For a few months now, there have been rumblings on online forums about DJI's latest drone, and the rumors were true as today marks the birth of the DJI Mini 5 Pro. This mini drone succeeds the very popular DJI Mini 4 Pro and it hopes to become the new king of the skies.
I've been flying the Mini 5 Pro for a few days now, in between constant torrential downpours (as I live in Britain). However, my first impressions are overwhelmingly positive. The Mini 5 Pro takes what the Mini 4 Pro did well and improves on it to deliver perhaps the smartest and strongest mini drone yet. This is undoubtedly one of the best drones around.
If you've been holding off on buying the Mini 4 Pro, you might want to consider its successor instead. Let me show you why...
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs DJI Mini 4 Pro: Specs compared
Specs | DJI Mini 5 Pro | DJI Mini 4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
Price | Starts at £689 (not yet available officially in the U.S.) | Starts at $759 / £689 |
Flight time | 36 minutes | 34 minutes |
FAA/CAA registration | Not required | Not required |
Cameras | One | One |
Image sensor | 50MP 1-inch CMOS | 48MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS |
ISO range | ISO 100-12,800 (Normal) | ISO 100-3200 (D-Log M) | ISO 100-3200 (HLG) | ISO 100-6400 (Normal) | ISO 100-1600 (D-Log M) | ISO 100-1600 (HLG) |
Shutter speed | 1/8000-2s (12MP, 50MP) | 1/16,000-2s (12MP) | 1/8000-2s (48MP) |
Aperture | f/1.8 | f/1.7 |
Focus | 0.5m to ∞ | 1m to ∞ |
Max video resolution | 4K/60fps, 4K/120fps, FHD/240fps | 4K/60fps, 4K/100fps, FHD/200fps |
Stabilization | Three-axis mechanical gimbal | Three-axis mechanical gimbal |
Indoor use | No | No |
Propellers | Four | Four |
Max takeoff altitude | 6000m | 4000m |
Max flight distance | 13.04 miles (21km) | 11.18 miles (18km) |
Wind resistance | 12 m/s (26.84mph) | 10.7 m/s (23.9mph) |
Navigation system | GPS, Galileo, BeiDou | GPS, Galileo, BeiDou |
Collision avoidance | Omnidirectional with LiDAR | Omnidirectional |
Smartphone control | Yes | Yes |
Internal storage | Yes, 42GB | Yes, 2GB |
microSD card slot | Yes, V30 or higher | Yes, V30 or higher |
Size | 10.03 x 7.12 x 3.58 inches (unfolded, with propellers) | 14.68 x 11.73 x 3.97 inches (unfolded, with propellers) |
Weight | 8.81oz (249.9g) | 8.78oz (249g) |
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs DJI Mini 4 Pro: Price & availability
The DJI Mini 4 Pro came out in September 2023, and today, it starts at $759 / £689. Two years on, the DJI Mini 5 Pro was announced on 17 September 2025 but at the time of launch, it isn't available to buy in the U.S. This is similar to the recent release of the DJI Osmo 360, which still isn't available 'officially' from DJI in the U.S., but was available via Amazon and other third party retailers in the States soon after its launch.
According to a DJI spokesperson: "The DJI Mini 5 Pro will not be available officially in the United States upon its global launch on September 17. DJI remains dedicated to the U.S. market and is optimizing our strategy to best serve our customers amidst evolving local conditions."
However, if you're located in the U.K. or in Europe, you can grab it for £689 / €799.
That's right: the Mini 5 Pro has the exact same price as its predecessor, and I think that's a fantastic move by DJI. The brand is keeping drone photography accessible and still adding more features. I'll update this article if/when an official release date is announced for the U.S., but you can expect the Mini 5 Pro to be available via third party retailers soon.
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs DJI Mini 4 Pro: Design
As opposed to the DJI Mini 4 Pro which comes in a light grey color, the DJI Mini 5 Pro comes in a darker shade which makes it look like the child of the DJI Air 3S and the DJI Mavic 4 Pro.
As their names suggest, both are mini drones, so they're compact and can easily be stored away in a small bag for easy transport. When unfolded and with propellers installed, the Mini 4 Pro measures 14.68 x 11.73 x 3.97 inches. On the other hand, the Mini 5 Pro measures 10.03 x 7.12 x 3.58 inches, making it smaller. DJI has still managed to pack a ton of performance into such a compact form factor.
The Mini 5 Pro's and the Mini 4 Pro's weight difference is negligible and both drones weigh just under 250g / 8.81oz (with Intelligent Flight Battery) which means you don't necessarily need to register with the F.A.A. in the U.S., the C.A.A. in the U.K., and other local governing bodies.
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs DJI Mini 4 Pro: Features
A big difference between the DJI Mini 5 Pro and the Mini 4 Pro lies in their ability to avoid obstacles. Both drones feature omnidirectional obstacle avoidance but the Mini 5 Pro's is supplemented with forward-facing LiDAR and an infrared sensor at the bottom of the aircraft, which makes it more capable of either braking in front of or bypassing obstacles even in low-light conditions.
Internal storage has also received a massive bump with the Mini 5 Pro boasting 42GB (versus just 2GB on the Mini 4 Pro), and both drones also have microSD card slots (V30 or higher recommended).
Wind resistance has also been bumped from 10.7 m/s (23.9mph) on the Mini 4 Pro to 12 m/s (26.84mph) on the Mini 5 Pro. I flew the Mini 5 Pro on a very windy day in Bath, U.K., and my weather app noted the wind was blowing at 21mph. The Mini 5 Pro held its own and didn't waver, with the resulting footage being stable and smooth.
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs DJI Mini 4 Pro: Photo & video quality
Both the DJI Mini 5 Pro and the DJI Mini 4 Pro utilize one camera each to capture stunning photos. The biggest difference between the two drones is that the new Mini 5 Pro features a significantly larger 1-inch sensor (versus a 1/1.3-inch sensor on its predecessor). This delivers reduced noise and a wider dynamic range than the Mini 4 Pro and means the Mini 5 Pro should demonstrate better low-light performance. The lens' maximum aperture has narrowed, though, from f/1.7 to f/1.8, which will theoretically decrease low light performance, but the different should be pretty negligible.
With the Mini 5 Pro's bigger sensor comes a wider ISO range: ISO 100-12,800 (Normal) or ISO 100-3200 (D-Log M, HLG). These values are wider than equivalent values the Mini 4 Pro, which could shoot at ISO 100-6400 in Normal mode and ISO 100-1600 in D-Log M and HLG. The drones are both capable of shooting 12MP photos, but the Mini 5 Pro can take 50MP shots too while the Mini 4 Pro is limited to 48MP (which is still very good).
Video specs remain fairly similar with both drones being able to record 4K/60fps footage. The Mini 5 Pro can shoot slow-mo 4K footage at 120fps (versus 100fps on the Mini 4 Pro) and FHD slow-mo is bumped up to 240fps too (versus 200fps on the Mini 4 Pro).
Check out the article I wrote detailing my first impressions of the Mini 5 Pro for more video footage and stills.
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs DJI Mini 4 Pro: Battery life
The DJI Mini 5 Pro has better, longer battery life compared to the DJI Mini 4 Pro. When using an Intelligent Flight Battery, the Mini 5 Pro lasts 36 minutes, while the Mini 4 Pro lasts 34 minutes. Using an Intelligent Flight Battery Plus bumps the Mini 5 Pro's battery life to a whopping 52 minutes as opposed to the Mini 4 Pro's 45-minute flight time.
Of course, using a bigger Intelligent Flight Battery Plus will add more weight to the Mini 5 Pro, so pilots must be careful before taking off.
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs DJI Mini 4 Pro: Outlook
Given the headline specs which indicate better battery life, a more powerful sensor with more megapixels, and smaller form factor, it's a no-brainer that if you can, you should get the DJI Mini 5 Pro. I say "if you can" because, on launch, the Mini 5 Pro is currently not available to buy in the U.S. but if you're located across the pond (or literally anywhere else in the world), you should be able to buy it.
Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be putting the Mini 5 Pro through our standard array of tests to determine whether it deserves a spot on our list of the best drones. But having flown the drone for a few days already, something in my gut tells me that it will be the drone to beat. Make sure to read my first impressions article, and keep an eye out for my full review!
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More from Tom's Guide
- I’ve been flying the new DJI Mini 5 Pro — and my first impressions tell me this could be the drone to beat
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