hoangbre@gmail.com
If you’re in the market for a drone, it makes sense that you’d look at DJI: in our experience, DJI makes the best drones you can buy at the best prices. Better yet, we’ve found something in its line-up for every kind of buyer, from first-time flyers to experienced pilots. Here’s the cool bit: we’ve flown pretty much every DJI drone, to help you decide which ones should be on your radar.
It’s not easy to pick the best DJI drone for everyone, because each model suits a different type of user. That said, if we had to choose a single DJI drone to recommend, it would be the DJI Mini 4 Pro. When we flew it in testing, we were impressed by the quality and stability of its footage. We also found that automated modes, obstacle avoidance sensors and subject-tracking made it easy to fly solo.
Because of the variety in the DJI drone range, though, there might be a better option for you in our round-up – whether that’s a lightweight folding model or a flagship flyer for professionals. We’ve flown each for hours and hours, testing everything from flight controls to shooting modes. The idea is to pinpoint the benefits and drawbacks of each model, to give you a clearer picture of which DJI drone will best tick your boxes.
Top 3 picks
If you don’t have time to read our full list of the best DJI drones, you can read the round-up below for a shortcut to the top options for your needs and budget. If you find one that takes your fancy, use the links to jump to our full write-up.
The best sub-250g DJI drone
Packing the abilities of a bigger drone into usefully compact packaging, we think the DJI Mini 4 Pro is the best sub-250g DJI drone you can buy.
Read more below
The best DJI drone for beginners
Small, lightweight and more affordable than the Mini 3 Pro, the Mini 3 is the best value drone for beginners, if you’re happy without collision avoidance.
Read more below
The best DJI drone for aerial photography
DJI’s flagship is the first consumer drone with three cameras; a main micro-four-thirds sensor with 24mm lens, together with 3x and 7x zoom options.
Read more below
Best by use-case
The best DJI drone all-rounder
Hitting the sweet spot between affordability and performance, the Air 3 is a dual-camera drone with intuitive controls and a generous feature set.
Read more below
The best DJI drone to learn pilot skills
Easy to fly straight out of the box, the Avata 2 offers unrivalled FPV immersion, thanks to long flight times, top image quality and improved goggles.
Read more below
The best DJI drone for pros
A heavy but seriously pro drone, the Inspire 3 offers excellent image quality, smooth and precise flights, with the flexibility of interchangeable lenses.
Read more below
The best for selfies
Similar to the HoverAir X1 selfie drone, the Neo goes one step further with multi-control options, including controller-less, DJI’s Fly app, FPV and remote.
Read more below
Timothy Coleman
Tim is TechRadar’s Cameras Editor. With more than 15 years’ experience as a photographer and tech journalist, Tim has an extensive practical knowledge of photography equipment. He’s flown many of the best drones over the last few years, including most of DJI’s drone family. Tim notes, “DJI has established a firm reputation as the leading drone manufacturer. At all levels of its line-up, DJI drones are known for their class-leading image stabilization and reliable, accessible controls. DJI drones are competitively priced, plus with such short lifecycles you can find value by looking at capable models from a few years ago.”
The best DJI drones 2024
Why you can trust TechRadar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
Below you’ll find full write-ups for each of the best DJI drones in our list. We’ve tested each one extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations can be trusted.
Best DJI drone overall
Image 1 of 5
DJI Mini 4 Pro sample images
Image 1 of 10
Buy it if:
✅ You want DJI’s best sub-250g drone: Excellent image quality and D-Log M color, obstacle avoidance, plus impressive flight features combine to great effect.
✅ You want consistent video quality: Video capture using D-Log M color profile makes matching your video output across drones much easier.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You can live without obstacle avoidance: If you have no intention of flying in complex environments, you could opt for a cheaper alternative like in the Mini 3.
❌ You want the very best image quality: The Mavic 3 models boast a larger Four Thirds sensor Hasselblad camera with superior image quality.
The DJI Mini 4 Pro builds on the qualities of the Mini 3 Pro to become the new benchmark for what sub-250g drones can deliver. It isn’t a radical upgrade: it looks remarkably similar, performs pretty much identically in flight, and even uses the same impressive 1/1.3-inch sensor. If you’re already a Mini 3 Pro owner, the question is whether you should upgrade – a question we’ve tried to answer in our dedicated DJI Mini 4 Pro vs Mini 3 Pro article. The Mini 3 Pro remains a fantastic drone and many of the camera upgrades could realistically have been delivered as firmware updates.
For everyone else, the Mini 4 Pro is an excellent choice. Whether you’re a professional drone pilot using the Mini 4 Pro as a second drone who can benefit from the D-Log M video color consistency with your Mavic 3, or an enthusiast looking for something small and lightweight, the Mini 4 Pro is undoubtedly the best sub-250g drone available.
Best DJI drone for beginners
Image 1 of 5
DJI Mini 3 sample images
Image 1 of 4
Buy it if:
✅ You’re a beginner drone photographer: The DJI Mini 3 is a great starting point if you’re new to drones, yet still delivers the same image quality as the Pro version.
✅ You’re on a budget: If you don’t have a huge amount to spend, the DJI Mini 3 is easily the best in its price bracket, offering a lot of value.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ Collision avoidance is needed: The Mini 3 doesn’t feature obstacle avoidance to keep you clear of trees, but the Mini 4 Pro does.
❌ You want to fly in strong wind: The Mini 3 can struggle and drift in strong winds whereas larger drones offer more stability.
If you don’t need the reassurance of collision avoidance, the Mini 3 is the best budget drone you can buy. Small, lightweight and more affordable than the Mini 3 Pro, it delivers identical image quality to its costlier sibling. Provided you’re confident to navigate in-flight obstacles without automated assistance, it’s a high-quality drone capable of capturing excellent JPEG and raw stills, as well as 4K video at up to 30fps. Helpfully, its 12MP sensor can also rotate to shoot in portrait.
A lack of Log profiles limits its appeal to professionals, while the absence of subject tracking marks another downgrade from the Pro version. That said, the Mini 3 still features Quickshots, which allow beginners to capture cinematic footage using automated flight paths. We found it an easy drone to pilot with the optional controller, with downward vision sensors and GPS to help with hovering. Stepping up to the Mavic 3 Classic would yield better image quality and increased stability in windy conditions, but with decent real-world flight times of 25 minutes, the Mini 3 ticks all the key boxes for budget buyers.
Best DJI drone for aerial photography
Image 1 of 5
DJI Mavic 3 Pro sample images
Image 1 of 3
Buy it if:
✅ You need telephoto zoom: Twin telephoto lenses give the Mavic 3 Pro excellent versatility, with 166mm and 70mm cameras.
✅ You like to fly safe: The Mavic 3 Pro offers a suite of safety features, including collision avoidance and advance return to home.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You’re a complete novice: The Mavic 3 Pro is easy to fly, but the Mini 3 offers a lot for beginners at a lower price and weight.
❌ You’re on a tight budget: As one of the most expensive consumer drones on the market, the Mavic 3 Pro is a premium option.
DJI’s new flagship is the first consumer drone with three cameras. This is two more than most pilots need. But if you’re an aerial photographer or videographer in search of the most versatile drone on the market, the results of our testing suggest the Mavic 3 Pro is the premium pick for you.
In our review, we found the image quality of the main 24mm Four Thirds camera – the same one used by the Mavic 3 Classic – the best. It’s also the winner in terms of adjustable aperture, formats and frame rates. That said, both telephoto cameras produce excellent images, and the option to zoom in 3x and 7x is fantastically useful in a range of scenarios.
Despite being a pro drone, we found the Mavic 3 Pro incredibly easy to fly, aided by excellent safety features that make it accessible to all users. However, its pro-tier video modes, as well as its price tag, make it overkill for beginners. Its weight also puts it into the restrictive C2 European drone category. But if you want a top-spec drone that’s more portable and less expensive than the Inspire 3, the Mavic 3 Pro offers it all – plus two telephotos.
Best DJI drone for all rounders
Image 1 of 5
DJI Air 3 sample images
Image 1 of 10
Buy it if:
✅ You want a zoom lens: The Air 3 has two lenses, including a 3x telephoto that lets you get close to the action from a safe working distance.
✅ You fly in blustery conditions: In our tests, the Air 3 proved to have better wind resistance than the Mini 3 Pro, coping well with breezy situations.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You want a starter drone: The DJI Air 3 is fine for beginners to fly, but novices might find the smaller and lighter Mini 3 more manageable.
❌ You want variable apertures: Both of the Air 3’s lenses have fixed apertures, which are particularly restrictive if you use ND filters.
With dual cameras and improved wind resistance, the DJI Air 3 represents a significant upgrade over the already capable Air 2S from 2021. A 720g take-off weight puts the Air 3 in Europe’s C1 category, meaning it’s subject to more restrictions than the sub-250g drones in this list. But you also get a lot of benefits for the extra baggage, including a generous 46-minute flight time.
In testing, we found image quality class-leading, as we’ve come to expect from DJI. Fixed apertures aren’t helpful for users of ND filters, but we found that the 3x zoom lens allows you to work at a safe and legal distance from subjects, a particularly useful feature if you’re recording wildlife. Because the DJI Air 3 is a big drone, many novices will find the Mini 3 more manageable. That said, we think beginners will have no issue piloting the Air 3, thanks to its easy interface and useful safety features. As a middle ground between the more affordable Mini 3 Pro and the highly capable Mavic 3 Pro, it makes a lot of sense.
Best FPV drone from DJI
Image 1 of 5
DJI Avata 2 sample images
Image 1 of 3
Buy it if:
✅ You want an FPV drone that’s ready out of the box: The Avata 2 lets you fly right out of the box, with intuitive controls and a relatively gentle learning curve.
✅ You want the best FPV image quality: The Avata 2 shoots sharper than previous DJI FPV drones and with better dynamic range.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You have a limited budget: If you don’t need all of its features, you might find better value from the DJI FPV or the original Avata.
❌ You’re a seasoned FPV pilot: Flight modes and safety features mean the Avata 2 is designed for newcomers, rather than freestyle flying.
We were already big fans of the DJI Avata, and the second edition only cements its place as the best FPV drone you can buy. In testing, we found it remarkably intuitive to fly, even for beginners. Safety features – such as a panic button which slows the drone to a hover – offer extra reassurance for learners. We found the updated Motion Controller 3 simple to use, although more experienced pilots should consider the Remote Controller 3 for manual flight.
Our tests revealed that image quality has received a major upgrade, courtesy of an improved 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor. The 4K/60p footage we shot offered greater detail and much better dynamic range than the first-gen Avata. Video streamed to the upgraded DJI Goggles 3 was sharp as well, and thanks to a more aerodynamic profile, the Avata 2 can fly for longer – with 23 minutes of flight time per charge extending the sense of immersion. Considering that the Avata 2 ships with everything you need to fly, we think it offers a fantastic value route into the world of FPV.
Best DJI drone for pros
Image 1 of 5
DJI Inspire 3 sample images
Image 1 of 10
Buy it if:
✅ You produce professional drone footage: The Inspire 3 has the tools needed for truly pro productions, including dual-operator control.
✅ You demand the upmost precision: With precise flight accuracy, the Inspire 3 was made for the highly complex environments such as crowded film sets.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You’re not making money from piloting: This is a ludicrously capable and expensive drone that’s no toy.
❌ You need a compact drone: The bulky Inspire 3 is heavy to carry, slow to setup and comes with legal flight restrictions.
The DJI Inspire 3 is a serious drone for seriously professional shoots and complex shoot environments. It offers precise control down to flight accuracy of 10mm, plus dual operator control. It’s bulky and heavy, requires time to setup – in short, this is no consumer drone; it’s built for professional environments such as film sets and commercial inspections.
Camera-wise it’s a similar setup to DJI’s full-frame and interchangeable lens Ronin 4D 8K, meaning image quality is fantastic and next level compared to the other consumer drones in the guide. The stabilized Zenmuse X9-8K Air Gimbal Camera can shoot 8K up to 75fps in ProRes Raw in either full-frame or Super 35, plus 4K at up to 120fps in all but the CinemaDNG codec, which tops out at 100fps in 4K. Aerial photographers are well catered for too – you can also shoot photos in raw and JPEG, with up to 14 stops of dynamic range. This is 5-star quality all the way.
The best selfie DJI drone
Image 1 of 5
DJI Neo sample images
Image 1 of 3
Buy it if:
✅ You’d want plenty of flight options: You can fly the Neo without a controller, through DJI’s Fly app, with a controller and even FPV Goggles, take your pick.
✅ You have no drone experience: You literally need no experience whatsoever and can take to the skies within minutes, equipped with AI subject tracking and face recognition for easy selfies.
Don’t buy it if:
❌ You’re hoping for excellent image quality: Neo has beginner-friendly image quality meaning limited editing scope for your 4K videos and 12MP photos.
❌ It’s FPV flight you’re into: Yes you can fly Neo using DJI’s Goggles, but they’re a pricey extra and by which point you’re getting close to Avata 2 combo prices, which is a much better FPV drone.
The DJI Neo stands out in DJI’s drone lineup. It’s the cheapest, smallest, and easiest to use drone for which you need no prior flight experience. In a matter of minutes from unboxing, you can take to the skies from the palm of your hand, without a controller, and capture aerial selfies at the push of a button. Neo is equipped with AI-subject detection and face recognition, which we found stuck to the subject like glue, even with other people entering the shot.
It’s not the only selfie drone in town – there’s also the excellent HoverAir X1. However, DJI has gone one step further with the Neo in that it shoots higher resolution 4K video and offers multiple control options, making use of DJI’s ecosystem that includes various controllers, FPV Goggles and the DJI Fly app.
What’s more, DJI priced the Neo super aggressively and for many people it could be the most obvious and fun first drone. We certainly had a lot of fun with the tiny drone during testing, navigating tight spaces with the lightweight 4.76oz / 135g drone, safe in the knowledge that it features propellor guards. The Neo isn’t perfect; flight speeds and wind resistance are modest compared to the Mini 3, plus there’s no additional video color profiles or raw photo options, so editing scope is limited. However, if you’re simply after a little fun with a cheap and cheerful and surpisingly capable little drone, the Neo could just be the ticket.
Read our in-depth DJI Neo review
How to choose the best DJI drone
How to choose the best DJI drone
When choosing a DJI drone, budget will be a key factor. Professional models such as the DJI Inspire 3 cost significantly more than sub-250g drones like the DJI Mini 4 Pro. The payoff is that you get pro-grade features and a huge amount of versatility. Most people will find the sweet spot lies in the middle of the range, where models such as the DJI Air 3 balance performance, portability and price. If you’re looking for something more affordable, you can also look at last-gen drones like the DJI Mini 3.
Learners should look for models with safety features, such as obstacle avoidance. This isn’t found on every DJI drone, but its a useful option to reduce the risk of mid-air collisions. DJI drones are also known for their automated shooting and subject-tracking modes, which make it easier to capture cinematic shots.
Most DJI drones are sold with a controller, but these aren’t all the same. Pretty much all of them feature some kind of screen and joystick setup, but DJI has produced a number of controller versions, so it’s worth looking at which type comes with your preferred model. You can also choose to upgrade to an optional handset, if you’d like more control or a different style of grip.
DJI drones are renowned for their image quality and the effectiveness of their stabilization. Pretty much every DJI drone can record 4K video, but some capture higher frame rates and better dynamic range. The right choice will depend on whether you plan to focus more on stills or video, and how serious you are about either (or both). The Mavic 3 Pro, for example, has three cameras for maximum versatility, while the DJI Mini 3 Pro supports the D-Log M color profile for consistent video grading.
Finally, don’t overlook size and weight. Many DJI drones can be folded down to fit in a carry case or backpack for easy travel, but weight limits are crucial. Larger drones tend to be more stable, but come with additional registration requirements. Drones weighing less than 250g, like the DJI Mini 4 Pro, fly under most regulations.
How we test DJI drones
How we test DJI drones
Why you can trust TechRadar
☑️ 10s of drones reviewed
☑️ 15 years of product testing
☑️ Over 16,000 products reviewed in total
☑️ Nearly 200,000 hours testing tech
While the cameras are the main focus of the DJI drones we review, we also test their flying performance to see how easy they are to operate. We check their stabilization in the air, their responsiveness and their top speed. Perhaps most importantly, we also assess their obstacle avoidance – which is particularly crucial if you want a drone that automatically tracks and follows a subject.
After testing the drone’s battery life claims based on some real-world flights, we then move onto their cameras. We shoot a range if clips at different resolutions and frame-rates, including high-contrast scenes to push their dynamic range to the limit, plus some low-light scenes. Automated flight modes are also tested to see whether they’re genuinely useful or fun gimmicks.
These videos are then assessed on a calibrated monitor, along with the drone’s still photos (which we shoot in maximum resolution in both JPEG and raw, at various ISOs).
When it comes to image quality, we look at detail, sharpness across the frame, and high ISO noise handling, to see which conditions you can reasonably expect to shoot usable video and stills in. We then combine these results with our overall impression of the drone’s design, features and value to produce our final verdict.
