Subsequent up in our “Ask Drone Lady” collection is in regards to the DJI Mini 3 Professional vs Mini 4 Professional pricing, in addition to probably exchanging the Mini 3 in favor of a greater drone. When you’ve got a query for Drone Lady, contact her right here.
I used to be generously gifted a DJI Mini 3. It was simply the bottom equipment with the common controller, the drone, and one battery, and so on, and it value lower than $400.
My concern: with out impediment sensors, am I setting myself as much as fail?
I can alternate it (and pay the distinction) for a DJI Professional 3 Bundle, which comes with 3 batteries, the usual controller, and DJI’s charging hub, and MicroSD card for $700 on sale. Is it value it? Is it an excessive amount of for an entry drone?
Additionally confounding me additional is that the Mini 4 Professional has been out now for 3 months but is priced equally to the Mini 3 Professional.
I’d significantly admire any perception and proposals, as I’m at my wits finish after studying so many evaluations and watching take a look at movies.
Ah ha! The Christmas and Black Friday 2023 drone gross sales had been good this 12 months, and it seems like Santa received you a Mini 3 at an ideal worth. In any case, the DJI Mini 3 is normally $469 with the RC-N1 distant controller with out display. Since you bought it for lower than $400, that’s nice!
However it sounds such as you’re second-guessing this deal — and for good motive.
Now you’ve laid out tons of excellent questions right here, and I’ll deal with them so as. However earlier than I do, I’ll level you to 2 nice guides:
DJI Mini 3 vs. Mini 4 Professional vs. Mini 3 Professional: how to decide on
It actually looks as if you’re debating between the next three drones, the DJI Mini 4 Professional, Mini 3 Professional and Mini 3. So let me lay out a fast comparability desk right here:
| DJI Mini 4 Professional | DJI Mini 3 Professional | DJI Mini 3 | |
| $759 | $759 | $469 (or $379 with no RC) | |
| Takeoff Weight | 249g | 249g | 249g |
| Large Angle Digital camera | 1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 MP, 24mm, f1.7 | 1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 MP, 24mm, f1.7 | 1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 MP, 24mm, f1.7 |
| Video Decision | 4K/100fps | 4K/60fps | 4K/30fps |
| Transmission System | O4 | O3 | O2 |
| Max Transmission Distance | 20 km | 12 km | 10 km |
| Impediment Avoidance Tech | APAS 5.0 | APAS 4.0 | N/A |
| Impediment Sensors | Omnidirectional Impediment Sensing | Tri-Directional Obstance Sensing | Downward Imaginative and prescient Sensing |
| Max Flight Time (normal battery) | 34 minutes | 34 minutes | 38 minutes |
| Max Battle Time (Clever battery) | 45 minutes | 47 minutes | 51 minutes |
The questions you name out particularly are tremendous fascinating although, so let’s dive in individually.
How necessary are impediment sensors?
The Mini doesn’t have any form of impediment avoidance sensor. It merely has a downward imaginative and prescient sensing system, which actually solely aids with touchdown. For a $469 drone (or sub-$400 in your case), that’s to be anticipated.
The 2 “Professional” variations, the Mini 3 Professional and Mini 4 Professional, are superior on this division.
The Mini 3 Professional’s tri-Directional Impediment Sensing offers ahead, backward, and downward imaginative and prescient. Do you have to fly straight towards a tree, it’ll merely cease and hover in place.
The Mini 4 Professional does one higher with Omnidirectional Impediment Sensing. Now it could possibly see even past these factors with none blindspots, making it actually crash proof.
The largest choice you’re dealing with right here is the significance of impediment sensing. Is impediment sensing value the additional $300? Alas, that is actually a private query based mostly on how impactful $300 is to you — and the way risk-averse you might be.
Now to be clear, the Mini 4 Professional’s impediment sensing is way superior to the Mini 3 Professional’s. On condition that, let’s simply rule out the Mini 3 Professional as an choice. Your actual consideration right here is between the Mini 3 vs. Mini 4 Professional.
If $300 gained’t make a dent in your finances, then go for the Mini 4 Professional. Contemplate it the last word insurance coverage coverage in defending your drone from ending up in your neighbor’s tree.
However simply as folks decide out of insurance coverage for monetary causes, you may decide out of the Mini 4 Professional and keep on with the Mini 3. How seemingly is it that you’d crash right into a tree? When you’re regularly flying in forests, then it feels extra seemingly than if you happen to’re primarily flying over open fields or water.
Contemplate it this manner: you might purchase a second Mini 3 for not way more than the value of 1 Mini 4 Professional. Alas, I like to recommend you begin your drone journey on a low-cost, toy drone simply to grasp what sort of pilot you might be.
Is the DJI Mini 3 Professional entry-level drone?
Apart from my advice that you simply at all times simply begin on a toy drone to get the hold of flying earlier than you set many tons of of {dollars} within the air, the DJI Mini 3 Professional is a superb entry-level drone.
The picture high quality is superb. You’ll need to use it time and again to take photographs that you may then showcase to your buddies by way of social media or bodily prints. It’s easy to arrange, and it’s protected and stress-free to fly. (It’s actually one of many best attainable drones to fly).
It’s additionally extremely small and light-weight, which is nice for portability. And that’s not the one good motive. As a result of it weighs simply 249 grams, it doesn’t fall underneath the purview of the Federal Aviation Administration while you fly it for passion functions. Yep, meaning no must register, nor do it’s good to adjust to difficult Distant ID guidelines. It’s true. Drones underneath 250 grams are a giant deal.
In contrast to vehicles, the place you’d by no means put a first-time driver in a BMW (begin them off with the outdated, beat-up Toyota Corolla), the costlier drones are usually far simpler and safer to fly versus a budget ones. (The automotive analogy doesn’t kick in till you begin to deal with the $1,000+ drones with enterprise features. We’re not speaking about these right here.) Don’t be afraid to be a brand new pilot with a Mini 3 Professional in your fingers.
Why does the Mini 3 Professional value the identical because the Mini 4 Professional?
You talked about being confused how the Mini 4 Professional has been out now for 3 months but is priced equally to the Mini 3 Professional. I’m confused too.
The Mini 4 Professional is best than the Mini 3 Professional by each metric. When the Mini 4 Professional launched in March 2023, we wrongly predicted that the Mini 3 Professional would shortly drop in worth. But months later, it hasn’t (on DJI’s web site, each go for $759 with the bottom mannequin controller).
The 4 has upgraded digicam capabilities and clever options. It’s simpler to make use of and extra secure. Each the battery and vary are extra highly effective.
In brief, my complete spiel above in regards to the DJI Mini 3 Professional being entry-level drone is true. However, it’s much more relevant to the Mini 4 Professional.
When you’re already enthusiastic about upgrading your Mini 3 to the Mini 3 Professional, go all the way in which and simply improve your Mini 3 to the Mini 4 Professional.
The one motive you may go for the Mini 3 Professional is that if you’ll find it on sale (which it seems like you’ve got) via third-party sellers. If you’ll find it for, say, $100 much less, then the Mini 3 Professional all of the sudden does turn out to be extra interesting than the Mini 4 Professional.
Buy the DJI Mini 4 Professional now from:
Buy the DJI Mini 3 now from:
How would you examine the DJI Mini 3 vs. Mini 4 Professional drones, particularly given the associated fee? Share your ideas under!
