DJI mini 2 increase flight time

[Vikingimike01]

Hello guys, I'm getting a mini 2 in a few days, my 3rd quad after a Holy Stone HS120D and a JJRC X12 that decided to fly into a tree third flight and i sent it back.

So, I will want to do cinematic shots as well as just having fun flying around checking stuff out, and it will be mid/high range, about 1 or 2 kilometers max. So, for this, i would like to increase my flight time. I know basic stuff like reducing weight and stuff like that.. But I don't want to remove any covers or anything. Also wind resistance goes down with less weight. So, what about increasing motor / props size? Or upgrade the battery? Use 18650 cells?
I saw this video, I don't know how real it is, also he overcharged the batteries which I won't do.

Any ideas? Thank you all in advance!

 

[wafflejock]

Guessing they are using HV batteries which have ability to be charged to 4.35V without serious damage. Also bigger batteries in terms of capacity mAh gives more flight time to a point because there is a tipping point where the extra weight offsets the thrust (given by motors/props/battery voltage) and anytime you add more weight you will make the quad less responsive (it just has to deal with more inertia now but with the same thrust). For a low to the ground hover you get some benefit from ground effect I would guess still and aren't changing your speed (accelerating) at all so it is the most efficient way to stay in the air (with a quad) but not all that exciting or realistic of a test. For longer range or more efficient use of the power I think fixed wing is really the way to go, quads are just using computer smarts and brute force to stay in the air a fixed wing craft is generally far more efficient at flying when it comes to covering some distance in a short time and with less power wasted.

If you can get a bigger props on there and the motor and esc can handle it that along with reducing pitch of the props can also trade off some thrust/agility for efficiency.

 

[Vikingimike01]

Wow, okay, thanks. So bigger props if the thing can handle it, okay thanks. Well turns out I still need some money, but I'll report back with my findings as soon as i came up with something.

 

[Vikingimike01]

Something came up in the mean time. So, in the DJI Mini, theres 2 18650 cells. I guess its the same for the Mini 2 too, since there are 2 cells in serial. Which gives 2250 mAh capacity at 8.8v max. 4.4v sounds like a 18650. What, if i take the battery apart, and switch the 18650's for higher capacity ones? 3600? Or tesla cells? They are 3400mah.

That would mean, i'd get some extra few mins, maybe 4 or something along the lines of that, right? And that would mean no real noticable weight change, maybe a few grams?

 

[Vikingimike01]

Okay, I'm in a huge dilemma. Do I buy the Mavic mini, and do a battery mod and range extenders, so I can fly for 35 - 40 mins, or, do I get the Mini 2, and do range extenders on it? The mavic mini would come out 135$ cheaper, but can't record 4k 30fps only 2.7k 30fps.

-Edit : I couldn't hold myself back. I got the mini 2 today