DroneIQ

Comparison

DJI Mini SE vs DJI Mavic 3 Pro

Would you notice?

Mini SE vs Mavic 3 Pro: You would notice weight mostly as paperwork, bag mass and how close you may fly to people. You would not really notice max video, gimbal, wind. UK paperwork is part of the difference: Mini SE is unmarked / sub-250 g (Flyer ID + Operator ID); Mavic 3 Pro is C2 (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
DJI Mini SE, official product still
Product image: DJI
Mini SE
unmarked · 249 g
DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine on a shop display
Photo: Fumikas Sagisavas, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Mavic 3 Pro
C2 · 958 g
Identity
Released
11 Jun 2021
27 Apr 2023
App
DJI Fly
Same
DJI Fly
Same
Weight & UK law
Takeoff weight
249 g
Ahead
958 g
UK class / IDs
unmarked · sub-250 g · Operator ID + Flyer ID
C2 · Operator ID + Flyer ID
Open subcategory
A1 Over People
Ahead
A2 (A2 CofC) or A3
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
A2: 30 m from uninvolved people (5 m low-speed). Without CofC, A3: 50 m and 150 m from built-up areas. No overflight. Remote ID on from 1 Jan 2026 (C2 as UK2).
Height (Open)
120 m AGL
Same
120 m AGL
Same
Folded size
138 × 81 × 58 mm
231.1 × 98 × 95.4 mm (folded, no props)
Camera
Main sensor
1/2.3-inch CMOS · 12 MP · 24 mm
4/3 CMOS Hasselblad · 20 MP · 24 mm
Ahead
Aperture
f/2.8
f/2.8–f/11
Field of view
83°
Same
84°
Same
ISO (photo / video)
100–3200 / 100–3200
100–6400 / 100–6400
Colour / log
Rec. 709 / normal
D-Log / D-Log M / HLG (ProRes on Cine only)
Other cameras
Single camera
70 mm 1/1.3-inch CMOS + 166 mm 1/2-inch CMOS
Ahead
Max video
2.7K/30
5.1K/50
Ahead
Gimbal / vertical
20° tilt
90° tilt
Ahead
Flight
Lab flight time
30 min
43 min
Ahead
Hover time
37 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 km/h FCC
Ahead
Climb / descent
4 / 3 m/s
8 / 6 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)
8 km CE · O3+ (15 km FCC)
Ahead
Power & storage
Battery
17.3 Wh
77 Wh
Ahead
Internal storage
Card only
Same
8 GB
Same
microSD
microSD, UHS-I Speed Class 3
microSD UHS-I Speed Grade 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.

UK Open category, IDs and Remote ID

Questions

Will I notice the camera?

Mini SE main: 1/2.3-inch CMOS · 12 MP · 24 mm, 2.7K/30. Mavic 3 Pro main: 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad · 20 MP · 24 mm, 5.1K/50. 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 Mavic 3 Pro — that is a different picture, not a sharper crop.

Do I need to register the Mavic 3 Pro in the UK?

Mavic 3 Pro is C2, takeoff about 958 g (Over 900 g.). 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 Mavic 3 Pro in the UK?

Mavic 3 Pro (C2): A2 (A2 CofC) or A3. A2: 30 m from uninvolved people (5 m low-speed). Without CofC, A3: 50 m and 150 m from built-up areas. No overflight. Remote ID on from 1 Jan 2026 (C2 as UK2). 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?

Mavic 3 Pro carries more mass into DJI’s published wind figure (Mini SE 10.5 m/s, Mavic 3 Pro 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?

Mavic 3 Pro on paper. Mini SE is 1/2.3-inch CMOS with Downward; Mavic 3 Pro is 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad 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). Mavic 3 Pro if you will accept C2 and 958 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 —, Mavic 3 Pro £1,689. 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. Mavic 3 Pro: The job pays, or the Hasselblad is the point.

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
Mavic 3 Pro
as of 2026-08-31
DJI Store UK RRP
Discontinued as new — Mini SE (not Mini 2, not Mini 2 SE / Mini 4K)
£1,689
Mavic 3 Pro (DJI RC) — not Cine, not Classic, not Mavic 4 Pro
Amazon UKSee Amazon
No new Mini SE buy-box — search only; confirm it is not Mini 2 SE
See Amazon
No new Mavic 3 Pro (not 4 Pro) buy box — search only
eBay UK bandSee eBay
Used Mini SE kits — confirm it is not Mini 2 or Mini 2 SE / Mini 4K
£1,200–£1,600
Used Mavic 3 Pro (not Classic, not Cine, not Mavic 4 Pro)
CeX sell
CeX search — no SKU invented
CeX search — no Mavic 3 Pro (not Cine) SKU priced
CeX cash / voucherSee CeX
CeX search — no SKU invented
See CeX
CeX search — no Mavic 3 Pro (not Cine) SKU priced

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