Subsequent up in our “Ask Drone Lady” collection is concerning the DJI Mini 3 Professional vs Mini 4 Professional pricing, in addition to presumably exchanging the Mini 3 in favor of a greater drone. When you’ve got a query for Drone Lady, contact her right here.
I used to be generously gifted a DJI Mini 3. It was simply the bottom equipment with the common controller, the drone, and one battery, and so forth, and it value lower than $400.
My concern: with out impediment sensors, am I setting myself as much as fail?
I can trade it (and pay the distinction) for a DJI Professional 3 Bundle, which comes with 3 batteries, the usual controller, and DJI’s charging hub, and MicroSD card for $700 on sale. Is it price it? Is it an excessive amount of for an entry drone?
Additionally confounding me additional is that the Mini 4 Professional has been out now for 3 months but is priced equally to the Mini 3 Professional.
I’d drastically admire any perception and proposals, as I’m at my wits finish after studying so many opinions and watching check movies.
Ah ha! The Christmas and Black Friday 2023 drone gross sales had been good this yr, and it appears like Santa acquired you a Mini 3 at an excellent worth. In any case, the DJI Mini 3 is normally $469 with the RC-N1 distant controller with out display. Since you bought it for lower than $400, that’s nice!
Nevertheless it sounds such as you’re second-guessing this deal — and for good cause.
Now you’ve laid out tons of excellent questions right here, and I’ll sort out them so as. However earlier than I do, I’ll level you to 2 nice guides:
DJI Mini 3 vs. Mini 4 Professional vs. Mini 3 Professional: how to decide on
It actually looks like you’re debating between the next three drones, the DJI Mini 4 Professional, Mini 3 Professional and Mini 3. So let me lay out a fast comparability desk right here:
| DJI Mini 4 Professional | DJI Mini 3 Professional | DJI Mini 3 | |
| $759 | $759 | $469 (or $379 with no RC) | |
| Takeoff Weight | 249g | 249g | 249g |
| Huge Angle Digicam | 1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 MP, 24mm, f1.7 | 1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 MP, 24mm, f1.7 | 1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 MP, 24mm, f1.7 |
| Video Decision | 4K/100fps | 4K/60fps | 4K/30fps |
| Transmission System | O4 | O3 | O2 |
| Max Transmission Distance | 20 km | 12 km | 10 km |
| Impediment Avoidance Tech | APAS 5.0 | APAS 4.0 | N/A |
| Impediment Sensors | Omnidirectional Impediment Sensing | Tri-Directional Obstance Sensing | Downward Imaginative and prescient Sensing |
| Max Flight Time (normal battery) | 34 minutes | 34 minutes | 38 minutes |
| Max Struggle Time (Clever battery) | 45 minutes | 47 minutes | 51 minutes |
The questions you name out particularly are tremendous attention-grabbing although, so let’s dive in individually.
How essential are impediment sensors?
The Mini doesn’t have any form of impediment avoidance sensor. It merely has a downward imaginative and prescient sensing system, which actually solely aids with touchdown. For a $469 drone (or sub-$400 in your case), that’s to be anticipated.
The 2 “Professional” variations, the Mini 3 Professional and Mini 4 Professional, are superior on this division.
The Mini 3 Professional’s tri-Directional Impediment Sensing supplies ahead, backward, and downward imaginative and prescient. Do you have to fly straight towards a tree, it’ll merely cease and hover in place.
The Mini 4 Professional does one higher with Omnidirectional Impediment Sensing. Now it may see even past these factors with none blindspots, making it really crash proof.
The largest resolution you’re dealing with right here is the significance of impediment sensing. Is impediment sensing price the additional $300? Alas, that is actually a private query primarily based on how impactful $300 is to you — and the way risk-averse you might be.
Now to be clear, the Mini 4 Professional’s impediment sensing is much superior to the Mini 3 Professional’s. Provided that, let’s simply rule out the Mini 3 Professional as an choice. Your actual consideration right here is between the Mini 3 vs. Mini 4 Professional.
If $300 gained’t make a dent in your finances, then go for the Mini 4 Professional. Contemplate it the last word insurance coverage coverage in defending your drone from ending up in your neighbor’s tree.
However simply as folks decide out of insurance coverage for monetary causes, you may decide out of the Mini 4 Professional and follow the Mini 3. How possible is it that you’d crash right into a tree? In the event you’re often flying in forests, then it feels extra possible than in the event you’re primarily flying over open fields or water.
Contemplate it this fashion: you might purchase a second Mini 3 for not way more than the worth of 1 Mini 4 Professional. Alas, I like to recommend you begin your drone journey on a low cost, toy drone simply to grasp what sort of pilot you might be.
Is the DJI Mini 3 Professional a great entry-level drone?
Other than my advice that you just all the time simply begin on a toy drone to get the grasp of flying earlier than you set many lots of of {dollars} within the air, the DJI Mini 3 Professional is a superb entry-level drone.
The picture high quality is great. You’ll wish to use it time and again to take pictures you can then exhibit to your friends by way of social media or bodily prints. It’s easy to arrange, and it’s secure and stress-free to fly. (It’s really one of many best attainable drones to fly).
It’s additionally extremely small and light-weight, which is nice for portability. And that’s not the one good cause. As a result of it weighs simply 249 grams, it doesn’t fall underneath the purview of the Federal Aviation Administration if you fly it for interest functions. Yep, meaning no must register, nor do it is advisable adjust to sophisticated Distant ID guidelines. It’s true. Drones underneath 250 grams are a giant deal.
In contrast to vehicles, the place you’d by no means put a first-time driver in a BMW (begin them off with the outdated, beat-up Toyota Corolla), the costlier drones are usually far simpler and safer to fly versus a budget ones. (The automobile analogy doesn’t kick in till you begin to deal with the $1,000+ drones with enterprise features. We’re not speaking about these right here.) Don’t be afraid to be a brand new pilot with a Mini 3 Professional in your palms.
Why does the Mini 3 Professional value the identical because the Mini 4 Professional?
You talked about being confused how the Mini 4 Professional has been out now for 3 months but is priced equally to the Mini 3 Professional. I’m confused too.
The Mini 4 Professional is healthier than the Mini 3 Professional by each metric. When the Mini 4 Professional launched in March 2023, we wrongly predicted that the Mini 3 Professional would shortly drop in worth. But months later, it hasn’t (on DJI’s web site, each go for $759 with the bottom mannequin controller).
The 4 has upgraded digicam capabilities and clever options. It’s simpler to make use of and extra steady. Each the battery and vary are extra highly effective.
Briefly, my complete spiel above concerning the DJI Mini 3 Professional being a great entry-level drone is true. However, it’s much more relevant to the Mini 4 Professional.
In the event you’re already eager about upgrading your Mini 3 to the Mini 3 Professional, go all the best way and simply improve your Mini 3 to the Mini 4 Professional.
The one cause you may go for the Mini 3 Professional is that if yow will discover it on sale (which it appears like you will have) by way of third-party sellers. If yow will discover it for, say, $100 much less, then the Mini 3 Professional abruptly does grow to be extra interesting than the Mini 4 Professional.
Buy the DJI Mini 4 Professional now from:
Buy the DJI Mini 3 now from:
How would you examine the DJI Mini 3 vs. Mini 4 Professional drones, particularly given the fee? Share your ideas beneath!
