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Is DJI Mini 3 Pro Good for Beginners? (Explained)

9 mins
Drone Blog
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Launched in May 2022, the DJI Mini 3 Pro remains one of the best drones today that weighs under 250 grams and still packs a wide variety of practical and safety features. 

But is the DJI Mini 3 Pro good for beginners?

The DJI Mini 3 Pro is a leading drone a beginner can pick because it falls under more relaxed laws and regulations, has avoidance sensors for safe flying, is very portable, and the simple experience of flying this drone is outstanding compared to other drone models.

Let’s take a look at the many reasons the Mini 3 Pro is a good drone for beginning drone pilots, and also a few reasons you might want to choose another model.

DJI Mini 3 Pro – the leading drone in its class (under 250 grams) #

Soon after the DJI Mini 3 Pro was released in May 2022, another DJI Mini 3 came into the market, but without as many safety features as the DJI Mini 3 Pro.

This being said, the DJI Mini 3 Pro remains, until present, the king drone under the 250-gram mark, with no other drones capable of the same flight time, safety features, or packing such a fantastic camera for photography or filming while remaining under this weight barrier.

Obviously, DJI may release in the future another fantastic mini drone that will replace the DJI Mini 3 Pro with better features and still remain under 250g.

However, we are still talking about 250 grams – why is this number so significant, and why is it best for new pilots?

A sub 250-gram drone may be the best for new pilots #

In most states, countries, and territories worldwide, a drone under 250 grams will fall under different laws and regulations on flying drones. What does this mean?

It means that the laws and regulations are relaxed. For example, in some countries, you are allowed to legally fly a drone under 250 grams in recreational parks, inside a city, closer to people and buildings, and so on.

Moreover, many countries may require little to no legal registration for drones weighing under 250 grams, which makes the DJI Mini 3 Pro very suitable for beginners.

Note: Please always check your own country, state, or territory laws and regulations for drones under 250 grams.

There is one more thing to mention about the DJI Mini 3 Pro before you choose the drone straight away as a beginner: 

Most accessories, including the DJI Intelligent Batteries Plus, will bring your DJI Mini 3 Pro over the 250-gram barrier, making the drone fall under the most common drone categories and laws.

DJI Mini 3 Pro – Take your aerial photography and filming to another level #

The DJI Mini 3 Pro packs a 1/1.3-inch CMOS with a 48-megapixel effective pixel sensor. 

There are no better camera options for a drone under 250 grams at the consumer level.

This means that the photography and filming with DJI Mini 3 Pro are out of reach for similar drones, making it the best in its class when flying in areas you legally cannot do with heavier drones.

But what else do we need to know about the DJI Mini 3 Pro camera, and why is it a massive advantage for a beginner choosing this drone for both aerial photography and filming?

  • The DJI Mini 3 Pro records up to 4k 60fps or FHD 120fps for slow motion.
  • It can photograph to a resolution of up to 48 MP. 
  • Also, it can photograph in RAW (DNG), allowing you to further post-process your aerial images to another level.
  • The camera gimbal has excellent 3-axis stabilization allowing you to record smooth videos.
  • HDR video and photography are both supported.
  • You can record in Cinelink, allowing you to further color grade your videos to yet another level (similar to RAW for photography).

This is only a short list of why, in fact, the DJI Mini 3 Pro is a fantastic drone for a beginner who wants to get started into either aerial photography, aerial filming, YouTube, vlogging, etc.

Why DJI Mini 3 Pro and not DJI Mini 3 for beginners? #

Although the DJI Mini 3 Pro is slightly more expensive than the standard version of the DJI Mini 3, it packs a few extra features, such as a 3-dimensional obstacle sensing system and the ability to use FocusTrack.

Both features are related to the safe use of the drone, where it can easily avoid obstacles – features pretty much needed for a beginner.

The price difference between the DJI Mini 3 Pro and the DJI Mini 3 is too small not to be able to justify the extra features. 

If you are on a budget, indeed, the DJI Mini 3 is a great choice, don’t get me wrong, but on top of safer flying, the DJI Mini 3 Pro has a few more upgrades over the DJI Mini 3, such as:

  • Better video performance – the DJI Mini 3 Pro records at 4k60fps maximum, while the DJI Mini 3 can record up to 4k30fps.

  • DJI Mini 3 Pro video bitrate is 150Mbps, while the DJI Mini 3 has a maximum video bitrate of 100Mbps – thus meaning that the video resulting on DJI Mini 3 Pro is of higher quality.

  • DJI Mini 3, although newer, has the old O2 air unit, whereas the Mini 3 Pro has the newer DJI O3 air unit.

The above list is merely a few reasons why the DJI Mini 3 Pro may be slightly superior and bring you more performance than the DJI Mini 3 for little price difference. 

This is why, for a beginner, I recommend the DJI Mini 3 Pro over the DJI Mini 3. 

DJI Mini 3 Pro with or without accessories? Does it make any difference? #

Yes, the accessories either received by buying a Fly More Combo, the Intelligent Batteries Plus, or any 3rd party accessories can make a significant difference for the DJI Mini 3 Pro, in particular for a beginner, such as:

  • Having three batteries is always better than just one battery when you get the Fly More Combo. You will be able to fly more and not be interrupted by the flight time of a single battery.

  • The DJI RC will always be more suitable to have than the DJI RC N1 – allowing you to control the drone while having an incorporated screen rather than using your mobile phone to see the drone’s live feed.

  • The typical accessories will ultimately improve your DJI Mini 3 Pro flight experience and safe keeping & transporting of the drone.

Please remember that the DJI Intelligent Batteries Plus will always bring your drone beyond the 250-gram mark, so it may fall under different drone or flight categories.

Five more reasons why the DJI Mini 3 Pro is suitable for beginners #

  • Portability is crucial, and you can take the drone with you basically anywhere with no issues.

  • The batteries are lightweight and small in power (2-cell batteries), allowing you to charge them from power banks, a car charger, or a solar-powered battery, making the drone slightly less power-hungry than a Mavic or Inspire drone.

  • It was designed and created with straightforward use in mind, being a beginner-friendly drone.

  • You can keep the drone in the air for even more than half an hour with a single battery charge (depending on factors).

  • It has a level 5 wind resistance drone, allowing you to fly the drone in more windy conditions.

Where and when to use your DJI Mini 3 Pro #

Because the DJI Mini 3 is a drone weighing under 250 grams, in most states and countries, you can use your drone in places where other drones are not allowed to fly, such as closer to buildings, some recreational parks, etc., and even closer to people.

  • Once more, please check your country or state’s drone laws and regulations for under 250-gram drones before even taking off for the first time; fly safe and never put others in danger!

  • Please also ensure you have permission to fly in these spaces where required.

Although the DJI Mini 3 Pro drone is under 250 grams and may fall under different class laws and have various legislations in some states or countries, the pilot is always responsible for the flight.

Now let’s look at when you can fly your DJI Mini 3 Pro.

Because of more than decent camera capabilities, you can also fly at dawn or dusk and capture amazing photographs or videos with little to no image noise.

But what about flying at night?

The drone can fly and has decent night photography, but we do not recommend you do so because of the risks involved.

And please remember that some countries may forbid you to fly any drones at night, and as a beginner, we strongly do not recommend you to do so.

DJI Mini 3 Pro is GOOD for a beginner when #

Let’s summarize why the DJI Mini 3 Pro drone is suitable for a beginner:

  • When you are looking for a small and portable drone to fly.
  • Aiming for safe flights due to the obstacle avoidance sensing system.
  • Need features such as FocusTrack (ActiveTrack, point of interest, etc.).
  • Are you looking for the best performance and quality of any drone at under 250 grams? The DJI Mini 3 Pro packs them all!
  • It would help you fly in spaces where flying a drone above 250 grams would not be possible.
  • You fly with power management in mind (e.g., while camping, with limited charging power).
  • When you need to record at 4k60fps.
  • You are looking for a decent wind-resistant lightweight drone.
  • You need a small, portable drone for YouTube, social media, photography, to grow your channel, etc.
  • A perfect choice to inspect your property with.
  • Choose a long-term capable drone to take on holidays with you.

DJI Mini 3 Pro is NOT GOOD for a beginner when #

There are reasons why the DJI Mini 3 Pro is NOT GOOD for a beginner:

  • You aim for more professional work such as building inspections, agriculture, and many other professional fields.
  • You need to fly at higher altitudes (mountains) or in more aggressive wind conditions.
  • Choosing a budget drone – the DJI Mini 3 Pro is slightly more expensive than other alternatives.
  • Doing professional filming where you can justify the expense of a drone with better camera capabilities than the DJI Mini 3 Pro.
  • When the budget is not an issue, and you are looking for safer methods to fly – such as Mavic 3 has an omnidirectional sensor system and superior avoidance capabilities over the DJI Mini 3 Pro.
  • When you need to go FPV (e.g., DJI FPV, DJI Avata, or custom-built FPV drones).

Conclusion #

For most beginners, the DJI Mini 3 Pro is a perfect choice and is one of the best consumer-friendly drones found on the internet at this time, thus reflecting its popularity.

Therefore, in the end, we recommend the DJI Mini 3 Pro drone both for beginner pilots who want to start flying drones and for more experienced pilots looking for a fantastic drone upgrade.

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