Mini4Pro Beginner User Experience: Balanced Drone for Smooth Flying

To be honest, I wouldn’t call myself a total novice when it comes to drones. After all, I’ve been flying them since the Phantom 3 era. However, until recently, I never actually owned one. That changed when I took advantage of a national subsidy and picked up a Mini 4 Pro at an unbeatable price:

### 📡 Video Transmission & Obstacle Avoidance
The official specs claim video transmission can reach up to 20 kilometers, but let’s face it—this is under perfect conditions with zero interference or obstructions. In real-world urban environments, achieving 2-3 kilometers is usually no sweat. However, if tall buildings get in the way, you might lose connection within a kilometer.

If you plan on flying frequently in cities, I’d highly recommend investing in a 4G module.
On the topic of obstacle avoidance, this drone boasts omnidirectional visual sensors that make crashes pretty rare—as long as you don’t push it too hard. That said, visual sensors struggle with thin objects like wires or single branches.

Once lighting drops to levels where even your eyes can still see clearly, the system will alert you that obstacle avoidance isn’t reliable anymore. These are important caveats to keep in mind; relying solely on the sensors could lead to trouble.

### 🎥 Image Quality
In daylight, the image quality rivals mainstream smartphones, complete with features like lossless vertical shooting and up to 60° upward angles—not something you’ll find on every higher-end model. One standout feature for me is HLG format shooting. If your phone supports HDR well, you can transfer footage directly and enjoy stunning HDR effects right away.

The downside? Nighttime performance is decent but not exceptional. Based on my experience, once the drone warns that active obstacle avoidance is compromised, it’s best to stop shooting. The image quality at that point just doesn’t meet my standards.

### 🤖 Intelligent Flight
This drone packs some impressive smarts, including intelligent follow mode, which allows it to smoothly adjust directions while tracking you, and waypoint planning for pre-programmed flights. Thanks to its omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, it covers all the basics. While the user experience may not match pricier models, there aren’t many completely stripped-down features here.

### 🔋 Battery Life
You have two battery options: standard and extended. I opted for the extended version, and under normal weather conditions (no wind or cold), getting over 30 minutes of flight time per charge is effortless. Keep in mind, though, that the larger battery bumps the overall weight above 249g. Depending on where you live, this might require registration in certain countries. Since I don’t travel internationally, it hasn’t been much of an issue for me.

### 💨 Wind Resistance
A drone’s ability to handle wind generally depends on its weight and the size of its propellers and motors. While the Mini 4 Pro outperforms lighter models like the Flip, it’s still a compact 249g machine. Flying in winds stronger than the recommended level 5 is risky, so safety should always come first.

There you have it—a balanced blend of power, portability, and practicality!

💰 Summary
My assessment is that this drone is compact yet remarkably versatile. Although it might not excel in every task compared to its larger counterparts, it can still accomplish the majority of what a high-end, full-sized drone can offer. It’s perfectly suited for beginners who are eager to delve deeper into the world of drones in the future.

The flight experiences and functionalities you gain with this device can easily be applied when transitioning to more advanced models. Thanks to the government subsidy, the price is incredibly reasonable, making it an excellent starting point for any aspiring pilot.