Until today, DJI’s entry-level drone have stuck with lower video resolution than many of its budget rivals. The new Mini 4K - just announced - changes all that.
The new Mini 4K will support 4K video resolution at 24, 25, and 30fps - and 2.7K at up to 60fps. Other features which represent an improvement over the Mini 2 SE that DJI has announced include digital zoom of 2x at 4K, and a video bitrate of up to 100mbps.
DJI’s latest drone looks a lot like the Mini 2 SE, the previous entry-level model, but that drone’s key limiting factor was 2.7K video resolution. Reserving 4K for tiers above has historically been part of the way DJI distinguishes its range, especially given it has so many offerings in the low-weight (sub-250g) category which reduces regulations for owners.
It still has a 3-axis gimbal for smooth video, enough speed to fly safely in wind up to Level-5, GPS return to home, a range of 10km / 6 miles, and a battery life with a theoretical limit of 31 minutes. All the same beginner-friendly tutorial features and one-click QuickShot manoeuvres make it to the Mini 4K, too. The drone has sensors to help it land automatically with a press to take off and land options.
Other than the upgraded camera specs, this will be more or less the same drone, but the arrival of 4K restores DJI’s competitivity with other beginner drones like the Potensic Atom in most key regards, though there might still be some software differences.
For now, DJI Mini 3 will still offer better features, while the Mini 4 Pro is DJI’s maximum feature offering at the magic weight limit. Now, however, budget-conscious consumers won’t be restricted to a lower resolution than most content creators.
The new Mini 4K will be available for $299/£269 with a single battery, or $449/£399 in a Fly More bundle with three batteries. Australian price and availability is TBC.
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