The market for professional drone services feels quite limitless nowadays as more and more businesses recognize the value that drones can provide. Similarly, the market has also become a bit more competitive. This can make the commercial drone market intimidating for those who are just starting out.
Mini-drones are some of the best entry-level drones, whether for recreational or aspiring professional drone pilots. They are inexpensive and easy to carry around, albeit a little underpowered compared to their larger counterparts. If a mini-drone is all you have, what kind of drone jobs can you do?
Drone jobs for mini-drones
In the context of this article, mini-drones will refer to drones that weigh 250 grams or less. If you’re planning to use a mini-drone for a commercial job, then it needs to be registered with the FAA despite its low weight.
Mini-drones have become quite popular because of how inexpensive and easy to deploy they are. However, one must also recognize that they have their limitations, as there could only be so much hardware that will fit in a very compact drone. They might also not fare well on very windy days and may struggle with getting stable shots.
With those limitations in mind, here are some commercial drone jobs that you should be able to perform fairly well even with a mini-drone.
1. Real estate photography
Taking photos and videos for real estate advertising is just about one of the simplest commercial jobs that a drone pilot can take. This typically involves taking several shots of a property from different angles, thus helping to advertise it to potential sellers.
To do real estate photography, all you need is a drone with a good camera and knowledge of photography fundamentals. A mini-drone might even be beneficial for such a job, as it provides minimal visibility and disruption to neighbors during real estate shoots. It can even be useful for taking interior shots, but this takes an exceptional level of skill.
2. Insurance
Insurance adjusters often have to document houses in case of natural tragedies or other household-related accidents. Having a drone on hand provides a quick and safe way of documenting the rooftop of a house. Mini-drones are valuable here because of their portability and ease of deployment.
In most cases, a drone that can take high-resolution photos can work well enough for insurance adjustment. Should more detailed documentation be needed, a basic photogrammetry process can be followed to create a 3D digital model of a rooftop. A mini-drone isn’t the best tool for 3D scanning, but it’s sufficient if locational accuracy is not a huge deal.
3. Aerial photography
In the hands of a good drone pilot, mini-drones can be used to take really good aerial photographs. There are several ways to earn from this – most drone pilots will put up their photographs on social media and offer them for purchase.
The limitations of mini-drones are worth considering if you’re using them in commercial photography. Mini-drones may lack some of the more advanced features of drones such as fancy camera modes, powerful zoom lenses, or adjustable apertures. The conventional wisdom here is to work with what you’ve got – and even mini-drones are well-equipped for aerial photography.
4. Journalism
The value of using drones in journalism cannot be overstated. With drones, journalists can capture unique aerial footage of large events, demonstrations, protests, natural disasters, and landscapes. They can also be used to access hard-to-reach areas, such as places with war or conflict, without posing a physical danger to journalists.
In this context, a mini-drone may even be beneficial for journalism. The size and weight of mini-drones make them convenient for journalists who may have to be constantly on the go. They are also inconspicuous, whether during transportation and storage or active use. This may be important in capturing footage of emotionally charged events, such as protests.
The great thing about modern mini-drones is that they come equipped with professional-grade camera drones that can capture excellent footage even in challenging conditions.
The Top 5 best mini-drones today
1. DJI Mini 3 Pro
The DJI Mini 3 Pro is pretty much the king of the hill nowadays when it comes to drones that weigh less than 250 grams. It’s powerful, fairly affordable, has tri-directional obstacle avoidance, and is one of a few drones that can capture images in true portrait mode.
The DJI Mini 3 Pro comes with a 1/1.3” CMOS sensor that can take photos and videos at par with most modern camera phones nowadays. It has a large f/1.7 aperture, resulting in better-quality images in low light. It can capture videos at 4K resolution and 60 fps framerate, making it excellent for action shots.
The true standout feature of the Mini 3 Pro is the camera that physically rotates to capture portrait modes without cropping and at maximum resolution. This will come in handy if you’re creating content meant to be posted on social media.
2. Autel EVO Nano+
The EVO Nano+ is the premium entry of Autel in the mini-drone market. It has a couple of unique features going for it – a digital zoom that can go up to 16x, and the ability to record audio in sync using a mobile device.
The camera of the EVO Nano+ can go shoulder-to-shoulder with that of the Mini 3 Pro. It has a 1/1.28” sensor, a fixed f/1.9 aperture, and can capture up to 50 MP stills. Its video recording capabilities are a notch below, able to only record 4K videos at 30 fps. The EVO Nano+ also has an impressive array of obstacle avoidance sensors.
Perhaps the biggest drawback of the EVO Nano+ is that it’s slightly more expensive than the Mini 3 Pro. Some drone pilots prefer the Autel brand because their drones do not come with an automatic geofencing feature. This is something you may want to consider if you plan on offering professional drone services.
3. DJI Mini SE
The DJI Mini SE is the ideal choice if you’re looking for a good mini-drone on a tight budget. Yes, there are cheaper mini-drones out there but they likely will not have the same build and camera quality that you can get out of the Mini SE.
To start, the Mini SE can record videos at 2.7K resolution and capture stills at 12MP. This is certainly not bad for a drone that you can buy for $300. It comes with a limited selection of DJI’s Intelligent Flight Modes and some controls on shutter speed and ISO. All these features are more than good enough for basic aerial photography for real estate or rooftop inspection.
Given the price and size of the Mini SE, it certainly lacks some of the more advanced functions of other DJI drones. You will have to manage your expectations when it comes to fancy camera modes, flight time, or flight speed. For its price, it’s tough to be disappointed with the Mini SE.
4. DJI Mini 2
The Mini 2 is the drone that sits between the Mini SE and the Mini 3 Pro in terms of both technology and price. It is only slightly more expensive than the SE and should be worth considering if you can shell out around $150 more.
The Mini 2 holds the distinction of being one of the cheapest drones you can get that can shoot in 4K resolution. Its 1/ 2.3” CMOS image sensor can record 4K videos at 30 fps and 12 MP stills. It has a digital zoom, albeit limited to only 2x at 4K and 4x at 1080p.
For a fairly affordable drone, the Mini 2 has an interesting set of camera modes and Intelligent Flight Modes. Its obstacle avoidance system has limited coverage, but it’s quite a speedy and powerful drone that can handle strong winds.
5. Holy Stone HS710
Holy Stone is a brand known mostly for budget-friendly drones, so the HS710 is no different. Although considered a more advanced model for the brand, the HS710 remains very inexpensive and still weighs less than 250 grams.
The HS710 drone can capture 4K videos. The lack of a gimbal means that you won’t get the smoothest videos, so flying in strong winds would probably be a bad idea. The video quality also isn’t quite at par with the 4K videos from the more expensive drones, but they can get pretty good under good lighting. It does have a couple of nice automatic flight modes, so you can be creative with your shots.
The HS710 drone is a beginner-friendly drone, both in terms of features and price. It is good for practicing your drone flight skills and developing techniques for aerial photography. The quality of shots you’re going to get will not quite be at the level of a professional, so you may need to get an upgrade soon enough.
Final Thoughts
Showing up to a commercial drone job with a drone that can fit in your pocket may seem like a bad move, but a good drone pilot can create great things even with a mini drone. The more recently launched mini-drones already come with excellent cameras that can competently document real estate properties, sceneries, and events on the ground.
One must not overlook that the true benefit of using a very small drone is the ease with which it can be carried around and deployed. This can be critical for situations when you need to get a drone up in the air as quickly as possible. They are also quite affordable, so you won’t need to spend too much to get a foot in the door of the market for commercial drone services.
