DJI has now officially launched its latest drone, the Mini 3 Pro.
The company’s thunder was stolen by mistake: just like Best Buy has done in the past, UK retailer Argos slipped up and published listings for the Mini 3 Pro on April 29 – the original date the drone was supposed to have been announced. DJI delayed the launch, but Argos clearly wasn’t paying attention.
Anyway, it meant that the world knew what was coming before DJI took the wraps off at its “A Twist in the Plot” event on 10 May.
A Twist in the Plot | May 10, 2022 | 09:00 EDT
Discover more: https://t.co/HaT3XbmpGm pic.twitter.com/6D0tOJ4AFA
— DJI (@DJIGlobal) May 5, 2022
When is the DJI Mini 3 Pro release date?
You can pre-order a Mini 3 Pro right now, but the drone goes on sale from 17 May. As well as being available to buy from DJI’s website, you’ll also be able to purchase one from other retailers.
How much does the DJI Mini 3 Pro cost?
Until now, the Mini has been DJI’s hobby drone: an affordable flying camera for those who want more spectacular photos and videos from their holidays and other special occasions.
So far, there have been two generations (three if you count the Mini SE, which is based on the original Mini). The Mini 3 Pro takes things in a new direction, no longer being a budget, entry-level drone.
The Mini 3 Pro costs from £639 / US$669. That’s just for the drone itself, but if you need a remote controller with it, the version with the DJI RC-N1 costs £709 / $759. There’s also the option of buying the drone with the new DJI RC (see below), which costs £859 / $909.
Here are a few places you can buy the Mini 3 Pro:
These prices might come as a surprise to Mini and Mini 2 owners waiting for an upgrade as it is a huge increase in price (but you’ll see why when you look at its specs and features). Unusually, DJI is selling the Fly More bundle separately from the drone instead of the tradition of having the drone included in the Fly More kit.
That means the bundle looks cheap at £159 (around $189), but it includes only the shoulder bag, two batteries, a charger for three batteries and two sets of extra propellers.
For comparison, the Mini 2 cost £419/US$449/AU$749 when it launched, and the Mini SE added a true entry-level option at £269/$299/$459.
What are the DJI Mini 3 Pro’s specs?
Before getting to the drone itself, it’s important to note that the high cost of the flagship Mini 3 Pro bundle is partly down to the inclusion of a new remote controller that has a built-in screen.
However, adding extra features and upgrading the camera have pushed up the price of the Mini 3 Pro, too. The key addition is – for the first time on a Mini – sensors for obstacle avoidance but there’s also a redesigned gimbal and a better camera which can shoot 4K60 (previously Mini owners were limited to 4K30).
The Mini 3 Pro has forward, backward, and downward ‘dual-vision’ sensors. The camera has a 1/1.3-inch sensor with dual native ISO and supports HDR footage. It’s also possible to take 48MP RAW photos and cinematic 1080p/120fps slow-motion video.
The gimbal has a new trick: the ability to rotate the camera to portrait orientation. This is ideal for TikTok and other social media that predominantly features video shot in portrait.
Importantly, the takeoff weight is still under 250g, which means that you’re much less restricted in how and where you can fly it in many countries compared to heavier drones.
As well as the standard battery which gives you up to 34 minutes’ flying time there’s also a high-capacity option offering even more time, up to 47 minutes. However, this won’t be sold in Europe, and being heavier, takes the Mini 3 Pro over the 250g threshold for takeoff weight and puts into a different class.
The new design is more aerodynamic, and the rear-facing sensors are mounted at the front of the drone. The front arms rotate through 180ׄ°, while the rear fold out horizontally – the opposite to previous Mini designs.
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