Choosing the best DJI drone deal isn't the easiest decision. As the market leader they have a lot of drones, newer and older, and to some extent, they control the prices, but I've flown them and I know what's on offer for the cash.
In this definitive list of the best DJI drones, I'll reveal exactly what you'll get for your money, including which of the still available older models might represent a great deal. You won't be surprised that DJI drones also top our list of the best drones around.
From a bit of high-flying fun to the ultimate selfie-drone; from a photographer’s favorite through to industrial and educational quadcopters, DJI has at least one offering in every area. There’s even a drone for crop spraying! 2023 has seen more choices come with the DJI Avata for dramatic yet accessible FPV, a pro-standard Mini drone in the Mini 4 Pro, and the Inspire 3.
If this is your first drone, don't forget that you'll also need to look up the rules wherever you are, especially if you want a drone weighing over 250g / 8.8oz. Without further ado, though, lets's dive in:
Top Picks
Top picks
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Excellent features for such a compact drone, it might be all you ever need and even serious professionals ought to have one to hand; despite the low weight, this is a high-end drone with all the features many will ever need.
For
- Can turn camera to portrait mode
- Tri-directional collision sensors
- Dual native ISO camera
- Option of extended battery
Against
- Digital Zoom creates soft images
- Some features unavailable in Portrait
- As features list rises, so does price
Just wow! The Mavic 3 with as powerful a zoom as is sensible on a drone this size. It's stable and the Cine edition can even shoot ProRes; the addition of a 7x zoom camera means surveys don't mean getting too close either.
For
- Three levels of optical zoom
- Subject tracking even at 7x
- At least 4K 60fps on all cameras
Against
- Pushes the price up
- Not all cameras offer all features
The essence of DJI tech at a much more accessible price. Updated to 4K, with, it's decently stable and has GPS hover & return to home – it might be limited for pros, but there is a lot of capability here for a low price in the classic 'mini' form factor.
An ultralight drone that everyone can use but which keeps the price under control by leaving out the collision sensors (though it is still easy to land). Excellent 4K camera, just keep an eye out for obstacles and you'll save some cash!
The Avata proved it was possible to build a reasonably safe fast and fun FPV drone which didn't require years of practice to fly thanks to DJI's Motion controller; this latest version refines the tech to near-superlative brilliance. It's a joy to fly.
Compact drone with twin 1/1.3-inch 48-megapixel cameras offering a much better zoom range than a traditional single-camera drone (and both using the same sensor for added balance).
The best DJI drones in 2024
Best overall
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The 2022 arrival of the Mini 3 Pro redefined what was possible in DJI's lightest category of drone, the sub 250g weight. The newer Mini 4 Pro takes all that was good about that and refines it, retaining the camera which can be remotely rotated to portrait or horizontal mode, but improving video to a maximum of 100fps at 4K and adding all-round collision sensors.
In fact, the 1/1.3 dual native ISO sensor produces excellent low-light video, at least at frame rates up to 30fps, while the improved range means you can (theoretically) shoot from up to 20km / 12 miles away.
Creatives are thus blessed with a device that can be taken to most places and operated without a license in FAA territory, yet can capture 48MP stills or 4K video, shoot in D-Log, and boots a full selection of DJI’s intelligent flight features including obstacle avoidance.
We also like that DJI offers a controller with a 5.5-inch screen built-in and a more modestly priced option for those still happy to use their phone as a monitor (DJI still do this reliably, with a short cable, which is included). Even better, DJI's flexibility extends to offering larger batteries (over 40 minutes from the 34 standard) for those able to break the weight limit.
See our full DJI Mini 4 Pro review for more details
Best camera
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Best budget option
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The DJI Mini 4K is a refresh to DJI's budget offering in the tried-and-tested airframe which has been used in three generations before. This, as the moniker suggests, is the first in which DJI has conceded to share the full 4K resolution in such a modestly priced drone and that alone makes it something of a bargain – I had, to be honest, recommended its 2.7 K predecessor (called the Mini 2 SE) on the basis that it was also sturdy and reliable and DJI's software made it a natural choice.
The O2 radio system, a more recent tech than earlier drones of this shape, doubles the bandwidth and increases the range to 10km / 6.2mi in the US (or 6km / 3.7mi in other territories) which is a lot more than you'll legally be allowed to fly it). What that really means is a clearer, more reliable preview video on the phone – and a robust controller with a battery inside that'll keep your phone battery topped up as you fly. I much prefer this more robust controller.
This is a great choice as a first-time drone, and, perhaps, if you're shooting in fairly good light and only need some snaps and B-roll here and there, it might even be the only drone you ever need. It even boasts RAW and exposure bracketing for photographers, and there is 2x digital zoom for a bit of creative variety.
DJI's basic tech is a cut above most of the field so, while there are limitations compared to the company's pricier options with bigger sensors or multiple cameras, this is a lot of value, hence its positive review.
Read my full review of the DJI Mini 4K with sample video
Best cheap 4K
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We were big fans of the Mini 3 Pro on its debut, and still love the Mini 4 Pro, so it’ll be no surprise that we’re also impressed by the closely related Mini 3. That said, we should also point out that – even allowing for inflation – we’re looking at a very real jump in Mini 2’s pricing. Yes, that buys you a bit more strength against the wind and longer battery life, but it still feels a little pricey.
This is DJI’s Mini 3 Pro at a more palatable budget; still not cheap, but by dispensing with the lesser-used features DJI has created a version that is easier to justify for many. It has great battery life and can survive a bit of a breeze while shooting 4K video in portrait or landscape. Just remember to avoid obstacles yourself!
Read our full DJI Mini 3 review for more details
Best for FPV
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DJI might dominate the drone world, but FPV has always seemed a little to the side of the company's core camera drones. FPV – First Person View – is taken to mean actually wearing goggles that let you virtually sit inside the drone you're flying and it took time for digital tech to reach the standard it now is (earlier FPV involved interference-ridden analog video).
Now, though, with the Avata 2 the company seems to have got things just right. Having hit upon the "cinewhoop" frame style with the previous generation, the Avata 2 has been all about refinement and this drone is an excellent example of what happens when designers listen to critics. There was a lot right with the Avata, and this is better.
Not only that but the bundled controller – the RC Motion 3 – is also more refined, while DJI's Goggles 3 seems to have reached a much tidier point. Previous generations involved dangling cable batteries, but now this is managed in the forehead grip while at the same time improving ergonomics. Beat that, Apple Vision Pro!
All this comes with the ability to just stop and hover because it's still a DJI drone with GPS – it's like having an emergency brake – so while it might be a bit odd for experienced FPV enthusiasts (who will need to fork out for an optional stick-based controller) if you're coming at FPV just for the fun or to get those into and out of building shots, this will do the job and then some, without requiring years of tiresome practice in full manual mode. The Avata 2 will even do a flip for you!
Read my full DJI Avata 2 review for more details
Best for versatility
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Since the Air 2S, the drone has put on a little bit of weight and the image sensor is smaller, but by my reckoning it's still the best choice – because now it's got two slightly smaller (but modern, stacked) CMOS image sensors with cameras at a normal (wide) and a medium tele length – much, much better in terms of creativity. It's still lighter – and, importantly, significantly cheaper – than the Mavic 3 Classic (with one camera), let alone the multi-camera Mavic 3 variants.
All the other bells and whistles of the Mavic can be found here – it has version 5 of DJI's AI pilot assist which can track subjects and avoid obstacles and it's as good (i.e. very good, but not quite as cunning as a Skydio). It also gains waypoint mission planning at last.
For anyone wanting a bit more weight and speed – to cope with tougher, windier environments – and the creative clout to capture different kinds of video, this is a fantastic drone. It even has a decent portrait mode that uses the whole height of the sensor. This is a much more video-bias interpretation of the mid-teir brand than the Air 2S, but all the better for it.
• See my full DJI Air 3 review
Best for stills
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The Mavic 3 or 3 Pro are powerful drones, and priced accordingly, but not everyone needs a “hybrid zoom.” The Mavic 3 version, especially, is much more about surveying than content creation.
This “Classic” version ditches the relatively low-resolution zoom camera(s) but retains the 4/3 Hasselblad camera on more or less the same airframe (including C1 certification). Video recording with a 10-bit D-log, plus all the low-light benefits of the large sensor, is retained too.
That means creators who would only have used the 24mm EFL camera can pay a little less to get the 15 km range, advanced return to home (avoiding and re-routing around objects), and the excellent battery life of the Mavic 3 without really losing out. In fact, compared to the original’s launch, there are some advantages – the subject tracking, panorama capture, and other functions are all working from day one, and are pretty high-end.
Read our full DJI Mavic 3 Classic review for more details
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What makes the standard Mavic 3 such a brilliant device is that, while still being bigger than some telephoto lenses, the entire thing can be stuffed into a kit bag and taken traveling. It doesn’t look noticeably bigger than the older Mavic 2, but it sits more proudly from the ground, helping protect the lenses of the dual-camera gimbal; the system has a large sensor (4/3rds) camera which more than exceeds the old Pro version and bolstered by a 12-megapixel zoom camera for closer views (albeit of less exceptional quality).
The drone has also matured in terms of flight time, hovering for an exceptional 40 minutes (or ploughing forward for 46), and vision sensors (collision avoidance) which use up to 200m “sight” to plot the best return to home route. Sadly not all the software was quite there in time for launch; DJI has promised much in terms of tracking subjects while avoiding, for example, trees, (like a Skydio). This has already improved with one major update, so we’re inclined to trust DJI here, but we won’t know for sure until later in winter 2022 and it wasn’t a great precedent to set in terms of delaying core features.
All that said, in terms of still and D-log video (we’ll cover the Cine edition separately in this list,) this really amounts to a big compact drone.
Read our full DJI Mavic 3 review for more details
Best for cine
9. DJI Mavic 3 Cine
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We noted at the beginning of the Mavic 3’s mention (above) that its size made it an exceptional device for a 4/3-sensor camera. That compact nature is just as important in the Cine edition which has the same camera but rebuilds the internals to find space for a 1TB SSD and the throughput to handle ProRes 422 HQ video. If you need this format, you’re likely to understand that (and its price), though we did think it a little odd that DJI didn’t even offer the choice of going without the Pro remote, it is one fewer thing to set up.
The new video transmission system, O3+, brings a notable improvement in live view to both Mavic 3s – 60fps rather than 30fps for the 1080P stream which makes on-screen composition greatly more fluid and natural. The drone shares the same faster, more powerful, and more capable airframe too (and the same late firmware features).
Best for pro filmmaking
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If the Air 2S is a “creative compact,” this is a high-end DSLR. Like an SLR, there is a choice of lenses, and there is a much bigger full-frame sensor than you will find on other DJI drones.
The large aircraft is powered by two (expensive) batteries and features other backup systems. It can also capture CinemaDNG or Apple ProRes video onto its SSD-based memory card. All of this is aided by 360-degree unobstructed camera rotation, lending itself to dual-operator flights, or fly-bys with automated object tracking.
This is very much a professional aircraft - designed to produce cinema-grade 8K video footage. The big 44-megepixel sensor means that the quality of the image, and most importantly the dynamic range, blows other drones out of the sky. But this is an expensive drone - and significantly more than its predecessor the Inspire 2.
Read our full DJI Inspire 3 review
Retired models
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This is the kind of tech so gorgeous and exciting a Luddite would rethink their life goals at first sight. Apparently eschewing their usual creative goals, DJI has put everything into making this a speedy stunt-capable drone that can more than hold its own in the world of FPV racing; it has a top speed of 140kph and the first 100 of that can be reached in a blinding 2 seconds (for reference, a Formula 1 car takes about 2.6 seconds to accelerate the same amount).
Not forgetting their photography customers (and perhaps understanding that an ordinary racer costs somewhat less), this drone has also been equipped with a much more capable camera system than usually seen on similar drones. The standard practice is to strap a GoPro to the top and recover the footage later, but here a single-axis gimbal (still one more than most FPV racers) has been paired with software to achieve a system capable of capturing excellent 4K video at 60fps, meaning this drone might be for more than just racers.
Read our full DJI FPV Combo review for more details
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Found in DJI’s store, but not strictly their line-up (it’s under the Ryze brand), this compact drone nonetheless has much in common with its bigger brothers; it can hold position using downward visual sensors rather than GPS. It can also do stuff a Mavic Mini won’t: perform “8D” Stunts (flips in a number of directions), for example.
The camera is built-in, so impressive software stabilization keeps the 720p video fairly stable; the signal is recorded on your phone (subject to signal errors) rather than an SD card, and there is a selection of social-friendly EZ Shots (a bit like QuickShots on DJI’s pricier drones). This isn’t a photographer’s drone though, it’s for fun – where it excels. It’ll also brighten up learning, with Scratch, a visual programming language, and a complete SDK. Also check out the cool-looking Marvel Iron Man version of this drone, which looks like it has come out of Tony Stark's labs.
The Tello EDU is the same aircraft – with a cool partially transparent shell – but sold with a more sophisticated SDK (software development kit) that offers the chance to do more with the 14-core processor, chief among which is swarm flying. Swift Playgrounds allows control of up to four aircraft at once – be your own wing commander! You’ll also find, in the box, mission pads which the drones can fly over & respond to via the optical flow sensor.
Read our full DJI Ryze Tello review for more details
13. DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise (3E and 3T)
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After a long wait, the Mavic 3 has emerged in Enterprise form; the skeleton of the consumer and cine editions made useful for serious business. The 12-megapixel optical zoom sits next to the main camera to provide hybrid zoom inspections, while the mechanical shutter means you don’t need to stop while capturing a crisp image making clean mapping fast. The only real change to the shell is a beacon light at the back and a different camera protector which makes room for the RTK add-on.
The thermal (Mavic 3T) option has a smaller main image sensor but makes room for a 30fps thermal camera with point and area temperature measurement. Pilots can make use of live split-screen at up to 28x zoom for safe distance monitoring. The RC-Pro has a 4x processor power bump too.
Beyond the commercial drone’s long battery life, the Enterprise versions offer a flight interface designed for enterprise in DJI Pilot 2. DJI also has a suite of other applications, including FlightHub 2 for the management of a fleet and DJI Terra for 3D processing and mapping.
FAQs
Why is the weight 250g so important for drones?
In most countries in the world, this is the threshold between 'toy' level and needing to register in some way with your local aviation authority. The tests are usually a quick online exam and a small fee, but it's still nicer to avoid it!
It may also dictate how near you can be to others – 250g is OK in a park, for example, but not a heavier drone.
How we test drones
Our drone tests are carried out in the field, allowing us to assess the quadcopter for its flight performance, easy of use, and its image quality. All our drone reviews are overseen by Adam Juniper who is one of the UK's leading experts in drones, and who has written several books on flying drones, including The Drone Pilot's Handbook.
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