Best Drone for Beginners: Flip vs Mini 4 Pro – Which to Choose?

I recently took my Neo for a spin in attitude mode by the seaside, and now I’m contemplating an upgrade. The decision, however, is proving tricky—should I go with the Flip or the Mini 4 Pro? Right now, the Mini 4 Pro is on a 10% discount across all configurations, bringing the three-battery bundle down to around 6300.

That’s only about a thousand more than the equivalent package for the Flip. Still, there’s one hesitation holding me back: flying without propeller guards makes me uneasy. I worry about the potential risk of injuring someone accidentally.

In the near future, I plan to head out to Qinghai and Gansu to capture some stunning desert footage. For this trip, I need something that can handle the fierce winds often encountered in such environments (though I’m not entirely sure how strong the desert winds actually are). Fellow drone enthusiasts, what would you recommend?