The Two Models at a Glance
Model | Price | Weight | Flight time | Standout spec |
|---|---|---|---|---|
DJI Mini 5 Pro | £659.00 (reduced from £689.00) | Sub 250g | 36 minutes | 1-inch, 50MP sensor with omnidirectional LiDAR obstacle detection, sub-250g body |
DJI Air 3S | £859.00 (reduced from £959.00) | 724g | Up to 45 minutes | Dual camera, 50MP 1-inch primary plus 48MP 1/1.3-inch tele with 3x optical zoom |
What Actually Changes Between Them
Weight is the clearest practical difference. The Mini 5 Pro stays under 250g, the same class as the drones in our under £500 guide, meaning it travels and packs the same way; the Air 3S weighs 724g, nearly three times as much, a genuinely different drone to carry and store.
Camera system is the other major split. The Mini 5 Pro carries one 1-inch, 50MP sensor with a 48mm medium-tele mode built in; the Air 3S carries two full sensors, a 50MP 1-inch primary and a separate 48MP 1/1.3-inch telephoto with true 3x optical zoom, shooting matching 4K/60fps HDR footage from either lens. That second physical camera, not a digital crop, is what the extra weight and price buys.
Flight time and transmission range both favour the Air 3S: up to 45 minutes against the Mini 5 Pro's 36, and a 20km O4 transmission range against corrections not specified for the Mini 5 Pro on its own product page. Both use LiDAR-backed omnidirectional obstacle sensing, so neither gives up safety systems for the other's advantages.
Free Gifts Included
DJI Mini 5 Pro
1-Inch Large CMOS Camera · True Vertical Shooting and 225° Gimbal Rotation
Common Questions
Depends on how it'll be carried and flown. 724g is still hand-launchable and well within Open Category limits, but it's a different proposition for travel or one-handed carrying than a sub-250g drone.
Not on sensor size, both the Mini 5 Pro's single camera and the Air 3S's primary camera use the same 50MP, 1-inch sensor. The difference is the Air 3S's second telephoto camera, which the Mini 5 Pro doesn't have.
Yes, both have a camera and weigh over 100g, which brings UK registration into play regardless of the sub-250g weight class. Full detail on Flyer ID and Operator ID is in our kid's Christmas drone guide.
The Air 3S, at up to 45 minutes against the Mini 5 Pro's 36.
