DJI drops two beginner drones at once – the low-cost Lito series is built to be easy to fly and hard to crash

DJI has just launched two new drones at once – the much-teased Lito series. Both come in at 249g and target the beginner market, but offer a choice of cameras (and budget), as well as some significant upgrades over previous DJI drones for this space.

The drones will be priced at £299 (about $403 including UK sales tax) for the Lito 1 and £369 (about $500 including UK sales tax) for the more premium Lito X1.

In keeping with the distinction, there will be Fly More Combos featuring extra batteries, but the Lito 1 version is £429 and sticks with the cheaper remote control, which requires you to use your phone as a screen, while the Lito X1 variant is £599 but comes with DJI's premium RC 2 controller, which has a built-in screen.

The new drones seem to offer a replacement for the DJI Mini 4K, with better improved design features, while the more premium Lito X1 slots into a similar spot to the Mini 3 – with better safety features (so better for true beginners), but without the rotating camera. (You can still opt for vertical video, but the camera does not rotate, so it is not 'True Vertical Shooting' in DJI's own phrasing.)

DJI see the Lito 1 series as "the benchmark with no alternative," citing especially the 360-camera system that powers the active track. That doesn't mean the drone shoots 360 video like the DJI Avata 360, but that the drone is less likely to lose a subject when it is automatically keeping it in shot.

While DJI see the Lito series as replacing the Mini (but not the Mini Pro), there is no confirmed US sale state yet, so both will remain on the market around the world, but new entry-level drones will be 'Lito' while 'Mini Pro' will remain as a brand line.

We'll be posting our reviews of these drones almost immediately, and it'll be interesting to see which, if any, earns a spot on the best drone for beginners guide – which is getting increasingly competitive.