Comparison
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs DJI Air 3
Mini 5 Pro spec · Air 3 spec · Upgrade from Mini 5 Pro · Upgrade from Air 3 · All compares
Would you notice?
Mini 5 Pro vs Air 3: You would notice weight mostly as paperwork, bag mass and how close you may fly to people. You would not really notice max video, wind, obstacle sensing. UK paperwork is part of the difference: Mini 5 Pro is C0 / sub-250 g (Flyer ID + Operator ID); Air 3 is C1 (Flyer ID + Operator ID).
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| Spec |  C0 · 249.9 g |  C1 · 720 g |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Released | 17 Sept 2025 | 27 Jul 2023 |
| App | DJI Fly Same | DJI Fly Same |
| Weight & UK law | ||
| Takeoff weight | 249.9 g Ahead | 720 g |
| UK class / IDs | C0 · sub-250 g (C1 with Plus pack) · Operator ID + Flyer ID Ahead | C1 · Operator ID + Flyer ID |
| Open subcategory | A1 Over People (C0 pack) Ahead | A1 Over People (C1 until 31 Dec 2027) |
| From uninvolved people | 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. Ahead | May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID. Remote ID on from 1 Jan 2026 (C1 as UK1). Towns OK in A1. |
| Height (Open) | 120 m AGL Same | 120 m AGL Same |
| Folded size | 157 × 95 × 68 mm | 207 × 100.5 × 91.1 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main sensor | 1-inch CMOS · 50 MP · 24 mm Ahead | 1/1.3-inch CMOS · 48 MP · 24 mm |
| Aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.7 |
| Field of view | 84° Same | 82° Same |
| ISO (photo / video) | 100–6400 / 100–12800 | 100–6400 / 100–6400 |
| Colour / log | D-Log M / HLG Same | D-Log M / HLG Same |
| Other cameras | Single camera | 70 mm 1/1.3-inch CMOS Ahead |
| Max video | 4K/60 HDR, 4K/120 Ahead | 4K/60 HDR, 4K/100 |
| Gimbal / vertical | 225° tilt · true vertical Ahead | 90° tilt |
| Flight | ||
| Lab flight time | 36 min (52 with Plus) | 46 min Ahead |
| Hover time | 31 min | 42 min Ahead |
| Wind resistance | Level 5 · 10.7 m/s | Level 5 · 12 m/s Ahead |
| Max speed | 54 km/h EU · 65 km/h FCC | 68 km/h EU · 75.6 km/h FCC Ahead |
| Climb / descent | 5 / 5 m/s | 10 / 10 m/s Ahead |
| Max takeoff altitude | 6000 m Same | 6000 m Same |
| Sensing | ||
| Obstacle sensing | Omni + nightscape Ahead | Omnidirectional |
| Transmission | ||
| Video range (CE) | 10 km CE · O4+ (20 km FCC) Same | 10 km CE · O4 (20 km FCC) Same |
| Power & storage | ||
| Battery | 19.5 Wh (33.5 Wh Plus) | 62.6 Wh Ahead |
| Internal storage | 42 GB Ahead | 8 GB |
| microSD | microSD UHS-I Speed Class 3, up to 512 GB Same | microSD UHS-I Speed Class 3, up to 512 GB Same |
| GNSS | GPS + Galileo + BeiDou Same | GPS + Galileo + BeiDou Same |
| 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 5 Pro main: 1-inch CMOS · 50 MP · 24 mm, 4K/60 HDR, 4K/120. Air 3 main: 1/1.3-inch CMOS · 48 MP · 24 mm, 4K/60 HDR, 4K/100. You would notice sensor class in low light; you would not notice the word 4K if both already do it. Optical telephoto is only on Air 3 — that is a different picture, not a sharper crop.
Do I need to register the Air 3 in the UK?
Air 3 is C1, takeoff about 720 g (C1. Flyer ID required.). 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. 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).
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 Air 3 in the UK?
Air 3 (C1): A1 Over People (C1 until 31 Dec 2027). May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID. Remote ID on from 1 Jan 2026 (C1 as UK1). Towns OK in A1. 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).
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 in wind?
Air 3 carries more mass into DJI’s published wind figure (Mini 5 Pro 10.7 m/s, Air 3 12 m/s). On a UK headland that is often the whole decision. Lab Level numbers that match can still feel different because weight is not in the level name.
Which is better at dusk?
Mini 5 Pro on paper. Mini 5 Pro is 1-inch CMOS with Omni + nightscape; Air 3 is 1/1.3-inch CMOS with Omnidirectional. Nightscape still needs texture and a minimum lux — it is not night vision.
Which is better for travel?
Mini 5 Pro if the constraint is a bag and UK class (C0, 249.9 g). Air 3 if you will accept C1 and 720 g for the extra camera.
Can I keep my Mini 5 Pro batteries, controller or ND filters?
You can keep: DJI RC 2. You cannot take: DJI RC-N3; Mini 5 Pro Intelligent Flight Battery; Mini 5 Pro ND set. Screen controller across O4 Minis, Air 3/3S and Mavic 4 Pro. Firmware on the RC must support the aircraft. Not the Mavic 3 RC.
How much more does it cost?
DJI UK RRP (as of 2026-08-31): Mini 5 Pro £619, Air 3 £869 — £250 more for the Air 3. Street, eBay bands and CeX trade-in are on the board; they move.
Who should buy which?
Mini 5 Pro: Travel and parks; stay in the Mini class on purpose. Air 3: Dual camera and wind; you accepted C1.
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 5 Pro as of 2026-08-31 | Air 3 as of 2026-08-31 | |
|---|---|---|
| DJI Store UK RRP | £619 Mini 5 Pro (RC-N3, 1× Intelligent Flight Battery, C0) | £869 Air 3 (DJI RC-N2) — not Air 3S |
| Amazon UK | £619 Mini 5 Pro with RC-N3 (new, 1-battery C0 kit) | See Amazon No new Air 3 (not 3S) buy box — search only |
| eBay UK band | £550–£820 Used Mini 5 Pro + Fly More Combo (C0 and Plus mixed — check the battery) | £600–£850 Used Air 3 Fly More Combo (not Air 3S) |
| CeX sell | — CeX search — no Mini 5 Pro SKU priced on 31 Aug 2026 | — Air 3 (RC-N2) Fly More Combo, SKU SROBDJIA3RCN2FMA — unpriced |
| CeX cash / voucher | See CeX CeX search — no Mini 5 Pro SKU priced on 31 Aug 2026 | See CeX Air 3 (RC-N2) Fly More Combo, SKU SROBDJIA3RCN2FMA — unpriced |
Reviews that put these together
- Mini 5 Pro vs Mavic 4 Pro vs Air 3S
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Heliguy · 2025-10-01 - Best DJI drone 2026: Neo 2 vs Flip vs Mini 5 Pro vs Air 3S vs Mavic 4 Pro vs Avata 2
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Gadget Scout · 2026-01-15 - Best DJI drone (2026): Mini 5 Pro to Mavic 4 Pro
Sub-250 argument, Mini 5 Pro 1-inch sensor, Air 3S telephoto vs Mini 5 Pro
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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.