Expert review of the DJI Mini 3

I tested the Fly More Combo with Smart Controller version of the DJI Mini 3. The sturdy storage bag contains the drone, smart controller, batteries, and backup propellers. The camera and gimbal are neatly protected with plastic, so they don't damage when you transport them. I notice right away how small and light the drone is. When it's folded, it fits in the palm of my hand. Despite its small size, it feels sturdy. I do wonder how it performs with strong wind, I imagine it'll blow away.

I tested 2 recording options, 4K resolution with 30 fps and Full HD with 60 fps. Both recording modes provide clear and smooth images. The quality seems mediocre when I watch the images on the Smart Controller, but I can see that the videos are razor-sharp on my laptop. Because of the sharpness, I look the 4K resolution with 30 fps the most. I do notice that the images in Full HD with 60 fps look smoother. The photos I took also look good, but the images look slightly too spherical due to the bulge in the lens. When I edit the images, I can enable lens corrections to straighten out the image and ensure it looks flat.

Thanks to its low 249g weight, you don't need a drone license to fly it. That's why I find this drone suitable for novice drone pilots, like myself. I notice that I have a lot of control when I fly the drone. It brakes fast, which is good when I fly it near a tree. When I release the stick, the drone stops flying right away. This way, I won't fly into anything. The wind was pretty strong when I flied the drone, but my images look smooth. So despite its low weight, I'm not worried the wind will blow it away or into a tree.

Unlike its predecessor the Mini 2, the DJI Mini 3 does have obstacle detection on the bottom. This should make controlling it easier, so I was curious to see how well this works. When I fly the drone, I don't notice much. That makes sense, because there usually aren't many objects flying around below the drone. When I land it, I do find the obstacle detection useful. If I place something under the drone, it won't land there. Instead, it'll fly around the obstacle and land some place without any obstacles. So it only lands where it's safe.

With the QuickShows function, I can easily record cinematic images. This function ensures the drone flies in its own pattern. Thar's useful, because the images sometimes aren't as smooth when I fly the drone myself. I tested Circle, which is where the drone flies in circles around a subject. I select myself as the subject, and the drone does the rest. It flies smoothly, which results in beautiful footage. This function is useful if you want to make unique videos as a novice drone pilot. My favorite QuickShows function is Dronie. This function ensures that the drone flies away from the subject. You can make awesome videos with this, such as from yourself in a nature reserve.