DJI Mini 3 Pro review

With its larger sensor, built-in obstacle avoidance and intelligent flight modes, it packs the performance of larger drones into a compact, convenient package; although while the Mini 3 Pro is suitable for beginners, its price tag lifts it to more serious and exclusive heights.Impressive low-light performanceUseful obstacle avoidanceHandy automated flight modesPricier than previous Mini modelsThe tiny and lightweight DJI Mini 3 Pro takes DJI's popular Mini drone series to new heights. The original DJI Mavic Mini arrived in 2019, and was followed in 2020 by the Mini 2, which upped the video resolution from 2.7K to 4K alongside other improvements; but it's the Mini Pro 3 that really brings the 'wow' factor to the sub-250g Mini series.What’s most impressive about the Mini 3 Pro is that DJI has managed to include a tri-directional obstacle avoidance system inside such a small drone – but that's far from the only improvement over its predecessor. In a nutshell, what you get with the Mini 3 Pro is many of the features and capabilities of higher-spec drones like the DJI Mavic Air 2, in a machine that crucially remains within the sub-250g weight category, which means it doesn't need to be registered in many regions. This is an impressive feat that has so far only been accomplished by the Autel Evo Nano, which we're in the process of reviewing.These welcome new features, along with the new DJI RC Smart Controller that's available in the priciest of this drone's three kits, make the Mini 3 Pro a tempting proposition for aerial content creators. In the US and Australia, you can also buy a DJI Mini 3 Pro Fly More Kit Plus for $249 / AU$359, which includes the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus for a longer, 47-minute flight time.With its folding design and light-gray finish, the Mini 3 Pro has the signature DJI Mavic family looks. But whereas the DJI Mini 2 has sleek, Lamborghini Countach-esque lines like other Mavic models, the Mini 3 Pro is decidedly more rounded.The inclusion of the obstacle sensors and rounded gimbal mounts further add to this more curvaceous look, while additional design tweaks include propellor arms that have been made more aerodynamic, and propellors that are larger than those used by the Mini 2 to help to increase flight times.The gimbal attaches to the drone on both sides of the airframe, which helps support the camera and its larger 1/1.3-inch sensor. This is only around 5g more than the combination of an RC-N1 Controller and a smartphone, and it offers a faster set-up, as you only need to screw in the thumbsticks in order to start flying.When it comes to flight, the Mini 3 Pro offers three modes – Cine, Normal and Sport – which is a DJI staple across most consumer and prosumer models. Overall, we found the controls to be responsive and the connection between the drone and controller was reliable.With every new DJI drone in an existing series there seems to be an improvement in battery and flight performance, and the Mini 3 Pro is no exception.