The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card. All opinions are my own.

I love flying drones. I personally have a DJI Spark and have enjoyed flying that for a while now. I am, however, seriously considering upgrading to the new DJI Global Mavic Mini. Several years ago now I was able to fly one of the larger Mavics and I loved it. It was portable and able to fold down really small. The new DJI Global Mavic Mini can fold down ever smaller and only weighs in at 249 g. This weight actually puts it under the legal required weight for registering the drone with the FAA. I only fly for fun in wide open areas at a super low altitude and do not want to have the hassle of all the regulations that come with flying much larger drones. With this drone I could fly all over quickly and easily. I can also do it longer with the Mavic Mini because the Mavic Mini’s weight allows it to stay in the air longer than similar consumer FlyCams on the market. I can enjoy up to 30 minutes of flight time with a fully-charged battery.

I was constantly worrying about how much flight time I had with other drones and had to purchase several batteries to get some decent flight time in. With the Mavic Mini I can fly longer and have to use less batteries. Although, Best Buy has a great bundle for sale on the Mavic Mini that includes 3 intelligent flight batteries. You’ll have plenty of flight time with those.

When I think about why I even fly a drone the answer is always for the photos. I love shooting photography and video with my drone and the new Mavic Mini has some amazing features for aerial photography. You can shoot complex shots easier than ever. Shots that look like they came from a Hollywood film set are just a few taps away with Mavic Mini’s QuickShot modes, which include Dronie, Circle, Helix, and Rocket. Just select your QuickShot and Mavic Mini will execute an elaborate preset motion while recording. Take the automatically generated short video and share it instantly with friends on social media. CineSmooth ModeSmoother motion for compositions that wow. Slow down Mavic Mini’s flight speed and movements for an added layer of precision and stability. This mode is especially useful when flying in narrow or complex spaces.

the controls for taking photos sound great but what about the camera? The camera is a stabilized gimbal camera with a 3-axis motorized gimbal that provides superior camera stability and ensures clear, ultra-smooth footage. The photos are 12MP and videos are 2.7K Quad HD videos.

See what your Mavic Mini sees. A dedicated remote controller maintains an HD, low-latency video feed at a distance of up to 4 km. Detachable control sticks can be easily stored inside the remote controller for added portability. The remote control uses your cell phone to display this video feed through the new DJI Fly app. The DJI Fly app gives users integrated access to SkyPixel, a social media platform for users to share their aerial photos and videos. Browse work, share your own, and even discover popular aerial photography spots in your area.

On top of all that you can use the DIY Creative Kit (an optional accessory) to make your FlyCam truly yours. With this kit that includes shell stickers and colorful markers you can be as creative as you want to be to decorate your Mavic Mini.

Key Features of the Mavic Mini

• 249 g Ultralight
• 30-min Max. Flight Time
• 4 km HD Video Transmission
• Vision Sensor + GPS Precise Hover
• 3-Axis Gimbal
• 2.7K Camera
• Simplified Recording & Editing