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Today we will do a battle of the 400 $400 ish drones – and what I’ve got in front of me are the FIMI X8 SE DJI Mavic mini.
These both drones belong to the category of best drones under 500. Here are full reviews of Xiaomi FIMI X8 SE and Mavic Mini.
DJI Mavic Mini - Drone FlyCam Quadcopter with 2.7K Camera 3-Axis Gimbal...
- The compact yet powerful Mavic Mini camera drone is the perfect creative companion, capturing your moments in a way that effortlessly elevates the ordinary
- Weighing less than 0.55lbs by 250 grams, Mavic Mini is almost as light as the average smartphone. In the United States and Canada, you can fly this camera drone without the need to register your drone with the government
- The compact yet powerful Mavic Mini camera drone is the perfect creative companion, capturing your moments in a way that effortlessly elevates the ordinary
- Weighing less than 0.55lbs by 250 grams, Mavic Mini is almost as light as the average smartphone. In the United States and Canada, you can fly this camera drone without the need to register your drone with the government
- Mavic Mini supports 12MP aerial photos and 2.7K HD videos. A 3-axis motorized gimbal provides superior camera stability and ensures clear, Ultra-smooth footage
- Mavic Mini’s weight allows it to stay in the air longer than similar consumer FlyCams on the market. Enjoy up to 30 minutes of flight time with a fully-charged battery
- DJI Fly App requires iOS v10.0, Android v6.0 or above. Compatible devices include: iPhone 11 Pro Max, 11 Pro, 11, XS Max, XS, XR, X, 8 Plus, 8, 7 Plus, 7, 6s Plus, 6s, 6 Plus, 6, Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus, S10, S9 Plus, S9 , S8 Plus, S8, S7 edge, S7, S6, Note9, Note8, Huawei P30 Pro, P30, P20, P10, Mate 20 Pro, Mate 10, nova 5, nova 4, nova 3e, nova 2, Honor 8X, 10, 9, 20 Pro, Magic 2, Mi 8, MIX 2S, MIX 2, Redmi Note 5, Oppo Find X, R15, Vivo NEX, X27, X21, X20A, OnePlus 7, 6T, 5, Pixel 3 XL, 2 XL, 2, LG V20, LG G6
Zhaowei for Xiaomi FIMI X8 SE Drone 5KM FPV 3-axis Gimbal 4K...
- ✔ 3-axis Mechanical Gimbal: It combines a light weight 3-axis mechanical gimbal with the latest professional control algorithms,bringing in the ultra smooth and jello-free videos even in high-speed or strong-wind conditions.
- ✔ 3-axis Mechanical Gimbal: It combines a light weight 3-axis mechanical gimbal with the latest professional control algorithms,bringing in the ultra smooth and jello-free videos even in high-speed or strong-wind conditions.
- ✔ 4K 100Mbs Videos: The drone shots video at an incredible 4K/30fps and captures every moment perfectly.5 KM Range: The image transmission distance is up to 5km improved by enhanced anti-interference performance and adaptive streaming bitrate technology.
- ✔ Smart Tracking Mode: With the powerful visual tracking system, the drone can precisely lock the target with more powerful flight planing shooting. Precise Vision Positioning System: GPS+glonass dual-satellites positioning systerm ensures more precise hovering and faster positioning.
- ✔ Flight time is up to 33mins with 11.4V 4500mAh lipo battery.The transmitter is with detachable sticks and stretched structure design
- ✔ Function: 4K;100Mbs Videos,5KM distance, 3-axis Gimbal, Smart/ Cine shot, Smart Tracking Mode, Precise Vision Positioning System, Headless mode, Follow me mode
We did a bunch of comparisons of Mavic Mini against other drones, check them out below:
There’s a lot of different reasons you might choose each one of these particular drones so we will dig deeper into those reasons.
They each have obviously their own advantages and disadvantages. Mavic Mini is extremely light and you don’t have to worry about registering it anywhere in places where the laws are very strict.
On a big drone like the Fimi x8 se you do have to put on the license number and register it, but the x8 se is much more powerful drone. It’s got a better range, a higher resolution camera, more smart modes but it’s made by XIAO MI, a much lesser known brand.
If you have a problem with a drone it will be a hit or miss with the XIAO MI support. This lack of brand assurance could be problematic in case of any damages or need for manufacturer support in the future.
Also, you have to take into an account the cost of accessories. FIMI is more expensive in this department which is a negative of course.
On the other hand, if you have DJI, you know DJI doesn’t make junk and you can buy their DJI Refresh care and in case of any problems, you know you have the warranty period and it costs around 40 bucks to replace the drone.
DJI Mavic Mini
Fimi X8 SE vs Mavic Mini – Tabular overview
| DJI Mavic Mini | Xiaomi FIMI X8 SE | |
| Size | Folded: 140 × 82 × 57 mm Unfolded: 160 × 202 × 55 mm | Folded: 204 x 106 x 73 mm Unfolded: 287 x 247 x 96 mm |
| Weight | 249 grams | 790 grams |
| Camera | 2.7K (2720×1530@30fps) | 4K (3840×2160@30fps) |
| Max bit rate | 40Mbps | 100Mbps |
| Gimbal | 3-axis | 3-axis |
| FPV | 720p | 720P/1080P |
| Range | 2Km for EC and 4Km for FCC | 5Km |
| Lights | 1 – on tail | 4 – one under each motor |
| Intelligent flight modes | Dronie, Rocket, Circle and Helix | POI flight, Orbit and Drone |
| Active tracking | No | Yes |
| Obstacle avoidance | No | No |
| Geo fence | Yes | No |
| Max flight speed | 13 m/s | 18 m/s |
| Wind resistance | ≤28.8 kph | ≤50 kph |
| Remote controller | Standard, NO Screen | Standard, NO Screen |
| Battery | 2s/2400 mAh | 3s/4500 mAh |
| Flight time | 30 minutes | 33 minutes |
| FAA registration | No | Yes |
| Regular price | See the best price | See the best price |
Size
The difference in size is huge. Because of the size difference FIMI is better in the wind. The videos of this drone in the wind are much better, Mini does a good job as well and the footage looks stable because the gimbals are doing a great job. But it struggles a bit in the wind, especially when you fly back and make recordings.
Weight
Fimi is more than 3 times heavier, meaning it is more stable in the windy conditions but also harder to transport and requires registration.
Mavic Mini is feather-weight drone and it is jaw-dropping to see how much value is packed in such a small package. DJI outdone themselves again.
Camera
Fimi has a 4K and Mini does not as it can do 2.7K. This category goes to FIMI as it has much more powerful camera, not only in theory but also in praxis.
Flying app
Fimi has a better app than Mini. Mini has set on auto on its app and you don’t have much customizability on it. With Fimi, you can adjust your settings in more details.
The winner here will be depending on your level of flying expertise. More advanced pilots will enjoy Fimi’s adjustability while beginners will cheris Mavic Mini’s fast and easy setup and pre-packaged solutions and automatic settings.
Battery time
FIMI does 3 minutes more of flying time as it can do 33 minutes compared to the 30 minutes of Mini. However, Fimi also has way more expensive batteries which could be a minus in case you need to replace them.
Flight speed
18km/h compared to the 13km/h of Mini, gives this one as well to the Fimi X8.
Flying characteristics
Mini flies better, it is a DJI drone that is just magnificent.
Range
Fimi wins this one with a range of 5km while Mavic Mini can do 4km.
Build quality
Definitely better on FiMI. Much robust and sturdier, a solid lump while Mavic Mini has a bit flimsy plastic feel to it even though its design is great.
Neither of them have obstacle sensors but they both have ultrasonic and sonic sensors underneath the body.
Mavic Mini does better in the stable hover in the air.
Conclusion
This is not really a fair comparison as Mavic Mini is, just like its name suggests, a Mini drone aimed at the beginners. Xiaomi Fimi X8 on the other hand, is a full fledged machine that would be more suited for comparisons with other Mavic models – Air or Pro.
However, lack of brand assurance with XIAOMI is something to consider when making the purchasing decision especially if you are a new pilot that is more likely to crash his drone and need reserve parts and support from the manufacturer to repair it.
