Mom, Can I Have An Air 3S? No, We Have A Mini 5 Pro At Home

Amazon DEALS: DJI Mini 4K now $249 (-17%) and DJI Osmo Action 4 drops to $249!

A September 2025 leak-fest made this the most spilled drone in DJI’s history, but nobody blabbed about its 225-degree gimbal rotation. That’s right—this pint-sized rebel borrowed the fancy moves from its rich uncle, the Mavic 4 Pro, leaving those $4,000 (plus taxes) buyers clutching their wallets in despair. Now, us budget flyers can nail those jaw-dropping turning shots for a quarter of the price. Take that, fat-cat Mavic owners! We’re unpacking why this Mini 5 Pro is wilder than a drone dodging a flock of seagulls, how it vibes with our DJI pilot squad, and why it’s a total game-changer!

Quality and Price? There you go
Photo credit: DJI

Gimbal Goals and Camera Swagger

Let’s talk that 225-degree gimbal—spinning smoother than a breakdancer at a rave, it’s a gift from the Mavic 4 Pro’s playbook. For us vertical video junkies, the Mini 5 Pro is the real MVP. It matches the Air 3S’s sensor size, pumps out 4K/60fps for those TikTok bangers, and laughs in the face of the Air 3S’s measly 2.7K vertical limit. Sorry, Air 3S, you tried! Plus, the Mini 5 Pro struts in with LiDAR sensors (yep, it’s got laser eyes), D-LOG M for that cinematic flex, and a 55-minute flight time under ideal conditions. That’s enough juice to film your dog’s entire fetch session and still have time to chase a sunset!

But wait, there’s more—this Mini’s got attitude. It’s not just about the camera; it’s the whole package. The Air 3S might have a second focal length sensor, but who needs it when the Mini 5 Pro delivers pro-grade vibes at a fraction of the cost? It’s like ordering a gourmet burger and getting caviar on the side for pocket change.

A Camera That Punches Way Above Its Weight

And what about the camera? Now is where things get really spicy. Remember when DJI released the Dji Flip that had the same camera than the Mini 4 Pro? Or when the Osmo Pocket 3 that It had the same camera as the Air 3 but at half the price? Well, history is repeating itself, but this time it’s even better. The Mini 5 Pro has the exact same sensor size as the Air 3S. It records in the same resolution and shoots the same beautiful photos.

Same sensor, better price

Technically speaking, the only major difference is that the Air 3S has a second camera with another focal length. But here’s the kicker for those of us who shoot for social media: if you need to record in true vertical 4K at 60fps, the Air 3S… can’t. It tops out at 2.7K. And for those of us who deliver a ton of vertical content, that is a huge deal. The Mini series delivers again, now with LiDAR sensors for better obstacle avoidance -in day or night-, D-LOG M (finally!), and a flight time that seems to last longer than ever. We’re talking 55 minutes, under perfect, probably-don’t-exist-in-real-life conditions.

The Fastest Mini Ever Made

This little bird has brand new motors that make it the fastest of the Mini series. We’re talking an ascent speed of 10 meters per second. That’s not just a spec on a sheet; it’s a practical superpower. It means you can get into position for your shot faster, get out of trouble faster, and maybe, just maybe, have a fighting chance against that one angry bird that seems to live in every park. DJI also blessed us with a new propeller-changing system that is so simple, it makes you wonder why it took them five generations to figure it out. Kudos to them for making our lives just a little bit easier.

It Even Charges Faster Than My Cousin Drinks Coffee

This is something we don’t talk about enough: charging time. The new charging hub can juice up all three batteries in just 115 minutes. This is incredibly valuable for two types of people: a) the fanboy who is so excited they physically cannot stop flying (that was me with the first Mavic Air), or b) the working professional who is trying to cover an all-day event.

Better battery, happier pilots 😉

The gap between flying time and charging time is getting smaller and smaller. Of course, we all know that the “estimated” flight time is a magical number calculated by an engineer in a windless room on a perfect day. But even if we get 40-45 real-world minutes out of these new batteries, and can charge them all in under two hours, that is a massive win for everyone.

DroneXL’s Take

This is it. At this very moment, you can go out and buy what I believe is the best drone, in terms of price-to-quality, that DJI has ever released. (If you’re in the US, well, you’ll get it eventually… or at least you can start praying).

And that is the beautiful magic of the Mini series. It proves, once and for all, that you don’t need the biggest drone to do the biggest things. And this little bird is ready to do some very, very big things.

Mom, can I have the Mavic 4 Pro?
“Nah, we got the Mini 5 Pro at home—and it’s serving looks, speed, and wallet-friendly vibes like nobody’s business!”

Photo credit: Dji Website