DJI announces sub 250g Mavic Mini drone

DJI has officially announced its new sub-250g ultra-light drone, the Mavic Mini, which in an interesting move, should fly under weight restrictions proposed as part of a drone registration scheme by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA). 

The Mavic Mini is easily the smallest and lightest drone DJI has made to date, coming in at a featherlight 249g, some 51g lighter than the DJI Spark.

Inside, it features a 12-megapixel 1/2.3-inch sensor, and can record 2.7K video at 30fps and 1080p video at 60 frames per second. The camera module is mounted on a three-axis gimbal that sits centered beneath the main frame of the drone, which maintains the same compact form-factor and foldable design.

Flight time is expected to be 30 minutes, with onboard Wi-Fi and GPS for transmitting video to the included controller. According to DJI, the Wi-Fi system has a maximum range of 4km.

The weight of the Mavic Mini is significant due to the imminent implementation of a drone registration scheme in Australia. Expected to become mandatory in mid 2020, the registration scheme is expected to affect any drone heavier than 250g and require owners to register with the authority.

In the US, drone registration is already mandatory through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for drones weighing over 250g and less than 25kg - effectively every consumer drone on the market.

Along with the Mavic Mini, new updates to the DJI Fly app should help get new pilots off the ground, with preprogrammed settings for a variety of different basic flight modes. A new collection of accessories specific to the Mavic Mini have also been released, including propeller guards, a charging base, propeller holder, a 'DIY creative kit' with stickers, and an adapter to allow other attachements to be added.

The Mavic Mini is expected to be available shortly via DJI’s online store for $599, with the Mavic Mini Fly More Combo, featuring a carrying case, propeller guard, charging base, and three batteries, priced at $799.

You can find out more at DJI.