Over the past seven years, out of all the drones I have used, which one do you think I have the most flight time with? Do you think it’s the DJI Mavic Pro, maybe the DJI Mavic 2 Pro, or how about the DJI Mavic Air? Or the DJI Mini 2? Maybe it’s the DJI Mavic 3 Pro. Take a guess.
Contrary to what this video suggests, it’s not the DJI Mini 3 Pro; it’s actually the Mavic 3 Pro, because that’s what I use for my real estate work. So, that’s where I get the most flight time. But a very close second is the Mini 3 Pro. I use this drone so much for recreational use. I fly it just because it’s so fun to fly.
Get the DJI Mini 3 Pro, Here’s Why!
The DJI Mini 3 Pro drone was released in May 2022, so it’s almost two years old at the making of this video. When it was released, I think it was the drone that really started a new revolution of policy-friendly drones that had professional-level features.
You know, the previous versions of the Mini line were a good start, but ultimately, they left consumers disappointed. Like the Mini 1, and the Mini 2 were really cool because they were so light, but they just didn’t have those professional features. So, DJI listened to their customers and not only gave them what they wanted but added a few bonus capabilities that people didn’t even know they wanted.
So, after two years, is this groundbreaking drone still worth buying today? If you’re buying your very first mini drone, should you get this one, or should you spend just a little bit more and get the DJI Mini 4 Pro? Let’s talk about it.
So, why am I making this video? Well, because I remember the most difficult decision for me as a first-time drone buyer was deciding what was going to give me the best drone for the money I had at the time. Which one was going to give me the most bang for my buck?
I watched at least 30 videos before I finally decided and got the Mavic Pro. And I’m so happy that I did. That drone was so much fun. But hopefully, this information and my opinions that I will share with you today will help you feel comfortable with your purchasing decision as you seek out your very first drone.
Why Would I Recommend the Mini 3 Pro Right Now?
So now, why would I recommend the Mini 3 Pro right now, two years later? I have five primary reasons. There are a lot of reasons, but there are five that I want to mention.
1. The Camera System
First of all, the camera system. It has a 1/1.3-inch Quad Bayer sensor that records 4K 60 video at 150 megabits per second and 48-megapixel photos with dual native ISO. That’s really, really good. And if it sounds familiar, it should, because it’s the same exact camera that’s in the Mini 4 Pro. Two years later, it’s the same camera system, you guys. A camera so good that they didn’t even feel the need to change it.
Now, that being said, the DJI Mini 4 Pro does record in D-Log M 10-bit, unlike the Mini 3 Pro, so that is a little bit of an advantage. But for most users, D-Cinelike is great. It’s really great for people who aren’t used to editing, so you can just make a few minor adjustments, and it looks good. But even the normal color profile on the Mini 3 Pro is beautiful.
2. The DJI Mini 3 Pro has Three-Directional Obstacle Avoidance
Secondly, the Mini 3 Pro has three-directional obstacle avoidance: forwards, backwards, and downwards. I remember how exciting it was to have backward obstacle avoidance on a mini drone. I crashed my original Mini 2 two times while flying backwards, and this really would have saved me. That rear obstacle avoidance…
Now, thankfully, because that drone is so light, it didn’t do any damage. Those two crashes. That is one big benefit of these mini drones is that they weigh less, so if you happen to crash them into something or if they fall, there really isn’t a whole lot of damage.
Now, yes, lateral obstacle avoidance on the Mini 4 Pro provides more security in challenging environments, like if you’re flying around a lot of trees or there are a lot of obstacles. But for most normal flying, doing normal aerial videos and photos, three directions of obstacle avoidance are plenty, and it works very well on the DJI Mini 3 Pro.
3. Focus Tracking on the DJI Mini 3 Pro is Very, Very Good
Thirdly, focus tracking on the Mini 3 Pro is very, very good. It stays locked onto the subject even at speeds up to 22 mph. I drove my truck at 22 mph, and it was able to keep up and keep it locked onto my vehicle.
And also, it can find the subject if it becomes unlocked, you know, due to obstacles like if you walk behind a tree or if your car goes by another couple of cars. It works so, so good. So, if you plan to do any sort of active tracking with your drone, you will be extremely pleased with the Mini 3 Pro.
4. DJI O3 transmission on the Mini 3 Pro
Fourth, the DJI O3 transmission on the Mini 3 Pro is way more stable than most people even need it to be. Now, I know it’s a couple of years old, you know, O3 was so great at the time, but O4 is definitely better now. But it’s still really, really good.
Now, I don’t do range tests on my channel. I’ve watched several other people, however, fly well over 5 km without any trouble at all. I even watched one guy in Mexico; he flew over 10 km, I think he just flew right around 10 km. It just blew my mind. Like, wow, that is so cool. No, need to do that.
For me, this is not of any importance. I’m never going to fly my drone that far away. What I want out of the transmission strength on my drones is a stable connection in challenging environments. Is my controller going to stay connected to my drone all of the time?
And if it does happen to lose connection for some reason, how fast does it regain that connection? That’s what really matters, and the Mini 3 Pro is very good at that. It’s not the best you can get; I’ll admit it, O4 is really good, but O3 transmission strength is great.
5. Noise Factor of Mini Drones
Lastly, the noise factor. You know, having a drone that weighs less than 250 grams is very important these days for many reasons. Being able to fly without registering your drone is very important to a lot of people, not only for regulatory issues but also to stay under the radar, so to speak, when you’re flying in public places.
The disadvantage of most drones this size, these little drones, is the high-pitched noise that they make. The design of the Mini 3 Pro mitigates that issue. This is still one of the quietest drones that you can buy today. And less noise means less attention, and that’s very, very important.
6. Pricing for the DJI Mini 3 Pro
Now, let’s talk about pricing, and this is actually the biggest reason I’m making this video. If you are looking for a sub-250g drone as your very first drone and you don’t want to break the bank, the Mini 3 Pro is the way to go right now.
They’ve had some recent price reductions, and for under $600, you can get the Mini 3 Pro with the RC-N1 controller, the controller that does not have a screen.
Of course, you’re going to have to use your phone as the screen, or get a tablet of some kind, like I’m using the Triple Tech 9 Pro because I love how bright it is. But you can just use your phone, so there’s no extra expense if you have a smartphone; you have a screen for your drone.
Under $600, you guys, you can buy one of the best drones ever released, and it was released at $759 for this version, so that’s a 21% discount.
The RC controller version, the one that comes with the screen, you know, on the drone, that’s discounted the same amount. So this is $729 when this came out; it was $999.
DJI Refurbished Drones
And then, one thing that I want to mention, and most people do not know about this, and they don’t think about this, is the DJI Refurbished Drone Program. Refurbished products, they don’t just have drones refurbished; they have a lot of different products refurbished, and you can buy a refurbished Mini 3 Pro with the RC-N1 controller.
You know, this controller right here, not with the tablet, but just the controller, and a battery, and all the other things, for $479, you guys. That is a ridiculously low price.
And then, the RC version with the screen controller, $585. That’s over 35% off, and that comes with a full manufacturer warranty, that’s a one-year warranty, the same that you get with a brand new drone.
The refurbished plan is so good. They go through the drones, they go through, make sure everything’s working right, they make sure anything, you know, any problems are fixed.
There’s a couple of problems, little problems, okay, with a refurbished drone. There might be a cosmetic issue; there might be a scratch on it, or there might, you might see some wear somewhere or something like that, but the internals are perfect.
The other problem is, when you’re buying refurbished from DJI, they sell out very, very quickly. So if you happen to go on the refurbished site on DJI and you see something that you want that’s listed, and you’re on the fence.
Get off the fence and buy it right away because most likely, you go back tomorrow, it’s not going to be there. Once they are posted, people are looking for those every day, and they’re gone.
So, I’m going to put links in the video description down below, so you can keep coming back, check on that link, or you can just bookmark that link on your computer and just keep checking it every day. If there’s something that you’re looking for and you don’t see it, it might be there the next day.
The other minor issue with buying a refurbished product is that you have 14 days to check it out, see if you like it. If you don’t like it, you can exchange it, but you can only exchange it for another refurbished product.
You cannot exchange a refurbished product for a brand-new product. So, keep that in mind. It is nice that you get those two weeks, but you know, if you want to trade it for something else, it has to be another refurbished product.
Get the DJI Mini 4 Pro instead of the Mini 3 Pro?
Now, finally, let’s talk about why you might want to spend a little more money and get the Mini 4 Pro instead of the Mini 3 Pro. Lateral obstacle avoidance and 360-degree active track, that is one of the coolest things that they have ever brought to a drone. You just trace on the screen where you want the drone to go when it’s tracking. It is so, so cool.
But those are the two most significant reasons to spend a little extra money and get the Mini 4 Pro. If you fly in, or you use active track in challenging environments, those two features make it a much better option for you.
Also, as I mentioned a little bit earlier, the O4 transmission is out of this world stable. It is so, so good. I don’t know how they’re ever going to improve on that. The next step would be, like, 4G or 5G transmission on a drone because O4 is so, so good.
And then, one more thing, and this isn’t really that big of a deal, but if video editing is your thing, 10-bit D-Log M on the DJI Mini 4 Pro gives you a little bit more to work with when you’re producing some aerial videos. It’s going to look a lot nicer; you’re going to be able to color correct and color grade a lot better with that D-Log M rather than D-Cinelike.
But for the average user, especially the first-time user, you’re not even going to notice the difference. That D-Cinelike is really, really good.
So, there’s something to be said about buying the latest and the greatest version of a product, but I think for first-time buyers, the Mini 3 Pro is a purchasing decision that no one is going to be disappointed with.
Whichever of these two feature-rich mini drones that you choose, you will be so happy, and I cannot wait to see how they continue to evolve these small drones.
Like I said, check the video description for links to everything that I talked about today. I’ll keep them updated, you know, if things change, or prices change, or whatever. I’ll just make sure that those links are always updated. Consider becoming a channel member. For as little as $1.99 a month, you can help support this channel. You get a little bonus content.
I’m actually going to start doing live streams for my members, so anybody who’s a channel member, you’re going to have access to my live streams. I’m going to try that this year. I’m not a big live streamer, but I want to try to have more communication with you guys, and I think that’s one of the best ways to do it.
I love watching live streams. I just, I’m not that comfortable doing live streams, so that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to push through it; I’m going to face my fears, and I’m going to do more live streams. So, if you want to see more of those, consider becoming a channel member. I really appreciate that. Hit the thumbs up on your way out of the video today, if I was able to provide you with any information of value.
If you want to watch the most comprehensive review of the 3 Pro on YouTube right now, watch this video right here. It’s mine; it’s got 1.5 million views on it, so just watch it. It’s got everything you need to know about this amazing drone. Thank you so much for watching this entire video today. Have a great day, everyone, and as always, fly safe and fly smart.
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