DJI Mini 5 Pro Announced, But U.S. Buyers May Have to Wait

After months of speculation, DJI has officially unveiled the Mini 5 Pro, the company’s latest entry in its ultralight drone lineup. Despite weighing just 249 grams-keeping it under regulatory thresholds in most regions-the new drone introduces pro-level features such as a 1-inch sensor, enhanced obstacle avoidance, and longer flight times.

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A Big Sensor in a Small Drone

The headline feature is the 1-inch CMOS sensor paired with a 24mm f/1.8 camera. With a resolution of 50 megapixels and up to 14 stops of dynamic range, the Mini 5 Pro effectively doubles the sensor size of its predecessor. This positions it closer to DJI’s more expensive Air 3S, though that model still holds an edge with its dedicated 70mm telephoto lens.

To bridge that gap, the Mini 5 Pro offers a 48mm Medium Telephoto mode, which digitally crops the main sensor to provide a telephoto-like field of view. The drone also inherits the gimbal flexibility of the Mavic 4 Pro, though rotation is limited to 225 degrees rather than a full 360. The 3-axis gimbal supports true vertical shooting for social media and activates instantly when the arms unfold for faster deployment.

Smarter Shooting and Faster Transfers

On the video side, the Mini 5 Pro can record 4K at up to 120fps or 4K HDR at up to 60fps, with expanded ISO ranges-12,800 for SDR and 3,200 for HDR/D-Log M. Frame rates range from:

• 4K (3840×2160): 24/25/30/48/50/60/120fps
• Full HD (1920×1080): 24/25/30/48/50/60/120/240fps

The drone includes 42GB of internal storage along with support for microSD cards up to 1TB. DJI has also added Off-State QuickTransfer, enabling files to be wirelessly moved at up to 100MB/s via Wi-Fi 6.1, even while the drone is powered off.

The Mini 5 Pro comes equipped with DJI’s full suite of smart modes, including ActiveTrack 360, MasterShots, QuickShots, Timelapse, Spotlight, Waypoint Flight, and Panorama stitching.

Obstacle Avoidance and Flight Performance

The new Omnidirectional Vision Sensing System builds on the Mini 4 Pro’s design with the addition of front-facing LiDAR sensors, significantly improving low-light obstacle detection. The drone can also remember its flight path and perform takeoffs or landings without GPS signal.

Power comes from DJI’s Intelligent Flight Battery Plus, delivering up to 52 minutes of flight time-the longest on any consumer DJI drone. However, due to European drone weight restrictions, the Plus battery won’t be sold in EU markets.

Performance has also been boosted, with the Mini 5 Pro capable of climbing at 10 m/s and reaching speeds of up to 42 mph, outpacing the Mini 4 Pro by about 6 mph.

Pricing and Availability

Like the Mavic 4 Pro, the DJI Mini 5 Pro will not be officially released in the U.S similar to the Mavic 4 Pro. For now, it is available in Canada starting at $1,059.00 CAD and comes in three configurations:

• Basic Kit ($1,059): Includes the drone, DJI RC-N3 controller, one battery, cables, and two spare propellers.
• Fly More Combo (RC-N3, $1,279): Adds two extra batteries, charging hub, ND filter set, carrying bag, more spare props, and cables.
• Fly More Combo (RC 2, $1,529): Same as above but swaps the RC-N3 controller for the upgraded RC 2.

With its larger sensor, extended battery life, and upgraded obstacle avoidance, the Mini 5 Pro looks set to redefine what’s possible in the sub-250g category-though U.S. buyers may have to rely on third-party sellers to get their hands on it.