DJI Mini 5 Pro Drone Delivers Professional-Grade Imagery Without the Bulk

DJI has introduced its latest gem, the Mini 5 Pro, a drone so compact it can fit in your palm but is as powerful as its larger siblings. This lightweight flyer features a 1-inch sensor—a first for the Mini series—in a frame weighing less than 250g, providing professional-grade imaging without the bulk. However, there is a catch for Americans: DJI will not sell it directly in the US, so you will have to navigate a labyrinth of resellers and probable warranty concerns.

The 1-inch, 50-megapixel CMOS sensor is a huge jump from the 1/1.3-inch sensor in the Mini 4 Pro, more than double the surface area to capture light. That means sharper details, richer colors and better low light performance when the sun dips or city lights flicker on. DJI claims 14 stops of dynamic range, so you can capture scenes with big contrasts—like dawn clouds or neon streets—without losing texture. Video shooters get 4K at 60fps in HDR or 4K at 120fps for silky slow-mo. With 10-bit color and an ISO range up to 12,800 (3,200 in D-Log M and HLG modes) this drone handles low light like a pro, producing cleaner footage than the Mini 4 Pro where noise would creep in at dusk.

The standard battery gives you 36 minutes of airtime, 2 minutes more than the Mini 4 Pro without adding weight. Go for the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus and you’re flying for up to 52 minutes—DJI’s longest for a non-industrial drone. That’s plenty of time to circle a landmark, chase a cyclist or nail a shot. But the extended battery isn’t available in Europe due to regulations on heavier drones and US buyers might face similar hurdles if importing. Charging is fast too: the two-way charging hub and 65W charger can charge three batteries in 115 minutes, so downtime is minimal.


Forward facing LiDAR combines fisheye cameras, binocular sensors and an underneath infrared sensor to detect omnidirectional obstacles even in low light. This “Nightscape Omnidirectional Sensing” reduces the risk of night flights by allowing the drone to avoid obstacles like trees or buildings. It can also return home without GPS by memorizing routes using real-time visual positioning, useful when launching from a balcony or other signal dead zones. Dual-band GNSS (L1 + L5) connects to more satellites for better positioning, ActiveTrack 360° has been improved to adapt to different scenarios, like tracking a runner on a beach or a biker on a winding trail, while balancing speed and stability.


With 225 degrees of roll rotation, the gimbal unlocks dynamic angles and true vertical shooting, perfect for social media clips on TikTok or Instagram Reels—no cropping required. Intelligent modes like MasterShots, QuickShots (with options like Dronie, Helix, or Asteroid), and Free Panorama stitch together cinematic sequences with minimal effort. A new 48mm Med-Tele mode offers digital zoom that’s sharper than before, though it doesn’t match the optical zoom of DJI’s pricier Air series. The drone also auto-powers when unfolded, a small but welcome tweak borrowed from the DJI Flip, and stores 42GB of footage internally, so you don’t need to use SD cards for longer shoots.


The Mini 5 Pro climbs at 22 miles per hour—twice as fast as its predecessor—and cruises horizontally at 42 miles per hour. Wi-Fi 6 enables file transfers at up to 100 MB/s, even when the drone is off, via the DJI Fly app’s Off-State QuickTransfer. The O4+ transmission system has a 12.4-mile range in the US (10 km in Europe), so you’ve got a stable link for far-flung flights. Choose between the standard RC-N3 controller or the RC-2 with a built-in screen, the latter being more expensive but brighter and more convenient for sunny days.



For all its awesomeness, the Mini 5 Pro is absent from the US. DJI’s decision to not launch the Mini 5 Pro in the US, citing “local conditions,” is similar to the Mavic 4 Pro’s fate, likely due to trade tensions and tariffs. You might find it through resellers like Amazon or B&H, but expect to pay more—way more—than the $769 USD starting price in Canada, or €799 (£689) in Europe. Warranty support might be a gamble too, as DJI ties repairs to the region of sale. The Fly More Combo, with extra batteries and the RC-2 controller, is €1,129 ($1,338), but US buyers will face added costs and customs headaches.