Leaked DJI Mini 2 SE could soon be the best cheap drone for beginners

If you’re in the market for a travel-friendly drone that’s a bit more affordable than the DJI Mini 3 Pro, you could soon be in luck – a new sub-250g model called the DJI Mini 2 SE has just leaked.

Photos of the incoming drone, which will likely succeed DJI’s current entry-level Mini SE, have just shared on Twitter by the reliable @DealsDrone (opens in new tab) and @JasperEllens (opens in new tab). The images show an almost identical drone to the Mini SE, bar one crucial addition – compatibility with the newer DJI RC-N1 controller.

The latter is important because it supports OcuSync 2.0 transmission, which is vastly superior to the Mini SE’s current ‘Enhanced Wi-Fi’ connectivity. According to a leaked photo of the drone’s box (below), this will give the DJI Mini 2 SE a much bigger range of 10km (rather than 4km) in the US. 

Based on the current DJI Mini 2, this range will be more like 6km in regions outside the US, though that’s still more than enough within current drone flying regulations. Ocusync 2.0 connectivity should also provide a more stable, reliable signal between the Mini 2 SE and your controller.

This connectivity and compatibility with the newer RC-N1 controller appear to be the only real differences from the current Mini SE. Despite the Mini 2 SE’s name, it looks more like a tweaked version of the Mini SE than the Mini 2, with its camera topping out at 2.7K video resolution (rather than 4K on the Mini 2).

On the plus side, this means its price tag could be close to that of the current Mini SE, which is available for $299 / £269 / AU$459. If the Mini 2 SE has a similar tag, it could well top our guide to the the best beginner drones. A leaked event poster (opens in new tab) suggests we could see the drone announced on February 9.

Analysis: A small upgrade, but a high flier for beginners

In the past couple of years, we’ve seen the arrival of several impressive rivals to DJI’s drones, mostly notably from Autel and Skydio. But the competition for DJI’s entry-level Mini drones isn’t quite as hot – and the leaked Mini 2 SE will likely be the best option around for beginner fliers.

The current Mini SE landed in mid-2021 as a more affordable version of the DJI Mini 2 and remains DJI’s cheapest ever drone. Despite the arrival of the DJI Mini 3 Pro and DJI Mini 3, the DJI Mini. 2 has never officially dropped in price – and that’s likely because DJI is planning to keep its Mini SE line going beneath it.

As you can see in the table below, DJI’s Mini series aren’t exactly cheap – so the arrival of the Mini 2 SE certainly makes sense. 

While more advanced DJI pilots will be pining for a DJI Air 3, which is also expected to land later this year with an improved 1-inch sensor, the Mini 2 SE makes sense as an affordable option for those who don’t need 4K video shooting or advanced obstacle detection.

According to the leaked specs so far, the 249g Mini 2 SE will have 31-minute flight time, 2.7 K video shooting and a 10km range, with video transmission in 1080p rather than 720p. That’d all be more than enough for a beginner flier looking for their first drone, particularly if it does have a similar price tag to the current Mini SE.

With a leaked event poster suggesting the Mini 2 SE will be announced on February 9, we might not have to wait long to find out.