DJI Mini 3 Pro Review: Setting a New High Bar For Travel Drones

by David Cardinal

DJI is continuing to push its families of drones higher up the food chain with more features at higher prices for each revision. The new DJI Mini 3 Pro is no exception. It is a massive upgrade from the Mini 2, with a substantial price bump to go along with it. I’ve been flying a review unit with pre-release firmware for a couple weeks in both Europe and the US, and have been incredibly impressed with what DJI has packed into its newest sub-250 gram drone.

Starting with the basics, the Mini 3 Pro is available in three different versions. The drone only (suitable for those who already have a DJI remote) is $669. The drone plus a baseline remote (DJC RC-N1) is $759. The premium, and somewhat unique offering for a low-end drone, is the option to purchase the drone along with DJI’s new remote designed for use with the Mini (DJI RC). The DJI RC features its own display and is pre-loaded with the DJI Flight app. That configuration will set you back $909. The Fly More combo can be added to any of these. For an additional $189, it includes two batteries, a multi-battery charger, two sets of spare propellors, and a bag to hold it all. Pre-orders are being accepted now, with shipments expected to start on May 17th.

DJI Mini 3 Pro by the Numbers

The headline number for DJI Mini drones is of course the weight. At just under 250 grams, the Mini 3 Pro comes in under the minimum weight that requires registration in the US. It’s not completely clear to me what else that weight class gets you in the US, but in the EU and other places there are often additional benefits in terms of where you can fly.

Flight time is rated at an impressive 34 minutes, even with the amazingly-light batteries, and 47 minutes with an optional higher-capacity, but heavier, battery. To achieve this flight time the batteries no longer include status LEDs, but the drone has a set, as does the multi-battery charger.

The Mini 3 has also been upgraded to include 3-direction obstacle detection and APAS 4.0 intelligent obstacle…