The controller has two folding antennae (though one is purely cosmetic), with a one-button takeoff and landing command.

This can take microSD cards, up to 32GB, and can be controlled up to 300 meters away. There’s no gimbal, but the camera is manually tilt-able to get the angle you’re going for. This user-friendly flight machine captures 4K videos at 16fps, and 2.7K videos at 25fps, with a wide 110º field of view. Though it flies fast, at 29mph, there’s no obstacle avoidance system here, so be careful of crashing it at high speeds.īuy DJI Mavic Mini $399.00 2. And its low weight lets it stay in the air longer than other, heavier competitors – up to 30 minutes of flight time with a charged battery. You won’t need to register this for flight in the US or Canada either, as its weight is just 249g. Most impressive of all, the Mavic can be controlled up to 2.5 miles away. This folds up to reduce its overall size, making it ideal for travel and outdoor hikes and treks.

The hover feature holds it steady in mid-air, for you to get that perfect panoramic pic (or just an epic selfie). The 3-axis motorized gimbal keeps the unit stabilized in flight, resulting in clearer shots with way less blur. The max video resolution here is 2.7K HD – more than enough to shoot some nice-looking videos, as well as 12MP photographs. DJI Mavic MiniĭJI is one of the most well-known and trusted drone makers on earth, and the Mavic Mini is a solid little machine. And while a light weight can be big selling point, always be aware of weather conditions – a strong gust of wind can trap a mini drone high up in a tree, or worse, carry it away. Drones aren’t like phones, they don’t last all day, and 30 minutes of air time is pretty good on a full battery. Don’t expect hours of flying on a single charge though. And if you’ve got a set of VR goggles, some units pair with them, giving you a pilot’s view as if you were up there with it.įlight range can vary, but they’ll often be pretty far, sometimes 500 meters up and four miles away. When you’re done, these can safely return to you with the tap of a button. Drones nowadays can come with a designated controller, their own app, or a combo of both, making commanding it simpler, and similar to a video game. They’ve also gotten significantly easier to fly than the early bulkier models.

This pivoted support lets you rotate around an axis, keeping your drone camera level no matter how much it moves or vibrates.

Gimbals can also be invaluable when it comes to steady and crisp photography too. If this is your first time flying one of these, or you’ll be gifting it to a newbie drone pilot, look into features such as headless mode (which always aligns the drone’s front with whatever way the controller is facing), and Electronic Image Stabilization, which compensates for the shakiness of the propellers when trying to take a stable shot. The newest mini drones often include things like “follow-me mode” for hands-free filming, facial recognition, and even collision detection to avoid crashes. Beautiful panoramic and overhead views are just the beginning though, as the photography features continue to grow with each new generation of drones. The best mini drones open up a whole new world of capturing epic shots of your trip that are entirely your own. These small, portable, and often foldable flight machines aren’t just fun to fly around, they’re the next evolutionary step in photography and film. If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.ĭrones were a game-changer to begin with, but mini drones have taken it a step further.

Mini drone with camera youtube