DJI Lito 1 review – this unapologetically low-cost beginner drone still seems powerful to a drone expert

DJI has launched two new drones, Lito and Lito X1. Both are targeting beginners, but there is a choice to be made between the lowest spec available and a more premium camera and features list. Either way, DJI is replacing its 'Mini' series' with these new drones, targeting first timers and content creators looking to make a splash.

In both cases the shell is a refined version of the ultralight folding design seen on the Mini 4K and the Mini 3 series. Crucially, that category is under 249g so it stays free of regulations in most countries.

What is new, however, is the top-and-bottom presence of a fish-eye lens of an all-round collision sensing and object tracking system, meaning this drone doesn't just bring the camera of your choice (1/2-inch sensor for the Lito, or larger 1/1.3-inch sensor for the Lito X1), but better safety and AI assistance than has been known in this class before.

Is it a wise choice, though (and is it a worthy upgrade)?

Lito series: Price

The Lito 1 launches at £299 for the drone and remote, and £429 for a Fly More Combo with a RC-N3 remote (so you still need your phone, but you get more batteries).

DJI Lito X1 retails for £369 – so the camera improvements are effectively costing £70 – but the Fly More Combo is £599 and comes with the RC 2 remote with built in screen.

US pricing is yet to be announced, though rumors suggest that the drone did pass FCC tests, so should be available to American pilots sometime soon.

DJI Lito 1 v Lito X1: Specs

I've shown the comparison with the 'Premium' X1, and highlighted the key differences/missing features above.

DJI Lito: Build and handling

As the longstanding drone expert, I've come to accept that the ultralight category always feels a bit light in the hand – it has to. The limit of 249g (just under 9 ounces) is not that much given that the

This drone, nevertheless, manages (in both variants) to feel tough where it needs to, specifically the sprung hinges for the arms, which also act as on/off switches, an elegant touch, saving a moment of thought (unless, like me, you've been trained to expect to turn the drone on manually for over a decade!)

I've waited a long time for drones to be this easy to get in the air, and it's very pleasing. In terms of data storage, the Lito 1 is an economy option, so it makes sense that – despite DJI offering it with so many products now – there is no on-board memory (that is an extra for the Lito X1). So you do need to budget for a MicroSD card but, for most drones, that was always the case until recently anyway.

Personally I honestly still find memory cards and the adapter the easiest way to get the video to my computer to edit it, too, but that's me. The DJI Fly app is also a good solution, especially for those with a more phone-based workflow.

DJI's airframe is not a surprise, but definitely built on tried and tested. The front arms also have 'legs' so the drone can take off from a flat surface without risking the optical sensors beneath (there are vision sensors and the new fish-eye tracking sensor).

The front of the Lito 1 has vents because it lacks LiDAR, but the fish-eye lens on the top and bottom provide a decent all round collision sensing system in decent light. It was able to detect and avoid trees in my tests.

The main camera of the Lito 1 is a half-inch sensor with 48 megapixels, and the gimbal keeps it impressively stable. Admittedly by this point I would expect nothing else of DJI, but it is definitely a better choice for the more videographically inclined than DJI's base level Neo 2, no matter how flexible.

DJI Lito: Performance

The weather could have been kinder to me during my limited test period with the Lito 1 and Lito X1, so I will be posting some additional images and clips in the coming weeks. I can say, though, that first impressions are good.

The camera quality when shooting video at 4K60fps was great on the day I was testing so long as I stuck to the 1x zoom view. Things were less impressive when I decided to zoom in. It's great that x2 and x3 digital zoom are options but I'd avoid the latter if I were you as the result is just too obvious.

The quality of the video in default mode is tonally good, very crisp, and DJI seem to get the color right – though it's a tough gig with me swinging round from flying into to away from the sun.

You can see how it looks in the video...

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In terms of flight characteristics, things were a little tougher for the Lito 1, which I took out in winds at the upper end of its capabilities. It kept reminding me of this with a warning message – fair enough – and it was certainly noticeable how much it affected the flight speed against the wind.

Now I'm very experienced with drones, but perhaps it'd be sensible if that warning message was a bit clearer about the likely effect of the wind – the camera seems stable because the gimbal is so good, but flying against the wind is still going to use a lot more battery and take longer because physics is still physics!

DJI Lito: Overall verdict

To be clear, this is the review of the Lito 1 – though I mention the premium sibling (the Lito X1) once or twice. It's very difficult to think about buying the one without looking at the other, and, ultimately, if you're looking at the Lito 1 the reason is that price likely matters to you more than the subtleties of specification.

So what are you really missing out on? If you're using the drone during the day, and don't need D-Log M / High Dynamic Range (and not that many people really do unless they want to grade footage in editing), arguably not that much. Yes the LiDAR on the X1 also improves the collision avoidance and AI, but it's impressive here, able to detect people and vehicles from a good range.

Admittedly, if you don't have one, you'll also need to find the money for a MicroSD card so – arguably – the price difference is slightly narrowed there, but, in practice, especially when shooting at wider angles, this is an excellent drone. The collision sensing means you can confidently let the kids fly it, too (supervised, mind).

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