Comparison
DJI Mini 3 vs DJI Mini 5 Pro
Mini 3 spec · Mini 5 Pro spec · Upgrade from Mini 3 · Upgrade from Mini 5 Pro · All compares
Would you notice?
Mini 3 vs Mini 5 Pro: You would notice weight mostly as paperwork, bag mass and how close you may fly to people; you would notice the sensor (1/1.3-inch CMOS vs 1-inch CMOS) in evening light; you would notice max video only if you slow-mo or grade HDR. You would not really notice internal storage. UK: C0, stays under 250 g on every one of these. Flyer ID and Operator ID apply from 100 g with a camera — that is every drone here.
Set I fly on the home bench to see net upgrade cost from your airframe (CeX cash vs used / RRP). It stays in this browser.
| Spec |  C0 · 248 g |  C0 · 249.9 g |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Released | 13 Dec 2022 | 17 Sept 2025 |
| App | DJI Fly Same | DJI Fly Same |
| Weight & UK law | ||
| Takeoff weight | 248 g Same | 249.9 g Same |
| UK class / IDs | C0 · sub-250 g (C1 with Plus pack) · Operator ID + Flyer ID Same | C0 · sub-250 g (C1 with Plus pack) · Operator ID + Flyer ID Same |
| Open subcategory | A1 Over People | A1 Over People (C0 pack) |
| From uninvolved people | May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID from 100 g with a camera. Towns OK in A1. | May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID on both packs. Plus battery is C1 — still A1 until 31 Dec 2027. Weigh it. |
| Height (Open) | 120 m AGL Same | 120 m AGL Same |
| Folded size | 148 × 90 × 62 mm | 157 × 95 × 68 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main sensor | 1/1.3-inch CMOS · 48 MP · 24 mm | 1-inch CMOS · 50 MP · 24 mm Ahead |
| Aperture | f/1.7 | f/1.8 |
| Field of view | 82.1° Same | 84° Same |
| ISO (photo / video) | 100–3200 / 100–3200 | 100–6400 / 100–12800 |
| Colour / log | Rec. 709 / normal | D-Log M / HLG |
| Other cameras | Single camera Same | Single camera Same |
| Max video | 4K/30 HDR | 4K/60 HDR, 4K/120 Ahead |
| Gimbal / vertical | 90° tilt · true vertical | 225° tilt · true vertical Ahead |
| Flight | ||
| Lab flight time | 38 min (51 with Plus) Same | 36 min (52 with Plus) Same |
| Hover time | 33 min Same | 31 min Same |
| Wind resistance | Level 5 · 10.7 m/s Same | Level 5 · 10.7 m/s Same |
| Max speed | 57.6 km/h Sport Same | 54 km/h EU · 65 km/h FCC Same |
| Climb / descent | 5 / 3.5 m/s Same | 5 / 5 m/s Same |
| Max takeoff altitude | 4000 m | 6000 m Ahead |
| Sensing | ||
| Obstacle sensing | Downward | Omni + nightscape Ahead |
| Transmission | ||
| Video range (CE) | 6 km CE · O2 (10 km FCC) Same | 10 km CE · O4+ (20 km FCC) Same |
| Power & storage | ||
| Battery | 18.1 Wh (28.4 Wh Plus) Same | 19.5 Wh (33.5 Wh Plus) Same |
| Internal storage | Card only | 42 GB Ahead |
| microSD | microSD, up to 256 GB | microSD UHS-I Speed Class 3, up to 512 GB |
| GNSS | GPS + GLONASS + Galileo | GPS + Galileo + BeiDou |
| Operating temperature | −10 to 40 °C Same | −10 to 40 °C Same |
The i beside a spec is the explainer — hover or tap.
Questions
Will I notice the camera?
Mini 3 main: 1/1.3-inch CMOS · 48 MP · 24 mm, 4K/30 HDR. Mini 5 Pro main: 1-inch CMOS · 50 MP · 24 mm, 4K/60 HDR, 4K/120. You would notice sensor class in low light; you would not notice the word 4K if both already do it.
Do I need to register the Mini 5 Pro in the UK?
Mini 5 Pro is C0, takeoff about 249.9 g (DJI publishes 249.9 g ± 4 g. Fly More Combo is C0; Fly More Combo Plus is C1. The Plus battery takes a C0 airframe over the C0/UK0 MTOM.). In the UK a Flyer ID is required from 100 g, and an Operator ID is required from 100 g with a camera or from 250 g — this airframe needs both. A Plus battery can take this out of C0 — weigh the pack you fly. This is not legal advice; read the CAA Drone Code for the airframe and battery you actually fly. Longer version: the UK Open explainer on this site (/guides/uk).
How far from people can I fly the Mini 5 Pro in the UK?
Mini 5 Pro (C0): A1 Over People (C0 pack). May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID on both packs. Plus battery is C1 — still A1 until 31 Dec 2027. Weigh it. Open height is 120 m AGL. Never over crowds. This is not legal advice — the CAA Drone Code (March 2026) applies to the airframe and battery you actually fly. Longer version: the UK Open explainer on this site (/guides/uk).
Which is better at dusk?
Mini 5 Pro on paper. Mini 3 is 1/1.3-inch CMOS with Downward; Mini 5 Pro is 1-inch CMOS with Omni + nightscape. Nightscape still needs texture and a minimum lux — it is not night vision.
Which is better for travel?
Mini 3 if the constraint is a bag and UK class (C0, 248 g). Mini 5 Pro if you will accept C0 and 249.9 g for the bigger airframe.
Can I keep my Mini 3 batteries, controller or ND filters?
These do not share a battery family. Plan to buy packs, and check ND thread and RC protocol — Mini 4 Pro filters and batteries do not sit on a Mini 5 Pro.
How much more does it cost?
DJI UK RRP (as of 2026-08-31): Mini 3 £319, Mini 5 Pro £619 — £300 more for the Mini 5 Pro. Street, eBay bands and CeX trade-in are on the board; they move.
Who should buy which?
Mini 3: C0, 1/1.3-inch CMOS. Mini 5 Pro: Travel and parks; stay in the Mini class on purpose.
Price board
UK pounds, dated snapshots. Each cell names the box that figure is for. EAN is the barcode on that carton when a UK listing cited one; otherwise we leave it blank rather than guess. Not live APIs. Buying used checklist.
| Mini 3 as of 2026-08-31 | Mini 5 Pro as of 2026-08-31 | |
|---|---|---|
| DJI Store UK RRP | £319 Mini 3 with DJI RC (C0) | £619 Mini 5 Pro (RC-N3, 1× Intelligent Flight Battery, C0) |
| Amazon UK | £339 Mini 3 (RC-N1) | £619 Mini 5 Pro with RC-N3 (new, 1-battery C0 kit) |
| eBay UK band | £210–£360 Used Mini 3 + RC working kits | £550–£820 Used Mini 5 Pro + Fly More Combo (C0 and Plus mixed — check the battery) |
| CeX sell | — Mini 3 Fly More Combo + DJI RC, grade B (unpriced today) EAN 6941565949912 | — CeX search — no Mini 5 Pro SKU priced on 31 Aug 2026 |
| CeX cash / voucher | See CeX Mini 3 Fly More Combo + DJI RC, grade B (unpriced today) EAN 6941565949912 | See CeX CeX search — no Mini 5 Pro SKU priced on 31 Aug 2026 |
Reviews that put these together
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Heliguy · 2022-12-14 - DJI Mini 3 review: a spendy, sophisticated entry-level drone
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DPReview · 2022-12-09 - The DJI Mini 3 is the best first drone to buy, period
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Adjacent comparisons
Same-line alternatives for each side. The rest of the grid is on the drone pages and the compare hub.