50 miles on it already, it's so fun and glad i got it. now im thinking of the mini 4 now.
@@tallicafan85 It's a good flyer!
Not sure what you ended up doing, but it’s a great drone to practice techniques with and for trying some fun flying around certain areas.
Join some drone clubs or drone groups and you will find a ton of hidden gems to fly around.
You can get some cool ideas for skills practice off UA-cam, but be careful…this stuff can end up expensive if you get the bug for it 😬😂.
@@treykerr1868 i did end up liking it and wish i got the mini 4 pro. So fun and easy to use. I’ve logged over 65 miles on it but for some reason it doesn’t upload my flights. Now im at 7 flights not uploaded. I live in CT and have a lot of areas that are no fly zones and wish i could fly at the beaches.
there is no follow option .... but they have a app from a different company that made a bunch of stuff for the mini 2 se, follow , way points ect .
I fell like this makes more senese to get than the base model mini 3 because it's not that much of a downgrade, and its a lot cheaper. the only logical next upgrade would be the mini 3/4 pro
😄looks nice, think Im getting either Beast sg906 2 of Aliexpress next, or a Hubsan Zino 2 of ebay for £100, less batteries.
I'm getting ready to buy one so my other foldable drone which is not from DJI and is more night coloured can have a French :)
All that green burned my eyes! 👍
Ha! St. Patrick's Day must give you anxiety... 🍀
Really glad I saw this video thanks.. I was about to buy one but since it has no follow and the orbit was questionable ..I will give it a miss ...Im now looking at the Holy Stone maybe you could do a review on that one please...Vince
Thanks! Which Holy Stone? I reviewed quite a few.
I have two of the Phantom 3 have had them since they came out I'm very happy with them they're good-sized they fly great picture quality not so good but I'm not a photographer I'm a flyer and I love the old throne and the size of it more than anything wish they would come out with some new drums that were equal in size
Certainly can relate to your Phantom 3 it's size, reliability and a pleasure to fly, had one for years. Yesterday I went to the DJI Shop and had a close look and demonstration of the DJI Mini 2e. I was totally impressed from its software, design and above all its portability in its case! The plus pack offers 3 batteries with many other excellent accessories in addition. I am about to go back and purchase one of these little marvels. My first reason to buy a Drone again is to inspect my roof frequently of its paint condition which protects the Polyurethane foam I sprayed 2 years ago. It is a flat roof very high and a ladder isn't good enough to reach the top with safety. A scaffolding is needed to go onto the roof. And my second use of this Drone will be to shoot some pics and short videos on my travels through the country only for memories from our travels from a different dimension, bird eye view😊
Nice video but you did not talk about or mention the DJI no fly zones. The no fly zones are why I got rid of my mini 2 and now fly another brand drone without the annoying no fly zones ..
You are absolutely right. They are terrible, and this alone makes me choose another brand most of the time. I mentioned it in a different video here: ua-cam.com/video/YK-oSEPZCOI/v-deo.html but just plain missed mentioning it in this video...
Good info, I didn't even know that existed. Looked at the DJI GEO zones map, I live in a warning zone, and there's an authorization zone nearby (seems that every football (soccer) team playing in the Belgian pro league has an authorization zone (radius 0.5 km) around its stadium).
well I'm buying it, I'm flying this for fun and for the video, I wanna show off, share with friends, not film a movie scene so yeah, I'm getting it.
It will treat you well, it's a good flier!