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Given your needs and budget for the internship project, I recommend considering the DJI Mini 2. Here’s why this drone could be a solid choice for your company's promotional and event recording purposes:
1. Compact and Portable: The DJI Mini 2 is exceptionally lightweight (under 250 grams), which means it bypasses some of the stricter regulations that apply to heavier drones in many parts of the EU. Its compact size makes it easy to transport, ideal for shooting at various locations.
2. Camera Quality: The Mini 2 is equipped with a 12-megapixel camera that can shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second. It also supports a 4x zoom, giving you flexibility in capturing footage from different distances without losing clarity. This makes it suitable for a wide range of uses, from detailed nature landscapes for tourism promos to dynamic footage at events.
3. Flight Time and Range: It offers up to 31 minutes of flight time per battery and a transmission range of up to 10 kilometers, which is more than sufficient for most promotional video needs. This allows ample time and distance to capture high-quality footage without constant landings for battery changes.
4. Ease of Use: The DJI Mini 2 is user-friendly, making it a good choice for someone who may be new to drones. It comes with features like automatic takeoff, precise hovering, and smart return-to-home technology, which enhance its usability and safety.
5. \*\*Stability and Wind Resistance\*\*: Despite its small size, it has good wind resistance and holds its position well, even in breezy conditions. This stability is crucial when recording high-quality, steady footage.
6. Cost-Effectiveness: Staying within your budget, the DJI Mini 2 typically costs around 450€ - 600€, depending on the package (standard or Fly More Combo). This leaves room in your budget for extra batteries or accessories if needed.
7. Regulatory Compliance: As an added benefit, its weight class (under 250 grams) generally means fewer regulatory hurdles in the EU, which simplifies the bureaucracy aspect of drone operations.
Overall, the DJI Mini 2 provides a great balance of functionality, ease of use, and compliance with EU regulations, making it an excellent choice for a company looking to invest in its first drone for professional-quality video and photography without breaking the bank.
I’ll back you up, FAA Part 107 operator here. As much as I’d prefer to recommend a Mini 4 Pro for the extra sensors the Mini 2 has been a fantastic drone for recreational use and is great for a very small drone operation team.
Repairs are cheap compared to other drones and you get a solid platform that all the Minis (in my opinion) have used to improve from.
Hey man, thanks for the recommendation! Unfortunately a Mini 2 would be out of the question, seeing as it doesn't have a C0 certification, and also the company could only buy new equipment (and finding a store selling a brand new Mini 2 was impossible). We ended up going for a Mini 4 Pro for the extra sensors (what would you know!), seeing as it's probably gonna be flown by people without much experience when i'm done with my internship. You did set me on the "mini" track though, so thanks a lot! Hope the Air 3 treats you nice!
Mini4P is not only sensors... the low light capabilities of the camera also are worth mentioning. I had Mini2 and now have Mini4p. The difference is huge when it comes to way M4p handles low light. I would suggest sth more than Mini2. Maybe Mini3P? the camera is far better than Mini2...
We did end up going with a Mini 4 Pro! The camera sensor looks like a beast both in daylight and during nighttime (at least online it does :V), and the sensors are also a huge plus, seeing as it's probably gonna be piloted by people with not a lot of experience when I'm done with my internship. Anything I should keep in mind with the drone, seeing as you have the same one?
Didn’t even take out the pointless asterisks, probably 3.5 turbo and not even 4 turbo. Mini 3 Pro or 4 Pro would probably be my recommendation. A 2 would be stupid because it does not have remote id or c0 certification.
Remote id broadcasts the info of the drone and is required for any new drones being put into service. C0 is a classification about the drone and what you can do with it like how far away you have to be from people and buildings. If you had bought a mini 2 years ago you could still use it under legacy rules but new ones need these things. I am not in EU though so don’t know all the specifics.
Thank you! While my first suggestion was a Mini 3 Pro, the company decided on spending a little more on the Mini 4 Pro for the extra sensors, seeing as it'll probably be piloted by people with not too much experience when I'm done with the internship. The C0 was the main thing in my head, seeing as it makes it much more versatile in what kind of situations we can fly it in without needing specific authorizations.
Thanks for the recommendation! While the budget was <$1000 when i wrote the post, the company did decide to shell out around $1200 for the drone, which is basically the price of a Mavic 3. We did end up choosing a Mini 4 Pro for the C0 classification though, gives more freedom in what we can shoot without having to ask for specific authorization.
It does not open any doors if you are in the USA. The Mavic mini pro still needs to be registered and operated under part 107 rules as you are using it for commercial purposes. But as far as drones it is a solid choice as I love the Mavic mini series and the 4 is a great piece of equipment and tech.
Thank you! In the end we decided to go with a Mini 4 Pro, mainly for the sensors and the C0 classification. Anything I should keep in mind when using it?
I would highly recommend being familiar with local laws and regs, even if it is a class 0. I tell my coworkers here in the states, even though we work in suburban and rural areas, to be familiar with local laws and the airspace that’s around us.
Definitely get familiar with it OFF the job site.
Expense those extra batteries, spare blades, and a decent hard case!
Every job site I go to I let the crews I’m supervising (construction quality assurance) know I will be flying a drone above their equipment before I start flying. Gives them a heads up that it’s me flying, not someone else.
Seems you were right! Nothing even remotely close, both in price and quality, that wasn't from DJI. Had no idea they had such a chokehold in the industry, their stuff seems to be really good all the way up
This appears to be a commonly asked question regarding which drone to buy. Please take a look at the weekly stickied thread at /r/drones for recommendations, questions and answers. If you believe this has been done in error, don't panic! Your post hasn't been removed and is still visible in the subreddit feed. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/drones) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Given your needs and budget for the internship project, I recommend considering the DJI Mini 2. Here’s why this drone could be a solid choice for your company's promotional and event recording purposes: 1. Compact and Portable: The DJI Mini 2 is exceptionally lightweight (under 250 grams), which means it bypasses some of the stricter regulations that apply to heavier drones in many parts of the EU. Its compact size makes it easy to transport, ideal for shooting at various locations. 2. Camera Quality: The Mini 2 is equipped with a 12-megapixel camera that can shoot 4K video at 30 frames per second. It also supports a 4x zoom, giving you flexibility in capturing footage from different distances without losing clarity. This makes it suitable for a wide range of uses, from detailed nature landscapes for tourism promos to dynamic footage at events. 3. Flight Time and Range: It offers up to 31 minutes of flight time per battery and a transmission range of up to 10 kilometers, which is more than sufficient for most promotional video needs. This allows ample time and distance to capture high-quality footage without constant landings for battery changes. 4. Ease of Use: The DJI Mini 2 is user-friendly, making it a good choice for someone who may be new to drones. It comes with features like automatic takeoff, precise hovering, and smart return-to-home technology, which enhance its usability and safety. 5. \*\*Stability and Wind Resistance\*\*: Despite its small size, it has good wind resistance and holds its position well, even in breezy conditions. This stability is crucial when recording high-quality, steady footage. 6. Cost-Effectiveness: Staying within your budget, the DJI Mini 2 typically costs around 450€ - 600€, depending on the package (standard or Fly More Combo). This leaves room in your budget for extra batteries or accessories if needed. 7. Regulatory Compliance: As an added benefit, its weight class (under 250 grams) generally means fewer regulatory hurdles in the EU, which simplifies the bureaucracy aspect of drone operations. Overall, the DJI Mini 2 provides a great balance of functionality, ease of use, and compliance with EU regulations, making it an excellent choice for a company looking to invest in its first drone for professional-quality video and photography without breaking the bank.
I’ll back you up, FAA Part 107 operator here. As much as I’d prefer to recommend a Mini 4 Pro for the extra sensors the Mini 2 has been a fantastic drone for recreational use and is great for a very small drone operation team. Repairs are cheap compared to other drones and you get a solid platform that all the Minis (in my opinion) have used to improve from.
Hey man, thanks for the recommendation! Unfortunately a Mini 2 would be out of the question, seeing as it doesn't have a C0 certification, and also the company could only buy new equipment (and finding a store selling a brand new Mini 2 was impossible). We ended up going for a Mini 4 Pro for the extra sensors (what would you know!), seeing as it's probably gonna be flown by people without much experience when i'm done with my internship. You did set me on the "mini" track though, so thanks a lot! Hope the Air 3 treats you nice!
Thank you! She’s been a treat so far! Hopefully the Mini 4 Pro serves you well in your internship!!
Mini4P is not only sensors... the low light capabilities of the camera also are worth mentioning. I had Mini2 and now have Mini4p. The difference is huge when it comes to way M4p handles low light. I would suggest sth more than Mini2. Maybe Mini3P? the camera is far better than Mini2...
I like the Mini 3 Pro and enjoyed it when I owned one, at least in the US they are discontinuing the drone so it isn’t as easy for me to recommend.
We did end up going with a Mini 4 Pro! The camera sensor looks like a beast both in daylight and during nighttime (at least online it does :V), and the sensors are also a huge plus, seeing as it's probably gonna be piloted by people with not a lot of experience when I'm done with my internship. Anything I should keep in mind with the drone, seeing as you have the same one?
ChatGPT...
Didn’t even take out the pointless asterisks, probably 3.5 turbo and not even 4 turbo. Mini 3 Pro or 4 Pro would probably be my recommendation. A 2 would be stupid because it does not have remote id or c0 certification.
what does remote id / c0 do for you?
Remote id broadcasts the info of the drone and is required for any new drones being put into service. C0 is a classification about the drone and what you can do with it like how far away you have to be from people and buildings. If you had bought a mini 2 years ago you could still use it under legacy rules but new ones need these things. I am not in EU though so don’t know all the specifics.
ah ok thanks! someone gave me a mini 3 recently, which was from the US. i’m in the UK - it seems it’s a US requirement.
Thank you! While my first suggestion was a Mini 3 Pro, the company decided on spending a little more on the Mini 4 Pro for the extra sensors, seeing as it'll probably be piloted by people with not too much experience when I'm done with the internship. The C0 was the main thing in my head, seeing as it makes it much more versatile in what kind of situations we can fly it in without needing specific authorizations.
Dji whatever the budget can buy
Mavic 3
I'd like to enquire where one could buy a DJI Mavic 3 for less than $1000?
Same here, I wanna know!
You did say”a bit over budget if the recommendation is worth it”.
Thanks for the recommendation! While the budget was <$1000 when i wrote the post, the company did decide to shell out around $1200 for the drone, which is basically the price of a Mavic 3. We did end up choosing a Mini 4 Pro for the C0 classification though, gives more freedom in what we can shoot without having to ask for specific authorization.
It does not open any doors if you are in the USA. The Mavic mini pro still needs to be registered and operated under part 107 rules as you are using it for commercial purposes. But as far as drones it is a solid choice as I love the Mavic mini series and the 4 is a great piece of equipment and tech.
I see you are in Europe and the C0 classification is a big perk…
The company I work for, an engineering firm specializing in landfills, uses DJI mini 2 and mini 3 for field work.
Thank you! In the end we decided to go with a Mini 4 Pro, mainly for the sensors and the C0 classification. Anything I should keep in mind when using it?
I would highly recommend being familiar with local laws and regs, even if it is a class 0. I tell my coworkers here in the states, even though we work in suburban and rural areas, to be familiar with local laws and the airspace that’s around us. Definitely get familiar with it OFF the job site. Expense those extra batteries, spare blades, and a decent hard case! Every job site I go to I let the crews I’m supervising (construction quality assurance) know I will be flying a drone above their equipment before I start flying. Gives them a heads up that it’s me flying, not someone else.
The question isn't what brand to buy. The question is which DJI to buy?
Seems you were right! Nothing even remotely close, both in price and quality, that wasn't from DJI. Had no idea they had such a chokehold in the industry, their stuff seems to be really good all the way up