The latest drone from DJI is the Mini 3 Pro: Redefining What a Sub-249g Camera Drone Can Do
DJI describes the DJI Mini 3 Pro, released today, as “the first high-end product of the DJI Mini series.”
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“Mini 3 Pro is one of the most force-efficient consumer drones DJI has ever made, drawing on our years of experience in battery power, aerodynamics, propeller strength and processing to squeeze the best possible performance into a once-unthinkable sub-250 gram airframe,” Communications Manager Curran Daly tells DRONELIFE. “Some of those innovations are visible from the outside, such as the rear vents that funnel propeller air into the shell to cool the processor, the rear-facing obstacle sensors mounted from an unlikely position at the front of the drone, or the gimbal that rotates for true vertical video production. We’re most proud of the close coordination between all those efforts by disparate teams that created a singularly extraordinary drone.”
Designed for high level content creation, the DJI Mini 3 takes the features of a larger drone – including a 30 minute flight time – and puts them in a compact and policy friendly sub-249 gram aircraft. The DJI Mini 3 “delivers advanced features like 4K/60fps video, ActiveTrack, tri-directional obstacle sensing, and 90° gimbal rotation to shoot high-quality vertical imaging for social media…empowers users everywhere to fly mini, create big.”
“DJI developed the Mini series to deliver DJI-quality performance in the lightest, safest weight category. At first, that meant figuring out what to pare away from our existing drones. But as drone users realized how much more they could do with a sub-250 gram drone, our engineers raised their goals from building a lightweight drone to making a lightweight drone rich with features. Our improved technology, creative engineering and legendary innovation have brought us to the current Mini 3 Pro, with amazing performance and a robust product experience in a single small body,” Daly tells DRONELIFE.
Designed with content creators in mind, “The Mini 3 Pro expands the physical possibilities of what users can capture with a consumer drone, allowing creators to expand their creative possibilities as well,” Daly says. “Equipped with a freer tilt angle and 90-degree gimbal rotation for full-sensor native vertical shooting, the Mini 3 Pro unlocks more flying scenarios, more opportunities, and a richer shooting language. Whether posting to traditional horizontal-focused channels or rapidly developing short-form channels that prioritize a vertical format, the Mini 3 Pro’s combination of flight, camera and intelligent systems enables users to showcase their creativity.”
Same size: More built-in features than any other DJI drone of its size: enhanced flight performance, camera system, battery life, and “intelligent features that were previously only available in the Air and Mavic series.”
Designed to Face New Possibilities
From the DJI Press release:
Every new iteration of a DJI product is an opportunity to explore one question: What can be done better? One unmistakable result of this exploration with Mini 3 Pro is a completely new structural design that brings several performance enhancements. The arms and propellers have been adjusted for more aerodynamic flight that increases flight time. This new design also mounts forward and backward dual-vision sensors at the very front of the drone, broadening sensing range for even safer flight. A complete gimbal redesign unlocks more camera angles than ever, enabling movements like tilt-up shots and vertical shooting. With a fresh, new look, DJI Mini 3 Pro truly unlocks more creative possibilities.
Obstacle Sensing for Safer Flight
In a first for the Mini drone series, DJI Mini 3 Pro features Tri-Directional Obstacle Sensing, consisting of forward, backward, and downward visual sensors. The forward and downward sensors have a wider field of view, providing seamless coverage for better route planning and environmental awareness. These sensors also enable Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems (APAS) 4.0, which automatically detects and finds a safer path around obstacles during flight. [1] In addition, these sensors also enable the entire FocusTrack suite, which allows users to select a subject that the drone automatically keeps within the center of the frame during flight while automatically planning a safe flight route. Thanks to its upgraded sensing system, DJI Mini 3 Pro is the first of the Mini lineup to integrate APAS and FocusTrack.
A Camera System for Pro-Quality Content
DJI Mini 3 Pro also brings a completely enhanced imaging system. A 1/1.3-inch CMOS camera sensor has dual native ISO, a capturing technology previously only available on cinema and some micro single cameras. It also has an aperture of f/1.7 and shoots images at up to 48MP and video at up to 4K/60fps. To help capture high-quality easy-to-upload content, the camera rotates 90 degrees for True Vertical Shooting, creating incredible photos and videos in portrait orientation without quality-cutting image zooming and cropping. For the most vivid detail, HDR video recording is available at frame rates up to 30fps. A Normal color profile is available for quick in-app editing, while D-Cinelike allows for more post-editing possibilities. Digital video zoom at up to 2x is available in 4K, 3x in 2.7K, and 4x in Full HD. Among the key pieces of user feedback we’ve applied, DJI Mini 3 Pro also has improved image performance with 2.4μm pixels that capture more image detail, which is especially helpful in low lighting and night.
Extended Battery Life and Transmission Distance
Even though DJI Mini 3 Pro is under 249 grams, it still arrives with extended flight time. At a maximum flight of 34 minutes, Mini 3 Pro can capture more landscapes and destinations on a single charge. To give users more choice, Mini 3 Pro also introduces an extended flight battery option for the first time in DJI drone history. The Intelligent Flight Battery Plus allows for a maximum flight time of 47 minutes, an unprecedented capability for a drone this size. [2] Pairing perfectly with this extended flight time, Mini 3 Pro features the O3 transmission system, which delivers a crisp 1080p live view from a distance as far as 12 km.
Capture Like a Pro with Intelligent Features
The enhancements onboard DJI Mini 3 Pro already make it an excellent flying camera, but that’s not all. A full suite of intelligent capturing modes from DJI’s Air and Mavic series is now available on Mini 3 Pro to let you create like never before. With a single tap, you can do the following:
● FocusTrack Suite
Spotlight 2.0 keeps the subject in frame while you fly manually.
Point of Interest 3.0 circles the subject in a set flight radius and speed. o ActiveTrack 4.0 follows the subject in two selectable ways:
1) Trace: The aircraft tracks the subject at a constant distance
2) Parallel: The aircraft tracks the subject while flying beside it at a constantangle and distance
● QuickShots
o Dronie: Aircraft flies back and up with the camera locked on the subject.
o Helix: Aircraft flies up and spirals around the subject.
o Rocket: Aircraft flies up with the camera facing down.
o Circle: Aircraft circles around the subject.
o Boomerang: Aircraft flies around the subject in an oval path, ascending as it flies away and descending as it returns.
o Asteroid: Aircraft creates a shot that begins as a sphere panorama high above the subject and ends with a normal shot hovering near the subject.
- MasterShots: Keeps the subject in the center of the frame while executing differentmaneuvers in sequence to generate a short cinematic video.
- Hyperlapse: Creates a dynamic timelapse where the aircraft flies on set paths duringcapture.
Stay tuned for a DRONELIFE product review!
Read more about DJI drones:
- DJI Mavic 3 Review: The Swiss Army Knife of Drones
- NEW Drone from DJI! The M30 Enterprise Solution May Just Have Everything (Check Out ALL These Images)
- Aerial Photo and Drone Video Contest! SkyPixel and DJI Call for Entries to SkyPixels 7th Anniversary Aerial Photo and Video Contest
- DJIs Mavic 3 is Here! The Features, Pictures, and More
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.
TWITTER:@spaldingbarker
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