Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Photography
  3. News

DJI Mini 3 Pro unboxing video drops just ahead of launch

Trevor Mogg
By

DJI is expected to unveil the third iteration of its plucky Mini drone on Tuesday, May 10, but a video has already dropped showing in great detail what appears to be the new flying machine and its controller.

The three-minute unboxing video (below) comes courtesy of YouTuber Darren McHardy (via DroneDJ), who recently received the footage from DJI observer Jasper Ellens.

DJI Mini 3 PRO UNBOXED with NEW RC! HUGE LEAK!

While an accidental online listing last month revealed most of the specs for the Mini 3 Pro, Ellens’ video offers a closer look at both the quadcopter and its all-new controller.

Recommended Videos

The updated flying machine features obstacle avoidance sensors for the first time, a real boon for newbie pilots nervous of crashing their drone into a nearby tree within seconds of getting it airborne.

Related

The Mini 3 Pro also offers 4K/60fps video, with 1080p/120fps slow-motion footage also possible. A 4X digital zoom is also part of the package.

Staying with the camera, DJI’s new drone comes with a redesigned gimbal that allows for not only horizontal video, but also vertical, making the machine a more attractive proposition for those who shoot primarily for social media. Incidentally, this particular feature is hinted at in DJI’s ad for Tuesday’s event, which runs with the title: “A twist in the plot.”

Thanks to a more powerful battery, the DJI Mini 3 Pro will be able to stay in the air for up to 34 minutes, a slight increase on the 31 minutes offered by the previous iteration. To fly for longer, you’ll need to purchase DJI’s Intelligent Flight Battery Plus, which will power the drone for 47 minutes.

DJI's new Mini 3 Pro drone, according to a leaked image.
Jasper Ellens

The controller bears many similarities to DJI’s RC Pro device, featuring, for example, a built-in display that means you’ll no longer have to commandeer your smartphone for piloting duties.

Finally, the diminutive drone still weighs under 250 grams, so pilots in the U.S. won’t need to register it with the Federal Aviation Administration.

As for pricing, recent reports suggest the Mini 3 Pro will cost $1,000, about double that of the Mini 2.

DJI introduced the Mavic Mini in 2019, offering a much more capable flying experience than the Spark quadcopter that it replaced.

The company followed up two years later with the Mini 2, which featured a longer flight time of 31 minutes and the ability to shoot 4K footage.

Check back soon to get all the official news on the new Mini 3 Pro.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
DJI may be prepping launch of Cinewhoop-style drone
DJI's rumored Cinewhoop-style drone.

Just days after DJI unveiled its revamped Mini drone in the form of the Mini 3 Pro, news has dropped that the company could be about to release its second FPV (first-person view) drone, only this one looks to be even smaller and designed to fly indoors.

The news comes via two sources with a decent reputation for getting it right with DJI-related rumors.

Read more
Watch DJI’s video featuring Mini 3 Pro drone footage
The DJI Mini 3 Pro in flight over the ocean.

As expected, DJI unveiled the latest iteration of its smallest drone on Tuesday.

With its compact design and abundance of features, DJI’s Mini 3 Pro is an exciting new machine that looks set to attract a new wave of enthusiasts to drone photography -- and may even prompt some folks with larger Mavic machines to switch to the new Mini copter.

Read more
GoPro Hero 10 Black vs DJI Action 2 vs. Insta360 One RS: Clash of the action cameras
The Insta360 One RS with the 360 lens mod, DJI Action 2, and GoPro Hero 10 Black in a snow bank.

Some circumstances call for a camera that can survive whatever the world can throw at it, and for such situations, the clear choice is an action camera. While a DSLR or smartphone may shatter when dropped, or fizzle out and die when dunked in the briny deep, an action camera will endure all but the most extreme catastrophes. GoPro is by far the best known and most established action camera company -- so much so that you most likely identify action cameras as "GoPros."

However, there are more options available to consumers, with DJI and Insta360 throwing their hats in the ring with cameras that rival GoPro for the action camera crown. It’s a shockingly even match, and more a matter of which is right for you than which is best. I've spent the past year extensively testing the GoPro Hero 10 Black, DJI Action 2, and Insta360 One RS so that I can help you pick the ideal action camera.
Usability
With action cameras, an important factor to consider is how easy they are to use in the field. It’s important to be able to start and stop recording quickly and easily in adverse conditions. In this regard, the Hero 10 Black is the clear winner for a couple of reasons. Primarily, that great big record button on top is by far the easiest to find by feel, even with thick ski gloves on. The other two are fine in this regard, but I was never as sure of whether I had actually activated or ended recording with them.

Read more