DJI FPV vs. Mini 2 (Here’s My Choice)

Hello, and thank you for checking out this article.

In the battle for seeking the best bang for your buck drone at an affordable price, we have two distinct options, the DJI FPV and Mini 2.

I have used them extensively and flown both of them. One I still have. But which one and why?

It shouldn’t be a surprise if I am inclined to recommend the DJI FPV for most pilots because of the practical applications, flight experience, capabilities, and value for the money, but I would never recommend the DJI FPV drone to a beginner. If that’s you, the DJI Mini 2 is a great choice.

There’s much more to it. We have a quick answer, but if you’re wondering why and how we can differentiate these drones to make an informed decision about which one to choose, we will open this up in the article.

Brief Overview #

DJI FPV #

DJI shocked us back in January 2021 when they came up with a brand-new drone release: DJI FPV – the first FPV drone released by DJI.

Even though it was known that DJI made major contributions to the FPV industries with their cutting-edge digital VTX modules, goggles, and FPV controllers, they hadn’t gotten into creating FPV drones until that point.

And it made a difference. A big one, if you ask me!

It may look like the DJI FPV drone is a bit outdated. But believe me, it’s not. And we’ll find out later why. 

For now, let’s see the core characteristics this drone offers:

• It’s an advanced and intelligent FPV drone capable of flying in manual mode (acro) as well as normal and sport modes (like a regular drone).
• It offers an easy way to get into FPV without dealing with complex FPV setups, protocols, incompatibilities, Betaflight setup diagnosis, and charging custom Lipo batteries.
• With the DJI FPV, you will enjoy an immersive experience flying FPV drones with a set of goggles, and even for the less-experienced, to fly in normal mode and enjoy the world from above in VR.
• The battery life from DJI FPV offers an unparalleled flying time in the FPV world. And it can fly long-range without issues.

» MORE: DJI FPV – How to Take Off and Land (Step-by-Step Guide)

DJI Mini 2 #

This is one of the most known and popular drones in history. The DJI Mini 2 has been an utter success and a step forward in advancing “mini” drones weighing under 250 grams.

For almost any beginner, this is the easiest and one of the cheapest ways to get into the drone hobby. 

As it costs so little, it will offer you more than you need to have a great experience flying drones for the first time. 

But to keep in mind, there’s a newer version of the DJI Mini 2, the DJI Mini 2 SE, released in March 2023. 

Still, don’t rush ditching the Mini 2. There’s no reason for that.

Here’s what the DJI Mini 2 has to offer:

• A good flight time of up to 31 minutes and the capability of the drone to fly long-range (within limits), although it has an earlier OcuSync transmission system, the O2 version.
• A no-brainer choice to pick up for traveling, backpacking, hiking, or taking it internationally, as you forget it’s in your bag. Yes, it’s that small.
• This drone could offer you the first step to easily get into the hobby due to its low price, size, and all the beginner features this drone delivers. 

» MORE: DJI Mini 2 Review

Quick Verdict #

Firstly, we wanted to mention that here at Droneblog, we have nearly all name-brand drones, and this includes the DJI FPV and Mini 2. We test, fly them, and use them on a regular basis, so we can recommend these drones with confidence.

Just to be clear, I love FPV drones. I fly my DJI FPV and other FPV drones often, so I am always more inclined towards FPV.

But this review is based on facts, and I will try to stay as neutral as possible. 

I would recommend you get the DJI Mini 2 only if you’re getting into flying drones for the first time and don’t have a big budget to allocate. It’s not the latest “mini” drone, but indeed, it’s a reliable one that has survived the test of time.

On the other hand, for pilots looking for an exhilarating and challenging flight experience, I would recommend the DJI FPV. But it’s not worth it if you’re not looking to get into flying manual mode at all.

It would be a waste of money as the normal mode doesn’t compare with the one behind a standard GPS drone.

**Note: **The DJI FPV is a swift and dangerous drone to fly without experience. It can reach extreme speeds and accelerate faster than a Ferrari (I’m serious!). Not handling well could result in a disaster, and you’ll be required to practice regularly in FPV simulators. 

Well, here we have a 3rd recommendation: If you’re eager to witness the immersive experience and you are a beginner, I will tell you to check DJI Avata. It’s safer and simpler to fly.

» MORE: DJI Avata vs. DJI FPV (Here’s My Choice)

What are the main differences? #

We have to note that these drones come from different worlds and are designed for different types of drone pilots. 

But as we promised, we will highlight the differences and help you establish an idea about how these drones compare.

• The DJI FPV is a full-size FPV drone that is capable of flying in normal mode as well, while the DJI Mini 2 is a standard drone but not capable of offering you any FPV experience at all. The normal mode behind DJI FPV is limited. 
• If you’re looking for a drone to freestyle and race, DJI FPV can do that, although we don’t recommend it because it’s very fragile. The DJI Mini 2 can’t offer the same experience.
• If portability is what you’re looking for, look no further than the DJI Mini 2. It’s small and takes no space, while the DJI FPV is bulky, doesn’t fold, and comes with more accessories to fly this drone.
• DJI FPV cannot photograph as well as other drones. It has the capability to “snapshot” the live feed at a 4k resolution, but the DJI Mini 2 is the one to go if you want to capture photographs. 
• DJI FPV is compatible with many more accessories, from motion controllers to goggles, while the DJI Mini 2 can use only a single controller.

» MORE: Autel EVO Lite Plus vs DJI FPV (Here’s My Favorite)

DJI FPV #

When I first got my DJI FPV, not long after it was released, I didn’t know what to expect from it. It was my step from regular drones to FPVs.

Nowadays, I mainly fly FPV drones, thanks to the DJI FPV drone that gave me the inspiration and adrenaline I was looking for to get into this sub-niche hobby. 

Right now, the DJI FPV drone is sitting on my desk, waiting for the weather to warm up so I can fly it one more time this year. Or twice, or more. It’s one of the few drones that is not on long-term storage.

Maybe we’re different types of pilots, and you wouldn’t be as attracted to the DJI FPV as I am. And that’s perfectly fine, especially since, between these two drones, I still recommend the Mini 2 if you are a beginner. 

» MORE: Best Drones for Beginners

» MORE: Update DJI FPV Drone (Step by Step Guide)

But the immersive experience this drone offers me when I fly it at 70+ miles an hour, surfing a few feet above the ground while my heart races like a drummer on steroids, is something I could not ever compare with flying the Mini 2 or any other regular drone.

However, a simple mistake can turn this drone into a meteor that you will collect with a dustpan. It’s a dangerous and fast drone, and you should always consider if you’re willing to take risks.

DJI Mini 2 #

The DJI Mini 2 instead offers you a slow-paced and safer flight. It’s a standard drone that I used to fly quite a lot and enjoyed at maximum before I got into FPV.

And for its current price, the DJI Mini 2 is surely something you can look into. 

Many of us at Droneblog still have this drone, ever since its release, and it still works great, so here’s a drone that passed the test of time.

It’s reliable and a great tool to have around if you’re not willing to invest much into a drone or you’re unsure if this hobby is for you.

» MORE: EXO Drones vs. DJI (Which Drones Are Best?)

That’s another reason if you want to get into drone photography but want to start with something simple and cheap, the Mini 2 is a great choice.

It may not be the highest quality and surely can’t be used for taking any professional photographs. But getting the Mavic 3 Pro instead as a first drone will be a silly approach unless you’re pretty serious that’s what you want.

So here we have it. It is an excellent mini drone under 250 grams that usually doesn’t require registration with the FAA (in the USA if you fly recreationally) because of its weight. It is a great tool to get started in flying drones.

Head-to-Head Comparison #

Camera #

**Winner: **Tie

Well, that’s a bummer. 

Yes, I will have to give a tie on the camera section for these drones.

Both DJI FPV and Mini 2 have a 1/2.3-inch CMOS with 12MP effectiveness. It’s like DJI stole the camera from Mini 2 and placed it in the DJI FPV. 

The advantage of the Mini 2 and where it shines is that it’s able to photograph at 12MP resolution in RAW files, so you can edit your images.

But DJI FPV shines as well. It can film in 4k at 60 frames per second and can film in a D-Cinelike profile, while the DJI Mini 2 can film in 4k but at only 30 frames per second.

It does not have the same profile as the DJI FPV drone.

Balancing them out, we have a tie. 

So, the images resulting from the DJI Mini 2 are actually pretty good for such a drone around this price range. It’s a great instrument to start the melody of a drone photography hobby. 

In reality, we should be inclined to give the DJI FPV drone a point here. The reason? The DJI FPV has strong motors and can carry a payload. You can attach a full-size GoPro to it, and the drone will fly well. 

When flying FPV, most pilots attach an action camera to their FPV quads, so the internal camera is used for video transmission only.

That will bring the videos taken with the DJI FPV to a semi-professional level, if not higher. It all depends on the action camera, of course. That would be your limit.

If you’re thinking of attaching an action camera to the Mini 2 or any other normal drone, that won’t work.

Not only do those drones not have the strength to carry such payloads, but it would be hard to find a placement and balance out the drone, and you can’t film as with an FPV drone because of different flight styles.

So, the videos you can take with the DJI FPV, even without an additional action camera, are way superior and more engaging than the ones from DJI Mini 2.

Also, let’s remember that the DJI FPV has a one-axis gimbal, whereas the DJI Mini 2 has a 3-axis mechanical gimbal.

Therefore, all this mixed information about the pros and cons of each camera drone will bring them to a tie.

» MORE: Camera Technology in Drones (Explained)

Portability #

**Winner: **DJI Mini 2

This is an easy decision. If you’re looking strictly for a drone for your travels to carry with you in a backpack and take advantage of its light weight as much as possible, then the Mini 2 is the solution.

When I take the DJI FPV with me, here’s what I have to deal with:

The DJI FPV drone weighs around 800 grams and does not fold. I have to remove the propellers to store it safely. 

Then I have the DJI FPV Goggles V2 that weighs around 420 grams and is quite bulky (I have to remove antennas as well).

The DJI FPV Remote Controller 2, which I use, is around 350 grams.

Here, we have over 1.6kg with the goggle’s battery. This is without including the motion controller. 

On the other hand, the DJI Mini 2 weighs a bit under 250 grams, and the remote controller weighs under 400 grams. That’s a lot less than DJI FPV, both in terms of weight and space taken in a backpack.

» MORE: DJI Mini 4 Pro vs. Mini 2 (Here’s My Choice)

Flight time and range #

**Winner: **DJI Mini 2

If we’re looking for a drone to stay in the air longer, the DJI Mini 2 is a winner with its 31-minute flight time.

In reality, this drone will fly no more than 25 minutes to be able to land it safely. 

In contrast, the DJI FPV has an advertised flight time of a maximum of 20 minutes, but if you’re flying in manual mode, you won’t be able to pull more than 12-13 minutes.

For an FPV drone, these 12 minutes is a big win as most custom FPV quads can fly for 3 to 7 maximum minutes. 

But the DJI FPV flight time pulled from its battery is far below the DJI Mini 2 one.

Now, what about range?

The DJI FPV is a drone made for long-range flights, diving over mountains and waterfalls, flying above forests, and trying to capture the breathtaking scenery from Lord of the Rings.

In reality, the DJI FPV can fly as far as 6.2 miles in the United States (with FCC) and 3.7 miles in Europe, China, and Japan (CE, SRRC, and MIC).

The last time I flew my DJI FPV long-range, I struggled to go beyond 2 miles and something because I started losing video feed, and I didn’t want to risk it. That’s, of course, in Europe, where we’re more limited.

Still, that’s a lot of range we can pull off from this drone. 

What about the DJI Mini 2?

The Mini 2 has the older OcuSync 2.0 transmission system. Now, the latest one is OcySunc 4.0

Still, the Mini 2 offers the same transmission distance potential as the DJI FPV. So here’s a tie in the true sense of the word.

But because of the DJI Mini 2’s ability to stay longer in the air, you’ll have more advantage to explore the surroundings and capture the videos or photos you’ve been wanting to take.

That’s why the point goes to DJI Mini 2

• Long Range Drones: Ultimate Guide
• Flight Time of All DJI Drones (Explained)

Speed #

Winner: DJI FPV

I don’t even know how I should start this section: SPEED!. Which drone is faster? 

If you have a glimpse of FPV drones, you know that they always win above regular drones. And so does the DJI FPV over the Mini 2 in terms of speed and acceleration.

So, let’s have a peek at these specs, shall we?

The DJI Mini 2 can reach a maximum speed of 16 m/s, which is about 35.7 miles per hour or 57.6 km/h. That’s the equivalent of a car breaking the law when driving through the city, which is more than decent.

Now, the DJI FPV is another story.

Firstly, it can accelerate from 0 to 60mph in less than two seconds.

Secondly, in manual mode, it can reach speeds up to 39 m/s, which is about 87.2 miles per hour or 140 km/h. 

That’s faster than a car going on a highway and accelerates faster than a Ferrari, as we mentioned. And this is for real and a fact.

The DJI FPV is dangerously fast. That’s why, if you’re a beginner looking for a nice drone, don’t look for a Ferrari. 

Note: The DJI FPV is currently the fastest DJI drone ever produced.

» MORE: How Fast Can Drones Fly? (An In-Depth Guide)

Features #

**Winner: **Tie

Now, because these are different drones from different categories, they don’t share the same type of features, including intelligent or smart modes. So, because it’s a tie, it won’t mean they have the same features. They don’t.

But to clarify this, let’s see first what the DJI FPV has:

• It can switch from manual to normal and sport modes: Having three flight modes is way above any other standard drones (of course, if we’re talking about the 3rd mode being manual or acro).
• It has an emergency brake feature: The DJI FPV has a function where, with a press of a button, the drone will come to a full stop no matter the mode you fly in, will switch to normal mode in an instant, and hover, awaiting pilot input. This feature can be drone-saving.
• You will not be surprised to hear that DJI FPV has a fantastic return-to-home feature. But finding such modules in an FPV drone is rare, and as good as DJI makes them, that’s extremely rare. So your drone is safe if you get out of range or you can’t find your way home. It would be an excellent feature to land the drone as well and forego landing in manual mode.
• The DJI FPV has frontal anti-collision sensors. It’s the first FPV drone in the world with such a safety feature. But it will only work when flying it in normal mode. Not sport and not manual.

That seems like a great deal to get with the DJI FPV. Why is it not a winner?

Because the DJI Mini 2 has its aces in the front pocket. And no, it doesn’t have the follow-me mode or Active Track, or anti-collision sensors.

But let’s see what it has.

• QuickShots modes: This is one of the few smart features that are available in almost all DJI drones and will include a series of automated functions like Dronie, Rocket, Circle, Helix, and Boomerang. The DJI FPV lacks those (nor does it have a need for them).
• It has a good return-to-home feature: Like with all DJI drones, it’s not strange to find this module on the Mini 2, the same as the DJI FPV. But we have to mention it because it’s a safety feature behind a good beginner drone. 

Normally, this point would have to go to DJI FPV. But the QuickShots are very intuitive and automated modes that can make the DJI Mini 2 much smarter than the DJI FPV, even if it lacks so many features the big brothers have, like the ones found in DJI Mini 3 Pro or DJI Mini 4 Pro.

» MORE: Smart Features in Drones (Explained for Beginners)

Compatibility #

**Winner: **DJI FPV

If we’re looking to extend the drone’s usability by connecting it to different remote controllers or accessories, the DJI Mini 2 lags behind.

The Mini 2 can connect to only one remote controller, an earlier version of DJI RC-N1 that features the OcySync 2.0 module.

In contrast, the DJI FPV is not a stranger to broad compatibilities. Here’s what it’s working with:

• Controller: DJI FPV Remote Controller 2 (original standard controller), DJI Motion Controller, DJI RC Motion 2 (motion controllers)
• Goggles: DJI FPV Goggles V2 (original goggles), DJI Goggles 2, DJI Integra

So, we can clearly say that the DJI FPV is able to connect to more devices.

Knowing that DJI likes to focus on FPV drones, and with all the new goggles and motion controllers that came after the release of DJI FPV, it wouldn’t be a surprise in the future for this drone to be compatible with more accessories.

» MORE: DJI Goggles 2 vs DJI FPV Goggles V2 (Explained)

Flight Experience #

**Winner: **DJI FPV

The DJI Mini 2 flies like a standard drone and is not different than flying the DJI Mini 3 Pro, Air 2S, Mavic 3, and so on. They all fly the same, except for the performance, flight time, and speed behind these drones.

But DJI FPV is another story.

To fly the DJI FPV in manual mode, you will have to undertake at least a few hours in an FPV simulator such as DJI Virtual Flight or Liftoff.

This will train you to get used to flying acro mode, which is, in fact, the DJI FPV manual mode but without the “M Mode Attitude Limit” that stabilizes the drone.

Flying manually, you will basically fly without any gyroscopes or sensors to keep the drone level. Your throttle input will decide the drone’s power and speed. An FPV drone cannot hover by itself, and that’s a complicated manual maneuver.

But the experience you get when flying FPV in pure acro mode with the goggles on your head to see everything the drone sees in real-time, at low latency, and at high framerate simply cannot be described.

The experience of flying an FPV drone, the adrenaline rush and dopamine release you get when flying the DJI FPV drone is incomparable to any type of standard drone.

That’s why, hands down, the DJI FPV wins for experience.

Furthermore, the DJI FPV can also fly, as we mentioned, in normal and sport modes.

It won’t fly like a normal drone because it has a 1-axis gimbal that will be locked anywhere around 60 degrees down-tilt, and the drone will tilt to one side when taking sudden corners – so it won’t fully compare with a standard GPS drone flying in normal mode.

But having the normal mode on DJI FPV opens a world of new possibilities for many beginner pilots to buy this drone, get used to Goggles, and, after enough practice in FPV simulators, try out the manual mode.

Hint: If you have at least a few hours in FPV simulators and want to fly the DJI FPV in manual mode, never go beyond the 20-degree uptilt camera angle, as the drone will be uncontrollably fast for a beginner.

» MORE: FPV Drones vs. Regular Drones (Explained for Beginners)

Beginner’s Choice #

**Winner: **DJI Mini 2

As we mentioned before, the DJI FPV is a difficult drone to fly, especially in manual mode. Maybe not in normal and sport modes, but it cannot be compared to another type of beginner drone, such as DJI Mini 2.

Yes, the Mini 2 is definitely an excellent choice for a beginner to start flying drones (or Mini 2 SE, for that matter), and you could never go wrong with it.

But spending more money than needed to get the DJI FPV and then struggling to learn to fly that drone – it’s simply not worth it. At least not if you’re looking for your first drone to buy.

You also can take advantage of the Mini 2 QuickShots modes to enhance your experience and learning capabilities. 

Therefore, without stretching it too much, if you simply want a beginner drone, look no further than the Mini 2 from these drones. But if you need to look further than that, here’s an article I recommend you read:

» MORE: Best Drones for Beginners

Conclusion #

Once more, I have to remind you that the DJI FPV and Mini 2 are different types of drones designed for diverse kinds of drone pilots.

Both drones are excellent for their intended purposes. But another thing to keep in mind is that both DJI FPV and Mini 2 are older-generation drones, so you may even have to look further than this if you have more money to invest.

So, which drone may be for you?

• For first-time drone pilots, beginners, or people looking for a simple and safer drone to fly, the DJI Mini 2 is the recommended choice. An alternative would be to look into the newer version, the DJI Mini 2 SE.
• But if you are already a drone pilot looking to challenge yourself, get an immersive experience flying drones, and capture the most unbelievable videos, especially if you have a GoPro to attach to this drone, then the DJI FPV would be my recommended choice. A safer alternative to the DJI FPV drone is the DJI Avata.

I have to put a warning note: DO NOT buy the DJI FPV if you have no experience flying drones or have no intention of getting into FPV.

» MORE: DJI Mini 3 Pro vs. DJI FPV (All You Need to Know)