DJI Mini 3 Professional is right here: every part it’s good to know

There’s little doubt about it: the DJI Mini 3 Professional is the most effective drone I’ve flown but. DJI introduced its latest drone, the Mini 3 Professional, right now. And I managed to get my fingers on one early!

I solely want this drone existed years in the past. It’s every part you need in a drone: glorious picture high quality, extremely small and lightweight, tremendous easy to arrange and get within the air — and better of all, it’s protected and stress-free to fly.

It mainly is a best-of record of each drone characteristic. Whereas not the very best in each class (different extra highly effective DJI drones just like the Mavic 3 and Matrice line actually beat out the Mini 3 Professional on sure particular person specs), it’s the greatest total drone you’ll discover in the marketplace right now if you issue within the small dimension and price ticket. By combining the small dimension of the Mini and Mini 2 drones with the highly effective specs discovered within the DJI Air and DJI Mavic collection of drones, the Mini 3 wins on mainly each entrance: digital camera system, battery life, and clever options.

Oh yeah, and the worth level? It begins at simply $759 (or a fair cheaper $669 if you have already got a distant controller).

And whereas — in fact — I do want this drone existed years in the past, a lot of its options tackle the developments of day: specifically vertical video. It’s possible the video format you need for TikTok or Instagram, and now it’s attainable to movie vertical video immediately out of your drone.

Among the many different highlights on the DJI Mini 3 Professional:

• Weighs lower than 249 grams
• 4K/60fps video
• 34 minute flight time
• ActiveTrack
• Tri-directional impediment sensing
• 90° gimbal rotation (that’s for taking pictures vertical imaging, usually for social media)

Buy the DJI Mini 2 beginning at simply $669 (no controller) or $759 with controller now from:

Be taught extra about this TikTok-inspired drone filming fashion, and extra of those standout options, in my evaluation and information to the DJI Mini 3 Professional right here:

Tremendous mild and small design (underneath 249 grams!)

Upon getting your fingers on this drone, it’s unattainable to disregard how mild and small it’s. The small dimension serves a pair helpful functions.

For starters, weighing underneath 249 grams makes this drone exempt from many types of regulation. Many international locations classify drones based mostly on their weight, and construct in additional laws or restrictions based mostly on that). Sometimes the bigger the drone, the extra regulation it’s topic to. In lots of international locations, together with the U.S., drones weighing underneath 249 don’t have to be registered.

That removes paperwork burden off the pilot. It’s additionally theoretically safer. In any case, the premise of the 250+ gram laws is that bigger drones carry larger threat, whereas smaller drones don’t.

And for a traveler like me, the sub-250 gram drone is crucial. A lot of that my different job is a journey author (heh, no, this website isn’t my full-time job), so I’m at all times on the go. With that, I hate checking baggage or packing greater than I must. I beloved bringing my first DJI Mavic Mini with me to Hawaii, and the Mini line is absolutely the one one which I’m keen to journey with. The Mini 3 now provides me even higher options than the Mini or Mini 2, however that very same small dimension.

With previous journeys, I’d solely pack bigger drones (sure, that even contains the DJI Mavic) if I undoubtedly knew I’d be flying drones. However with the Mini (and this Mini 3 Professional) I can pack it for practically each journey, because it takes up so little house in my backpack.

34 minutes of flight time (and 47 minutes, sort of)

With this drone, you get an unbelievable 34 minutes of flight time on a single cost. DJI says the longer flight time vs different Mini drones is feasible because of a very new structural design Most notably, the arms and propellers had been adjusted for extra aerodynamic flight.

And it will get higher. DJI additionally constructed a whole separate battery that it calls the “Clever Flight Battery Plus.” This battery comes with a further price, however with it you get a most flight time of 47 minutes on a single cost. That’s fairly unprecedented functionality for a drone this small.

An necessary observe although: the extra highly effective batteries are additionally heavier. When flying with the “Plus” versus the usual Mini 3 battery, your drone’s weight will exceed 249 grams. In the event you’re flying in an space that regulates or restricts drones weighing 250 grams or extra, you’ll must be sure to’re compliant with the legal guidelines (which within the U.S. means registering your drone).

And really, the DJI Mini 3 Professional Clever Flight Battery Plus isn’t even out there in all international locations and areas.

To get the Plus batteries, you’ll need to pay a further $249 for the DJI Mini 3 Professional Fly Extra Package Plus, which incorporates 2 Clever Flight Batteries Plus, a two-way charging hub, two spare units of propellers, and a shoulder bag.

Impediment sensing

The Mini 3 is the primary within the Mini line of DJI drones to incorporate Tri-Directional Impediment Sensing. It’s additionally the primary of the Mini lineup to combine APAS and FocusTrack.

Whereas not totally crash-proof, you do have ahead, backward, and downward visible sensors, which makes it no less than near crash proof. And with ahead and backward dual-vision sensors on the very entrance of the drone, that design broadens sensing vary for even safer flight. The ahead and downward sensors have a fair wider discipline of view than earlier designs which additionally expands protection.

So what precisely do these sensors do? DJI calls it Superior Pilot Help Techniques (APAS)
4.0, which routinely detects obstacles. If it spots any, then the drone seeks a safer path to proceed on its method, whereas additionally navigating round obstacles throughout flight.

The sensors additionally serve one other function: higher images. DJI calls this the FocusTrack suite, which permits pilots to pick a topic. The drone then routinely retains the topic throughout the middle of the body throughout flight— and continues to be in a position to routinely plan a protected flight route.
routinely planning a protected flight route.

A greater digital camera system than earlier Mini drones

Talking of higher images, this drone does higher than previous Mini fashions. Listed here are a few of its digital camera specs:

• A 1/1.3-inch CMOS digital camera sensor with twin native ISO: This degree of tech was beforehand solely out there on cinema and a few micro single cameras. Plus, it captures 2.4μm pixels for extra picture element, which is very useful in low lighting and evening.
• Aperture: f/1.7, which is right for low mild and nighttime efficiency. The Mini 3 Professional truly gives the identical aperture and ISO because the DJI Mavic 3.
• Top quality seize: It shoots photographs at as much as 48MP and video at as much as 4K/60fps.
• Digital video zoom: It’s out there as much as 2x in 4K, as much as 3x in 2.7K, and as much as 4x in Full HD.
• HDR video recording: That is out there at body charges as much as 30fps.

And since it’s a drone, in spite of everything, there are a lot of autonomous video seize modes. And many of the seize modes discovered within the DJI Air and Mavic collection are actually out there on the Mini 3 Professional. This drone’s flight modes embody:

Focus Observe Suite

This suite of taking pictures modes focuses on a topic, after which flies relative to that topic. Inside this suite comes:

• Highlight 2.0: retains the topic in body whilst you fly manually.
• Level of Curiosity 3.0: circles the topic in a set flight radius and velocity.
• ActiveTrack 4.0 Hint: follows the topic at a continuing distance.
• ActiveTrack 4.0 Parallel: follows the topic whereas flying beside it at a continuing
• angle and distance

One observe: FocusTrack isn’t out there whereas recording 4K/48fps, 4K/50fps, 4K/60fps, 2.7K/48fps, 2.7K/50fps, 2.7K/60fps, 1080p/48fps, 1080p/50fps,
1080p/60fps, or 1080p/120fps video.

QuickShots

This suite of taking pictures modes takes a video burst because the drone autonomously flies a pre-programmed path. These routes are:

• Dronie: Like an aerial video selfie, the drone flies again and up with the digital camera locked on the topic.
• Helix: The drone flies up and spirals across the topic.
• Rocket: The drone flies up with the digital camera going through down.
• Circle: The drone circles across the topic.
• Boomerang: The drone flies across the topic in an oval path, ascending because it flies
• away and descending because it returns.
• Asteroid: The drone creates a shot that begins as a sphere panorama excessive above the topic and ends with a standard shot hovering close to the topic.

MasterShots

With this characteristic enabled, the drone retains the topic within the middle of the body whereas executing completely different maneuvers in sequence to generate a brief cinematic video.

Hyperlapse

This characteristic routinely generates a dynamic timelapse the place the drones flies on a set path.

And so far as getting all that content material on-line shortly, the Mini 3 Professional helps Wi-Fi high-speed obtain to get your footage to your cell phone so you may share photographs instantly.

A recent gimbal redesign made for TikTok

Gimbals don’t are inclined to obtain a ton of consideration. They’ve labored effectively since DJI launched them as a built-in characteristic in its Phantom 3 drone. They bought smaller with the Mavic line. However this entire gimbal redesign now permits for not simply the standard horizontal video, however now allows tilt-up photographs and vertical taking pictures. That’s the kind of taking pictures that most individuals are accustomed to taking through their smartphones — and what you see on TikTok and Instagram reels.

To make this mode occur, merely press a button to rotate the digital camera 90 levels for True Vertical Capturing. That will get you photographs and movies in portrait orientation while not having to zoom in or crop your unique picture, as you beforehand needed to.

We first noticed such a gimbal launched by competitor Autel via its Evo Lite and Evo Lite+ drones, however that is the primary time we’ve seen a gimbal able to taking pictures vertically in a DJI drone.

Add-ons to enhance efficiency (together with a candy DJI RC)

The DJI Mini 3 Professional begins at simply $669 if you have already got an present, appropriate controller, or $759 for the model with the usual DJI RC-N1 controller.

However DJI additionally gives a lot of add-on equipment that make your flying a lot better.

DJI RC

Essentially the most standout add-on is the DJI RC — and I wouldn’t fly with out it. This light-weight distant controller has a 5.5-inch built-in touchscreen. For the reason that controller has the DJI Fly app already built-in in it, you don’t must obtain the app to your individual smartphone and pill to hook up with the drone and see what the drone is seeing. Management every part via the DJI RC — no private smartphone wanted.

I’m an enormous fan of this ever since I first skilled the built-in display screen on the controller with the Yuneec Storm H again in 2016. I hate having a third-party system (on this case my Apple iPhone), because it’s yet another variable to fret about. Heck, I might depart my telephone at dwelling and nonetheless fly drones.

Even higher, it’s not likely that costly, and you’ll nonetheless have the DJI Mini 3 Professional with the DJI RC for underneath $1,000. The DJI Mini 3 Professional with DJI RC retails for $909.

DJI Mini 3 Professional Two-Means Charging Hub and DJI 30W USB-C Charger

This fees your Mini 3 Professional Clever Flight Batteries in sequence. In the meantime, the separately-sold DJI 30W USB-C Charger fees an Clever Flight Battery from fully useless to an 100% cost in 64
minutes. The Clever Flight Battery Plus (that’s the heavier battery with 47 minutes of flight to supply) requires 101 minutes to cost.

DJI Mini 3 Professional ND Filters Set

You’ll need these when you usually fly in shiny situations. The filters listed below are ND 16/64/256.

DJI Care Refresh

Whereas not a bodily product, it’s a product of types. DJI Care Refresh is DJI’s prolonged guarantee plan overlaying unintentional harm to your drone, together with flyaway, collisions, and water harm. For a nominal further cost, you may have your broken product changed if an accident happens. This additional plan is out there as a one-year and two-year plan.

Is the DJI Mini 3 Professional value it?

That is the most effective total drone for most individuals. With the Mini 3, it seems like DJI curated the options and specs that most individuals prioritize and merged them collectively. Positive, you’ll make some tradeoffs in selecting this drone over a higher-end Mavic 3 or Matrice. And also you’ll pay greater than you’d for the Mini or Mini 2 — however you’re getting far more superior options than these drones provide.

At nearly $1,000, the Mini 3 is totally value it for each comparatively new drone pilots (I nonetheless advocate practising on an inexpensive toy drone when you’re model new) given how easy it’s to fly, in addition to vacationers, bloggers, vloggers and even many sorts of skilled photographers who don’t want all of the options of the DJI Mavic 3.

How a lot the DJI Mini 3 Professional prices

The bottom mannequin of the DJI Mini 3 Professional prices $759. It contains the DJI RC-N1 (not the upgraded DJI RC) in addition to the usual gear it’s good to fly, like a battery, propellers and charging cords.

In the event you’d fairly have the DJI RC Professional (which I like to recommend), you’ll pay $909.

If in case you have a DJI Mavic Air 2 or Mini 2…

DJI additionally did one thing that I think about fairly beneficiant for its loyal, returning clients. In the event you already personal a DJI RC-N1, you may recycle it, of types.

In the event you at present have a DJI Mavic Air 2, Air 2S or Mavic Mini 2, you possible have already got a DJI RC-N1 controller. In the event you improve to the DJI Mini 3, it can save you cash by holding your previous controller, because the DJI Mini 3 Professional with no distant controller retails for simply $669.

If you’d like extra equipment…

DJI has traditionally provided a Fly Extra Package, that features objects like bonus propellers and batteries, a shoulder bag, and extra. This time round, DJI is providing a number of Fly Extra Kits, that are mainly bundled accent packages. They’re:

The DJI Mini 3 Professional Fly Extra Package ($189): Contains 2 Clever Flight Batteries, 1 TwoWay charging hub, 2 units of propellers, and one shoulder bag.

The DJI Mini 3 Professional Fly Extra Plus Package ($249): Contains 2 Clever Flight Batteries Plus, 1 Two-Means charging
hub, 2 units of propellers, and one shoulder bag.

All different equipment can be offered individually.

The a la carte fashion makes it simpler to select and select what you want. If you have already got a controller however need the brand new Mini 3 Professional, plus spare batteries and a bag, you can pay $669 plus $189 for the Fly Extra Package ($858). If you’d like the DJI Mini 3 Professional with DJI RC, and also you need the flamboyant plus batteries, you’d pay $909 plus $249 ($1,158 whole). That’s not far more than the $999 Air 2S, however wraps loads extra options in a smaller dimension.

Drone Woman’s evaluation of the DJI Mini 3 Professional

I’m completely fanatical about this little drone. The DJI Mavic 3 is a showcase of every part that DJI’s drones can do.

Earlier Mini drones felt like cheaper, entry-level drones. With this, you’re wanting on the first high-end drone present throughout the sub-249 gram DJI Mini collection.

The bottom $759 value level feels extremely approachable for somebody in search of their first high-quality drone, and is even doable for professionals so as to add one other one to the gathering.

No drone packs this many options into such a small dimension — and for a traveler like me, portability is vital. Packing that many specs right into a small UAV is not any straightforward feat — and it feels prefer it ought to price extra. It’s simpler to make one thing massive and heavy. It’s more durable to have all of the options in a smaller drone.

For DJI to ship such a strong drone at underneath $800 is unbelievable. And given how DJI allows you to purchase the drone with out the controller, present Mavic Air 2 or Mini 2 house owners would possibly critically think about upgrading.

The DJI Mini 3 Professional ships this summer season. With most retailers, together with Amazon, pre-ordering means that you can assure your value. It’s set to be launched on June 29, 2022 from most retailers.

Pre-order the DJI Mini 2 beginning at simply $669 (no controller) or $759 with controller now from:

Stick with the Drone Woman for extra Mini 3 Professional content material coming all week!

What do you consider the brand new Mini 3 Professional? Depart your feedback under!

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