DJI Mini 2 SE for Commercial Use (Explained)

It’s time to gear up and get to work! Choosing a drone for the job is the hardest part. Okay, maybe getting clients is the hardest part, but selecting a drone is certainly up there!

In your consideration, the DJI Mini 2 SE might have come up. This is a newer drone renowned for its ease of use, so it seems like a good fit, right?

Or is it? That’s the major question I’m here to help you answer today. I’ll review the tenacity and ability of the Mini 2 SE to handle all sorts of commercial endeavors, from social media filming and photographing to inspections and journalism. 

Let’s get right to it! 

Is DJI Mini 2 SE good for any commercial activities? #

The DJI Mini 2 SE is a beginner’s drone through and through. Most of us associate beginners with people flying for fun. 

And while sure, that can sometimes be true, it isn’t exclusively. That’s also the case with low-cost, entry-level drones like the Mini 2 SE. It may not cost an arm and a leg, but that doesn’t mean it’s inadequate for commercial work.

Of all the drones in the Mini line, would this one be my first pick for commercial projects? No, that would probably be the Mini 3 Pro. 

Still, is the Mini 2 SE suitable for drone gigs? It is! 

****» MORE: ****Is DJI Mini 2 SE Good for Beginners? (Hands-on Review)

Why use DJI Mini 2 SE for commercial work? #

Are you still dubious? I get it. The Mini 2 SE might not look like much of a workhorse, but looks aren’t everything. 

Here are some features proving the Mini 2 SE can get it done.

Lightweight #

Who wants to lug around a heavy drone from job site to job site, especially if you hustle like there’s no tomorrow? Your arm will want to snap off by the end of the day.

Okay, so maybe it’s not that dramatic, but you won’t be as comfortable as you could be unless you choose an ultra-light drone like the Mini 2 SE.

DJI has designed Mini drones in the sub-250-gram weight class for a while now, and the Mini 2 SE is no exception. It clocks in at under 249 grams.

Of course, that’s only the drone’s weight out of the box. If you add a payload and other accessories, as might be required for some jobs, its weight will begin to creep up. 

Stable hovering #

This is handy in scenarios where you need the drone to stay still so you can take videos or photos, such as for social media and real estate. 

The Mini 2 SE has three global navigation satellite systems: Galileo, GLONASS, and GPS, so its vertical and horizontal hovering are pretty spot-on regarding their accuracy. 

**» MORE: **How Drones Can Hover (Explained for Beginners)

10-kilometer video transmission #

The Mini 2 SE has a transmission range of 10 kilometers or 6.2 miles. Is it the most impressive transmission distance DJI has ever done?

No, of course not, but it’s a reasonable range for the average commercial (and non-commercial, for that matter) pilot. 

Besides, it’s not like you’re transmitting 1080p quality video like some DJI drones of yore. The Mini 2 SE will send HD-quality footage.

• Long Range Drones: Ultimate Guide
• DJI Transmission System (Everything You Need to Know)

Level 5 wind resistance #

Although you would think a tiny, light drone like the Mini 2 SE wouldn’t be able to do much in the wind, prepare to be surprised! This Mini entry has Level 5 wind resistance, so it can withstand gusts of 38 kph or 23.6 mph.

I’ve tested the Mini 2 SE because its wind resistance surprised me when I read about it, and it’s indeed as hardy in a strong breeze as you would imagine!

I flew it in conditions under 25 mph, and it handled the weather just fine.

****» MORE: ****DJI Mini 2 SE Wind Resistance (Explained)

Intelligent Flight Modes #

Does the Mini 2 SE have as many Intelligent Flight Modes as your average Mini drone? No, but it still has plenty. 

For instance, **4x zoom **enables you to get closer to your jobsite without having to physically be right there. That’s an invaluable ability for many types of drone gigs, especially those that involve surveying potentially dangerous areas. 

The **Panorama **modes, including Wide Angle, 180-Degree, and Sphere Panos, enable you to expand the view of the Mini 2 SE’s 1/2.3-inch CMOS camera even further for more immersive, lifelike photography. 

**QuickShots **features a suite of automated flight modes where the Mini 2 SE launches into the sky, does cool stunts, and records video the entire time.

Return-to-Home #

One of the best features of the Mini 2 SE that qualifies it for commercial projects is its RTH.

It has Smart, Failsafe, and Low Battery RTH that activates in more disaster scenarios than ever, such as prolonged loss of signal.

RTH ensures your drone makes it back to you in one piece so you can continue raking in money from your commercial drone projects. 

**» MORE: **What Happens When a Drone Goes Out of Range?

DJI Mini 2 SE for social media #

Next, I want to explore the suitability of using the Mini 2 SE for a variety of professional endeavors, beginning with social media. 

Arguably, the best commercial use of this DJI drone is for social media. Here’s why.

The Mini 2 SE is beginner-friendly. Many social media stars and influencers who decide to start taking photos and videos with drones are doing so because unmanned aerial vehicles have become ultra-popular of late.

They might not know how to pilot one, but they want to own a drone. The Mini 2 SE is made for just these kinds of pilots. It offers one-touch takeoffs and landings, plus the abovementioned RTH and stable hovering. 

QuickShots and Panoramas will be especially handy for social media stars to change up their shots, as will the Mini 2 SE’s HD livestreaming capabilities. 

Plus, this drone includes a free DJI app called LightCut, an intuitive beginner’s editing app. Using the power of machine learning and AI, LightCut has single-tap and automatic editing to polish up your footage so it’s ready for your ultra-competitive social media feed. 

LightCut lets you add effects and music for more engaging videos, and it includes templates for setting just the right mood. 

****» MORE: ****DJI Mini 2 SE App (Read This Before Downloading)

DJI Mini 2 SE for journalism #

Journalism is a fast-paced career where you’re always chasing stories. It’s a natural field for drone pilots. You can act as a photographer or videographer, capturing news stories in your neighborhood as they happen. 

If you get the hottest scoop, you can sell it to news stations and publications and make some decent money. 

Can you use the Mini 2 SE for the job?

It’s not my favorite drone for journalism. The Mini 2 SE’s 1/2.3-inch CMOS camera can only take 12 MP images and 2.7K videos at most. 

And sure, it has a stabilizing, three-axis gimbal and 4x zoom, but if you thought the original quality of this camera wasn’t great, using zoom depletes it further. 

Compared to the Mini 3 Pro’s 48 MP photo resolution and 4K video resolution, I feel like you’re better off saving up and spending on that drone if you want to take your journalism aspirations seriously.

Otherwise, the Mini 2 SE’s camera will put you at a disadvantage. Other pilots with higher-quality footage will get theirs accepted by news stations, versus yours, which fewer people may want.

Another downside for working in news with the Mini 2 SE is its battery life. This drone is advertised to fly for 31 minutes, but every time I’ve used it, it’s logged fewer than 30 minutes. That doesn’t give you much time to chase a story! 

****» MORE: ****DJI Mini 2 SE Battery (All You Need to Know)

DJI Mini 2 SE for inspections #

Inspections are a major facet of professional drone work, from critical infrastructure to mining areas, power lines, public safety facilities, facades, wind turbines, and solar fields. 

In terms of navigating in tight spaces, the Mini 2 SE has got you covered. It’s light and small enough that it can reach where larger drones cannot. 

Other than that, I don’t think it’s the best choice for inspections. Its short battery life is a deterrent, as is the so-so image and video quality and lack of thermal features.

However, what’s by far the biggest deterrent to using the Mini 2 SE for inspections is that it has no obstacle avoidance system. 

Yes, you read that right. This drone has no obstacle avoidance whatsoever.

That’s not entirely surprising, given that DJI has installed obstacle avoidance in Mini drones intermittently. Part of the reason the Mini 2 SE is so low-cost is the absence of this advanced technology.

And while sure, you could get away with photographing and videoing in open areas, inspections usually happen in places where humans can’t or shouldn’t enter because it’s too dangerous.

Without any obstacle avoidance, flying your Mini 2 SE in these environments is a risk. 

**» MORE: **Drone Stuck on Roof – What to Do (and Not Do)

DJI Mini 2 SE for photography and filming #

Drone filming and photography are other areas where I’d have to say the Mini 2 SE is out of its depth. 

I’ve already established that its image and video quality are okay, but it goes deeper than that. 

You can’t configure camera settings to the same degree as you can in other DJI drones. There is no adjustable aperture. There are few Intelligent Flight Modes, especially compared to the Mini 3 Pro or Mini 4 Pro.

Further, the camera lacks any kind of natural color grading or advanced video codecs. 

I know, it’s a Mini drone we’re talking about here, but these features matter, whether you’re filming your family at a picnic or a full-length feature film.

The battery life of the Mini 2 SE also does you no favors, as it’s not long enough to let you get deep into filming. 

If you’re serious about becoming a drone photographer or videographer, I would recommend the Mavic 3 Classic. It has three cameras, including one Hasselblad camera, with higher image and video resolution and much better zoom than what the Mini 2 SE offers.

Granted, I recognize comparing these two drones is apples to oranges, as they’re worlds apart in features, pricing, and camera quality, but it’s what I would use. 

**» MORE: **DJI Mini 2 SE Camera Quality (With Pictures)

DJI Mini 2 SE for real estate #

Real estate is one industry where the Mini 2 SE performs exceptionally well. 

While it would be nice if it had higher-res specs for its video and image quality, its CMOS camera is capable of taking shots that are quality enough for most real estate listings. 

The stable hovering feature will help the drone stay in one spot while you shoot aerial overhead footage. QuickShots will help you create unique exterior videos that grab attention and could help a home sell faster. 

While a longer battery and more Intelligent Flight Modes would make the Mini 2 SE even better for real estate, it does well enough on its own.

It’s also quite handy how you can use LightCut to edit your footage on the go. You can send images and videos of a property to your client before you even leave and drive to the next home or building. 

**» MORE: **DJI Mini 2 SE for Real Estate Photography (All You Need to Know) 

Can DJI Mini 2 SE be used in large industries? (Agriculture, logistics, etc.) #

Let’s set our sights a little bigger, shall we?

Say, for instance, you’re interested in agricultural work, such as surveying or distributing pesticides or fertilizers. 

Well, the Mini 2 SE would be fine for surveying a field of crops or a cow pen, but more the former than the latter. Remember, this DJI drone lacks obstacle avoidance, so even tall husks of corn can bump into it and knock it off its course, creating a disaster scenario. 

Even still, if you’re careful, I could see this drone being fine for agricultural surveying.

Regarding spraying pesticides or fertilizers, that’s no job for the Mini 2 SE. You’d need an agricultural DJI drone for that. They exist, but they’re thousands of dollars and way bigger than the Mini 2 SE.

In logistics, drones are used to track inventory, scan barcodes, and oversee the warehouse. Since warehouses are generally large, open spaces, the Mini 2 SE’s lack of obstacle avoidance isn’t the biggest deterrent here.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s still not ideal, and you must be extra-careful to avoid crashing it, but you can use your DJI Mini in this context.

The bigger downside than perhaps the lack of obstacle avoidance is the short battery. You’d need to pack plenty of spares! 

**» MORE: **Altitude University – Part 107 Commercial Drone License Course