DJI Mini 2 Firmware (Read This Before Updating)

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The DJI Mavic Mini 2 is one of the best beginner and hobby drones. Weighing less than 250 grams, it allows you to enjoy most of the features of an advanced drone without the need to register it. These features include 4K video resolution at 30 fps, 30 minutes of flight time, durability, and intelligent flight modes.

And recently, DJI released a firmware update to make the DJI Mini 2 even more useful. So, what’s the new DJI Mini 2 firmware update, and how does it improve this drone?

The latest firmware of the DJI Mini 2 is the V01.03.000. It allows this drone to be compatible with the DJI Smart Controller, introduces an optimized gimbal FPV mode, fixes the battery auto-discharge issue, and enhances the drone’s stability in flight.

Please keep reading to learn more about the Mini 2 firmware update and the features it comes with.

How to update DJI Mini 2 #

To ensure a drone functions without issues or to benefit from the newest features, you should always make sure it’s using the latest firmware version. Below are the steps to follow to update the firmware on your DJI Mini 2.

Ensure the drone’s battery levels are 40% or higher.
Ensure the controller’s battery levels are 20% or higher.
Power on your drone and the controller, and make sure they’re connected.
Connect the controller to the smartphone.
Launch the DJI app on your smartphone.
Once the app is live and connected to the internet, it will always scan for any available updates.
If there are any, you’ll get a prompt asking you to update the drone to the latest firmware.
Be careful not to switch off the drone or controller during the update.
The drone may restart several times during the update too. But that’s nothing to worry about.
The drone will switch off once the update is done, but the controller will still be on.

NOTE: After updating, make sure you go through the settings such as Max altitude, RTH altitude, camera settings, safety settings, etc., before taking off. In some cases, updating the firmware will alter these settings.

How do I check the battery firmware on my DJI Mini 2? #

Once you update your drone’s firmware, you should also check if there’s a pending update for the batteries too. In most cases, every time you insert a new battery, you will get a prompt to update its firmware. But in some cases, you may not see the prompt, which may cause some confusion on the current firmware you have. To check the firmware version on your battery, follow these steps:

Insert your battery into the drone and power it up.
Go to Settings, then scroll until you find “About.”
This section will show the current version of the battery’s firmware. There’s also an option to “Check for Updates,” which will force a firmware update if there’s a new version available.

NOTE: Each battery has firmware that must be updated. So, make sure you update each battery independently.

How do I tell what firmware my DJI Mini 2 has? #

This is similar to checking the battery’s firmware. See the steps below:

Click the three dots on the top right corner of the DJI Fly App to access General Settings.
Scroll until you find About.
You’ll see the current firmware on the drone and an option to check for updates.

What is the latest firmware update for the DJI Mini 2? #

The latest firmware version for the Mini 2 released mid-2021 (June – July) is the V01.03.000, and it’s about 49.5 MB in size. The controller, battery, and smart controller should have the following versions:

Remote – v04.11.016
DJI Fly App – v1.4.3
Smart Controller – V01.01.00.58

Below are the main features that come with the most recent update for the Mini 2.

Smart Controller compatibility #

This is one of the best and most talked about features of the recent update. The Smart Controller is an all-in-one controller with a built-in 5.5-inch screen, power antennas, and the ability to control a wide range of drones. The recent update now adds the DJI Mini 2 to this list of drones. Other drones that are compatible with the Smart Controller include:

Mavic Air 2
Mavic 2 and Mavic 2 Enterprise
Phantom 4 Pro V2.0

With the Smart Controller, you don’t need a smartphone to help you fly your DJI drone. While smartphones are a good way to control your drones, they sometimes experience lags, and their batteries don’t last long.

The smart controller, on the other hand, is more reliable, durable, and the battery lasts a long time (at least 3 hours of active use). The DJI smart controller also comes with speakers and microphones for live streaming and SkyTalk, a feature that allows you to share the footage to social media channels directly.

Optimized gimbal FPV mode #

The FPV mode is a feature you find in more expensive drones, but the recent update allows you to enjoy this feature on the Mini 2 as well. What it does is, when you choose the FPV mode, the drone locks the gimbal (or the gimbal synchronizes with the drone’s movement), allowing you to observe the drone’s movement.

Initially, without the FPV mode, the gimbal compensates and stabilizes, so the footage is almost never affected by the drone’s movement. It may not be as flawless as in the DJI FPV, but it’s pretty fun, especially when flying the Mini 2 in sport mode, for that racing drone feel.

Optimized battery auto-discharge process #

DJI also fixed an issue with the Mini 2 battery’s auto-discharge process. DJI uses state-of-the-art technology in building their smart batteries. And one of the main features they include is the auto-discharge feature that makes sure the batteries maintain the optimal charge levels for storage.

You probably already know this, but leaving batteries fully charged when storing them or when the charge is depleted, could damage the batteries. A fully charged battery can also be a fire hazard. Besides ensuring they are discharging properly, you should always store the batteries in fireproof bags.

For more information about the Mini 2 battery and the auto discharge feature, you can read our article all about Mini 2 batteries »

But the issue with the Mini 2 is the batteries didn’t auto-discharge when left in the drone or the charging hub. The recent update fixed this issue. Now, the batteries will automatically discharge to about 96% within 24 hours and to between 65 and 72% after at least a week.

Regardless of where you leave your batteries, with this firmware update you can rest assured that they will auto-discharge to the appropriate charge levels.

Flight stability #

DJI is always trying to improve the overall functioning of its drones. So, it’s no surprise that after updating the firmware, the Mini 2 seems to be more stable, less drifty, and you don’t always have to depend on manual calibration.

How do I refresh the firmware on DJI Mini 2? #

Initially, it was difficult to do a firmware refresh with the DJI Mini 2. That’s because you need the DJI Assistant 2 to do the firmware refresh. But for some reason, the DJI Assistant 2 only has a Log Export option for the Mini 2. This means that unless your drone crashes, there’s no other way to use the DJI Assistant 2 with the Mini 2.

Luckily, various drone users have developed a workaround that allows you to refresh the firmware and even downgrade the firmware if necessary. Below is a step-by-step process.

On your computer or laptop, search for the DJI Assistant 2. In the options that appear, click on the official DJI download center.
Scroll until you find the DJI Assistant 2 (Consumer Drone Series).
Download the executable (exe) version of the DJI Assistant 2.
Once it’s downloaded, click it and follow the installation process.
Pick the cable you use to connect the drone to the laptop and connect it to the drone.
Switch on the drone and wait until you hear the beep, then connect the other end of the cable to the computer.
You’ll immediately see the DJI Mini 2 appear in Google Assistant. Click on it.
At this point, you’ll only see the log Export option.
Press Back and switch off the drone.
Remove the cable from the computer and exit the DJI Assistant 2.
On your computer, access the Program Files (X86).
Open this folder, look for “DJI Product, ” and click on DJI Assistant 2.
Click on DJI Engine and scroll down to defaultsettings.
Open the default settings Notepad file.
At this command “upgrade_enable=0” change the 0 to 1. So, it will be “upgrade_enable=1”. Then click Save.
You might get a prompt that you don’t have permission to edit the file unless you’re an admin.
Close the defaultsettings, right-click on it, go to Properties > Security >Edit, and Allow all the options.
Now go back to default settings and repeat the same process of replacing 0 with 1 and save.
Open the DJI Assistant 2 App.
Switch on the drone, wait for a beep, and plug the cable into the computer.
When the Mini 2 appears on the Assistant 2 app, click on it.
If you did everything right, you should see the Firmware Update option.
When you click on it, you’ll see all the available firmware.
You can choose to Refresh or Downgrade.

Below is an easy-to-follow video.

Does the DJI Mini 2 work with the DJI Assistant 2? #

Yes, the Mini 2 does work with DJI Assistant 2, though it’s quite limited in how you can use it. As mentioned earlier, the only option available is the log Export. But there are workarounds allowing you to use it to conduct a firmware refresh. See the steps given above.

What’s the correct app for the DJI Mini 2? #

For the DJI Mini 2, Mavic Mini 2, DJI FPV, DJI Mavic Air 2, Mini SE, and Mavic 3, you should use the DJI Fly App.

To learn more about which DJI app you need for your drone, see our article about DJI apps »

Conclusion #

And there you have it. Before you go flying, make sure you check if you have the latest version of the Mini 2 Firmware or check if there’s a recent update. While the Mini 2 is already a great drone, it could always use more features to make it even better. I especially would love to see some updates such as improving it to a 4K 60 fps drone or the addition of the Follow Me feature or obstacle avoidance in a future update.