One of the most compelling aspects of DJI’s Mini 3 drone, a stripped-down version of the Pro model, is the price, which was already fairly reasonable. It usually costs $559, but if you’ve had your eye on the drone, now might be the time to snap it up. The price has dropped to $469, which is $90 off.
The Mini 3 has the same Type 1/1.3 (9.6 x 7.2 mm) f/1.7 sensor as the Mini 3 Pro. While you’ll still be able to take 12MP still photos, video is restricted to 30 frames per second at 4K instead of 60 frames per second at the same resolution on the higher-end model. As for 2.7K and full HD recordings, those are limited to 60fps. Still, there’s a neat trick as the camera can flip 90 degrees to capture vertical video for the likes of TikTok and Snapchat.
DJI says you’ll get up to 38 minutes of flight time in ideal conditions with the foldable Mini 3. It also weighs less than 249 grams, which means you won’t need to secure a dedicated permit to fly it in certain territories (it’s always worth checking local drone regulations before buying one, though). Despite the small size, DJI claims the Mini 3 is resistant to winds of 38 KPH (23.6 miles per hour).
An automated video feature called QuickShots sees the drone fly automatically on certain paths, such as moving around a subject. There are some features that could come in handy for novice flyers, such as automatic takeoff and functions that bring the drone back to its departure point in certain circumstances, such as when the battery is running low or the signal cuts out. On the downside, unlike on the Mini 3 Pro, there are no forward and rear obstacle detection sensors, which could particularly become an issue when the return to home function is engaged when the drone’s out of your line of sight.
For those who’d prefer to take charge of the Mini 3 with a controller that has a built-in 5.5-inch screen (rather than the regular RC-N1 one that you’d likely have to use in combination with your smartphone), it’s worth noting that the RC model is on sale as well. That version is also $90 off at $609.
Meanwhile, bundles with two additional Intelligent Flight Batteries, a two-way charging hub and a shoulder bag have been discounted. The Fly More Combo for the Mini 3 with the RC-N1 controller has dropped from $718 to $758. The bundle with the RC controller is down from $858 to $798.
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