DJI has finally unveiled its long-anticipated Mini 5 Pro, but for the first time in the Mini series’ history, the company is admitting the drone might not live up to its signature promise: staying under 250 grams. And that small change could cause big headaches for recreational pilots worldwide.
Since the first Mavic Mini launched in 2019, DJI’s marketing drumbeat has been simple: this is a powerful camera drone that weighs just 249 grams. That mattered because in country after country, 250 grams marks the legal cutoff between “low-risk” hobby toys and more tightly regulated flying machines.
In the US, for example, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) exempts drones under 250 grams (0.55 lbs) from certain requirements, like recreational registration and Remote ID. It means buyers can take a Mini 4 Pro or DJI Mini 3 out of the box, charge up, and take off — no paperwork required.
But with the Mini 5 Pro, things aren’t quite so simple.
DJI’s weight disclaimer for Mini 5 Pro
At the outset, DJI claims the Mini 5 Pro weighs 249.9 g. But look closer at the fine print in the product specs, and you see the company stating:
“Product weight may vary due to differences in batch materials and other factors. The actual weight is approximately 249.9 g ± 4 g and is subject to the actual product.”
That tiny ±4-gram tolerance means some Mini 5 Pro units could actually tip the scales over 250 grams — even before you consider battery options. And that’s a first for the Mini family. Moreover, DJI’s careful wording makes clear that you can’t just trust the marketing label; you might actually need to weigh your drone before heading out to fly.
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On top of the production tolerance, DJI is again offering two battery options. The standard Intelligent Flight Battery delivers about 36 minutes of flight time and keeps the weight near the marketing line. But the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus, which promises up to 52 minutes in the air, adds significant heft.
Looking at the Mini 4 Pro, the Plus battery increased the weight by more than 40 grams — enough to move the drone well past 250g. Expect the Mini 5 Pro to follow suit. That means any pilot chasing longer flight times will definitely give up the sub-250g advantage.
For now, the Mini 5 Pro isn’t officially available in the US due to ongoing geopolitical and customs issues. But if it ever arrives, weight ambiguity could cause headaches for American buyers.
A recreational pilot who assumes their Mini 5 Pro is “under 250 grams” might accidentally end up flying an unregistered drone in violation of FAA rules. Even a few grams over the line makes a legal difference. That effectively forces owners to weigh their own device with whichever battery they’re using before takeoff.
And this isn’t just an FAA story. In many countries across the globe, crossing 250g means extra registration, licensing, or stricter limits on where and how you fly. For many drone enthusiasts, the entire point of buying into the Mini series was avoiding that red tape.
By introducing a weight tolerance of ±4g, DJI has signaled that pilots may no longer be able to assume they’re automatically in the safest category. Instead, they’ll need to check compliance themselves — an unwelcome chore for those who bought Minis specifically for hassle-free flying.
The Mini drone series has always been about balancing portability, performance, and regulatory convenience. From the original Mavic Mini through the Mini 2/Mini 4K, Mini 3, and Mini 4 Pro, DJI has pushed imaging capabilities forward while carefully shaving grams to stay under the threshold.
The Mini 5 Pro changes the equation. It’s shaping up to be the most advanced Mini yet, with upgraded imaging and flight features. But for the first time, DJI seems to be admitting that performance upgrades may come at the cost of regulatory simplicity.
For drone hobbyists, that raises a bigger question: is the “sub-250g” promise still worth betting on, or is it time to expect that even the smallest drones will carry more paperwork?
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