DJI’s Mini lineup has a long history of creating drones that don’t require a license, and the new Mini Pro 5 is no different. Okay, it’s slightly different. That ‘Pro’ appended to the end means something. That something is an enhanced camera sensor, the first of its kind on a teeny tiny drone from the company.
The Mini Pro 5 sports a 1in camera sensor, the same size as is found in the company’s Air 3S drone. That one’s a larger unit intended for travel photography. The newest small drone from the Chinese company attempts to compete with its larger sibling by giving pilots 50MP of photography fury to play with.
Driving my Mini Pro 5
DJI is also riding right up to the limit of a consumer-friendly drone. Most regulations, including those in South Africa, require licenses for any flying cameras that weigh more than 250 grams. A sky filled with uncontrolled Mavic drones would be a chaotic place. Similarly, folks on the ground would be showered with shards of splintered plastic regularly. The Mini Pro 5 scoots just under the weight requirement at 249.9 grams. DJI tends to play it safer than this, but that camera sensor must be too good to scale down.
The change provides improved low-light performance for the arial acrobat, as well as 4K video shot at up to 120fps. DJI adds a 2x zoom feature to the Mini Pro 2, letting your precious winged assistant get closer to the action without getting closer to the action. This’ll also happen without any loss in resolution, thanks to the oversized megapixel count.
DJI’s RC-N3 or RC-2 screen controller will ship with the drone at purchase, though we’re uncertain which will be available in South Africa. 36 minutes of battery life per battery, with speedier charging and a 10km range (the American version gets 20km of range to work with), make the Mini Pro 5 more than just a toy. As if the new 1in sensor wasn’t enough of a clue.
Local pricing isn’t known — even the Americans are stumped, but it looks like it’ll start at $740 there — but European costs are out. The DJI Mini Pro 5 will start at around R16,400 (€800), with the Fly More Combo demanding R20,500, and the version with the upgraded RC-2 controller going all the way to R23,100.
