The initial reviews of Hubsan’s long-delayed Zino Mini Pro may still be trickling in, but the drone manufacturer says it’s ready with another entry-level, sub-250-gram offering: the Zino Mini SE with 4K/30fps video and 45 minutes of flight time.
With the standard, single battery version of the Zino Mini SE priced at $349, it’s clear that Hubsan is positioning the upcoming drone as a competitor to the newly launched DJI Mini SE. Let’s see what this drone offers…
Hubsan Zino Mini SE specs and features
Weighing only 249g, the Zino Mini SE is a portable hobby drone that may not require registration in many countries because of its low flying weight. It comes with a 1/2.6 inch CMOS sensor that allows you to record 4K videos at 30fps or 2.7K footage at both 30fps and 60fps. The camera is also equipped with 3x digital zoom, while a Night Mode feature optimizes low-light shots.
The Zino Mini SE uses Hubsan’s SyncLeas 2.0 transmission technology to offer a range of 3.7 miles or 6 km. There’s an AI-based subject tracking mode that uses ATVT 3.0 – a technology for which Hubsan claims it has made huge improvements in tracking latency and accuracy. The bandwidth provided for 1080p/30fps video transmission is 2Mbps with support for YouTube live broadcast.
The drone is able to achieve a maximum flight time of 45 minutes while flying at 6 m/s in windless conditions. For this, it uses a 3,000 mAH Li-ion battery with automatic discharge protection. And for better landing precision in low light, the beginner’s drone uses an optical-flow night light.
The Zino Mini SE drone comes with Hubsan’s third-generation flight controller with basic flight modes such as sports and movie. Meanwhile, the X-Hubsan2 app supports one-click take-off and landing functions.
Versions and prices
Depending on your needs and budget, several iterations of Zino Mini SE are being made available. You can get the standard version with one battery for $349 or upgrade to a version with two batteries, a carrying bag, and the Intelligent Battery Management device for $415.
If you want to enjoy even more flight time, you can upgrade further to the Zino Mini SE with three or even four extra batteries, priced at $459 and $509 respectively.
Zino Mini SE vs Zino Mini Pro
The pricing for Zino Mini Pro starts at $499, while the Zino Mini SE is available for presale at $349. So, what would you be missing out on while saving that extra $150?
The first and biggest difference between the two drones is the three-direction obstacle avoidance feature that Zino Mini Pro offers.
Secondly, the Zino Mini Pro comes with a longer transmission range of 6.2 miles or 10 km. But that isn’t much of an advantage if you’re actually following the visual line of sight rules and want to be able to see your drone to avoid other aircraft or obstacles. The difference, however, may be felt in video transmission since the Pro drone uses the superior Hubsan SyncLeas 3.0 technology.
In the meantime, the Zino Mini SE will allow you to stay airborne a little longer: 5 minutes more than the Zino Mini Pro, to be precise.
Another point of distinction is memory storage. While the Zino Mini Pro comes with built-in memory, the Zino Mini SE drone uses a U3 micro-SD card with expandable memory up to 128GB.
When does Zino Mini SE launch?
The estimated shipping date given by Hubsan for Zino Mini SE in the North American market is September 30. But given the massive delays we witnessed with the launch of the Zino Mini Pro drone, we would assume this launch date is not set in stone.
Read more: You can now buy DJI Mini SE sub-$300 drone in US
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