TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Mavic mini palm-sized drone takes off

Promising a 30-minute flight time and sporting a 12 mega-pixel camera, the Mini is a pocket rocket.

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From a farming perspective, the Mavic Mini will have limited applications but could serve as a useful low-cost drone to give farmers some exposure to drone operations and help build confidence in their use.

Weighing just under 250g, the Mavic mini measures 140×82×57mm when folded. For context, four of them would sit on an A4 piece of paper with room to spare.

Unfolded and with propellers extended, the Mavic Mini is 245×290×55 mm. Using the A4 piece of paper analogy again, the unfolded iMavic s slightly larger than a piece of A4.

Either way it is a small drone for the specifications with a 47km/h maximum speed, maximum ascent rate of 25 seconds per 100m and a service ceiling of 3000m.

Maximum wind speed resistance is 29km/h.

HD video transmission distance is quoted as 4km, but remembering the CASA line-of-sight requirements, this should not be tested.

Image capture quality through the 1/2.3" CMOS sensor is 12MP effective (3000x4000) jpeg only. Video can be shot at full HD MP4 (1920x1080) or 2.7k (2720x1530).

The Mavic Mini is powered by 7.2v, 2400mAh (17.3Wh) batteries which promise to deliver 30 minutes flying time at 14km/h in no wind. A smaller 1100mAh is also available,

Retailers are listing the DJI Mavic Mini at around $600.

 

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