If you are looking for a drone that is easy to operate, provides good quality images in photo and video, can be flown without further training and is competitively priced, then the DJI Mini3 is an excellent choice.
Herman Krebbers / Hans de Rooij – HCC Drones
You can buy the DJI Mini3 with a simple controller for around €470. If you can spend a little more, the Fly More Combo with 3 batteries and RC1 smart controller with built-in screen for approximately € 818 is recommended.
Taking photos and videos with a drone provides additional options for clearly visualizing objects. We tested this extensively on bulb fields, interesting buildings and city overviews, as can be seen in the accompanying photos. But also for other applications such as mapping growth differences in agricultural crops. More and more hobbyists are using drones, partly because they are becoming easier to operate.
Under 250 grams
In recent months we have gained extensive experience with the DJI Mini3. This drone weighs 249 grams, so under the limit of 250 grams, and therefore anyone can fly it without having undergone further training. As a drone operator you must register with RDW. With the registration number on the drone and remote control, you can then fly the DJI Mini3 in all countries in Europe.
We tested the DJI Mini3 with the remote controller with built-in screen. This drone proves to be very easy to use and is ready to fly soon after start-up. Thanks to the built-in GPS, the drone remains stable in place after take-off until the operator steers the drone in the right direction with the sticks. Because the take-off point (home point) is recorded, the DJI Mini3 automatically returns to that point at the press of a button. You can fly to a maximum height of 120 meters and you can set the automatic return flight height to, for example, 30 m, just higher than the trees and buildings around you. DJI indicates that the drone can reach a maximum speed of 16 m/s (approx. 58 km/h) and with a maximum wind speed of up to 5 Beaufort can be flown. In strong winds, it is advisable to first fly against the wind and back with a tailwind, to prevent the drone from coming down before the landing site due to high power consumption.
The DJI Mini3 differs from the Mini3 pro in that it does not have obstacle protection. This means being extra alert when flying close to trees or buildings. The Mini3 will then not stop automatically. The Mini3 Pro also has some others features like a camera with higher frame rate, waypoints and active track (follow), but costs more than € 350 more than the Mini3.
Preparation
Good preparation is always important before flying. So check in advance whether the latest version of the firmware has been installed and that the batteries are charged. The Mini3 Fly More Combo comes with 3 batteries. The specified maximum flight time per battery is 38 minutes, but in practice a full charge can fly for approximately 25 minutes.
The Mini3 is equipped with a high-resolution camera with a 1/1.3 inch image sensor. This allows you to take photos in 12 megapixel format. For video you can set which one resolution and frame rate you want to work, for example 4K up to 30fps. With rapidly changing images, it is often more convenient not to choose the highest resolution, but the highest frame rate to get a smoother image.
When taken on flowering bulb fields in Flevoland in April, the colors appear lifelike, despite the relatively dark weather. The adjustable shutter speed also makes it easy to adjust minor over- or underexposure while flying.
A beautiful image filling remains the challenge. That requires photographic insight and a lot of practice. It is useful that you already have a good command of flying and operating the drone and camera.
That is why we, as HCC Drones Interest Group, regularly organize flying meetings in the country. There we exchange experiences with each other. But we also do guided flying exercises. Members can also try out a number of drones themselves to experience how easy it is to fly with the DJI Mini3 or Mini3 Pro to make the right choice.
More information about drones, regulations and activities of the HCC Drones interest group can be found at www.drones.hcc.nl. More information about the specifications of the Mini3 in Dutch can be found via the suppliers in the Netherlands. There are many videos of, with and about the Mini3 on YouTube.
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Product: DJI Mini3
Prices
DJI Mini 3 with fly more combo €649
DJI Mini3 with RC Smart Controller €629
DJI Mini3 with RC Smart Controller and fly more combo € 779,-
Positives:
* easy to use for beginner
*RC convenient built-in display in remote control
* good price/performance ratio
* with combi handy transport bag and two extra batteries
Negatives:
* sensitive to side movement in strong winds