Comparison
DJI Mini SE vs DJI Air 3
Would you notice?
Mini SE 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 gimbal, wind, transmission range. UK paperwork is part of the difference: Mini SE is unmarked / sub-250 g (Flyer ID + Operator ID); Air 3 is C1 (Flyer ID + Operator ID).
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 |  unmarked · 249 g |  C1 · 720 g |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Released | 11 Jun 2021 | 27 Jul 2023 |
| App | DJI Fly Same | DJI Fly Same |
| Weight & UK law | ||
| Takeoff weight | 249 g Ahead | 720 g |
| UK class / IDs | unmarked · sub-250 g · Operator ID + Flyer ID | C1 · Operator ID + Flyer ID |
| Open subcategory | A1 Over People Ahead | A1 Over People (C1 until 31 Dec 2027) |
| From uninvolved people | No class mark. CAA legacy weight table: under 250 g is A1 — same Open subcategory as C0. May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID from 100 g with a camera. 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 | 138 × 81 × 58 mm | 207 × 100.5 × 91.1 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main sensor | 1/2.3-inch CMOS · 12 MP · 24 mm | 1/1.3-inch CMOS · 48 MP · 24 mm Ahead |
| Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.7 |
| Field of view | 83° Same | 82° Same |
| ISO (photo / video) | 100–3200 / 100–3200 | 100–6400 / 100–6400 |
| Colour / log | Rec. 709 / normal | D-Log M / HLG |
| Other cameras | Single camera | 70 mm 1/1.3-inch CMOS Ahead |
| Max video | 2.7K/30 | 4K/60 HDR, 4K/100 Ahead |
| Gimbal / vertical | 20° tilt | 90° tilt Ahead |
| Flight | ||
| Lab flight time | 30 min | 46 min Ahead |
| Hover time | — | 42 min Ahead |
| Wind resistance | Level 5 · 10.5 m/s | Level 5 · 12 m/s Ahead |
| Max speed | 46.8 km/h Sport | 68 km/h EU · 75.6 km/h FCC Ahead |
| Climb / descent | 4 / 3 m/s | 10 / 10 m/s Ahead |
| Max takeoff altitude | 3000 m | 6000 m Ahead |
| Sensing | ||
| Obstacle sensing | Downward | Omnidirectional Ahead |
| Transmission | ||
| Video range (CE) | 2 km CE · Enhanced Wi-Fi (4 km FCC) | 10 km CE · O4 (20 km FCC) Ahead |
| Power & storage | ||
| Battery | 17.3 Wh | 62.6 Wh Ahead |
| Internal storage | Card only Same | 8 GB Same |
| microSD | microSD, UHS-I Speed Class 3 | microSD UHS-I Speed Class 3, up to 512 GB |
| GNSS | GPS + GLONASS | GPS + Galileo + BeiDou |
| Operating temperature | 0 to 40 °C | −10 to 40 °C |
The i beside a spec is the explainer — hover or tap.
Questions
Will I notice the camera?
Mini SE main: 1/2.3-inch CMOS · 12 MP · 24 mm, 2.7K/30. 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 SE in the UK?
Mini SE is unmarked, takeoff about 249 g (DJI publishes takeoff under 249 g. Not Mini 2 SE (that is the Mini 4K shell).). 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).
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 SE in the UK?
Mini SE (unmarked): A1 Over People. No class mark. CAA legacy weight table: under 250 g is A1 — same Open subcategory as C0. May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID from 100 g with a camera. 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 SE 10.5 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?
Air 3 on paper. Mini SE is 1/2.3-inch CMOS with Downward; 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 SE if the constraint is a bag and UK class (unmarked, 249 g). Air 3 if you will accept C1 and 720 g for the extra camera.
Can I keep my Mini SE 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 SE —, Air 3 £869. Used and CeX sit on the price board below — some of these are discontinued as new.
Who should buy which?
Mini SE: unmarked, 1/2.3-inch CMOS. 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 SE as of 2026-08-31 | Air 3 as of 2026-08-31 | |
|---|---|---|
| DJI Store UK RRP | — Discontinued as new — Mini SE (not Mini 2, not Mini 2 SE / Mini 4K) | £869 Air 3 (DJI RC-N2) — not Air 3S |
| Amazon UK | See Amazon No new Mini SE buy-box — search only; confirm it is not Mini 2 SE | See Amazon No new Air 3 (not 3S) buy box — search only |
| eBay UK band | See eBay Used Mini SE kits — confirm it is not Mini 2 or Mini 2 SE / Mini 4K | £600–£850 Used Air 3 Fly More Combo (not Air 3S) |
| CeX sell | — CeX search — no SKU invented | — Air 3 (RC-N2) Fly More Combo, SKU SROBDJIA3RCN2FMA — unpriced |
| CeX cash / voucher | See CeX CeX search — no SKU invented | See CeX Air 3 (RC-N2) Fly More Combo, SKU SROBDJIA3RCN2FMA — unpriced |
Reviews that put these together
- Review: the DJI Mini 2 is the perfect drone for beginners
4K/30, RAW stills, OcuSync 2.0, sub-250 g, no obstacle avoidance
DPReview · 2020-11-05 - DJI Air 3 vs Mini 4 Pro: which compact drone is best?
Dual 1/1.3 + 70 mm tele and wind vs sub-250 g Mini 4 Pro legality and size
DPReview · 2023-10-10