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DJI Mini 3 Pro: Jack-of-all-trades, master of… most
Alex Hughes tries out DJI’s newest do-it-all drone and finds it’s light, easy-to-use, full of features and… hard to criticise
DJI’s new Mini 3 Pro drone can fly at speeds of 56km/h (35mph), reach heights of up to 500m (1,640 feet) and distances of around 24km (15 miles). These are some daunting specs for someone like me who has never touched a drone before, and yet DJI promises the Mini 3 Pro delivers an experience that even a complete beginner can enjoy.
In many ways, DJI has tried to develop a Jack-of-all-trades drone – one that’s simple enough for a novice pilot to quickly learn to fly, but that also packs in a Pandora’s box of advanced features for more experienced users.
But in a Venn diagram with drone newbies on one side and expert aerial photographers on the other, does the DJI Mini 3 Pro sit snugly in the central sweet spot, or does its attempt to please everyone end up leaving nobody fully satisfied?
SETTING UP AND LEARNING THE CONTROLS
Setting up is surprisingly simple. There’s just the drone, batteries and a charger.
Depending on which version is purchased, there’s also a controller with a built-in screen, or one with a mount for a smartphone.
I tested the model with the built-in screen.
Folded up, the drone is about 145 x 90 x 62mm, so it can sit comfortably on your hand. And even with the propellers unfolded, it doesn’t get much bigger.
Another big selling point is the drone’s weight, or rather lack of it, coming in at less than 249g (about the weight of a large hamster).
The controller offers a lot of information, and its display shows you what the drone’s camera sees. It also gives you the ability to play with different settings, like highlighting a target to track, or switching between filming modes.
On the left-hand side of the screen, a map shows you the drone’s location, and on the right-hand side are all of the video and photography controls. These offer different aperture and zoom adjustments, as well as portrait and landscape modes.
THE FLYING EXPERIENCE
Getting the drone up into the air and landing it is as simple as pressing a button. Pushing the button lifts the drone to waist-height and you take control from there. The same button is used to land it too.
The left analogue stick controls the drone’s height and rotation, making it go up, down and spin. The right analogue stick makes it go forward, back, left and right.
Simple on their own, but it’s a much bigger challenge to make them work together!
Those who don’t have enough flying experience to pull off backflips and sharp turns are saved by the obstacle avoidance sensors in the drone. Get too close to an object and the Mini 3 Pro will autocorrect to save itself from a painful, expensive crash. That’s a relief, as the drone has a price tag that starts at £709.
DJI provides further automation in the form of manoeuvres known as ‘Quickshots’.
Quickshots can shoot the drone up like a rocket while focusing on a target, or make it circle someone it’s filming, or get it to pull backwards from an object or person, along with other clever tricks.
There is also a mode called ‘FocusTrack’, which keeps the camera trained on a particular target that you select while the drone flies around and follows it. This is perfect for following someone as they run, drive, cycle or generally move at a pace that might be hard for inexperienced flyers to keep up with.
For more accomplished drone pilots, there are advanced settings. DJI offers three modes with the Mini 3 Pro: cine mode (slow), normal, and sport (fast). While cine mode allows you to slowly track what you’re filming, and will be best for most situations, those with rather more flying experience (and a lack of fear) can crank it up to sport mode.
Keep in mind that in sport mode, the drone disables obstacle avoidance, so it requires precise flying skills. There’s also a manual mode for imaging that gives you options to control shutter speed, ISO and white balance – all useful features for more advanced filmmakers.
BECOMING AN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHER
Despite its smaller and more portable design compared to DJI’s other drones, the Mini 3 Pro still produces excellent images and videos. When recording video, it can achieve 4K footage at 30 frames per second (fps). However, it can go all the way up to 120fps, with a reduction in the quality as the frame rate increases.
When it comes to still images, the Mini 3 Pro features a 12.1-megapixel (MP) sensor, able to take 48MP photos. In most scenarios, especially large scenic shots, the image quality is really impressive. Whether you’re shooting stills or video, the camera captures the real-world well, accurately displaying colours and the level of light. On sunny days, it can struggle with minor details, along with overexposure, though.
RATING: ★★★★★
PROS:
• Lightweight
• Easy-to-use
• Takes excellent photos and videos
• Full of advanced and clever features
CONS:
• Quite expensive
• Very fragile
VERDICT
For anyone in the market for a new drone, the DJI Mini 3 Pro is hard to ignore.
Yes, there are cheaper alternatives out there, as well as sturdier, feature-rich drones. But the Mini 3 Pro sits perfectly in the middle of those options.
For beginners, this device offers a simple operating system with which to gain drone experience. When you’re ready for a challenge, there is a treasure trove of more sophisticated settings to explore.
But there is plenty to satisfy those with more advanced drone knowledge. The lightweight nature of the Mini 3 Pro is one of its big selling points. Plus, DJI has crammed the device full of professional filming features, for those who want to get creative with their drone photography.
3 ALTERNATIVE DRONES
FOR DAREDEVIL PILOTS… DJI FPV
While the DJI Mini 3 Pro is lightweight and speedy, it isn’t the fastest or most nimble drone out there. First person view (FPV) drones use headsets so the pilot can see what the drone sees. With the DJI FPV (above), you can perform loops, dives, sharp turns and generally move about in a way you can’t with other drones. While flying the thing takes a higher level of skill, the result is impressive, with the drone capable of darting around obstacles.
£1,249, dji.com
FOR PILOTS ON A BUDGET… RYZE TELLO
If you just want an affordable starter drone, the Ryze Tello is a great choice. It only costs £99 and weighs just 80g. It can only fly for 13 minutes, and is limited to 720p video quality. It also lacks the same level of features and protections that DJI’s more premium drones get.
£99, ryzerobotics.com
FOR PILOTS WITH CASH TO SPLASH… DJI MAVIC 3
If you want all the functionality and features you can get, consider the DJI Mavic 3. It’s DJI’s most powerful drone and has a dual-camera system that can record in 5.1K, or up to 200fps at a lower quality, and can fly for as long as 46 minutes. It’s easily the best drone for filmmakers, but it’s pricey and heavy (895g).
£1,729, dji.com