DJI’s Mini range are long time favorites in the drone community because of their ease to pack into a camera bag or back pack, they fall under the weight restriction for drone registration and pack in some really great features compared to other mini drones on the market.
However, the price variation between the DJI Mini SE v Mini 2 v Mini 3 Pro is huge. They are packaged up in almost the same shell so let’s take a look at their differences to breakdown which one is right for you.
Key Points:
- The Mini 3 Pro has a larger camera sensor so takes better low light photos
- The Mini SE and Mini 2 don’t have any obstacle avoidance
- The transmission and connection is better in the Mini 2 and Mini 3 Pro because they have OcuSync technology
Below: DJI’s Mini drone range in order of price. The Mini SE is DJI’s budget mini drone and the Mini 3 Pro is the most expensive.
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| Obstacle Avoidance | |||
| Transmission Range with Video Streaming | |||
| Flight Time | 47 mins (with Intelligent Flight Battery Plus) |
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| Gimbal | |||
| Controller |  |  |  |
DJI Mini SE Overview
The Mini SE (standard edition) is DJI’s budget model, it’s one of the best drones under $300 and has a far greater transmission range than other drones at this price point.
I’m always interested to see how engineers include high end tec in budget drones because we naturally always want more for less and I’ve been stung more than once by buying cheap drones that over promise and under perform.
Thanks to DJI’s new release, the Mini SE, we can now get a really decent quality drone at a price that’s affordable for most UAV hobbyists or beginners.
Obviously there has to be some compromise in the features of the drone to bring down the price. So, in this article I’ll go through the features you need to know that are conceded by the Mini 2 and Mini 3 Pro to bring down the price and create the drone in the under 300 price bracket.
How far can the Mini SE fly with FPV transmission?
The Mini SE can fly up to 4km from the controller using enhanced wifi. The Mini 2 and Mini 3 Pro both use DJI’s UcuSync 2.0 technology which is more robust and less likely to be effected by interference.
This is also why there is such a big difference in the transmission distance, the Mini SE has a maximum transmission range of 4km, the Mini 2 has a transmission distance of 10 km and the Mini 3 Pro can fly up to 12km maintaining fpv.
However, the transmission range of the Mini SE is far better than other drones under $300.
Camera comparison of the DJI Mini SE, Mini 2 and Mini 3 Pro
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| Effective Pixels | |||
| Image Format | |||
| Video Resolution | |||
| Max Frames Per Second | 24-60fps(2.7k) | 120fps (1080p) |
The camera system in the Mini 2 and SE are almost the same. They both have a 1/2.3″ sensor and take 12MP photos but the Mini 2 can take 4k video. For an overview on sensor size and resolution have a look at Drone Photography for Beginners.
The Mini SE can only export jpeg images, the benefit of raw file format is it captures more pixel information which is helpful in post production. If you’re not planning to do a lot of image editing and enhancement then this wont be an issue.
One of the big improvements with the Mini 3 Pro is the larger sensor with significantly improved image quality. A highly requested feature that DJI have implemented in this model is vertical video for displaying on mobile devices.
For higher quality cameras, you’ll need to look beyond mini drones such as the DJI Mavic 3 which has a 4/3″ sensor and captures outstanding low light photos. The Mini 3 Pro and the Mavic 3 are reviewed in my best drones for photography article.
What is the video quality on the Mini SE ?
The Mini SE takes 2.7k 30fps video which is fine for beginners and those that want to share their footage on social media. One of the big advancements with the DJI Mini 3 Pro is being able to take true vertical video, creating high quality content for social media.
Obstacle Avoidance Comparison
DJI Mini 3 Pro obstacle avoidance sensor locations and coverage.
Is it worth upgrading to the Mini 3 Pro to have extra assurance from obstacle avoidance?
If you are using intelligent flight modes, yes. The obstacle avoidance system in the Mini 3 Pro is called Advanced Pilot Assistance System 4.0, this senses objects that are in the flight path which is especially useful when using intelligent flight modes such as Active Track Trace mode. This makes the drone follow a target moving at speeds up to 36km/hr at a fixed distance, angle and height.
Does the DJI Mini SE have obstacle avoidance?
No, the DJI Mini SE does not have obstacle avoidance. The Mini SE only has a sensor on the bottom used for detecting the distance to the ground. Currently, the only DJI Mini drone that ahs obstacle avoidance is the Mini 3 Pro.
Intelligent Flight Modes Comparison
The DJI intelligent flight modes semi automate the flight path by setting a target object for the drone to circle or follow.
Trace & Parallel |
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Mini SE and Mini 2 Intelligent Flight Modes
The intelligent flight modes on the DJI Mini SE and Mini 2 are designed to be used with the QuickShot shooting mode. This is a separate setting to Video or Camera mode.
QuickShot mode is selected, then the intelligent flight type is set (Dronie/ Rocket/ Circle etc), then the drone automatically flies the set path and produces a video about 15 second long.
Dronie : The camera view locks on an object while flying backwards away from the target object.
Rocket: The camera points downwards and the drone flies straight up vertically.
Circle: The drone flies in a circle around a selected object.
Helix: A object is selected and it spirals around the object as the drone ascends.
Boomerang: The drone flies in an spiralled oval shape around a set target and films as it takes ascends and descends (Mini 2 Only).
Mini 3 Pro Intelligent Flight Modes
- Spotlight: The camera remains fixed on the target (still or moving) while the movement of the drone direction is controlled manually.
- Point of interest: Set a radius distance and flight speed to orbit around a moving or stationary target.
- Active Track: Active Track has two modes; trace and parallel. The both work for still and moving objects. Trace tracking follows a target at a set altitude, distance and angle at a maximum of 10m/s (36km/hr)
- Parallel tracking is different to trace tracking because it follows the target from the side. Parallel tracking follows at a maximum speed of 13m/s (46.8km/hr)
DJI Mini SE v Mini 2
Lots of beginner drone enthusiasts look at both the DJI Mini SE and the DJI Mini 2.
Mini SE v Mini 2 Transmission :
The Mini SE uses enhanced wifi but the Mini 2 has OcuSync transmission technology which improves the connection between the controller and the drone. This is why the transmission range of the SE is less than half the range of the Mini 2.
If your going to be flying mostly in wide open spaces with out many buildings or things that cause interference then having wifi transmission will do the job just fine.
However, if you’re planning to fly mostly in built up city or urban areas then OcuSync 2 technology in the Mini 2 is going to give a much more stable flight experience.
Mini 2 was the first Mini drone from DJI to include OcuSync transmission .
Mini SE v Mini 2 Camera:
The main differences in the camera and videography for the Mini SE and the Mini 2 are that the Mini SE can’t produce raw format photos and is limited to 2.7k video.
For many content creators, the camera on the Mini SE will be perfectly fine for capturing footage and stills in good light.
Both the Mini SE and Mini 2 produce 12 MP stills but the advantage of the Mini 2 is that the raw format photos are better for enhancement and editing because they capture more pixel information for processing.
Mini 2 can also do automated wide or vertical panoramas which the Mini SE is not programmed for.
Is the Mini SE good for photography?
The DJI Mini SE is ok for photography for drone hobbyists. The resolution is 2.7k which is not as good compared to the Mini 2 and Mini 3 Pro.
Unlike the Mini 2 and Mini 3 Pro, the Mini SE doesn’t :
- Export raw format images
- Doesn’t have zoom
- Doesn’t have auto exposure bracketing
Mini SE v Mini 2 Controller:
The Mini 2 comes with a newer control that sits the mobile above the controller, making it easier to see rather than between your hands.
Mini SE Controller
Mini 2 Controller (DJI RC N-1)
Mini 2 v Mini 3 Pro
There is a big jump in price between the Mini 2 and the Mini 3 Pro because Mini 3 includes a lot of the technology made for the higher-end, full size DJI drones.
Mini 2 v Mini 3 Pro: Battery and Flight Time
Drone flight time is one of the most annoying limitations on flying UAVs. DJI is pushing the boundaries with there new battery (Intelligent Flight Battery Plus) that extends the flight time on the Mini 3 Pro.
This larger battery gives the Mini 3 Pro a maximum flight time of 47 minutes compared to 31 minutes with the Mini 2.
Mini 2 v Mini 3 Pro: Controller
Mini 3 Pro can be purchased with the new DJI smart controller which has a built in display (DJI RC). This eliminates worries about compatibility of the app with your phone and allow a quicker set up time.
It also means we can actually use our mobile separately which is convenient if flying the drone with friends and letting others take over the controller.
Mini 2 Controller (DJI RC-N1)
Mini 3 Pro Controller (DJI RC)
Another benefit of the smart controller is that unlike most phones the display doesn’t dim down on bright days. If you already own a controller then you can buy the drone alone.
Mini 2 v Mini 3 Pro: Camera
One of the most significant advancements from the Mini 2 to the Mini 3 Pro is the camera sensor. The Mini 2 has a 1/2.3″ sensor and the Mini 3 Pro has a 1/1.3″ sensor. This means the Mini 3 will capture better quality photos in low light settings. While full-size drones designed for photography have a larger sensor, this is pretty good for a mini drone.
The Mini 3 Pro also has a higher quality color profile. It has 10 bit color which means the photos can contain up to 1.07 billion colors. This is a lot more compared to the Mini 2 and Mini SE which has 8-bit color, 8-bit color photos tend to look like they have a single color film overlay rather than looking like real -life colors.
The vertical camera setting on the Mini 3 Pro is a cool addition that makes capturing footage for YouTube shorts or Instagram easier.
You may notice that the front of the drones looks different, there is a cut out section between the two lights on the Mini 3 Pro which allows the camera to rotate all the way up to shoot footage above the drone. Not many drones have this feature, upwards vision is really useful for indoor drone inspections.
The space between the lights on the Mini 3 Pro has been cut away to allow upwards camera angles.
For semi professional or professional photographers, the additional bracketing for auto-exposure makes getting the perfect exposure easier. Auto exposure bracketing is explained in this article on drone photography but it basically means that the drone captures multiple images at once with slightly different exposure.
The Mini 2 has three frame bracketing and the Mini 3 Pro has five frame bracketing so it has a larger range of exposure levels captured for each shot.
Can you set waypoints with the DJI Mini SE, Mini 2 or Mini 3 Pro?
The DJI Mini SE, Mini 2 and Mini 3 Pro all require a third party app such as Litchi to set waypoints. Litchi is designed specifically for enabling autonomous flight for DJI drones.
Waypoints are set by drawing an editable path with the app and setting the altitude at each point. Litchi gives an estimated flight time and distance so you know if the planned route exceeds the battery limits.
Creating waypoints is a great way to have a repeatable flight path that can be replicated at different times to :
- Show seasonal changes.
- Create a surveillance route when using drones for home security or drone surveillance.
- Find areas of a crop with issues for agricultural drone mapping.
Final Words on the Mini SE v Mini 2 v Mini 3 Pro
If your looking to invest in a mini drone, DJI is still creating UAVs that are ahead of other brands. These three models are created to meet different budgets and flying requirements.
For a drone under $300, the Mini SE is has a good transmission range and decent camera.
The next step up in price is the DJI Mini 2. The Mini 2 has the same camera lens as the Mini SE but can take 4K video and export raw format files.
The Mini 2 also has more robust transmission technology so if you’re going to be flying in built up suburban areas then it may be worth the extra investment for a smoother flying experience with less connection interference.
The Mini 3 Pro is a substantial jump up in price because DJI has included their professional level features in this mini drone. The Mini 3 Pro has tri-directional obstacle avoidance and is compatible with DJI’s smart controller which has a built in screen.
The camera also has a larger sensor so it’s far better for low light photography and takes 48MP photos rather than 12MP.
For more on the photographic quality of the DJI Mini 2 and Mini 3 Pro, check out this article on the best drones for photography.
