The new drone from DJI is 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465 888-282-0465, which is the most capable ever to squeak under the 250 gram limit that keeps operators free from a whole host of headaches and restrictions for flight. This is the best overall value yet in the consumer/enthusiast drone space for people who want portable drones, because the Mini 3 Pro is the first in the series to add that Pro name.
The Mini 3 Pro is larger than before, but still small enough to earn its name. The weight of the drones comes in at 249 grams with a standard battery pack, but the wingspan is much larger than the original Mini, when the arms are extended for flight. This provides additional flight control capabilities, and it only barely changes the drone's profile when it's folded for carry, so it's definitely a welcome design trade-off.
The Mini 3 Pro has a 1/3.3 inch sensor camera, which can capture images of up to 48MP in RAW format, and record video in 4K at up to 60 frames per second.
The Mini 3 Pro is in the air.
You can record video in D-Cinelike mode, which gives you a wealth of color information for tuning the color mix of your video to your liking, as well as the Mini 3 Pro's other formats. This can give you a cinematic look that is frankly astounding when you consider it is coming for a drone that slips pretty easily into a jacket pocket.
Obstacle detection and avoidance is a feature that is new to this size category. The Mini 3 Pro has the company's advanced pilot assistance systems, meaning you're less likely to have to scale a tree to get it.
The ideal TikTok drone, subject tracking, 4x digital zoom, panorama shooting, and 34 minutes of run time on the standard battery make this the ideal one.
At first glance, the Mini 3 Pro doesn't deviate much from the tried-and-tested approach of drone design; it's a four-rotor aircraft, mostly made up of that central body, with extendable arms. The front of the drone has a different look, with the orientation cameras flanking the gimbal, and there are some obvious changes.
The Mini 3 Pro and the Mini were folded.
The Mini 3 Pro can boast its impressive specs while still staying on the fair side of the aviation rule restriction. It also means that the drones have a larger protective hood attachment to keep them safe and stable in transit. It is understandable to protect the motors when the drone is powered down, but it means you have to fight it to get it to line up correctly.
The DJI Mini 3 Pro and the DJI Mini have arms extended.
The Mini 3 Pro is a great example of how DJI has learned from years of trying to make the most of the sub 250 gram category. The trade-off is that the rotors don't have the easy removal clips that come on larger models. For a few minor annoyances, you get a drone that doesn't require a major packing operation to take along with you, and one that captures images and videos of a quality that won't leave anyone but the most demanding.
The Mini 3 Pro comes with the RC-N1 controller, which is a great controller if you already have one, though there is a controller-less option as well to save a few bucks. If you're on the fence, you should definitely go for the new controller from the DJI RC package because it has a built-in display and an integrated phone. It's a very compact and well-designed device, with excellent display quality and so many fewer headaches when it comes to fiddling with hardware. In the next section, there will be more about the DJI RC.
I've mentioned the quality of the Mini 3 Pro's image and video capture a few times, but in case it wasn't clear, this thing more than delivers.
The 48MP images offer new levels of detail and printing options, and theRAW capture means you can really get a lot more out of your still captures when editing after the fact in programs like Lightroom. The larger sensor on the Mini's sensor makes the images less noisy than they have been in the past. Low-light capture has never been a strength of these drones, but the Mini 3 Pro has done a good job of improving that area.
The mini 3 pro was taken with the camera.
Most users probably don't need to use manual mode because auto mode delivers images that really impress. The manual modes offer the ability to adjust to your heart's content, which can result in some truly unique captures that stand out from the crowd. The Mini 3 Pro software makes it easy to get good large-scale prints, and the custom image modes are excellent for unique applications.
The Mini 3 Pro seemed to have no problem handling the breeze. One thing I noticed was that the Mini 3 Pro never gave any indication that it was struggling with the issue of wind speeds and stability, even at altitudes above 400 ft. The days I flew were calm at ground level, so your mileage may vary, but it is definitely improved over previous generation hardware.
A sample image of the Mini 3 Pro.
The new video options are a major upgrade over what this category could previously do. Whether you're an amateur filmmaker trying to make the next art-house classic, or you're a professional, the D-Cinelike color profile and 4K/60, full HD 120fps slow-mo, vertical video, all add up to a drone that can do it Subject tracking and vertical video can be combined to create a lot of creative options for novel posts on any platform.
It's hard to evaluate a newcomer's opinion of flying the drone since I've been flying the original Mavic since it was released. It feels simple and intuitive, with the added bonus that the obstacle avoidance protections kick in when large objects get in your way, potentially saving you from an expensive accident.
You can adjust settings like how fast the camera tracks in order to refine the end product, but out of the box the DJI Mini 3 Pro seems to produce good end results for a wide range of users.
The actual experience of flying the drone is improved by the option of the DJI RC controller. The main problem I have had with the drones is the less-than-elegant experience of connecting a phone to the controller. It just works and you can connect the controller to any network you want to use to keep the aircraft up to date with the latest software. It's not something you can give up once you experience it, and image quality and live video feed are high-res and excellent, viewable even in direct sunlight.
The price of the Mini 3 Pro has gone up, but you can still get the RC for $759. The best option is the most expensive one, but I think the one most people should consider is the DJI Mini 3 Pro plus the DJI RC for $909. My unit also included a hub to charge all three batteries at once, extra propellers, and a handy shoulder bag, which is an added bonus.
The sample image is of the Mini 3 Pro. There is a JPEG with auto settings.
The cost of the Mini 3 Pro kit is nearly double the cost of the Mini 2 Fly More combo which retails for $599. The improvements to image and video quality, as well as the inclusion of the obstacle avoidance system, is well worth the price. The Mini 3 Pro is better than the Air 2S because it costs less. The Mini 3 Pro still manages to sneak under the 250g limit, despite the fact that it has a bigger sensor and better video recording.
It can be difficult to decide when to buy a new drone because of the pace of innovation. The Mini 3 Pro seems like a package that has so few compromises it should satisfy even the most discriminating enthusiast for years to come.
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