Is DJI Mini 3 Good for Beginners? (Explained)

Flashing back to one of the newest DJI drones released, the DJI Mini 3 is the drone to tie the knot, to create an astonishing balance between performance, quality and price.

But the question is: Is the DJI Mini 3 good for beginners?

The DJI Mini 3 drone is one of the finest entry-level drones to choose from as a beginner, due to numerous characteristics such as low price, good quality and build, lightweight, and portability with the simplicity of flying in mind.

**Still, it may not be for everyone. **

But why? Why is the DJI Mini 3 a fantastic drone for beginners, and what are the drawbacks?

In this topic, I will cover everything to know about why the DJI Mini 3 may or may not be suitable for you if you are just getting started in flying drones.

DJI Mini 3 – An upgrade from the Mini 2 – is it good for beginners? #

This new release of DJI Mini 3 continued the mini-series with the latest technology found in an entry-level drone but also kept a low price for many new drone pilots.

Some of you may be hesitant to spend too much on a new drone, especially if you are a beginner looking to get started in this hobby, wherever the motivation is.

Maybe you’re looking to get started in aerial photography, inspect your house, or create some cinematic videos. Or maybe you’re looking for the new social media vertical shooting – all these elements could be attributed to DJI Mini 3.

With a new camera sensor, longer battery life, and a series of upgrades from Mini 2, the Mini 3 maintains the average standard pricing as before, a fantastic choice for new hobbyists. 

Does that mean you should choose the DJI Mini 3 as an upgrade to the Mini 2 if you are a beginner?  #

If you already own the DJI Mini 2, I couldn’t justify this upgrade, despite all the new and updated features this drone brings – unless you really want to. 

But as a beginner, choosing the DJI Mini 3 should be undoubtedly considered. However, please keep reading for the plot twist.

Let’s have a look at a few more features and when you should consider the DJI Mini 3 over any other drones.

DJI Mini 3 – A fantastic drone for beginners to get started in aerial photography or filming #

DJI continues improving its camera drones with wider apertures, higher resolutions, larger sensors, and many new features on each drone. 

If we look at a few years back, half of the current camera features and qualities weren’t found even in advanced DJI drones costing many times more than the Mini 3. 

But nowadays, and as we continue to progress with technology, DJI delivers what it promises: quality. 

The camera’s 1/1.3 inch sensor and an aperture of f/1.7 means that you may be able to capture stunning photography or record in low light, with minimum ISO increase and nearly no image noise.

I remember how much I was struggling with my first Mavic Air to take some aerial shots at dawn, and this was just a few years back. However, with DJI Mini 3, you surpass the image quality of many previous drones by large margins.

Getting started as a beginner in aerial photography or filming, whether it is for your YouTube channel, Instagram, and social media photographs, or you’re just looking to capture stunning aerial photographs on your travels, the DJI Mini 3 is the best drone you can buy for a genuinely affordable price.

It’s a sub-250 grams drone – is it right for you? #

When you contemplate how lightweight the DJI Mini 3 is, you may think that DJI gave up quality and performance for portability.

But that’s untrue, as with many mini drones now, we’re looking at little to no sacrifice in terms of flight time or quality to get what we get. But why sub-250? 

Most states or countries around the globe have implemented laws and regulations where in general, a drone weighing less than 250 grams will fall under a less-restrictive category of flying a drone. 

Please always check with your country or state laws and regulations.

However, in this case, DJI continues to focus on under 250-gram drones such as this fantastic DJI Mini 3. 

And if you’re a beginner looking to fly less restrictive (again, depending on your state or country) and for portability, the DJI Mini 3 should be the real deal.

Why DJI Mini 3 and not Mini 3 Pro for a beginner?  #

Nobody says that DJI Mini 3 is not a fantastic choice for a beginner. Or Mini 3 Pro, for that matter. In fact, both drones are on our recommended lists.

However, please keep in mind that the higher the price you go with a drone, the less likely it is for you or any beginner to get started in the hobby.

But if the budget is not an issue, in this case, the Mini 3 Pro will bring you more value than the DJI Mini 3. 

As for now, let’s stick with the DJI Mini 3, where we’re looking mainly to balance the performance, portability, and quality with price. 

DJI Mini 3 versions – which one is better for beginners?  #

When we buy any DJI drones, we have to look at a mixture of combinations we require for our needs, what accessories to buy, and how this reflects on our choices.

For instance, as a beginner, you will do well to choose just the standard version of the DJI Mini 3, with the DJI RC-N1 (standard remote controller) for the lowest price you can get.

As well, we can either choose the DJI RC with the screen incorporated to eliminate the need to use the mobile phone with the DJI Mini 3, or the Fly More Combo. 

If you’re looking to learn to fly drones as a beginner, the Fly More Combo will keep you in the air longer. DJI RC is a fantastic addition for simplicity.

Keep reading this post to help you make an informed decision.

3 more reasons the DJI Mini 3 is good for beginners #

I think we already talked about portability and how lightweight the DJI Mini 3 is, the camera quality and other features, and why it may be a fantastic choice for beginners. But why else? 

Let’s have a look at 3 more reasons why this drone could be excellent for beginners.

1. Flight time #

This drone can fly up to 38 minutes with the standard battery or 51 minutes with the flight battery plus. In reality, we can expect slightly less flight time. However, the mini 3 can stay in the air for a long time. 

2. Long-range transmissions #

Although it doesn’t have the new O3 Air unit, the actual O2 air unit is still a strong choice to give you stable signals over a long range. 

3. Wind resistance #

For its weight, the DJI Mini 3 actually resists better in higher winds (up to 10.7m/s) than previous mini versions.

When you shouldn’t choose DJI Mini 3 as a beginner #

The Mini 3 does not have obstacle avoidance sensors making it slightly unsafe to fly in areas with obstacles around. 

It does not have any other avoidance sensors except the downward vision system for accurate landing. 

This should be the biggest drawback and for you to have a step back and think twice: as a beginner, is DJI Mini 3 good for you?

Now let’s reflect a bit on your experience in flying drones: you are a beginner but have basic knowledge about drones – this shouldn’t be a problem for you to have smooth and good flights and learn as you progress, even without sensors.

But if you are an absolute beginner who has never touched a drone, I recommend you go for the Mini 3 Pro version instead of Mini 3 – just because the obstacle avoidance sensors will make the most difference for you.

There’s one more drawback. It does indeed have the DJI O2 air unit, whereas the Mini 3 Pro has the new DJI O3 air unit. 

Although we can expect some improvements in transmission range, latency, and video quality transmitted, we relate to a new piece of technology vs. an older one.

Where to use the DJI Mini 3  #

For the reasons spoken above, such as the lack of obstacle avoidance sensors, we recommend you to fly the DJI Mini 3 as a beginner only in open zones – it is a fantastic choice to have some stunning landscape photography. 

Also, please avoid flying at night or in low light because you will have difficulties visually observing obstacles. 

If it’s still doubtful whether the DJI Mini 3 is a good choice for a beginner or not, let me summarize this to save you a lot of time and research: 

DJI Mini 3 is GOOD for a beginner when:  #

• You’re looking for a very cheap alternative to flying drones.
• When you want to choose portability and go under 250 grams.
• You’re looking to fly a lot, get started in aerial photography or filmmaking.
• You have some prior experience flying drones or basic knowledge about them.
• When you’re only looking to fly in large open spaces.

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

• You have never flown a drone before – this drone lacks obstacle avoidance, which may be helpful for a beginner.
• If you are specifically looking for the “follow me” smart feature – it lacks for the same reason named above.
• If you want to film 4k at 60 frames per second – the maximum is 30fps.

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