DJI's new Mavic Mini manages to pack nearly all of what's great about the company's larger, more expensive drone into a palm-size package. 

The Mavic Mini is larger than DJI's previous effort at a tiny drone, the Spark, but more impressive in nearly every way. The Spark made too many compromises in search if its diminutive form factor (and ends up 50 grams heavier than the Mavic Mini). 

To keep down the weight and price, the Mavic Mini only really makes one major compromise: it can't shoot 4K video. It can shoot 2.7K video though, which is good enough for most of us. Especially considering it manages to do it while weighing a mere half pound (just slightly heavier than a phone), and being small enough to sit comfortably (collapsed) in your palm.

### Palm Size Power

The Mavic Mini is small, light, and very portable. It's the perfect drone for travel, even hiking or backpacking. The precise weight at takeoff is 249 grams. That's an important number in the drone world. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires any "unmanned aerial vehicles" weighing between 250 grams and 55 pounds to be registered. This is a pretty painless process anyway, but the Mavic Mini is exempt. 

If you are planning to throw the Mavic Mini in a backpack for a long haul, be aware that the controller adds another tk ounces and is roughly the same size as the drone itself. The total package comes in at about tk lbs plus any case you use.

That's impressively small for a device that still features enough battery power to stay aloft for about 26 minutes in my testing. Wind and temperature will be factors in how long you can fly, and I should note that most of my testing was done in temps ranging from 35 to 60 degree, which might be why I got a little less life than the 30 minutes DJI claims (lithium batteries do not like cold). 

The Mavic Mini is one of the best drone flying experiences I've had. It's nimble and responsive. DJI's new Fly app isn't quite as nice as what you get with the company's other drones, but it works well enough. My only gripe is that switching flight modes -- between Regular, Sport and a new one dubbed Cinesmooth -- is not a switch on the controller as it is with other models in the Mavic line. Instead you'll have to hunt it down in the app.

As you would expect, the Mavic Mini does not hold up in stronger winds. That said, it was surprising stable the one breeze day I did test it. There was very little side to side movement even with gusts, what movement there was tended to be vertical -- gusts would push it up. Still, you definitely don't want to try flying the Mavic Mini in windy conditions.

My other concern fly the Mini was its size. The range is a bit tighter than DJI's other drones, but it's still plenty far enough to lose site of it. The Mavic Mini can reach 1,600 feet vertically and can range 2.5 miles from you. In all but the most vacant of landscapes you're going to lose sight of the Mini rather quickly. Line of sight is the only safe way to fly in my opinion. Relying on FPV video is a great way to lose your drone. The problem with the Mini is its so small that I'd look down to frame a shot, look back up and not be able to find it. 

I should also point out that technically you don't need to use your phone to fly. You can fly the Mavic Mini through the controller solely by line of sight. I did this a few times and losing sight in this scenario was nerve wracking. 

Below the tiny frame is 24mm lens with a fixed f/2.8 aperture. The CMOS image sensor is capable of 12-megapixel still images and video at 2.7K/30p and 1080/30p. The results are impressive, especially considering the size of the package. True, there's no 4K video here, but then this is a machine of compromises.

### What's Missing

The Mavic Mini is tiny, light, and relatively cheap, which means there are some trade offs to be made on features. This is not a Mavic, certainly not a Mavic Pro, not even a Mavic Air. Still, you actually get quite a lot of cinematic and flying power.

The big drawback, and main reason that many videographers will probably skip the Mini is the lack of 4K video. It's not that the 2.7K video from the Mavic Mini is bad, but mixing it with 4K footage isn't going to work. That means if any footage in your project is 4K, then you're going to also want your drone footage to be 4K. For that DJI already has several answers: the Mavic, Mavic Pro, and Mavic Air.

For the rest of us, the 2.7K footage looks great, and the three axis-stabilization yields far smoothers, stabler results than what the 2-axis stabilized Spark was ever capable of capturing.

The other major missing feature in the Mavic Mini is front and rear collision avoidance sensors. At the risk of sounding like an old man shoeing kids off the lawn: just a few years ago we all flew Phantoms with no collision avoidance sensors. Big honking, not terribly nimble Phantoms. 

Trust me, you can handle the Mavic Mini without the collision avoidance sensors. You'll just have to do it the old fashioned way: by practicing and becoming a better drone pilot. I strongly suggest starting in an empty field, well away from any obstacles. As you get better you can start practicing more difficult scenarios.

Another feature you won't find here that I did miss was DJI's ActiveTrack, which allows you to follow a selected object. Strangely, if you use one of the Quickshot modes like Circle, which circles a selected subject, you can highlight a figure and it works. But the more sophisticated ActiveTrack feature is nowhere to be found which is disappointing.

Still, considering the price and the size of the Mavic Mini I think this is the best drone for most people. Part of what's always made me shy away from using drones more frequently is how big and invasive they can be. 

I love them, and I've flown them professionally and just for fun for years now, but I'd be the first to admit that they're a hassle to pack, a pain to carry, and loud enough that you're almost guaranteed to offend someone. 

The Mavic Mini eliminates the first two problems completely. It's small and light, simple to throw in a small bag and carry with you all the time. It is still somewhat invasive and louder than I'd hoped, but it's the least intrusive I've drone I've flown, particularly if you stay about 50 feet up you'll hardly notice it.

There's something to be said for the old adage: the best camera is the one you have in your pocket. That's true even when the camera in your pocket is a drone.