DJI Mini 3 Pro review

They say good things come in small packages, and with the DJI Mini 3 Pro, you get a tiny, lightweight drone that’s packed with features. For our money, this is the best drone in the DJI Mavic Mini series to date. Released on May 10, 2022, the Mini 3 fills in the gaps of previous models to provide a sub-250g class drone that is suitable for enthusiasts and professionals alike.

This latest incarnation of DJI’s smallest and lightest drone provides obstacle avoidance for the first time. Not only does this ultimately make the drone safer and easier to fly, but it also brings features like Quickshots which are automated flight patterns for capturing professional quality video. It also offers the Follow Me feature where the drone will follow the subjects with multiple options to follow the subjects.

The camera has also undergone a redesign and now features a 1/1.3-inch 12.1MP sensor which is larger than those used in both the Mavic Mini 2 and Mavic Air 2; a fast f/1.7 offers excellent light-gathering capabilities along with a 24mm equivalent focal length; and with 48MP photos in Raw and JPEG possible, 4K video up to 60fps available in Standard and D-Cinelike profiles, it’s a powerful drone that belies its small size. In fact, we’d say it’s one of best drones currently on the market.

DJI Mini 3 Pro: Design

• Tiny, light and very portable
• Folding design
• Two controller options

As you would expect from a DJI Mavic model, the Mini 3 Pro features a foldable design. This, added to the weight of 249g, makes it incredibly small and light with a folded size of just 145 x 90 x 62mm and an unfolded size of 171 x 245 x 62mm. Compared to other Mavic models, it certainly doesn’t feel as sturdy, but that doesn’t affect the overall build quality or flight performance. And the propeller arms have been made more aerodynamic, with the propellers being larger than those used by the Mini 2 to help increase flight times.

The overall look of the drone has changed from the Mavic Mini 2, although it certainly looks like a Mavic. This design change is mainly due to the addition of large obstacle sensors to the front of the airframe, alongside the mounted dual gimbal which supports 90° rotation of the camera for shooting in portrait format.

In terms of available controllers, the standard kit comes with the DJI RC-N1, which is a screenless model with a telescopic phone holder at the top for attaching a smartphone via a cable that can be stored in the holder. This will provide the perfect balance of cost and utility for most people, although those happy to pay more can opt for the kit with the new DJI RC Smart Controller. It has a 5.5-inch touchscreen with 700 NIT brightness and weighs 390g compared to the DJI RC-N1 controller which weighs 385g plus the weight of a smartphone.

DJI Mini 3 Pro review: Functionality

• Advanced Pilot Assistance System (APAS) 4.0
• Quickshots and subject tracking
• Increased battery life

Previous Mavic Mini models did not feature obstacle avoidance, so the arrival of this useful feature through a three-way obstacle sensing system with wide-angle sensors facing forwards, backwards and downwards low is welcome. Along with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems 4.0 (APAS 4.0), this allows you to set Collision Avoidance to brake when an obstacle is detected, hover over obstacles, or can be turned off.

This in turn brings additional features that were previously absent from Mavic Mini drones, including Quickshots and Subject Tracking/Follow Me. Quickshots are a suite of automated flight models to help you capture cinematic quality video footage. professional. While the FocusTrack suite offers two options for autonomous tracking of moving and static subjects and a third for manual flight while the camera tracks a predefined subject.

These new features, along with improvements to the camera, have made the Mini 3 Pro a very capable all-rounder. And despite its small size and low weight, the Mini 3 Pro boasts wind resistance of just under 24 mph, making it usable in a wide range of conditions. Additionally, there are standard Cine, Normal and Sport modes which offer different flight speeds and features, with Sport offering the fastest top speed of up to 35.7 mph.

Battery life has also been improved over previous models thanks to the new 2453mAh Intelligent Flight Battery which is advertised to provide up to 34 minutes of flight time. In actual flights this is closer to 20-25 minutes depending on conditions. There is also an Intelligent Flight Battery Plus with a capacity of 3850 mAh and an advertised flight time of up to 47 minutes. This is available in some regions, including the United States and Australia, but not in others such as the European Union.

DJI Mini 3 Pro: performance

• 12.1 MP 1/1.3 inch sensor
• Video up to 4K 60fps
• Normal and D-Cinelike color profiles

The Mavic 3 Mini offers a new 21.1 MP 1/1.3 inch sensor capable of taking 48 MP photos in Raw and JPEG formats. The camera itself features a 24mm equivalent lens with a fast f/1.7 fixed aperture and can be rotated 90° to capture photos and videos in both portrait and landscape formats. Portrait format shooting is ideal for capturing vertical videos for TikTok and Instagram.

In terms of image quality, the Mini 3 Pro produces excellent images overall, although there is a slight reduction in sharpness towards the edges of the frame when shooting stills and some chromatic aberration can sometimes be seen along the edges of the high contrast subject. ISO handling is exceptional for a camera with such a small sensor, with virtually no visible noise or color loss even at the highest setting of ISO 6400.

Photos can be captured at 12.1MP or 48MP in JPEG and Raw, although to take advantage of shooting modes such as auto exposure bracketing only the 12.1MP option is available. And in terms of video, you can capture 4K at 24/25/30/48/50/60fps, 2.7K at 24/25/30/48/50/60fps, and FHD at 24/25/30/48/50/ 60/120fps.

The maximum video bitrate is 150 Mbps, so little compression is applied, and Normal and D-Cinelike color profiles are available depending on your needs. A point to note is that for daytime video, ND filters are essential to maintain proper shutter speed for video due to the fast f/1.7 aperture. These are available separately from DJI

DJI Mini 3 Pro: Cost

The Mavic Mini 3 Pro will be available in three configurations with a Fly More pack that provides extra batteries and other useful accessories. The cost of the drone has increased significantly since the Mavic Mini 2, so in terms of price, the Mini 3 Pro is not as beginner-friendly as its predecessor.

The first option is for the controllerless Mini 3 Pro which costs $669 / £639 and is aimed at users who already own a compatible controller. The second kit comes with a DJI RC-N1 controller and costs $759 / £709. This is the same controller that comes with the Mavic 3, Mavic Air 2S, Mavic Air 2 and Mavic Mini 2. The third kit comes with the new DJI RC Smart Controller and costs $909 / £859.

All three kits include an intelligent flight battery, two sets of propellers, a screwdriver, a gimbal guard, and a Type-C to Type-C PD cable. Standard Kit 9 (DJI RC-N1) also comes with cables to connect the controller to your smartphone while the other two options do not include these cables.

A Fly More Pack is also available separately and includes two Intelligent Flight Batteries, a Triple Battery Charging Hub, two sets of propellers and a shoulder bag for $189 / £159. A Fly More Plus kit with the higher capacity Smart Flight Battery Plus instead of the standard batteries is also available in the US for $249 and Australia for AU$359.

Should you buy the DJI Mini 3 Pro?

The arrival of the DJI Mini 3 Pro overcomes the shortcomings of previous models to offer a much more rounded drone suitable for both amateurs and professional use. Collision avoidance, automated flight patterns and Follow Me functionality are game changers for the series, so if you need an incredibly small and light drone to carry around with other photo/video equipment, the Mini 3 Pro is a fantastic option.

For professional drone pilots, the attraction of the drone will undoubtedly be the ability to shoot Raw photos and 4K video at up to 60 fps in the D-Cinelike profile. And the drone’s sub-250g category means pilots with specific qualifications can fly in more places and even closer to people, ultimately opening up more creative possibilities.

If this drone is not for you

For some photographers and videographers, the Mini 3 Pro simply won’t provide the features, functionality, image quality, and control that other DJI drones provide. So if you’re looking for the ultimate portable drone in the DJI Mavic lineup, the Mavic 3 offers a more advanced camera with a Four Thirds sensor and adjustable aperture for better exposure control. Image quality is excellent and a second camera provides additional functionality.

If the cost of the Mavic 3 is too high, another alternative to consider is the Mavic Air 2S. In terms of size and weight, it sits between the Mavic Mini 3 Pro and the Mavic 3 and offers a fixed aperture 1-inch sensor. Image quality is again excellent, so depending on budget, size requirements and image quality, the Mavic 3, Mavic Air 2S and Mavic Mini 3 Pro offer incredible options for drone pilots. with specific requirements.

If you’re looking for a bargain and none of these appeal to you, you can also check out our roundup of all the best drone deals. We regularly update this page with the latest savings and discounts.