DJI Mini SE, the $300 Entry-Level Drone, Available in the US

Drone News

by Julian MitchellAugust 12^th, 2021

DJI’s lowest priced drone, the DJI Mini SE, is now available in the USA at around $300 which is its lowest price yet for one of their drones. The model has gradually been launched in several territories since it was first seen for sale in Walmart back in June. The Mini SE is yet to be seen for sale in Europe.

The new model is made up of a technology from existing models like the Mini 2 and the older Mavic Mini. The staggered product release is data driven. DJI check territories that can stand higher prices and market to less mature ones initially with cheaper products. Europe is seen by DJI to be open to investing more in drones than others so can’t have the SE model yet.

The sub-$300 drone market is one that DJI hasn’t concentrated on before but is vast and full of fair weather flyers. But what does this market want in a drone? Well, buying a feature rich drone is a bit like buying a smartphone – you’re picking features you think you need at a price you’re willing to pay.

Mini SE feature list

The SE sits with DJI’s other ultra lightweight drones at only 250g in weight. Under the hood you’ll get a resolution of 2.7K at 30 frame a second. Reducing the resolution gives you 60 fps at HD rates of 1080p, giving you a little bit of slow motion which is always an instant hit for new users. You’ll also get 30 minutes flight time and a photo resolution of 12MP.

To make a long story short, it seems to be a rebranded first generation Mavic Mini, which we reviewed in detail here.

A full feature list is below.

• Single frequency 
• 1/2.3in CMOS sensor  
• Max photo resolution: 12MP
• Max video resolution: 2.7K 
• Max speed: 46.8 kph
• 3-axis gimbal 
• Photo mode: Single Shot and Interval 
• Photo resolutions: 4:3 4000×3000 16:9 4000×2250 
• Video resolutions: 2.7K: 2720×1530 25/30p FHD: 1920×1080 25/30/50/60p 
• QuickShot modes: Dronie, Circle, Helix, and Rocket 
• Remote Controller: 720p/30fps 
• Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB): 3 bracketed frames at 2/3 EV Bias 
• Medium Interference (suburban landscape, open line of sight, some competing signals): Approx. 6 km
• Flight time: 30 minutes
• Dimensions (unfolded): 159×203×56mm
• Take-off weight: 242g

Mini SE – should you buy it?

If you’ve been waiting for a sub–$300 drone then go for it and buy the Mini SE. You won’t mind the limited range of 4km or the slightly worse speed and performance in windy weather from the Mini 2 but better than the Mavic Mini. Also at this weight In the United States and Canada, you can fly this camera drone without the need to register your drone with the authorities. But best to check before buying if this is a problem for you.

The Mini SE also comes with propeller protectors as the drone doesn’t support obstacle sensing.

Will Europe see the Mini SE?

The fact that the USA wasn’t getting this model, then this week suddenly did, bodes well for Europe’s chances. Data doesn’t tell you everything and DJI might think that unhappy European customers aren’t worth the risk.

Our advice for any purchase is to do your research and plunder the many YouTube videos that go in to granular detail about the feature sets (in this case of the DJI Mini SE) – like our review of the feature-identical DJI Mavic Mini above.

Drone flying is a great hobby and the Mini SE is a very good entry level craft to get you going. Let us know in the comments below if you’ve already bought the model or you’re thinking of buying – if you are please support our site and buy through our affiliate links.