The DJI Mini 2 SE is an affordable beginner drone that you can fly further

DJI has officially announced the travel-friendly Mini 2 SE drone a few days after it was leaked – and it’s shaping up to be a solid new option for beginners who like to shoot video in 2.7K instead of 4K.

The Mini 2 SE is a very minor upgrade of the DJI Mini SE, which is currently the cheapest drone and remains on sale (for now). The main difference between those two drones is that the Mini 2 SE has a newer controller (the DJI RC-N1) and a better video transmission system called OcuSync 2.0.

This allows you to fly much further with the Mini 2 SE than the standard Mini SE (within the rules that apply in your region). That maximum range is up to 10 km in the US, or 6 km in other regions. The range of the Mini SE, on the other hand, is 4 km (in the US) or 2.5 km elsewhere. Those distances are for low-interference areas though – fly the Mini 2 SE in an urban area and that range drops to between 1.5km and 3km.

Other than this improved range and controller, the DJI Mini 2 SE is identical to its predecessor. That means you get a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor capable of recording 2.7K/30p video (or 1080p/60p clips), stabilizing your footage with a three-axis gimbal. Photographers can also shoot 12MP photos in JPEG or raw DNG format.

Like all models in DJI’s Mini series, the Mini 2 SE weighs less than 250g, so it doesn’t need to be registered in some regions (although you’ll need an Operator ID in the UK). Despite its size and weight, the new drone promises a decent flight time of 31 minutes (slightly higher than the DJI Mini SE).

The Mini 2 SE is slightly more expensive than the latter, costing $369 / £339 / AU$599 or $519 / £459 / AU$799. You can also buy it in the US and UK only on March 22, although it already seems to be on sale in Australia. You can see a full breakdown of how the price compares to the rest of DJI’s Mini series below.

DJI Mini 2 SE price and release date

• The DJI Mini 2 SE costs $369 / £339 / AU$599 (including controller)
• A Fly More Combo Bundle costs $519 / £459 / AU$799
• It will go on sale in the US/UK from March 22, but is now available in Australia

DJI’s Mini series is a bit confusing at the moment, as the lineup now consists of five models. We expect one of these (the DJI Mini SE) to be phased out, even though it’s currently the cheapest option at $299 / £269 / AU$459.

The DJI Mini 2 SE is a bit more expensive at $369 / £339 / AU$599, which is a shame if understandable due to its superior controller and range. You can also buy a Fly More Combo Bundle (which includes three batteries, a two-way charging hub, a bag and other accessories including spare props) for $519 / £459 / AU$799.

Here’s how the Mini 2 SE compares to the rest of DJI’s Mini series – we’ve left out the DJI Mini 3 Pro because it’s in an entirely different category at $759 / £709 / AU$1,119 when you buy it with the same DJI RC-N1 controller.

So which mini drone should you buy? We haven’t tested the DJI Mini 2 SE yet, but it could be the best option if you’re happy with 2.7K video resolution and accept inferior video quality than the DJI Mini 2.

That said, the DJI Mini 2 probably offers more value for most people, as it can shoot 4K video and has a higher video bit rate (100 Mbps, compared to the Mini 2 SE’s 40 Mbps). If these factors are important to you, it could be the better choice as it only costs $80 / £80 / AU$150 more.

However, if you want a super-affordable DJI drone, and don’t mind inferior flight range and video feed, then it could still be worth buying the original DJI Mini SE while supplies last. That drone seems to have set a low price point that the DJI Mini series will soon no longer offer.