Simply in time for Christmas comes a drone that’s set to prime wishlists — and may not even break the financial institution both. DJI immediately introduced the DJI Mini 3, a brand new drone that’s similar to the already-existent DJI Mini 3 Professional, however with a number of the options stripped out.
It additionally has a way more inexpensive worth level: simply $559 (and an even-cheaper $469 when you simply need the drone solely, no controller).
Most of what drone pilots liked in regards to the DJI Mini 3 Professional, which was introduced in Might 2022, nonetheless exists on this lower-cost model: a compact, ultra-lightweight digicam drone that also takes impeccable photographs and affords a typically secure flying expertise. For context, the Mini 3 Professional price $759, or $669 with out the controller). That makes the Mini 3 drone about 26% cheaper than the Professional model,
On nearly any metric, the Mini 3 nonetheless outpaces the Mini 2 drone, successfully making the previous model of the Mini 3 moot. Contemplate it a candy spot of providing greater than what the Mini 2 does, but in addition not hitting the steep $759 worth level of the DJI Mini 3 Professional.
Some key specs on the brand new DJI Mini 3 embrace:
- 249 gram weight
- 38 minutes of flight time (and as much as 51 minutes with the Clever Flight Battery Plus)
- 10.7 m/s wind resistance
- 1/1.7-inch digicam sensor
- 4K HDR video
- 12MP pictures
- True Vertical Capturing (designed for vertical video codecs like TikTok and Instagram)
The transmission expertise makes use of DJI O2 digital video transmission, which delivers a 720p/30fps stay feed from as much as 10 km away and in addition promising anti-interference capabilities. (The Professional model has the extra superior O3).
It’s not simply the low worth level that’s set to make the Mini 3 a wildly-appealing drone to the mass market. The Mini 3, just like the Professional model earlier than it, weighs below 250 grams. Drones below 250 grams are an enormous deal for a number of causes, together with:
- Drones below 250 grams don’t should be registered with the FAA for leisure operations.
- Drones below 250 grams don’t should be Distant ID compliant.
That removes a bunch of authorized friction that has deterred many from desirous to fly drones. For a lot of, it’s not that they don’t wish to comply with the legal guidelines, it’s simply that they’re afraid of breaking them. With a sub-250 gram drone, you don’t want to fret about whether or not your drone is Distant ID compliant or whether or not your registration identification quantity is displayed accurately. Drones below 250 grams are exempt from most drone rules in not simply the U.S., however a number of components of the world.
In fact, there’s additionally the security part (a small object hitting you gained’t trigger as a lot pressure as a bigger object).
Buy the DJI Mini 3 beginning at simply $469 (no controller) or $559 with controller now from:
The DJI Mini 3 digicam
The digicam specs on the DJI Mini 3 are nearly precisely the identical as what you’ll discover on the DJI Mini 3 Professional. These embrace:
- 4K/30fps in HDR
- 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor
- f/1.7 aperture
- 4-in-1 pixel expertise can create pictures from 48MP to 12MP in dimension
- Twin native ISO and chip-level HDR expertise
- True Vertical Capturing
That True Vertical Capturing is a nod to Instagram Reels and TikTok, the place vertical video is the de facto video type on social media. To allow True Vertical Capturing mode, merely press a button to rotate the digicam 90 levels for True Vertical Capturing — no have to zoom in or crop your unique picture.
Like most different DJI drones, pre-programmed flight modes utilizing the QuickShots characteristic automate the drone’s flight path to seize higher, smoother, extra exact video. QuickShots filming modes embrace:
- Dronie: Plane flies again and up with the digicam locked on the topic.
- Helix: Plane flies up and spirals across the topic.
- Rocket: Plane flies up with the digicam going through down.
- Circle: Plane circles across the topic.
- Boomerang: Plane flies across the topic in an oval path, ascending because it flies away and descending because it returns.
What it lacks towards the DJI Mini 3 Professional: So what’s lacking on the DJI Mini 3 digicam versus the Professional version?
For starters, this model has 12 MP Efficient Pixels versus 48 MP on the Mini 3. ISO capabilities aren’t fairly as highly effective both.
The Mini 3 Professional additionally has the extra elevated Focus Observe Suite, with much more capturing modes. The Mini 3 additionally lacks different superior filming options like MasterShots and Hyperlapse.
Flying the DJI Mini 3
Like all latest DJI drones, the DJI Mini 3 is among the many most secure client drones you’ll be able to fly, with security options together with Low Battery Return to Residence (RTH), and Failsafe RTH. If the plane runs into points, it’ll robotically return to its place to begin.
Options that will help you fly embrace Auto Takeoff, and you too can choose to have your drone robotically fly again to its house level utilizing Good RTH.
What it lacks towards the DJI Mini 3 Professional: So what’s lacking on the DJI Mini 3’s flight capabilities versus the Professional version?
The massive characteristic missing right here is Tri-Directional Impediment Sensing. There’s additionally no APAS and FocusTrack, all options that assist the higher Professional model be all-but crash-proof. That stated, the Mini 3 does have some sensible flight capabilities together with a mixture of GNSS with the downward imaginative and prescient system, plus an infrared sensing system to hover stably and precisely.
DJI Mini 3 vs DJI Mini 3 Professional: which is healthier?
At a more-than 30% low cost, the Mini 3 is definitely cheaper. The query is: are the diminished specs definitely worth the commerce? We’ll have a deeper dive evaluating the 2 subsequent week, however for now, right here’s a comparability desk of the 2 drones, digging into a few of their most related specs:
| DJI Mini 3 | DJI Mini 3 Professional | |
| Takeoff Weight | < 249 g | < 249 g |
| Dimensions | Folded (with out propellers): 148×90×62 mm (L×W×H) Unfolded (with propellers): 251×362×72 mm (L×W×H) |
Folded (with out propellers): 148×90×62 mm (L×W×H) Unfolded (with propellers): 251×362×72 mm (L×W×H) |
| Max Flight Time | 38 minutes (with Clever Flight Battery) 51 minutes (with Clever Flight Battery Plus *) |
34 minutes (with Clever Flight Battery) 47 minutes (with Clever Flight Battery Plus *) |
| Max Wind Pace Resistance | 10.7 m/s (Degree 5) | 10.7 m/s (Degree 5) |
| World Navigation Satellite tv for pc System | GPS + GLONASS + Galileo | GPS + Galileo + BeiDou |
| Picture Sensor | 1/1.3-inch CMOS, Efficient Pixels: 12 MP | 1/1.3-inch CMOS, Efficient Pixels: 48 MP |
| ISO Vary | Video: 100-3200 Photograph: 100-3200 |
Video: 100-6400 Photograph: 100-6400 |
| Max Picture Measurement | 4000×3000 | 8064×6048 (48 MP) |
| Max Video Bitrate | 100 Mbps | 150 Mbps |
| Sensing Kind | Downward imaginative and prescient system | Ahead, Backward and Downward imaginative and prescient system |
| Video Transmission System | DJI O2 | DJI O3 |
Clearly the DJI Mini 3 Professional outperforms the Mini 3 on each metric (besides flight time). It’s acquired a barely higher digicam, improved O3 transmission, and impediment avoidance. It’s additionally much more costly — and solely you’ll be able to worth your individual finances.
How DJI takes in style drones and makes them cheaper
The follow of taking a beloved drone and stripping out a number of the pricier options in order that it may be offered at a lower cost level has grow to be more and more frequent at DJI. Simply final month, DJI launched the Mavic 3 Traditional, which is to the Mavic 3 drone because the Mini 3 is to the Mini 3 Professional.
At $1,599 for the DJI Mavic 3 Traditional with RC-N1 distant controller, it’s about 20% cheaper than the $2,049 Mavic 3. Its most-notably lacking characteristic is the telephoto lens, which affords an unimaginable 28x Hybrid Zoom to the Mavic 3.
Easy methods to get your fingers on a DJI Mini 3 drone
The DJI Mini 3 drone is already on sale, making for a wonderful alternative to place DJI’s latest drone below a beloved drone pilot’s Christmas tree. The one bummer? The most cost effective model, which doesn’t embrace a Distant Controller (superb for homeowners of current DJI drones) gained’t be obtainable till someday in early 2023.
That stated, listed below are the varied DJI Mini 3 configurations, and the way a lot they price:
DJI additionally affords up the next equipment:
- DJI RC: A distant controller with a built-in display screen and built-in DJI Fly app (except you buy the Drone Solely model).
- Clever Flight Battery: As much as 38 minutes of flight time.
- Clever Flight Battery Plus: As much as 51 minutes of flight time.
- Two-Manner Charging Hub: To cost the distant controller and three batteries in sequence.
- ND Filters Set
- 360° Propeller Guard
- Propeller Holder
DJI additionally offers the choice to buy DJI Care Refresh, which is DJI’s prolonged guarantee plan. What do you consider the DJI Mini 3 drone? Are you aware somebody who wants this on their Christmas record?
Buy the DJI Mini 3 beginning at simply $469 (no controller) or $559 with controller now from:
