DJI Mini 3 is an affordable combination of the two best compact drones out there

The rumored DJI Mini 3 has officially taken to the air — and this compact drone could be the new perfect home for beginners looking for their first flying camera.

The Mini 3 is a combination of the more expensive DJI Mini 3 Pro and the older DJI Mini 2, which the drone maker says will remain on sale for now. And like those drones, its weight of less than 250 grams makes it exempt from drone regulations in many regions.

So what is missing from the Mini 3 Pro? The two main features the Mini 3 lacks compared to this model are obstacle avoidance sensors (for detecting objects in front of and behind the drone) and OcuSync 3.0 connectivity.

Instead, the Mini 3 uses DJI’s older O2 video transmission, which means the drone’s maximum range and the reliability of its connection to your controller will be slightly less than that of its more expensive sibling. While the Mini 3 has the same 1/1.3-inch sensor as the Mini 3 Pro, it’s also not capable of shooting 4K/60p video (it tops out at 4K/30p), and has a bit rate of just under 100Mbps.

However, for most fledgling pilots, these missing features will be minor annoyances rather than deal breakers. The DJI Mini 3 is, otherwise, a big step up from the Mini 2, thanks to its larger sensor, vertical video feeds, longer flight time of 38 minutes and compatibility with DJI’s new RC controller.

Unfortunately, these improvements mean that the Mini 3 is also slightly more expensive than the Mini 2.

Price-wise, it sits almost exactly between the Mini 3 Pro and Mini 2, starting at $469 / £439 / AU$699 (for drone only without a controller) and going up to $699 / £669 / AU$1,019 To bundle with the DJI RC controller, which has a built-in screen which means you don’t need to use your smartphone to get an on-board view of the drone.

DJI Mini 3 price and release date

The DJI Mini 3 isn’t quite as affordable as the Mini 2 when it landed in 2020. For example, a bundle of the Mini 3 with DJI’s RC-N1 controller (the device with a mount for your smartphone) costs $100 / £100 / £80 Australian dollars more than the Mini 2’s equivalent package, likely due to a combination of inflation and the Mini 3’s improved features.

However, the Mini 2 will still be on sale (for now) if you want a more affordable drone, and the Mini 3 is still much cheaper than the premium Mini 3 Pro – buy both drones with a DJI RC controller (which is what we would recommend do it, if you can), and the Mini 3 runs $210 / £190 / AU $280 cheaper.

DJI has also brought back its “Fly More Combo” bundles for the Mini 3. These bundles include handy extras like two smart flight batteries, spare propellers, a charging hub, and a shoulder bag. On the Mini 3 Pro, the “Fly More Pro” option was an extra, but you can buy the Mini 3, the controller, and those extra accessories together for less than you can buy them separately.

The Mini 3 Fly More Combo costs $718 / £678, while those in Australia instead get the Fly More Combo Plus package (AU$1,118), which includes a battery that promises up to 51 minutes of flight time . If you’re feeling particularly flush and want the ultimate Mini 3 bundle, you can also get the Fly More Combo bundle with DJI RC controller for $858 / £828 (or AU$1,378 for the equivalent Fly More Combo Plus bundle).

Analysis: DJI’s new sweet spot?

The DJI Mini 3’s thunder was somewhat stolen by the arrival of the Mini 3 Pro in May. This drone debuted most of the Mini 3’s most impressive features, including a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor and a bright f/1.7 lens, which you can flip 90 degrees to shoot high-quality vertical videos.

But even though it looks like a stripped-down Mini 3 Pro, the Mini 3 is a nice upgrade over the Mini 2. We were impressed with our camera module in our DJI Mini 3 Pro review, saying that “ISO handling is, without a doubt, excellent.” .

In theory, the Mini 3’s camera should offer similar performance to its more expensive sibling, though it lacks a 4K/60p mode and has a lower video bitrate of 100Mbps compared to the Mini 3 Pro’s 150Mbps. Its flight time of 38 minutes is actually slightly longer than that of its sister.

It’s a shame that some of DJI’s automated shooting modes, such as Timelapse, Asteroid, and MasterShots, are missing on the Mini 3, which creates a slight sense of deliberate throttling of features by DJI to create separation between the drone lines. Meanwhile, the lack of an OcuSync 3.0 transmission means its maximum range is 10km, instead of 12km.

But overall, the Mini 3 is shaping up to be an excellent drone for its price. And if it’s still too pricey for you, we’ve recently seen some good discounts on the Mini 2 that make it a good entry-level alternative.