Everything we know about DJI’s Mini 3 so far

DJI’s Mini 3 announcement is on the horizon, and leaks have been piling up, giving us an idea of what the Mini 3 specs will be. Here is a round-up of everything we know about DJI’s Mini 3 or possible Mini 3 Pro drone.

Mini 3 Release date

First rumored at the end of 2021 in a leaked timeline of DJI’s product announcements for 2022, the Mini 3 was set in April. So far, we haven’t heard anything official from DJI regarding an announcement, but we usually only get a one-week heads up with a teaser, then a stream schedule a couple of days beforehand. According to DealsDrone, the launch date could be April 27 or April 28, squeezing right in to meet the rumored timeline.

Consumer products are usually available for order soon after the announcement. So, if the rumors are true, expect to be able to order your new sub-250 gram drone by the end of this month.

Updated Mavic 3-like design

One of the most significant changes coming to the Mini 3 will be its design, which has seen changes on all sides. The first notable change is upfront, by the camera. It now features a cutout at the top which allows upward-facing camera shots. Additionally, it looks set to feature similar arms to the Mavic 3. These new arms allow for longer propellers, more efficient propellers, in turn allowing for a longer flight time.

Obstacal avoidance and ActiveTrack

Another major anticipated addition to the Mini series is obstacle avoidance. Hubsan was first to come on the scene with the feature, with its Zino Mini Pro, and then Autel with the Nano series. But everyone has been waiting for the king of the drone industry to answer the competition with the Mini 3. Every leak thus far, from the various photos and videos, has pointed to DJI’s latest supporting three-directional (front, back, and below) obstacle avoidance.

The Mini 3 is also reportedly getting native ActiveTrack, instead of third-party solutions. If the rumors are true, this could position the Mini 3 as the best travel drone on the market. ActiveTrack has been available on DJI’s Air and Mavic series of drones but has yet to come to the ultra-lightweight Mini. While it was all but inevitable for these features to make their way to the Mini, it is interesting to see them come the same year Autel released its Nano series, featuring both obstacle avoidance and soon Dynamic Tracking.

Camera specs and verticle recording

DJI’s Mini 3 will reportedly pack a 1/1.3 inch sensor with an aperture of up to f/1.7. There are no solid reports yet on how many megapixels the camera sensor will be, but an early rumor stated 50 MP. It already looks to be a considerable upgrade over previous generations. An aperture of f/1.7 is a notable step up from the f/2.8 on DJI’s Mini 2, meaning more light makes its way to the sensor, therefore improving low light performance and reducing noise.

Another exciting addition to the Mini 3 (and for DJI drones in general) is verticle recording. As short-form video content becomes increasingly popular, vertical recording will be perfect for aerial TikToks, YouTube Shorts, or Instagram Reels. We don’t know if the verticle mode will be a software crop or if the gimbal will rotate to let the pilot take advantage of the entire sensor (though I certainly hope it is a physical rotation, and the same slot that should allow the gimbal to aim upward should help provide more room for portrait shorts).

DJI RC: Consumer focused controller with built-in display

The Mini 3 is expected to launch with a new controller with a built-in display. Similar to what pilots of the Mavic 3 and Air 2S can use, the reportedly named DJI RC will be a consumer-focused version of the controller. Some price rumors, which we will get to last, still show the option of getting the standard smartphone controller like before, so we fully expect this to be an optional addition (helping keep the price down on the more basic kit).

DJI’s Mini 3’s is expected to support the Ocusync 3 technology for transmitting video back to the controller. This is the same as DJI’s Air 2S, an expected technology transfer to the newer products.

Probably just one version, the Mini 3 Pro

Some rumors indicate that DJI could be releasing not one, but two versions of the Mini 3. Leaked pricing shows there will be both a Mini 3 and Mini 3 Pro; the differences are unknown. It seems more likely, Jasper Ellens said, that there will only be one version of the Mini 3 drone. So far, we have only seen leaked images and videos of what we assume are the Mini 3 Pro.

Mini 3 price rumors

The only rumored pricing we have so far for the Mini 3 Pro also states the possibility of a standard Mini 3. These prices don’t include import fees, and with the probability of no “Standard” Mini 3, take these prices with a grain of salt. With that said, here are some anticipated prices:

If there are two models of the Mini 3, this would be a pretty standard pricing layout, with only a $100 markup from the Mini 2 to the Mini 3. However, if there is only one product, the Mini 3 Pro, that would be a huge markup from the previous version and would put you just a couple of hundred dollars away from similar packages for the Air 2S. Maybe we could also be getting the Mini 3 Pro for the Mini 3 stated price, and if that’s the case, it would be a killer deal for the features expected on DJI’s newest sub-250gram drone!