Earlier this year, DJI’s Mini 3 Pro made its way into our hearts. With five out of five stars in our review, this little drone offered serious sensor and excellent obstacle avoidance. But it wasn’t cheap. After a drone that hits below the magic 250g mark but is priced a bit below ground? Enter the new DJI Mini 3 – the brand’s latest drone that drops some “Pro” features for a more accessible entry-level drone.
DJI’s newest addition to its fairly wide range of camera quadcopters, the Mini 3 weighs a little less than its Pro counterpart: below 249g. Why is this important? Well, that means the Mini 3 falls into the category of drones that can fly less than 50m above people and in cities, towns and other areas where bigger and heavier models like the Mavic 3 are. prohibited. Plus, it’s easy to take with you, pocket-sized in fact. This mini flyer folds down to just 148×90×62mm.
Don’t let that fool you, though, the Mini 3 still packs a punch. It sports the same sensor as the Pro model, capturing 4K/60fps HDR video and 48MP stills. There’s an f/1.7 aperture, 4x zoom and the sensor works at night. Moreover, the drone can frame shots both horizontally and vertically, without any complicated gymnastics in the air.
Thanks to the exclusion of a few features and its lighter weight, DJI has added some extra battery life to the Mini 3. It will offer up to 38 minutes of flight time (an additional 4 minutes compared to the Pro), than you can upgrade up to 51 minutes. with the optional battery. Be warned that this pushes the drone past the 250g limit, so you will need to adhere to drone regulations.
In terms of features, you will find many advantages that you would expect. There’s auto takeoff, return to home, precise hover and it’s wind resistant up to 10.7m/s. What’s missing from this one? It loses optical sensors around the camera for improved shots, and video transmission isn’t as strong at just 10km. Arguably the biggest loss is the obstacle avoidance presented. With the Mini 3 considered a drone for beginners, the loss of this combat assist feature stings a bit. However, we are talking about a saving of a few hundred pounds. Worth it? It’s up to you to decide.
You can order the DJI Mini 3 directly from DJI starting today. Those in the US won’t have long to wait, as the drone is already available. Budding pilots will afford it for 489 €.