Working as a drone photographer can internet you severe financial institution, particularly in case you do it full-time. Having a specialty or area of interest helps, similar to actual property pictures.
The seek for a drone acceptable on your skilled aspirations warrants lots of cautious consideration and analysis between manufacturers, then particular person drone fashions.
Up to now, one of many drones in rivalry is the DJI Mini 2 SE.
It is a sensible, dependable drone for business and leisure flights, however is it the correct one on your actual property initiatives? That’s the all-important query I’ll assist you to reply.
I’ve sufficient flight expertise with the Mini 2 SE to say I do know this drone totally. I’ve examined it each which method, so you’ll be able to belief my insights about this drone’s appropriateness for actual property pictures.
DJI Mini 2 SE defined
The DJI Mini 2 SE got here out in March 2023, making it one of many latest entry within the Mini line (as of the time of publication) and certainly one of DJI’s latest drones, interval.
The DJI line of Mini drones has develop into well-known for weighing beneath 250 grams, a trait the Mini 2 SE proudly carries on.
This isn’t fully a moot level simply because it’s important to register your drone as a business actual property photographer. You continue to need a travel-friendly, transportable drone, and the Mini 2 SE definitely suits the invoice.
I like touring with this drone as a result of it’s so mild I overlook I’m carrying it generally.
Its battery has 31 minutes of steady marketed flight, and its wind resistance is healthier than you’ll think about for a drone of this stature.
Its digital camera with a 1/2.3-inch CMOS lens takes video in 2.7K high quality and pictures in 12 MP.
The Mini 2 SE additionally has a wealth of Clever Flight Modes designed to facilitate a hands-off expertise.
It consists of the RC-N1 controller, a distant that hooks as much as your smartphone so you’ll be able to navigate, toggle options, and livestream. The distant has a digital camera button, energy button, RTH button, and a change for adjusting between Sport, Regular, and Cine modes.
I discover the distant fairly simple to make use of, and whereas I want it had a display, I can perceive why it doesn’t. It is a lower-cost entry within the Mini line, and a distant with a display would bump up the price.
It retails for beneath $400 in case you purchase the bottom version, and the Fly Extra Combo is offered for beneath $500.
» MORE: DJI Mini 2 SE Controller (All You Must Know)
Why select the DJI Mini 2 SE for actual property pictures?
The Mini 2 SE can get many roles finished, and that features actual property pictures. Listed here are some methods it excels whenever you take it to work.
Straightforward to make use of
In case you’re an skilled drone pilot, the newbie options of the Mini 2 SE are simple sufficient to bypass.
You don’t have to the touch the tutorials within the DJI Fly app, and you’ll manually begin and cease your drone moderately than use one-touch launching and touchdown.
Nonetheless, in case you’re new to drones, however you could have your business license and are keen to begin capitalizing on it by getting cash, you’ve chosen nicely in case you purchase the Mini 2 SE.
This DJI drone has sufficient info and automatic options you could confidently take to the skies, get your work finished, and be on to the subsequent mission whereas constructing confidence and familiarity in drone operation.
» MORE: Is DJI Mini 2 SE Good for Inexperienced persons? (Arms-on Evaluate)
Glorious wind resistance
The Mini 2 SE additionally has a surprisingly good diploma of wind resistance at Degree 5. It’s constructed to resist winds of virtually 24 miles an hour.
I’ve flown it in 25-mph winds, the place it nonetheless carried out okay, however I didn’t transcend that as a result of I didn’t need to have my drone get thrown right into a tree.
Apparently, the Mini 2 SE has higher wind resistance than Avata, and its wind stage is similar to the Mini 2, Mini 3, and Mini 3 Professional.
» MORE: DJI Mini 2 SE Wind Resistance (Defined)
Mild and transportable
I praised the portability of the Mini 2 SE within the final part, and also you higher consider I’m doing it once more.
This drone is a good weight for taking up all of your actual property adventures, whether or not you’re working in your individual neighborhood or driving out of state.
I like to recommend the carrying bag DJI sells for the Mini 2 SE. Despite the fact that it’s not included with the drone, it suits the Mini 2 SE completely and may stash a number of equipment.
After all, any comparable bag or backpack you have already got is okay, too.
» MORE: Greatest Equipment for DJI Mini 2 SE
Good zoom
The Mini 2 SE is supplied with 4x zoom. I like an excellent zoom in a DJI digital camera as a result of it’s larger high quality than most zooms you see in rivals’ drones.
Zoom can also be a nice security characteristic. You don’t have to face on the sting of a harmful precipice to get your excellent shot.
Zooming may even come in useful when photographing properties on the market, as you will get in nearer to the element as your drone hovers over the house.
» MORE: Methods to Dolly Zoom With a Drone (Step-by-Step Information)
Steady hovering
As an actual property photographer, your photographs don’t have probably the most creativity. They don’t should. You solely want photographs of the property to make a sale.
The Mini 2 SE’s hovering capabilities make it superior for taking as many overhead or side-angle photographs as you want.
The drone is supplied with GNSS and imaginative and prescient positioning to maintain it in a single place.
The horizontal and vertical accuracy ranges are spot-on, so in case you set the Mini 2 SE in a spot, you’ll be able to moderately count on it to remain there.
» MORE: How Drones Can Hover (Defined for Inexperienced persons)
Professional-level Clever Flight Modes
Regardless of the Mini 2 SE’s affordable value, DJI doesn’t skimp on Clever Flight Modes.
This drone has 3 times the Panoramas for taking encompassing pictures of a complete property. You’ll be able to set your panos to 180 Levels or Large Angle, which can come in useful in on a regular basis work eventualities.
The Sphere mode is cool, however because it takes artistic liberties, you may not use it that always (except you additionally fly this drone recreationally, which it is best to!).
QuickShots modes are all video-based, however you’ll be able to all the time take stills out of your movies and save them as photographs. The modes embody Rocket, Helix, Dronie, Boomerang, and Circle.
Do I really feel like a number of the QuickShots modes are possibly a bit too additional for actual property pictures jobs? In all probability, nevertheless it’s all the time higher to have the choice than not!
» MORE: DJI Clever Flight Modes (Together with Quickshots & Mastershots)
Sensible RTH
Must make a fast touchdown? The Mini 2 SE consists of three RTH modes.
Failsafe RTH works in case your drone loses sign, Low Battery RTH prompts in case your battery is nearing zero, and Sensible RTH works in lots of different eventualities.
You don’t should be a newbie to understand RTH. It may well save your cover in near-miss conditions, permitting your Mini 2 SE to outlive and fly one other day.
» MORE: Sensible Options in Drones (Defined for Inexperienced persons)
Why the DJI Mini 2 SE might not be the only option for actual property pictures
Whereas I like to recommend the Mini 2 SE for actual property pictures for the above causes, it has a number of shortcomings which may make you rethink. Let’s discuss them for the sake of equity.
The picture high quality may very well be higher
The 12 MP picture high quality and 4K video high quality might sound shocking for a drone launched in 2023, however the Mini 2 SE continues the Mini 2 line.
That is an space the place it exhibits. The reasonably costlier but older Mini 3 Professional has 48 MP picture high quality, an enormous bounce in high quality.
Do you want one of the best picture high quality ever if taking actual property pictures? Sure and no.
I imply, your job is to promote the property, and since that’s all about visuals, you’ll be able to’t get away with crusty pixels and low-quality resolutions.
Possibly for some static overhead pictures, however not for the inside and up-close photographs of the outside.
On this case, you’re higher off saving up and shopping for the Mini 3 Professional as an alternative.
» MORE: DJI Mini 2 SE Digital camera High quality (With Photos)
Zoom is limiting
Do I like that the Mini 2 SE has zoom? Sure, definitely. Nonetheless, 4x zoom is a bit low for a DJI drone.
No, I’m not anticipating the identical diploma of zoom as what you’d discover within the Mavic 3 Professional with its triple-camera system. That drone is oodles costlier than the Mini 2 SE.
Nonetheless, a bit extra zoom, and even adjustable zoom, could be higher for actual property pictures.
Okay battery life
The default battery lifetime of the Mini 2 SE is 31 minutes. You’ll be able to’t improve the battery right here, in order that’s all you get.
And, in all my flight experiences, I by no means obtained to half-hour. I’d log a number of greater than 25 minutes, however not the marketed 31 minutes.
That’s as a result of drones are examined for battery life in impossibly excellent circumstances laborious to copy in on a regular basis eventualities.
Now, half-hour may be sufficient time to {photograph} a number of properties, relying on how large they’re and the way intensive you get.
I can’t assist however assume the battery life is not going to get you thru a complete day of labor.
The Mini drones normally have brief battery lives, however the Mini 2 SE obtained the particularly brief finish of the stick.
» MORE: Flight Time of All DJI Drones (Defined)
LightCut is for movies solely
I like DJI’s LightCut app. It makes use of AI and presents single-tap edits. It saves me a great deal of time in submit, and I recognize how beginner-friendly it’s.
The one downside? It edits movies, not photographs. In your function, it received’t come in useful a lot, so you should have no alternative however to edit your photographs after you’re completed with the job.
» MORE: Autel EVO II PRO vs. DJI Mini 2 SE (Right here’s My Favourite)
Do I would like a license to make use of the DJI Mini 2 for actual property?
That is dependent upon the type of license we’re speaking about.
In case you imply an actual property license, no, you don’t. You’re not technically promoting the property, solely serving to the true property brokers promote it together with your top-notch pictures.
Because you don’t deal instantly with patrons or sellers, you don’t want an actual property license.
Now, in case you imply a business drone license, sure, you do.
The FAA requires all pilots to have a license, whether or not it’s the TRUST certificates for leisure flights or the Half 107 license for business pilots.
It’s unlawful to fly and not using a license, and utilizing an expired license is simply as dangerous!
» MORE: Greatest Half 107 On-line Take a look at Prep Programs (With Greatest Cross Charge)
Ideas for utilizing the DJI Mini 2 SE for actual property pictures
Are you able to kickstart your profession and get extra actual property shoppers together with your Mini 2 SE? Right here’s the best way to enhance as a drone photographer.
Shoot in RAW
The Mini 2 SE can take photographs in RAW file format. In comparison with JPGs and PNGs, RAW recordsdata retain a lot extra element.
The one factor that’s lacking is the noise, and belief me, you’re not going to overlook that.
RAW recordsdata could require much less enhancing since they’re already so crisp and interesting. Nonetheless, do be forewarned that RAW picture recordsdata take up fairly much more laborious drive area, which brings me to my subsequent level…
» MORE: Actual Property Drone Images: A Complete Information (Insider Ideas)
Deliver spare SD playing cards
The extra SD (microSD) playing cards you could have helpful, the higher. Carry them in your drone bag, in your pocket, in your footwear if it’s important to. Simply have them.
The one factor worse than operating out of battery mid-shoot is taking on all of the area in your drone’s laborious drive and never with the ability to proceed photographing.
Don’t let it occur to you!
» MORE: Greatest SD Playing cards for DJI Mini 2 SE
Make the most of pure lighting
Taking pictures in pure lighting is a given when taking exterior photographs, however I’m referring extra to the inside pictures.
Relatively than activate each mild in the home, open a window and let the pure daylight in. Nothing creates a extra interesting, fascinating impact than pure lighting, which can curiosity potential patrons.
» MORE: Methods to Enhance Your Drone Images
Keep abreast of the climate
The FAA prohibits drone operation in stormy skies, so it’s extra than simply harmful to fly in dangerous climate. It’s additionally unlawful.
In case you don’t have already got a drone app that tells you wind patterns and climate adjustments, obtain a climate app with forecasts in your space. Watch the forecast like a hawk on the times you’re presupposed to work.
» MORE: DJI Mini 2 SE and Climate (Defined for Inexperienced persons)
Take photographs from quite a lot of angles
You’ll be able to’t have each picture you snap be overhead, overhead, overhead. Broaden your horizons, making an attempt completely different angles to showcase your entire neighborhood or complete rooms.
That may create a real sense of what dwelling within the house is like.