Hi, I have a DJI Mini 2 SE and I want to upgrade to newer equipment. I’m thinking about either the Mini 4 Pro or the Air 3S, but I’m not sure which one to choose yet. A bit of context: I’m an architect and I saw that photogrammetry can be done with drones, so I want to know which would be better for that. Also, I want to use the drone for content on social media related to architecture. Any recommendations? Should I get both, or just one of them?
Edit: Also, do you recommend the RC-2 or RC N2 more for photogrammetry?
If your budget allows for the Air 3S, it’s definitely better than the Mini 4 Pro in almost every way. But keep in mind, since it’s over 250g, you’ll need to be more aware of the regulations where you’re flying. That said, the Mini 4 Pro is still a great choice for social media content. If you’re not looking for a faster drone or longer range, the Mini 4 Pro Plus with RC 2 is a solid option. It’s cheaper in terms of battery replacements and accessories like filters too. But if you have the budget, I would go with the Air 3S 100%.
I recommend getting the Air 3S and keeping the Mini 2SE. I have an Air 3S for the serious stuff and a Mini 4K for casual use and travel. Moving from your Mini 2SE to the Air 3S will be a real upgrade, and you’ll love it.
Where are you located? The regulations might make the Mini 4 Pro easier to fly. If you’re aiming to get into photogrammetry, you might want to look into an Enterprise drone like the Matrice 4E, or the Mavic 3E (C1 class) if you’re in Europe, as it can fly in A1 airspace.
I have both! The Mini 4 Pro is super portable and fun to use, but the Air 3S is a real tool. It’s powerful and definitely worth the extra few hundred. Get the RC-2 Controller if you can. You’ll appreciate it. For your purposes, I’d suggest going with the Air 3S. One of these you have to register and get tracked, the other you don’t because it’s under 249g. Cheers!
Hey, I’m in the same situation and I’ve been focusing hard on this. Here’s a quick breakdown: The Air 3S is more expensive and offers a little more. But for cost-effectiveness, the Mini 4 Pro is what I would choose. I recommend going for the RC N2 controller without a screen, because you can use non-DJI apps, which the screen controller doesn’t allow. The Combo version (with 3 batteries, a charging dock, propellers, screws, a case, etc.) only comes with the screen controller. So my advice is to get that version and buy the RC N2 separately. I did the math and it’s cheaper to buy the second controller than to buy all the accessories separately later. Now, when it comes to photogrammetry, you can’t really get accurate results with just the drone. The accuracy is about 5-10 meters. You need what’s called ‘control points,’ which are coordinates you get from the field (visible in the aerial photos), and you can do that with an RTK (GNSS). A decent RTK setup costs around 7k reais. So to get started with photogrammetry, you’re looking at almost 20k reais (drone combo, separate controller, RTK). There’s also software to process the images, which costs about 600 reais for the license, and a course to learn it costs around 400 reais. So it’s a pretty big investment. Personally, I plan to start learning with just the drone and maybe get the RTK in the future. There are some YouTube channels about this, they are definitely worth checking out.