New Product Discussion

1. Real weight may exceed 250 g

Although marketed as a 249.9 g drone, many units can be slightly heavier due to manufacturing tolerance.
This matters because crossing 250 g puts the drone into a stricter legal category in many countries (EU, UK, USA).
For a “Mini”—this is a major letdown.

2. Still fragile compared to larger DJI drones

To keep the weight low, DJI uses thin arms, light plastics and a compact gimbal.
In real-world crashes or even minor bumps, the drone can break more easily compared to larger models like the Air or Mavic series.

3. Not very stable in strong wind

Because it’s small and lightweight, the Mini 5 Pro struggles more in windy conditions:

noticeable micro-vibrations in video

drifting in gusts

reduced flight time when fighting wind

Good for calm days, not great for rough weather.

4. Real battery life is weaker than advertised

The advertised ~36 minutes is under perfect lab conditions.
Most real-world users see 20–25 minutes when filming in 4K, using tracking, or flying in wind.

5. “Pro” features still limited

Even with improvements, some features fall short of what experienced pilots expect:

obstacle avoidance isn’t perfect in dense trees or low light

tracking can lose subjects during fast or complex movements

vertical video mode is nice, but the gimbal still has limits compared to bigger drones

6. Camera quality has tradeoffs

Although good for its class, users report:

softness at the edges of the frame

inconsistent focus on close subjects

strong background blur due to the f/1.8 lens, sometimes undesired

50MP mode doesn’t always bring real detail improvement

7. Price is high for a “Mini”

The Mini 5 Pro is significantly more expensive than older Mini models.
For that price, some pilots expect:

stronger build

more stable flight

more professional camera behavior
But the drone still has “Mini-class” limitations.

8. European category limitations

In the EU, it should qualify as a C0 (sub-250 g) drone.
But:

adding accessories

using heavier batteries (if available)

or any weight increase
can move it into a higher category with stricter rules.

This frustrates many European pilots.

Here are the six major highlights of the newDJI Air 3S
1″ CMOS Primary Camera
The primary camera of DJI Air 3S integrates a 50MP 1-inch CMOS sensor, supporting 4K/60fps HDR and 4K/120fps video recordingas well as 10-bit D-Log M color mode. This large sensor, enhanced by advanced image-processing technology and intelligent algorithms, preserves even minute details in low-light conditions such as sunsets and nightscapes, delivering shots that are simply, effortlessly breathtaking.

Dual-Camera 4K/60fps HDR Video & 14 Stops of Dynamic Range
DJI Air 3S features a dual-camera system consisting of a 1-inch-CMOS primary camera and a 1/1.3-inch-CMOS medium tele camera. The primary camera features a larger CMOS sensor and a 24mm lens, making it ideal for capturing expansive landscapes with enhanced clarity and a wide field of view. The 70mm medium tele camera excels at portrait and vehicle shots, offering compressed depth of field to highlight any subject with a bolder, more cinematic look.

Free Panorama, Seamless and Detailed
Both the primary camera and medium tele camera of DJI Air 3S offer Free panorama mode, letting you create seamless panoramic shots by stitching together multiple images with a manually selected subject or area. The wide-angle camera offers a broader FOV, boosting efficiency when capturing panorama photos. The medium tele camera significantly reduces image distortion, crafting your masterpieces into expansive shots with a wide perspective from multiple photos and rich details captured through its focal length advantages.

Nightscape Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing
DJI Air 3S supports the Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems (APAS). Additionally, as the first DJI drone to feature forward-facing LiDAR, Air 3S also features a downward infrared time-of-flight (ToF) sensor and six vision sensors (two at the front, rear, and bottom) to achieve nightscape omnidirectional obstacle sensing. This feature enables the drone to automatically identify and circumvent obstacles, such as buildings, during its flight and return paths, ensuring robust safety for nighttime photography.

Next-Gen Smart RTH With Enhanced Precision
Powered by real-time vision positioning and map construction technologies, DJI Air 3S memorizes flight paths when adequate lighting is available. This ensures a safe return even when taking off from locations without satellite signals, such as balconies.
With forward-facing LiDAR, DJI Air 3S can detect obstacles such as high-rise buildings and navigate upwards around them, even in low-light conditions, ensuring safer returns at night.

45-Min Flight Time, 20km Video Transmission
With up to 45 minutes of flight time, Air 3S gives you enough time to scout locations, compose, nail your shots, and do it all over again and again.