DJI Mini 5 Pro mapping mission

DJI Fly stores waypoint missions in a specific folder on your device's storage. To find the correct path and filename, you first need to create a simple dummy mission directly in the app.

Open DJI Fly. Tap the map icon in the top-left corner to enter map view, then select Waypoint mode. Draw a small square anywhere. It does not need to resemble your actual survey area. Save the mission and note the name DJI Fly assigns it (e.g. "Waypoint_20240315_143022").

Open your device's file manager and navigate to the waypoint folder to confirm the filename. The RC2 has a built-in file manager (Settings → General → File Manager). If you are flying from an Android phone, use a file manager app. If you are flying from an iPhone, open the Files app and navigate to On My iPhone → DJI Fly → files → waypoint. See Step 3 for the specific paths for each device.

Open the GIJA MAPS free flight planner. Draw the polygon for the area you want to map. Set flight altitude to 50 m (a good balance of detail and coverage for the Mini 5 Pro), frontlap to 75%, and sidelap to 70%.

The planner automatically calculates flight lines, speed, and image count. It also shows an estimated processing price if you later choose processing. Click Download kmz to save the file.

Rename the downloaded KMZ file to exactly the same filename as the dummy mission you created in Step 1 (e.g. "Waypoint_20240315_143022.kmz").

Select your controller or phone below:

Open DJI Fly → Waypoint → My Routes. Find the mission with the name you chose in Step 1. Tap it to open. You will now see the actual flight path from our planner, not the dummy route.

Verify that the route covers your area correctly before continuing.

In the mission settings in DJI Fly, or in the camera settings before starting the mission, set the following:

Resolution

50 MP

Aspect ratio

4:3, full camera frame (never 16:9)

File format

JPEG (disable RAW, double file size and unnecessary for mapping)

Interval

5 seconds (use the timer/interval function in DJI Fly)

Important: Use the full camera frame at 4:3 for photogrammetry. 16:9 crops the top and bottom, so each image covers less ground and overlap along the flight direction may be lower. This can leave gaps in the map or make it harder for the software to match images. Before the flight, capture a test frame using the same timed/interval mode as the mission. Open the photo's Info/Details and check its pixel dimensions: Mini 5 Pro 50 MP images should be 8192×6144, not 8192×4608. Do not start until the dimensions match. If they differ, correct both the resolution/capture mode and aspect ratio, capture another test frame, and check again. Never use 16:9. Using 4:3 does not guarantee survey accuracy.

Camera exposure: Set a fixed shutter speed manually and let ISO and white balance run on auto. Pick 1/1000 s, 1/2000 s or 1/4000 s depending on daylight. A fast fixed shutter is important because the drone is moving on every capture. A slow auto shutter easily causes motion blur. Aperture is fixed (f/1.7 on the Mini 5 Pro), so ISO adjusts brightness automatically. If you are unsure, use full auto, but lock the exposure with the padlock in DJI Fly so it does not shift between frames.

DJI Fly does not always import the recommended flight speed from the KMZ file. The route is correct, but the speed may have been reset. Check that the flight speed matches what the flight planner showed for your mission. Adjust it manually in the mission settings if needed.

Leave the mission ready, but do not start it yet. First complete the required test-frame check in Step 7.

Capture a test frame using the same timed/interval mode as the mission. Open the photo's Info/Details on the controller or phone and check its pixel dimensions.

Do not start the mission until the dimensions match: Mini 5 Pro 50 MP images should be 8192×6144. If they differ, correct both the resolution/capture mode and aspect ratio to 4:3, capture another test frame, and check again.

The mission code sets the gimbal to the selected angle, normally -90° straight down. Do not set the gimbal angle manually.

Once the test-frame dimensions match, you can launch directly from the ground. As an optional tip, you can take off manually, fly to mission altitude, and position the drone over the route start point first. Then tap Start/GO in DJI Fly. The drone flies the route, and the camera captures according to the interval setting you configured. Monitor battery and signal throughout. The drone will automatically return to home (RTH) at low battery.

When the mission is complete, land and retrieve the JPEG images. Flying ends here. If you want an output, optionally drop the image folder directly in the browser for processing as an orthophoto, a 3D model, or both.