DJI Mini 3 Pro
VerifiedMPN: DJIMINI3PRO15 reviews
I bought my mini 3 pro 3.5 years ago when they were first release and I absolutely love it! The camera works magic on this thing. The footage is faultless for such a small camera. However the obstacle avoidance can only detect objects in front and behind the drone so it definitely helps to have some experience at flying drones because I've seen so… Read more
many people crash there's. The range isn't a good as it suggests but that is definitely not a deal breaker. I've flown 3km away and the reception dropped out. Low and behold. It came right home to me. That's the beauty of these magnificent quadcopters. DJI work to iron out all of the gremlins in these drones. I absolutely love mine!
Absolutely outstanding entry level drone that films in 4k up to 120fps. Outstanding! Show details
Very surprised – Usually I do not have time to leave positive reviews but this one stood out. The drone itself is very good. It has some limitations but I am okay with them. I finally crashed mine after a couple of years of use. Was expecting to either buy a new one or pay a lot to repair. I got a repair quote from DJI $174 which was the first good surprise. Then… Read more
they called me and said they were sending me a new drone instead of the old one. Finally, the whole thing was lighting fast I posted my drone to them on Friday. The next Thursday the new drone already arrived. WOW! Outstanding customer service
Great little toy – It took me a lot of persistence and frustration to get this thing set up. The instructions need a severe talking to. Once set up though, it's awesome. Easy to fly, great quality video and heaps of fun.
Portable traveller – Although the lenses have improved since I bought this gadget I still find it extremely useful for holidays purposes. Nothing better than I good quality drone to remember beaches and amazing sky views. The battery doesn’t last much but forces you to be efficient. You only need a few minutes of footage. Can always buy a second battery if needed. It… Read more
is not waterproof but for the price , you can self track solo surfing, biking, skateboarding and basically anything. It is sensible to windy or rainy days thou.
- +4
Amazing drone for the price – I've had a Mini 3 Pro for nearly a month now (I got the DJI-RC version and added the fly more kit+care refresh) and it's an impressive piece of hardware, it takes fantastic photos and videos (although there was a little tweaking to get it how I wanted it to look) and it's super easy to fly. I previously had a Phantom 3 and love flying but didn't… Read more
use it much due to the cumbersome size and set up, with the Mini 3 Pro, I can be up and flying in minutes and because it's so portable, I take it everywhere with me in case the opportunity strikes - in fact, in one month, I have clocked up nearly double the entire flight time I had on the Phantom 3.
The DJI-RC is also a huge improvement for flying, it's quick to set up and I don't have to worry about calls/messages etc while I'm flying. It also has a bigger, brighter screen than my phone and the extra customisable buttons are great.
Battery life is great, but not quite as advertised - the best I have had is 28 minutes and that's down to 'critical battery' before landing. Still a lot better than my Phantom got and having spare batteries is great.
The range is also fantastic, I have had very few issues with interferance (unlike the Phantom) and on the one occasion I pushed it a bit far, it turned around and started flying home so I feel a lot more confident.
The only, only thing I wish DJI would do (and pretty please DJI, please add this) would be to add waypoint flying to the RC so I can setup and fly the same flights as I would love to create a long term timelapse of some sites around town.
Not sure if I can post a link, but here is a 4K test video i've done to show it off: https://youtu.be/xpqoe34izho
Dud right out of the box – Mini 3 Pro Drone will not turn on after fully charging battery. A dud right out of the box. How disappointing after spending $2000. The hoops you have to jump through to return it and you have to wait 2 business days for a return label for the package. Not good enough. Not for this much money. Very poor and very disappointing. Show details
Extraordinary flyer, but that's it – Flys great but the auto flights are pretty useless except return to home, follow me function. Flies great in fairly strong wind and the camera is also great. But that's it, screws that hold the props on are tiny and they are almost impossible to screw in without cross threading. If you damage it, particularly the camera, you are up for seriously big bucks. Wouldn't buy another.
- +2
Such great technology! – I've been a pilot of rc planes and racing drones for 13 years. Most (especially planes) require a lot of skill to fly. I decided to buy a drone that had a quality camera and was looking at the DJI mini 2 when the mini 3 was released. I had to have it and I do not regret buying it. This bit of tech is just amazing. So many features packed into a… Read more
very little sub 250gm drone. The camera is just unbeatable for an inbuilt camera so this drone is great value for money. Is it a beginner drone? It certainly is but it works to your advantage if you have experience flying drones (this drone is not idiot proof). I've seen a lot of novices crash theirs. I do highly recommend it.
Perfect for beginners – After searching for a beginner's Drone with much anxiety, this little aircraft solved all problems. Photo and film quality are amazing and Dgi have after care insurance for $120 a year ,so if you crash the drone you pay $90. Only bad thing I can say is it's a little expensive. However having said that it certainly lives up to its reputation and with DJI unlimited support this drone is excellent.☺️ Show details
Stop procrastinating. Buy it! – I had a Mini2 and longed for the Air2s with its added features and benefits. But I couldn't justify the extra cost for my flying. Then along came the perfect intermediary drone. The Mini3pro. Sub 250gram, quiet, shoot in portrait mode, 4k60fps video, obstacle avoidance, awesome RC controller and more. Best travel drone on.the market, IMO. Show details
Extraordinary Drone - Does exactly what it says on the tin – I've flown many drones before, but this blows them all out of the water. It's like the Iphone of drones - It just works, and works really well... at everything. I ended up buying the inscreen remote (beautiful piece of hardware) and the flymore kit. I took it up the River Murray for a full work out. Flew it out to a distance of 2kms with no… Read more
issues, flew down tree laden backwaters, and followed houseboats up the Murray river. First time I've ever flown over water. This drone produces a new level of stress free flying. Video quality is great, and by far the most impressive feature I've found is the video stability. It's like watching a professional movie. The pros of this drone are: video stability, Minimal time required to get in the air, Ease of use for amateurs / semi amateurs, inbuilt flying features (preset flying modes), overall software capabilities. Cons are: Can't really think of any. I see this drone as an excellent way to gain confidence in flying beyond visual range and getting images that you could ever only dream of. This drone is my new loyal wingman that will stay right beside me on every trip I do from now on.
Everyone’s ULTIMATE Drone - Go Anywhere Power – Welcome to life at the madhouse, Mr DJI Mini 3! Looking forward to the new member of the family, this household eagerly awaited the delivery of the DJI Mini 3 Pro. Usually we’d throw a big welcoming party… this time, y’know with Covid around and all… we kept the part low-key. Just Uncle Fred and his constant farts (must get him in to see a… Read more
doctor about that)!
JB HI-FI were kind enough to take care of the drone order, but we had to jump on the inter-web and order the fly-more kit direct from DJI themselves. The race was on!! See which bit can make the flight home (literally) first!!
Like nana’s knickers, the Mini 3 Pro flew in first :-) yay! We had the chance to give the drone a very good few days of flying before the fly more kit arrived from overseas. Impressed with freight from JB HI-FI, definitely, likewise the week-and-two direct from DJI for the fly more kit.
First impressions?
Well packed? YES Easy setup? YES Detailed instructions? YOU BETCHA!
Once opened, the family sat around and read the paperwork and instructions like it was Friday Storytime! Glued to every word like watching old re-runs of “The Price is Right” and videos on YouTube as well! There’s a few videos out there, check a few of them out at the bottom of this review, Keithy knows how to show you through the TRICKY stuff!
Getting going was EASY! We enjoyed our reading material and after a handful of days, flying the drone was almost a blindfold task. It became second nature very easily.
It’s easy to take off and lane, and with the safety stuff like obstacle avoidance on the front/back and underneath, it’s safe for those who are beginners, and pro’s alike.
There are a number of special effects the drone can do - too many to mention here. I will say that the follow-me functions are impressive, and the alerts for altitude limits will save getting into trouble. Some cool video options are Master Shots, Focus Track (great to follow you!) and Hyperlapse.
The DJI RC (the remote controller with in-built screen) was added to our package, and it’s very highly recommended here. It eliminates the need to attach a mobile phone every time you go for a flight (which you would with the DJI RC-N1 “standard” remote), and doesn’t really add much size to the whole operational package compared to just the standard remote control. It has an impressive battery life as well. As discovered here, you can put the drone is the air for 7 or 8 good flights before needing to charge the DJI RC.
So it’s easy to fly, it’s safe, it’s light-weight. Surely the DJI Mini 3 PRO has some bad points? Well… yes it does.
The first bug to bear, going for the DJI Care package (essentially like an insurance policy for the drone). It’s a great policy, it allows you to purchase the insurance more than 48hrs after you’ve purchased the drone, and I highly recommend it! BUT!! Recording the video on the RC controller requires a Micro SD card to be placed into the RC controller in order to record the footage for the Care video. If you don’t have an additional SD card, this can be annoyingly painful - I stole our card from the drone just for this video.
THEN!!
You will need to take your SD card and put the footage for the Care video onto a computer (because it couldn’t be just a simple transfer to a mobile phone!!) before sending it off to DJI. It was a full day affair at this household. Much swearing involved. I’ll include a video showing the ordeal!
Also, there are much cheaper and older drones that can do some things that the Mini 3 Pro CAN’T do. For example, my old Parrot Bebop 2 had the ability to pre-plan a route to film. Within that film you can command the drone to perform different functions (such as take a photo in a certain spot), alter heights and generally do some cool stuff before returning to a pre-determined location, all without you having to even put a finger to the controller. The DJI Mini 3 Pro has a function that is similar, but less intuitive than this other drone. It’s a small thing, but for the money you’d expect it to be there.
If there’s something I’ve forgotten, please let me know! I’d rather not bore you with a 5hr novel, instead letting these images and few small videos do some talking.
Enjoy the DJI Mini 3 Pro for what it is - cheap(ish) and well kitted, easy to fly and value for money. You’re bound to fall in love!
HooRoo
Find out how DJI Mini 3 Pro compares to other Drones
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Dji Mini 3 goes pro is a champ with a few shortcomings – I am no pro in drones. The Mini 3 Pro is my first Dji although I have been wanting one for ages. Most recently over Christmas thinking about getting the FPV which costs between $1700 to $3000, but finally gave up. Most seasoned FPV flyers would suggest to anticipate crashes. If I have one, I am pretty sure I will crash it quickly and it will cost… Read more · 2
me. That’s even if I am not concerned about the law associated with flying FPVs.
Prices * Mini 3 pro $1119 with N1 controller ($1299 with RC controller) * Mini 2 is $749 RRP ($634 discounted) * Mini SE / Mavic Mini is $459 ($389 discounted)
Love the Mini 3 Pro... Price has definitely increased substantially with v3, probably because it now in the PRO line-up. But imho, this drone is worth the money if you get the one with the RC controller, instead of the N1 controller. The RC controller version sports a 5.5" 700 nits screen with soft grip, and 4 hours of battery life. It is lightweight with matching grey colour to the Mini 3. It is a real joy to use! While it is $180 more expensive than the N1 version, consider the RC Pro controller is $1529. It has equivalent battery life, 1000 nits brightness and more memory hence you can run apps on it. It is heavier (680g vs 385g) and built tougher. Functionally they are the same. You might think the Mini 3 RC controller a steal.
Unlike the FPV where you must get the FPV controller 2 and then fork out an extra $229 for the innovative motion controller if you prefer that. With the Mini 3 Pro, you can skip the default N1 controller and go straight to the RC controller. Thank you Dji!
Unlike its younger siblings / predecessors which only have downward sensor, the Mini 3 Pro has tri-directional obstacle sensors which cover front, top, bottom and back. It has one more QuickShot program called Asteroid than the Mini 2, which makes 5 programs - dronie, circle, helix, rocket and asteroid. Mini 3 Pro also has active track which works like a dream as long as you understand its limitations (no side obstacle sensor) and flight / tracking behaviour.
As a first time owner of Dji drone, I was very skeptical about whether I will crash this drone, and indeed I have crashed it once so far damaging several propellers. Thank God it does come with 4 spare propellers, a full set contains 8 propellers. This was my greatest concern, especially given it doesn't have any propeller guards. Still, I would say this drone is so very easy to fly, and it is very safe. This is partially because at normal (N) mode, it is really very gentle, pretty slow, compared with for example FPV. Both controller sticks are auto centered, freezing the drone in the air unless you command it to do something.
Unlike land RCs that I am very used to, one doesn't have to start the transmitter before the drone. There is auto take off, auto land, RTH (return to home) and auto bypass, telemetry, obstacle warning, setting to disable flying sideway, etc making it very easy to fly.
Many drones nowadays support 4K 60fps and upto 120fps at lower res, if not immediately, they will soon. Therefore, this is not worth mentioning so much imho. Dji Mini 3, however, is the only drone that can point up 60 degrees and down 90 degrees. Button (C1/C2) can be programmed to return to centre or point vertically down in one click. This is good and bad, the fragile camera / gimbal protrudes from the drone unlike all other Dji drones. A crash is likely to damage it. I have already ordered propeller guards hoping that will provide some protection to the camera, if not the propellers. Camera can also turn from default landscape to portrait (for tiktokers).
Construction feels solid although it is intentionally built light to stay under 250g, if you stay with the standard Intelligent Flight Battery which offers 2453mah capacity, 34mins fly time. Heavier battery, the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus offers 3850mah capacity, 47mins fly time, costs 50% more is favoured by many. However I decided against it, voting my money for the standard battery to save $100 (difference between the fly more combo and fly more combo plus) thinking I won't need 47mins flight time in one go. I have three batteries anyway. Please note the 2-way charger charges in series not in parallel. Sad! Thank God I have a couple of powerful usb-c laptop power bricks so I charge using drone and 3-bank charger at the same time if I am in a hurry. You definitely want a powerful power brick (>>30W) or it will charge very slowly.
Wind resistance / gimbal performance is good. Despite strong wind, video result is rock solid, very stable as though it is mounted on a stationary object. Do watch the RC signal in case of signal drop outs.
Don't love these... I am not sold by not having legs on the arms but resting the drone on its belly. Imho, the propellers are more likely to turn into a lawn mower with the Mini 3 Pro.
The C1 & C2 custom button implementation is awesome but the range of options is very limited. Firmware should be able to fix this. Instead of a list of options to choose from, a more powerful and intuitive way would be this: next to every configuration option, make it assignable to C1 or C2. As a basic user, I don't see why one would need a shortcut button to change resolution, normal vs cine mode, etc mid flight.
The left dial for pointing camera up and down is not intuitive. Rotating clockwise points up, anti-clockwise points down. Better to have a lever (like the control sticks) to flip up or down. Therefore, I use the touch screen method to aim the camera instead.
There is no side / lateral obstacle sensors. The Mini 3 Pro will happily crash sideway. This can happen even when you are not intending to fly sideway. When active tracking in parallel mode or even in trace mode, when you change direction, the drone may fly sideway in order to get behind you and crash in the process. Best to fly in open area and above tree lines. As mentioned, camera is protruding out of the drone. It may not be as tough as other drones as a result. How I crashed mine? I couldn't resist the temptation to play with it indoors. For whatever reason, the Mini 3 Pro decided to drift sideway and couldn't stay still. I have recalibrated compass and IMU since and it is perfectly still now. But I try not to fly it indoors, at least for now since I am really a novice at best.
If you really want a cheap drone, better get the Mini SE or Mavic Mini. At under $400, you can get three of them for one Mini 3 Pro. Flying performance wise, they are not that different, not worth 3x the difference.
A couple of minor quirks such as active tracking not working for portrait mode. There are two unnecessary user interface patterns / paradigms. Swiping down to show setting and swipe down again to enter into configuration mode while there is already ellipsis to enter menu mode. Couldn’t setup be added under the ellipsis?
Mobile phone screen vs RC controller screen If you read my car review, you might think I am a hypocrite. I prefer mobile phone for GPS rather than in-built car GPS. After all, phone screens have better resolution, faster hardware and maps get updated all the time. Car Play definitely made the car infotainment unit much better, just as an emulator. Car unit makes a lot of sense if it is big like an iPad pro size tablet. With controllers - N1 vs RC controller, phone tends to overheat and go dim as a result. Incoming messages, calls, etc interrupts the phone. To me, these distractions are likely to result in a crash.
While I am still very much learning about it, I don't believe you can download from drone to controller, you have to download to phone. And you can't stream from controller to such as youtube. Please correct me if I am wrong. Lastly, the RC controller only works with the Dji Mini 3 Pro, but I expect future firmware to add compatibility with other drone models.
Final word… If the Dji Mini 3 Pro has lateral / side obstacle sensors, I would without hesitation give it 5/5 stars.
With the obstacle sensors and many smarts built into the Mini 3 Pro, it helped me get over my fear of crashing so I finally bought a drone. I absolutely love it so far and hope I don't destroy all the propellers before spares are available or propeller guards.
Here is a great review (not mine) which provides side-by-side feature comparison across the Mini range: https://www.heliguy.com/blogs/posts/dji-mini-3-pro-vs-mini-2-vs-mini-se-vs-mavic-mini
A big drone in a small package – The Mini 3 Pro has exceeded my expectations after being on the fence about buying a drone for years now. I have always been afraid and intimidated by the fragile nature of drones knowing if you crash them, you could have a $1000+ paperweight on your hands. The Mini 3 Pro alleviates many of these concerns with the tri-directional sensors which… Read more
prevent you from crashing into things (in good light).
The range is exceptional and I had no issues with disconnections or concerns about the drone being lost. I highly recommend the RC controller to negate the need of pairing your phone to the drone. The screen is vibrant and responsive, running the DJI Fly app you would on your phone. The quality of the camera is astounding (both images and videos).
At the time of purchase, DJI didn't have the Fly More or Fly More Plus kits available, but I highly recommend you purchase the extra capacity batteries which provide upwards of 46 minutes of fly time. The battery that comes with the Mini 3 Pro keeps the drone under the 250g limit, meaning you don't have to register it or adhere to stricter rules for drones over this weight.
Keep in mind that you will need to replace the rotor blades, probably sooner than you had imagined. In the box, you get some blades, but only four of them. The Fly More kit comes with a lot more. You'll notice little things can damage the blade tips like bugs (or in my case, the patio roof).
Yes, it was expensive, but it's fun. If you are like me and you were too scared to buy a drone, this one is for you.
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