DJI has officially responded to claims that
the DJI Mini 2 has a minor battery issue and the drone giant claims that a firmware fix is on the way to fix the problem. Earlier this week we saw more and more reports, sparked by a video by YouTuber Ian in London claiming that the DJI Mini 2 had a battery drain issue that could negatively affect the long-term health of its batteries when stored. on the drone or its charging hub. The problem is that most LiPo (Lithium Polymer) batteries, like the ones used by the DJI Mini 2, should ideally slowly discharge when left fully charged, as this helps extend their lifespan and prevent long-term problems. . DJI's Intelligent Flight Batteries normally do this, but many users have found that the batteries in the DJI Mini 2 don't, and DJI's official response confirms this. A DJI spokesperson told us: "
DJI is working on a firmware update for the Mini 2 and its battery system to initiate automatic discharge when batteries are in the drone or charging hub and have failed. They have not been used recently.” The spokesperson added: “When placed in the drone or charging hub, the batteries use a small amount of charge to maintain vital functions and do not trigger an automatic discharge. For customers who store their drone for extended periods of time, DJI recommends that the batteries be removed from the drone and/or charging hub, regardless of whether the firmware is up to date or not. DJI will provide timing information once this information is available."
(Image credit: DJI) So, we have it: the advice is to remove the DJI Mini 2 battery from the drone or charging hub if you don't plan on using it for weeks, regardless of the firmware update. But for those who have taken their drones on short trips (or simply forget to remove the battery), a firmware fix is coming to initiate automatic discharge to protect the long-term health of your batteries.
Full charge in advance
As the battery issues go away, this self-discharging problem is pretty much less. After all, it's not at all something that affects the safety of the drone in flight, and it's probably something most DJI Mini 2 owners barely noticed. The Mini 2 launched almost exactly one year ago and has been our top pick for best beginner drone ever since. But it's certainly worth grabbing this firmware update when it arrives, as it should help protect the health of your batteries in the long run, especially if, like us, you often forget to remove them between trips. There is also no indication that batteries in other DJI drones, such as the new DJI Air 2S, have self-discharge issues.
The mid-range Air 2S uses a completely different battery pack than DJI's smaller drones, so this is only a problem for the Mini 2. Given that the latter is a year old, you might also be wondering if it should hit the jackpot anytime soon. So far there have been no rumors about it, but we have started to hear early speculation about the possible arrival of a DJI Mavic 3 Pro, so it is rumored that this drone will probably be the next to leave the DJI hangar. .