HoverAir has unveiled the Versa, a curious new vlogging camera that can be used in your hand one moment and transformed into a drone the next.

It’s effectively HoverAir's take on the DJI Osmo Pocket 4, a compact camera mounted on a three-axis mechanical gimbal.

The difference here is that by attaching wings to it, you can turn the Versa into a selfie drone.

On the ground, the Versa operates as a pocket-sized handheld camera for recording walks, vlogs and everyday footage.

Attach its enclosed propeller assembly (not dissimilar to the brand's X1 Pro model), and it becomes a self-flying camera capable of tracking its owner without a traditional drone controller.

HoverAir says the Versa will offer more than 10 automated flight modes, along with AI subject tracking and automatic composition.

The company has not yet revealed important details such as its sensor size, video resolutions, flight time, weight, price or release date.

It has, however, made some ambitious claims about dynamic range and low-light performance.

One of the more exciting features – called 3D Worlds – allows the Versa to perform a controlled 360-degree flight around a scene and reconstruct it as an image that can be explored from different viewpoints.

HoverAir keeps finding gaps in the drone market

The Versa is unusual, but it also feels entirely consistent with HoverAir’s approach to product development.

The company helped establish the modern selfie-drone category with the Hover Camera Passport and later refined the idea with the pocket-sized HoverAir X1, concentrating on automatic tracking, protected propellers and one-button operation.

Then it took that same formula onto the water with the HoverAir Aqua, an IP67-rated camera drone that can land on, float upon and take off from water.

Now the company has spotted another potentially lucrative gap, the increasingly crowded market for pocket-sized vlogging cameras.

DJI, Insta360 and numerous other manufacturers are all competing for creators who want stabilised footage without carrying a full mirrorless camera rig.

The Versa enters that contest without abandoning the feature most closely associated with the HoverAir brand, namely, autonomous flight.

HoverAir has yet to confirm when the Versa will go on sale. More information is available on the official HoverAir Versa page.

A big compromise in aviation is choosing between efficiency and control. Drones can hover and move precisely, but their propellers consume a lot of power. Fixed-wing aircraft are far more efficient, but can't stay suspended in one place.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems and the University of Stuttgart think they've found a middle ground. Their new robot, affectionately called Floaty, uses rising air currents to remain airborne while adjusting four movable flaps to control its position and stability.

Inspired by soaring birds, Floaty doesn't use propellers to stay in the air. Instead, it rides upward airflow and continuously changes its shape to control how air moves around its body.

The robot has been trained using an aerodynamic model developed from extensive wind tunnel testing, allowing it to recover from gusts of wind and even physical pushes without losing control.

Getting the design right wasn't straightforward. Early versions proved unstable, so the team lowered the robot's centre of gravity and redesigned its control flaps to help it automatically correct its position while airborne.

The result is a robot that can hover in vertical airflows of up to 10m/s while remaining very stable.

The biggest advantage is efficiency. According to the researchers, Floaty consumes around 10W per kilogram of weight, roughly an order of magnitude less power than comparable thrust-powered aerial robots.

While it's still a research project, the team believes the technology could eventually be used to inspect industrial chimneys, monitor weather systems or even help control spacecraft and rockets in airflow-rich environments.

If that happens, Floaty may represent a very different future for flight – one where robots work with the wind rather than fighting against it.

HoverAir’s long-awaited Aqua is finally available to buy globally, and it might still be one of the strangest and most interesting drone launches we’ve seen in years.

The brand first teased Aqua back in 2025, promising a fully waterproof flying camera designed specifically for watersports and marine adventures.

Now, after a successful crowdfunding campaign and months of anticipation, the self-flying drone has officially hit shelves in more than 50 countries.

The headline feature is, of course, the IP67 waterproof construction, allowing the Aqua to take off directly from the water, land on it, float if it crashes, and relaunch.

This is something no DJI models can do at the moment, but knowing the drone giant, an alternative might already be in the works.

Built for the waves

The water-based operation opens the door to aerial filming scenarios that are either extremely difficult or downright impossible with most consumer drones.

HoverAir is pitching Aqua as the ultimate hands-free camera companion for activities such as kayaking, wakeboarding, kitesurfing and paddleboarding.

The drone uses autonomous flight modes and subject tracking to follow users automatically, removing the need for a dedicated pilot.

According to the company, Aqua can track action at speeds up to 55km/h and withstand Level 7 winds, which is impressive considering the drone weighs under 250g.

It also packs fairly serious imaging hardware for such a compact machine, including a 1/1.28-inch CMOS sensor capable of shooting 4K video at up to 100 fps for slow-motion footage.

HoverAir says the drone also uses a hydrophobic lens coating, anti-fog technology and corrosion-resistant materials to survive harsher marine environments.

One of the more intriguing additions is the new Lighthouse wearable controller, which creates what the company calls a “Virtual Tether” experience, essentially allowing you to control the drone hands-free while remaining focused on the activity itself.

The US misses out

Despite becoming available globally, HoverAir says Aqua is currently unavailable in the US due to “administrative and regulatory complexities”.

That means the drone is launching in markets including the UK and Europe first, while American buyers will have to wait for further updates.

Pricing starts at £1,129 for the Standard Combo and rises to £1,299 for the Fly More Combo, both at 20% off the recommended retail price.

Head over to HoverAir to find out more.

DJI had a crazy month in April. The brand has launched a ton of highly anticipated products, including the Osmo Pocket 4 and the successors to what is surely DJI's most popular beginner drone, the Mini 4K. And since the company wasn’t dominating the drone market quite enough (?), it decided to offer two new models: Lito 1 and the Lito X1.

Rumours about the Lito Series have been swirling around for months, so I can’t say I was massively surprised when the company started teasing the upcoming release earlier this month. And because it’s DJI, I just assumed they would be of decent quality.

I wasn’t wrong. I’ve been testing the more premium of the two models, the Lito X1, for a little over a week, and it made me seriously question who might need a DJI Mini 5 Pro other than people who fly drones for a living. It has everything from long battery life and forward-facing LiDAR to high-resolution photos and videos and easy controls.

Best of all, it’s cheap as chips, making it the beginner drone to beat in 2026 (and probably beyond). Some pilots might still opt for the entry-level Lito 1 – which I’ll be testing next – but the Lito X1 is really just an amazing drone for not a lot of money.

If you haven’t already bought the Mini 4K, or bought it a while ago, or have a Neo or a Flip and want to take your piloting, photography and videography to the next level, read my full DJI Lito X1 review below. Let’s get started.

DJI Lito X1 review

Price and availability

The Lito X1 was announced on 23 April 2026 and is available to buy now at DJI for the recommended price of £369 / €379 / AU$619 (Drone only). The Lito X1 Fly More Combo (DJI RC 2), which includes the RC2 controller with a built-in screen, three Intelligent Flight Batteries, a charging hub and a shoulder bag, sells for £599 / €619 / AU$1,069.

Sadly, just like the Osmo Pocket 4, the DJI Lito series will not be available in the U.S. market as the application for authorisation is still pending. A crying shame for beginner pilots over yonder!

Design and build quality

The Lito X1 is a compact, sub-249g drone with foldable arms and a front-mounted gimbal. Mine came at 248 grams, just under the limit. It measures 144×94×62 mm when folded and 183×251×79 mm when flight-ready. It’s quite small and lightweight, all things considered.

The drone doesn't come with propeller guards like the Neo 2, but DJI included a gimbal cover, which is as awkward to take off as always. This covers the camera unit and the two LiDAR sensors, the latter of which are located above the gimbal. You’ll find two more (optical) sensors at the top and bottom of the Lito X1.

The gimbal itself is a 3-axis mechanical gimbal (tilt, roll, pan) with a mechanical range of -126° to 67°. Of this, the controllable range (tilt) is -90° to 40°, allowing you to point the camera directly towards the ground and slightly up. DJI claims the angular vibration ranges ±0.01° – excellent in this category.

The Lito X1 is equipped with a 2,788 mAh Li-ion battery (Intelligent Flight Battery), which weighs approximately 74 grams. This is, of course, included in the drone's overall weight. The Lito X1 has 42 GB built-in storage, continuing the trend of DJI adding this feature to most of its newer products.

Camera performance

The Lito X1 has a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor with 48MP effective pixels – a lot larger than the Mini 4K’s camera unit. The lens has an FOV of 82.1°, equivalent to a 24 mm lens on a full-frame camera, and an aperture of f/1.7. The minimum focusing distance is 1 metre, which is more than enough, considering it’s unlikely you’ll be flying the drone that close to anything or anyone.

The maximum resolution is 8,064 × 6,048 pixels (48 MP), but the Lito X1 can also shoot 12 MP photos, both JPEG and RAW (and JPEG+RAW). It’s pretty cool to have raw functionality on a beginner drone, along with manual exposure control options.

As for video, the Lito can deliver up to 4K (3,840×2,160) videos @ 100 fps, full HD (1,920×1,080) @ 200 fps and 2.7K (1,512×2,688) vertical videos at 60 fps. The Lito X1 can shoot 'true vertical' videos like the Mini 5 Pro; instead, it downsamples 4K landscape footage to 2.7K vertical.

The maximum bitrate is 130 Mbps, and thanks to the built-in storage, you don’t have to worry about getting a fast enough microSD card.

(The Lito X1 supports microSD cards up to 1TB and recommends either Lexar’s Silver Plus or Kingston’s CANVAS GO! Plus models.)

Even though the Lito X1 has only one lens, it offers up to 3x zoom. It’s all digital, of course, but that larger sensor enables the drone to produce a 2x zoom that’s almost surprisingly not digital-looking. The 3x zoom is usable, but doesn’t quite look as good as the 1x or 2x zoom.

As always, it’s best to step down the exposure compensation to -0.3 or -0.7, as the Lito X1, like most DJI drones, tends to slightly overexpose images and videos. I was testing the drone early-ish in the morning on nice, sunny days, and the sensor was clearly trying its best to account for the huge dynamic range.

Sure, the videos don’t look quite as good as the Mini 5 Pro's, but considering the Lito X1 is a beginner drone, I’m thoroughly impressed with how well it performed in the camera department.

Features and flight performance

It probably doesn’t come as a surprise, but the Lito X1 is a much more capable drone than the Mini 4K in terms of features and flight characteristics. I already mentioned the forward-facing LiDAR – those little cameras above the gimbal unit – that allow the drone to navigate even in low light conditions.

The Mini 4K doesn’t have obstacle avoidance, while the Lito X1 sports omnidirectional sensing and can recognise and manage hazards around the drone.

I flew the Lito X1 directly towards me, and it slowed down and then stopped well before it could hit me. I mostly use the drone in ‘Normal’ mode, which balances speed and battery life, but if you switch to ‘Sport’ mode, the Lito X1 disables the obstacle-sensing feature – something to be aware of.

Speaking of Sport mode, the drone's maximum speed is 18 m/s, which is 2 m/s faster than the Mini 4K’s maximum speed (16 m/s). It’s on par with the Mini 5 Pro but much slower than the much larger Mavic 4 Pro, which has a top speed of 25 m/s in Sport mode. 18 m/s is more than fast enough for beginner pilots, anyway.

Wind resistance is the same as before, with the Lito X1 being capable of managing gusts up to 10.7 m/s (Level 5). The dinky drone will, of course, struggle in higher winds, and trying to maintain a stable hover when gusts push the Lito X1 around will also drain the battery. Overall, the drone is satisfactory in this department.

A big upgrade is dynamic autonomous tracking. The Lito X1 can not only lock onto stationary subjects – something the Mini 4K can also do – but also continuously follow a moving subject, predict motion, adjust its path, and reframe in real time. Plus, the new model now has MasterShots as well as QuickShots, which string together a few shots and can be edited into a short video in the DJI Fly app.

MasterShots are an easy way to create good-looking social media clips with absolutely no effort.

Battery life and charging

Battery life (i.e., flight time) improved from 31 minutes on the Mini 4K to 36 minutes on the Lito X1 when using the 2,788 mAh Intelligent Flight Battery. It’s a decent increase, but as always, impossible to achieve in real-life flying conditions.

I tested a fully charged battery, hovering the Lito X1 in a room with just enough breeze to keep it from overheating for as long as it could. I flew for 38 minutes and 26 seconds, with the plane beeping excessively for the last 10 or so minutes, warning me that the battery was dangerously low before force-landing the unit.

The Lito X1 still had around 7% battery left at this point, so in theory, it might have been able to fly for longer, but no drone will let you drain its battery completely while it's airborne. I’d say, if you’re flying the Lito X1 in comparatively windless conditions, you’ll be able to get around 23-25 minutes of flight time.

Battery charging speed is far from mind-blowing at around 70 minutes with the battery in the drone using a 65W charging cable and block. Using the Charging Hub improves things and can reduce charging time to 45 minutes. Charging three batteries simultaneously with the Charging Hub is the most efficient way, as they will all be ready to go in just under 90 minutes.

Verdict

The DJI Lito X1 is an amazing beginner drone. In fact, it’s more than just a cheap flying tripod; the premium Lito bridges the gap between basic and intermediate drones, and does it for an incredibly low price, too.

What makes it stand out isn’t just the longer battery life or the faster top speed, but the intelligence packed into such a small, affordable package. Features like dynamic subject tracking and omnidirectional obstacle sensing fundamentally change how the drone behaves in the air and make it easier to get usable footage without constantly thinking about flight control.

It doesn’t quite match the Mini 5 Pro in outright image quality or flight refinement, and more experienced pilots will still appreciate the extra polish of DJI’s higher-end models. But for everyone else, the Lito X1 hits a sweet spot that’s hard to ignore.

For beginners, it’s approachable, and for upgraders, it’s a genuine leap forward. And for DJI, it’s a clear sign that “entry-level” no longer means stripped back.

Antigravity is rolling out a major firmware update for its 360º drone, introducing a suite of new features designed to make flying safer, easier and more creative.

The update, known as U3, focuses on improving safety, simplifying controls and enhancing creative tools.

It marks one of the most significant upgrades to the Antigravity A1 to date, the world's first 360º drone, which, since then, received company in the form of DJI's Avata 360.

The latest update follows another rollout earlier this year, which introduced a virtual flight simulator in the Vision Goggles to help new users get to grips with its motion-based controls.

A smarter way through the air

The drone now has omnidirectional obstacle avoidance and can detect obstacles in every direction, including above and below, rather than just in front or beneath it as before.

It can also actively navigate around obstacles instead of simply stopping, making the flight smoother and more reliable.

Antigravity is also introducing voice control, allowing users to operate the drone using simple spoken commands.

Functions such as take-off, recording and return-to-home can now be triggered hands-free via the Vision goggles, reducing the need to interact with physical controls.

Flying starts to feel like a game

On the creative side, the update adds a third-person virtual cockpit view alongside the existing first-person perspective.

Users can switch between the two mid-flight, creating a more dynamic and game-like flying experience.

The company has also upgraded its Auto Edit feature, which now uses AI to generate more varied camera movements, including 360-degree motion and FPV-style shots.

It also introduces built-in sound effects and improved editing logic to produce more polished videos with minimal input.

Small tweaks that unlock bigger shots

Further updates include enhanced flight path tools with customisable path marker visuals, assigning different camera angles at each waypoint and combining these routes with the virtual cockpit mode for more cinematic footage.

A new timelapse feature is also included.

The firmware is expected to roll out in mid-April via the Antigravity app.

You can buy the A1 drone directly from Antigravity.

DJI has officially unveiled its long-rumoured Lito drone series, introducing two beginner-friendly models designed to make aerial photography more accessible without sacrificing key features.

The new lineup consists of the DJI Lito 1 and the more advanced Lito X1, both positioned as entry-level camera drones that sit above the Neo and Flip (selfie-focused) range while effectively replacing the Mini as DJI's go-to options for beginner pilots seeking the 'proper' flying experience.

Both are designed with first-time flyers in mind, combining lightweight sub-250g builds with automated shooting modes and improved safety systems.

ActiveTrack, QuickShots, MasterShots and Hyperlapse are included on both, allowing you to capture complex shots with minimal input.

According to DJI, the aim is to “lower the learning curve” while still delivering high-quality results from the first flight.

Two models with a clear split

While the two drones share a similar design and core feature set, the Lito X1 offers several upgrades for users who want better image quality and more advanced flight performance.

The Lito 1 uses a 1/2-inch sensor, while the Lito X1 steps up to a larger 1/1.3-inch sensor, which should improve low-light performance and dynamic range.

Both can shoot 4K video, but the X1 adds HDR recording and D-Log M colour profiles for more flexibility in post-production.

The X1 also gains forward-facing LiDAR, enhancing obstacle detection and helping the drone navigate more complex environments with greater confidence.

All current-gen Litos feature omnidirectional obstacle sensing, a notable addition at this price point, alongside up to 36 minutes of flight time and long-range (15 km) video transmission.

The DJI Lito series is now available from DJI UK, DJI EU and DJI AU in multiple configurations.

The Lito 1 starts at £299 in the UK, €309 in Europe and AU$539, while the Lito X1 is priced from £369, €379 and AU$619.

Fly More Combo bundles push pricing up to £599 and AU$1,069, depending on the model.

Sadly, neither is available in the US for now.

DJI has officially unveiled its new Lito series, a beginner-focused drone lineup that effectively replaces the long-running Mini range. Positioned above the more playful Neo and Flip models, the new drones follow the long tradition of making 'proper' aerial photography and videography more accessible for beginners.

It's an interesting choice from DJI to effectively split the incredibly popular Mini 4K into two separate drones. The Mini 4K was well-known for providing a superb flying experience for beginner pilots, something the Lito Series promises to continue.

With two models to choose from at launch – Lito 1 and Lito X1 – I wondered what the key differences between the two new drones would be, so I read through the official specs and feature lists to find out. I found the six below the most striking.

1. Sensor size and image quality

The biggest gap between the two is sensor size. The Lito X1 uses a larger 1/1.3-inch sensor, compared to the 1/2-inch sensor in the Lito 1. Both offer 48MP resolution, but the X1 should deliver better low-light performance, improved dynamic range, and more flexibility when editing footage.

Both sensors are larger than the Mini 4K's 1/2.3" sensor. The Lito 1's 1/2" sensor is the same size as the DJI Neo 2, and the image quality on that is more than good enough. Not many drones, DJI or otherwise, use a 1/1.3-inch sensor, but interestingly, it's the same size as the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 gimbal. Coincidence? I think not.

2. HDR and colour grading options

The Lito X1 punches above its weight, thanks to HDR video support with up to 14 stops of dynamic range and 10-bit D-Log M for colour grading. Quite a few DJI drones, including the Mini 4 Pro and the Air 3, have D-Log M, but these are mid-range and above, not true beginner drones. The Lito 1 sticks to standard video profiles, so what you shoot is more or less what you get.

3. Obstacle sensing and LiDAR

Both drones feature omnidirectional obstacle sensing, a big deal at this level, but the X1 goes a step further by adding forward-facing LiDAR. LiDAR works by firing out tiny laser pulses and measuring how long they take to bounce back. From that, the drone builds a precise 3D map of its surroundings in real time.

This improves precision when flying in complex environments or lower light conditions. The Lito 1 relies purely on vision-based sensing, which is still solid but slightly less advanced.

4. Internal storage

DJI started adding internal storage to some of its newer products. The aforementioned Pocket 4 now has over 100 GB of internal storage, and so does the Osmo Action 6 Pro. The Lito X1 doesn't quite have the same internal memory prowess, but it comes with 42GB of built-in storage, meaning you can shoot even without a microSD card. The Lito 1 doesn’t have this, so you’ll need a quick enough memory card for shooting videos.

5. Price and value positioning

I'm sure it's obvious to most people, but the two Litos are sold for different prices. The DJI Lito 1 starts at £299 in the UK, €309 in Europe, and AU$539, while the Lito X1 comes in at £369, €379, and AU$619, with Fly More bundles pushing prices up to £599 and AU$1,069, depending on the model.

The Lito 1 is around £50 more expensive than the Mini 4K, which currently sells for £242 at DJI UK, yet offers a larger sensor, better frame rates, omnidirectional obstacle sensing, longer flight times (36 vs 31 minutes), and more advanced automation.

The Lito X1 also offers a lot of bang for your buck compared to D-Log M models such as the Mini 4K, which had an RRP of £589, over £200 more expensive than the new premium Lito. Not to mention the Air 3, selling for close to £1,000.

6. Who each drone is really for

DJI has drawn a pretty clear line between the two Litos. The Lito 1 is aimed at complete beginners who want a straightforward, affordable way into aerial photography. The Lito X1, conversely, is for users who care more about image quality and want features that won’t feel limiting after a few months.

DJI seems to understand that not all pilots are obsessed with chasing more advanced specs and features. For many, the Lito 1 will provide more than enough scope for their aerial photography.

After all, if there is anything we learned from NASA's recent Artemis II mission, it is that old gear is perfectly good for capturing amazing photos – as long as you know how to use it.

DJI has officially confirmed the name of its next drone, the DJI Lito, alongside a launch date of 23 April 2026 at 12 PM (GMT).

The teaser, shared on the brand’s social channels, explicitly spells out “NEW DRONE” before revealing the Lito name, followed by DJI’s familiar “Just Fly” tagline.

While the clip doesn't show the drone itself, the confirmation of the name signals that a full launch is imminent.

DJI hasn’t directly referenced the Mini 4K, but the timing and positioning strongly suggest the Lito is its successor.

The Mini 4K has been one of DJI’s most accessible and popular drones, offering stabilised 4K video, a sub-250g design and a beginner-friendly feature set at a relatively low price.

That makes the Lito an important release for the brand, and early leaks hint at how DJI might evolve the formula.

Clear Mini 4K successor

One of the most talked-about upgrades is built-in storage, with rumours suggesting the base model could include around 20GB onboard memory.

There are also indications that DJI could introduce a two-tier lineup, with a more advanced variant sitting above the standard Lito.

This higher-end version has been linked to improved obstacle avoidance, potentially using LiDAR-style sensing to enhance tracking and flight safety in more complex environments.

The Lito will almost certainly stay under the 250g threshold, keeping it accessible in most regions and in line with the Mini 4K’s appeal as a low-barrier entry point into drone flying.

Camera details are still under wraps, but expectations are for at least parity with the Mini 4K’s 4K video and three-axis stabilisation, with incremental improvements rather than a dramatic overhaul.

A busy moment for DJI

The Lito is just one part of a wider rollout from DJI. The company has already teased the Osmo Pocket 4, which is expected to bring built-in storage and iterative hardware upgrades.

The Power 1000 Mini global release date has also been announced, expanding DJI’s portable power station lineup, and there are hints of a new audio product on the way.

With the launch date now locked in, more details about the Lito are likely to emerge in the coming days.

Given the popularity of the Mini 4K, expectations for the Lito will be high, especially in the entry-level segment where DJI continues to dominate.

DJI has launched its hotly anticipated 360-degree drone after months of rumours and weeks of teasing on social media.

The Avata 360 is now official, and while leaks got a lot right, the full picture reveals a more ambitious device than expected.

Rather than simply adding a 360 camera to an FPV drone, DJI has built what it calls a flagship 360 aerial system, designed to capture everything in a single take and let creators decide the framing later.

The bigger picture

One of the biggest unknowns ahead of launch was imaging hardware, and DJI has gone further than expected.

The Avata 360 uses 1-inch-equivalent sensors in its 360 lens, capable of shooting 8K/60fps HDR video and 120MP photos.

The larger 2.4 μm pixels and emphasis on dynamic range suggest this is aimed squarely at serious content creation rather than novelty capture.

Alongside full 360 capture, the drone features a Single Lens mode that records in 4K/60fps, effectively turning it into a more traditional Avata-style camera when needed.

That dual approach makes it as much a conventional aerial camera as it is a 360 device.

Safety was another area where details were thin before launch, but DJI has confirmed omnidirectional obstacle sensing alongside integrated propeller guards.

The Avata 360 offers full omnidirectional sensing across all axes, with forward LiDAR-assisted detection extending to 20 m and a downward 3D ToF sensor with a 10 m precise hovering range.

DJI has also addressed one of its long-standing weaknesses by focusing heavily on the editing experience.

The Avata 360 introduces in-app reframing via GyroFrame, along with a Virtual Gimbal that lets footage be rotated and reframed in virtually any direction after capture.

Features such as ActiveTrack 360° and Spotlight Free aim to automate subject tracking and camera movement, bringing the kind of workflow typically associated with dedicated 360 camera brands into DJI’s ecosystem.

The weight tells its own story

Another key detail that only became clear with the official specs is the weight.

At approximately 455g takeoff weight, the Avata 360 sits well above the sub-250g category.

That decision explains much of the hardware on board, including larger sensors, full obstacle sensing and robust flight systems, all of which come at a cost.

Speaking of cost, pricing is arguably the most surprising element.

The Avata 360 starts at £409 for the drone-only version, rising to £639 with the DJI RC 2 controller and £829 for Fly More and Motion controller bundles.

That positions it aggressively against its closest rival, the Antigravity A1, which currently sells for significantly more.

In a category with only a handful of true 360 drones, DJI’s pricing could prove disruptive, especially if real-world performance matches the spec sheet.

Flight performance itself is broadly in line with expectations, but now confirmed.

The drone offers up to 23 minutes of flight time and uses DJI’s O4+ transmission system to deliver a 1080p/60fps live feed with a maximum range of up to 20km.

There is also 42GB of internal storage, which DJI says is enough for around 30 minutes of 8K 360 footage, along with Wi-Fi 6 support for faster file transfers.

Real-world image quality, stitching performance and how intuitive the editing tools feel in practice will ultimately decide how successful this drone becomes. DJI has revealed almost everything.

The DJI Avata 360 is available for pre-order starting today at DJI and at authorised retailers. Shipping begins in April 2026 and will vary by region

With the launch of the Avata 360, DJI has officially entered the 360º drone market. The new model has been teased by the brand for weeks, and rumours have circulated for months, but even with all that, the final product still surprised everyone, including the brand's fans.

DJI’s take on the concept follows the release of Insta360-incubated Antigravity’s A1, the first 360-degree drone ever. It was launched in December 2025, and offered a new take on piloting, thanks to its clever camera mechanism and “shoot first, edit later” approach borrowed from action cameras like the Insta360 X5.

The two drones are in direct competition and offer similar feature sets, but there are key differences in how they operate and in the footage you can capture with them. Antigravity’s approach is to offer a more playful, almost gadget-like experience with the A1, while the Avata 360 builds on DJI’s years of experience as a drone maker and undercuts the rival by a large margin.

Both have their place in the drone market, but the aggressive pricing strategy certainly puts Antigravity on its back foot. That said, the A1’s lightness means that more people will be able to use it without restrictions, and it might also be a better choice for hobbyists. Which is the best drone for 360º footage, and should you buy… either? Let’s find out.

DJI Avata 360 vs Antigravity A1

Price and availability

DJI decided to price the Avata 360 rather aggressively. The drone starts at £409 for the standalone unit, rising to £639 with the DJI RC 2 controller, and £829 for the Fly More Combo and Motion Controller bundle. It is available to pre-order now, with shipping expected to begin in April 2026.

The Antigravity A1, which launched at the end of 2025, carries a much higher price tag, starting at $1,599 / £1,219 / €1,399 / AU$2,199 for the Standard bundle, with higher-tier packages approaching $2,000 / £1,500 / €1,700 / AU$2,900. Recent discounts have brought the entry price down slightly, but it remains firmly in premium territory.

Winner: DJI’s Avata 360 is hands down the cheaper option.

Design and build quality

The weight difference between these two drones is the first thing that defines them. The Antigravity A1 weighs 249 g with its standard battery, which falls under the EU C0 classification threshold. The weight rises to 291 g with the High-Capacity Flight Battery, nudging it into C1.

The DJI Avata 360 tips the scales at 455 g from the outset, a C1 drone by default. That's an 83% weight premium over the A1's base configuration, and you not only feel the gap immediately in the hand, but you will also need an appropriate licence to fly it.

Dimensionally, the two drones take opposing approaches to the same problem. The A1 folds to 141.3 × 96.2 × 81.4 mm, deploying to a 308.6 × 382.3 mm footprint with propellers extended, optimised for transport and rapid deployment.

The Avata 360 follows the design language of its predecessors and is fixed at 246 × 199 × 55.5 mm, with integrated propeller guards that eliminate the need for a folding mechanism.

Both drones feature user-replaceable lenses, which makes sense in the A1’s case, as it uses the Insta360 X5’s camera unit. DJI’s own 360-degree camera, the DJI Osmo 360, doesn’t have this feature, but clearly, the brand added it on the drone for convenience.

Winner: The A1 can be flown in more areas and requires a less advanced licence.

Camera performance

The two drones use fundamentally different imaging technologies, and the specs clearly show this. The Antigravity A1 is built around a pair of 1/1.28-inch sensors shooting in 360°, while the Avata 360 steps up to dual 1/1.1-inch square CMOS sensors, larger in both area and effective pixel count, at 64 MP per sensor.

Both use wide, fast apertures designed to maximise light intake: f/2.2 on the A1, f/1.9 on the Avata 360. That half-stop advantage is modest on its own, but combined with the larger sensor area, the Avata 360 has a meaningful edge in low-light capture.

The A1 tops out at 55 MP stills (10496 × 5248) and 8K video at up to 30 fps, with 5.2K available at 60 fps and 4K at up to 100 fps for slow-motion work. The Avata 360 can do 120 MP stills (15520 × 7760) and 8K video at up to 60fps, double the A1's peak frame rate at maximum resolution. For video, both cap out at 180 Mbps bitrate on the Avata 360 versus 170 Mbps on the A1, a negligible difference in practice.

The A1 relies on a single-axis mechanical gimbal paired with FlowState electronic stabilisation, inherited directly from Insta360’s action camera line. The Avata 360 uses a single-axis mechanical gimbal on the tilt axis supplemented by a 360° virtual gimbal, enabling infinite tilt and roll adjustment in post. For pilots using DJI Goggles, RockSteady 3.0 and HorizonBalancing are also available in single-lens mode.

Colour science is another differentiator. The Avata 360 supports D-Log M across its full resolution range, enabling more pro users to edit footage more effectively in post. The A1 shoots in a fixed colour profile with no log option, which simplifies the workflow but limits flexibility in post-production.

Both drones support intelligent tracking, though their implementations differ. The A1’s Deep Track can lock onto subjects in any direction after capture, since everything is already recorded in 360°, removing the need to frame shots precisely during flight.

However, the A1 is not limited to post-flight tools: its Sky Gene system also enables in-flight subject tracking and automated camera movement, bringing it closer to DJI’s real-time approach than it might initially appear.

The Avata 360 offers ActiveTrack 360°, which tracks subjects in real time across the full spherical frame, with Standard and Cycling modes automatically adapting to subject behaviour.

Winner: The Avata 360 leads in raw imaging capability, with larger sensors, higher-resolution stills, 8K60fps video, and D-Log M support, giving it more latitude for serious creative work, although the A1’s combination of in-flight automation and post-capture reframing makes it a more flexible option than the specs alone suggest.

Flight performance

The two drones approach flight from opposite ends of the control philosophy spectrum. The Avata 360 is a conventional fixed-guard FPV aircraft, piloted via DJI’s RC 2, RC-N2 or RC-N3 remote controllers, or, for a more immersive experience, via DJI Goggles paired with the RC Motion 3.

The A1 dispenses with traditional sticks entirely, using the Grip motion controller and Vision Goggles as its primary interface. You steer by pointing, not by pushing sticks, which makes the A1 feel closer to a first-person flying experience than a conventional drone, particularly for beginners or those transitioning from action cameras rather than drones.

Both are rated for a maximum wind resistance of Level 5 (10.7 m/s), and both achieve ±0.1 m vertical hovering accuracy with vision positioning active, putting them on a broadly equal footing for stability in real-world conditions.

In terms of speed, the Avata 360 can reach 18 m/s in Sport mode (vs the A1’s 16 m/s), and its maximum ascent and descent speeds of 10 m/s in Sport mode exceed the A1’s 8 m/s. The Avata 360 can also take off from altitudes of up to 4,500 m, compared with the A1’s 4,000 m, although this is unlikely to affect most users outside high-altitude environments.

Sensing systems are another area where the two initially diverged. The A1 provides forward binocular vision sensing from 0.5–18 m and downward 3D infrared detection from 0.3–7.5 m, offering a practical safety layer for forward flight and landing.

However, this setup is being significantly expanded, with a firmware update introducing full omnidirectional obstacle avoidance already rolling out to some users.

By comparison, the Avata 360 offers full omnidirectional sensing across all axes out of the box, with forward LiDAR-assisted detection extending to 20 m and a downward 3D ToF sensor with a 10 m precise hovering range, giving it a more mature and fully integrated system at launch.

In terms of video transmission, the A1 uses OmniLink 360, with a maximum range of 10 km under FCC standards and an average latency of approximately 150 ms. The Avata 360’s O4+ system reaches 20 km under FCC, with a lowest latency of approximately 130 ms at 1080p/60fps, giving DJI the edge for long-range flying and responsiveness.

Intelligent flight modes are more closely matched than they first appear. The Avata 360 includes features such as Spotlight Free, ActiveTrack 360° with Standard and Cycling modes, and a Virtual Gimbal enabling infinite tilt and roll during flight.

The A1, meanwhile, combines its Deep Track post-flight reframing tools with in-flight automation via its Sky Gene system, which enables subject-aware flight paths and intelligent capture in real time. This means the A1 is not limited to post-production workflows, but instead offers a hybrid approach that blends automated capture with flexible reframing after the fact.

Winner: The Avata 360 remains the more mature platform, with higher speeds, longer transmission range and a more fully established sensing system, but the gap is narrower than it first appears, particularly as the A1’s software capabilities continue to evolve.

Battery life and charging

Flight endurance figures favour the A1 on paper, though with an important caveat. With its standard 2,360 mAh Flight Battery, the A1 is rated for up to 24 minutes, rising to 39 minutes with the optional 4,345 mAh High-Capacity Flight Battery.

The Avata 360 is rated for approximately 23 minutes from its 2,700 mAh cell. On standard batteries, the gap is narrow, but the A1's high-capacity option is in a different class entirely, offering nearly 70% more flight time at the cost of increasing the aircraft's weight from 249 g to 291 g and pushing it out of the EU C0 weight bracket.

The A1's Explorer and Infinity bundles include a charging hub, which is essential for back-to-back sessions, given the drone's reliance on goggles and controller batteries, as well as the flight pack itself.

The Vision Goggles draw from a separate 4,500 mAh, 32.85 Wh external battery rated for up to 2.5 hours, and the Grip controller carries a 2,300 mAh cell good for approximately 4 hours. Managing three independent power sources isn’t ideal, but it’s a price to pay for cutting-edge technology.

The Avata 360's battery charges via USB-C and benefits from DJI's established charging ecosystem, with Fly More Combo options providing additional batteries and a multi-bay hub for sequential charging.

Winner: The A1 wins on maximum endurance if you're willing to carry the high-capacity battery and accept the regulatory trade-off.

Verdict

These two drones are more complementary than they are direct competitors, and choosing between them comes down to a clear set of priorities.

The Avata 360 makes a compelling case on almost every technical metric. Its larger sensors, higher resolution, 8K60fps video, D-Log M colour profile, omnidirectional obstacle sensing, O4+ transmission and 20 km range represent a meaningfully more capable package.

Plus, at a starting price of £409 for the drone alone, it undercuts the A1 by a considerable margin.

For creators who want serious imaging performance and the flexibility to fly with either a conventional remote or immersive goggles, DJI's offering is difficult to argue against.

The A1 occupies a different position. It was first to market with a fully realised 360° drone experience, and the motion-controlled, headset-first flight system it introduced remains genuinely distinctive.

Its “shoot-now, frame-later” workflow suits travel photographers and creators who prioritise flexibility, and the high-capacity battery option gives it the upper hand in terms of endurance over the Avata 360 (for now).

That said, at £1,219 for the Standard Bundle, nearly three times the Avata 360's entry price, it faces a significantly harder sell now that DJI has entered the category with comparable imaging and superior flight capability at a fraction of the cost.

The arrival of the Avata 360 has sharpened the competitive landscape considerably.

Antigravity deserves credit for building the category from scratch; however, as expected from DJI, it has responded to the challenge with a drone that matches or exceeds it in most measurable areas while also making it a lot cheaper.

Unless the A1's unique motion-control experience or its extended battery life is a specific priority, the Avata 360 represents the stronger overall proposition at launch.

Overall winner: DJI Avata 360. Better imaging, broader sensing, longer range and a dramatically lower price point make it a more compelling buy for the majority of creators entering the 360° drone space. A small caveat is that the drone is certainly aimed at more experienced pilots and enthusiasts rather than beginner pilots. They are better off splashing the cash on the A1.

DJI has officially confirmed the launch of its next drone, and all signs point to the arrival of the long-rumoured DJI Avata 360.

The company announced a launch event scheduled for 26 March at 12 PM GMT, accompanied by the tagline “Above It All, See It All.”

The teaser image features a prominent curved lens element, strongly suggesting a camera designed to capture a full panoramic view.

While DJI hasn’t revealed any specifications yet, leaks and early reports suggest the drone could mark a significant shift for the company’s FPV lineup.

A new kind of FPV camera drone

If rumours prove accurate, the Avata 360 will combine FPV flight with a dual-lens 360-degree camera system, capturing everything around the drone at once.

That would allow pilots to reframe shots after filming, much like creators use 360-degree action cameras, including the DJI Osmo 360.

Instead of lining up the perfect angle during flight, users could simply fly the drone while it records the entire environment.

The drone is expected to build on the design of the DJI Avata 2, retaining the compact cinewhoop-style frame with enclosed propellers that make FPV flying safer around obstacles.

A direct rival to Insta360’s drone ambitions

If confirmed, the Avata 360 will also place DJI directly in competition with the Antigravity A1, a drone developed by Insta360-incubated Antigravity brand that focuses on fully reframable aerial footage.

Instead of treating the camera as a fixed lens pointing in one direction, the drone records a full spherical view, allowing creators to choose framing later in editing.

DJI may be planning an aggressive price

Reports suggest DJI could price the Avata 360 aggressively in order to put pressure on Insta360’s new drone category.

Antigravity's drone received a price cut earlier this year, likely to take the wind out of DJI's sails before the 360º drone launch.

It wouldn't be unprecedented for DJI to use a cut-price strategy to ensure its market-leading position stays.

The company has used a similar strategy before when DJI launched the DJI Flip.

The drone entered the market at a price designed to compete directly with the HoverAir X1, a compact autonomous flying camera.

If DJI follows the same playbook here, the Avata 360 could arrive as a more affordable entry point into the emerging 360-drone segment.

DJI will reveal the drone officially during its launch event on 26 March, when we should finally learn how the Avata 360 fits into the company’s rapidly expanding drone lineup.

If the rumours prove accurate, it could mark the beginning of a new category of consumer drones, one where pilots focus on flying while the camera captures everything around them.

DJI has launched the DJI Inspire 3 Basic Package, a streamlined bundle that significantly lowers the entry price of the Inspire 3 platform.

Previously available mainly as a comprehensive Combo kit aimed at professional film productions, the Inspire 3 typically retailed for around £13,000 in the UK.

The new drone bundle brings the starting price down to the mere pocket change of £7,099, cutting the cost of entry by thousands of pounds (£6,320 / 47%, to be precise) while keeping the same aircraft and camera system.

Same drone, different package

Importantly, the Inspire 3 itself remains unchanged. You still get DJI’s flagship aerial cinema platform built around the Zenmuse X9-8K Air full-frame camera, capable of capturing up to 8K video with professional formats such as Apple ProRes RAW and CinemaDNG.

The Inspire 3 also features DJI’s CineCore 3.0 image processing system, RTK-powered centimetre-level positioning, and the company’s O3 Pro transmission system, designed to deliver stable long-range video feeds for complex film productions.

Like the standard Inspire 3 kit, the aircraft uses interchangeable DL-mount lenses and dual TB51 batteries, offering flight times of up to around 28 minutes depending on conditions.

The drone’s distinctive transforming design allows the landing gear and arms to lift out of frame, enabling unobstructed 360-degree camera movement for cinematic shots.

While the original Inspire 3 Combo shipped with multiple batteries, charging hubs, storage drives and transport accessories, the Basic Package removes several of these extras.

In the box, you’ll find the Inspire 3 aircraft, the Zenmuse X9-8K Air gimbal camera, four TB51 Intelligent Batteries, and the Inspire 3 trolley case, along with a dedicated camera case for the Zenmuse unit.

Other accessories, including the RC Plus remote controller, can be purchased separately, allowing filmmakers to build out the kit to suit their existing setup.

That makes the new bundle particularly appealing to production houses, rental companies and experienced operators who already own Inspire accessories and simply want another aircraft or camera platform without paying for duplicate kit.

For smaller studios or independent filmmakers looking to step into DJI’s highest-end drone ecosystem, the lower entry price could also make the Inspire 3 platform far easier to justify.

Even with the reduced price, the Inspire might be overkill for non-professional creators – they are better off with something like the DJI Mavic 4 Pro.

The DJI Inspire 3 Basic Package is available now from authorised retailers and DJI’s online store, with UK pricing starting at £7,099 / €7,999 (~$9,293 / AU$13,171).

The compact camera market, long dominated by brands such as DJI, Insta360 and GoPro, is growing steadily, drawing in new challengers looking to capitalise on the creator boom.

The latest to enter the conversation is vivo, a Chinese smartphone maker that appears to be exploring its own take on the vlogging camera.

According to a recent post in Jiemian News, a prominent Chinese digital news media outlet focused primarily on business, finance and economic reporting, vivo has "internally initiated a Vlog camera project at the end of 2025, with the product positioned to compete with DJI's Pocket series." (translated from Chinese)

The outlet reports that the product's name has not yet been officially confirmed, and that it is expected to be released in 2026.

If true, DJI's upcoming Osmo Pocket 4 camera will enter a crowded market, with many brands vying for attention.

The camera that changed the conversation

Drone giant DJI has been branching out in recent years, entering new product categories seemingly every month.

The company now has its own portable power station line, robovac, and various creator equipment, including action cameras and gimbals.

The Osmo Pocket 3, launched on 25 October 2023, was a global success, with the Chinese brand surpassing GoPro as the top-selling action camera brand in Japan in 2025.

Offering a different user experience from DJI's 'traditional' Osmo Action action cam, the Pocket series is praised for its compact form factor, excellent stabilisation and cinematic footage.

Understandably, hype around the upcoming Osmo Pocket 4 has been at an all-time high in recent months, even though DJI has yet to confirm any details, including the launch date.

A crowded pocket

Vivo isn't the only company looking to take a slice of the creator pie. Dreame, known for its robovacs, has announced its Leaptic sub-brand at CES 2026, along with its first product, the Nano.

The Leaptic Nano is an 8K action camera reminiscent of the DJI Nano, featuring a 155-degree ultra-wide lens and a large 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor.

SJCAM, an affordable action camera brand offering low-cost alternatives to GoPro that punch above their price point, also has an Osmo Pocket alternative.

The SJCAM C400 features a modular design and can be used as either a handheld vlogging camera or an action camera.

In terms of price, the SJCAM C400 costs half as much as the Osmo Pocket 3 – although there probably are some quality trade-offs to consider.

Whatever vivo is planning to do with its upcoming camera, it might take some wind out of DJI's sail. How much, we'll see.

[via TechNode, Jeimian News]

DJI appears to be preparing a refresh of its most accessible consumer drones, with two new models, the Lito 1 and Lito X1, now semi-confirmed through regulatory listings and certification documents.

The upcoming drones were first spotted in filings with the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and while DJI has yet to formally announce either model, the appearance of both names in official documentation strongly suggests a launch is on the horizon.

A new entry-level direction

Based on the information available so far, the Lito 1 and Lito X1 look positioned below DJI’s prosumer offerings, instead targeting first-time flyers and casual creators, a space currently occupied by drones such as the incredibly popular DJI Mini 4K, as well as DJI Neo 2 and DJI Flip models.

The Mini 4K was launched on 29 April 2024 and features a 1/2.3-inch CMOS camera capable of shooting 4K video at up to 30 fps and 12 MP stills, with stabilisation via a three-axis gimbal for smooth aerial footage.

It offers a maximum flight time of around 31 minutes, up to 10 km of video transmission range with DJI’s O2 system, and a suite of intelligent modes like QuickShots and GPS-assisted hovering.

Both upcoming drones appear to prioritise simplicity and ease of use, with integrated internal storage among the clearest confirmed features.

The Lito 1 has 22GB of onboard storage, while the Lito X1 increases this to 42GB, reducing reliance on microSD cards.

Crucially, nothing in the leaked material suggests these drones are intended to replace higher-end Mini models.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro, which sits firmly in the prosumer category thanks to its advanced camera system and flight features, appears unaffected by the Lito series based on current evidence.

What the filings reveal (and what they don’t)

Beyond storage capacity, the FCC documents confirm that both drones use DJI’s latest wireless transmission hardware, with the Lito X1 expected to support a more advanced version than the standard Lito 1.

While reports speculate about extended range and enhanced obstacle sensing on the X1, DJI has not yet confirmed camera specs, sensor size, video resolutions, or flight times.

The presence of FCC certification typically indicates that a product is moving closer to market.

Confidentiality deadlines attached to the filings point to late spring as the latest possible window for a public announcement, making a Q1 or early Q2 launch plausible.

If that timeline holds, DJI could soon be refreshing its beginner-friendly lineup while leaving its prosumer Mini range untouched — a sensible move at a time when drone regulations, pricing pressure, and ease of use matter more than ever.

[via Notebookcheck, NewCamera]

DJI has unveiled the RS 5, a new lightweight camera gimbal aimed at professional and semi-professional videographers who want more stability, smarter subject tracking and longer runtimes in a compact setup.

The RS 5 sits above the RS 4 Mini and introduces DJI’s latest RS Enhanced Intelligent Tracking Module (seen above), which allows subjects to be framed and tracked directly from the gimbal’s touchscreen.

Unlike earlier systems, the updated module can track people, animals and vehicles, maintaining focus on a human subject from up to 10 metres (~33 ft) away and re-acquiring them if they leave the frame.

The module attaches magnetically, removing the need for adapters or additional accessories.

DJI says its 5th-generation RS Stabilisation Algorithm improves stability when shooting while walking or running, during rapid direction changes, and when filming vertically.

Despite its compact body, the RS 5 can support payloads of up to 3kg and switch to vertical shooting without extra hardware.

Designed for longer days on set

The RS 5 can fully recharge in one hour, a 60 per cent improvement over the previous generation, and offers up to 14 hours of runtime with the standard battery.

An optional BG70 High-Capacity Battery Grip extends this to up to 30 hours for longer shoots.

New accessories include an Electronic Briefcase Handle for low- and high-angle shots, along with an on-screen Z-Axis Indicator designed to help users adjust their movement to reduce image shake.

Camera compatibility has also expanded, with Bluetooth shutter control now supporting Panasonic and Fujifilm cameras alongside Sony, Canon and Nikon.

The RS 5 integrates with DJI’s wider ecosystem, including Focus Pro Motors, SDR Transmission and third-party accessories via the RSA Communication Port, while the open RS SDK enables custom functions for advanced workflows.

The DJI RS 5 is available now directly from DJI for £485 / €569 (~$669 / AU$950), while the RS 5 Combo, which adds the tracking module, briefcase handle and carry case, is priced at £619 / €719 (~$854 / AU$1,212).

Antigravity has made its most ambitious drone a little easier to recommend, thanks to a somewhat unexpected price cut. The world's first 8K all-in-one 360º drone, the Antigravity A1, is currently 15% off all bundles for a limited time in the US.

Shop all Antigravity A1 bundles now

The discount suggests the brand is keen to widen its audience. The drone received praise from early reviewers, with many pointing out that the price was quite steep, which might be less of an issue now that the A1 is (up to) $300 cheaper.

Alongside the price drop, the company is also rolling out its first major feature update: a built-in virtual Flight Simulator designed to help new pilots get comfortable with the A1 before taking it outdoors.

Accessible through the Vision Goggles, the simulator recreates the drone’s real-world handling and physics in a virtual environment, allowing users to practise manoeuvres and build muscle memory without risking crashing an expensive piece of kit.

It’s a sensible addition, particularly for a drone that sits outside the traditional camera-on-a-gimbal mould. Flying a 360º drone is a different experience, and Antigravity appears keen to remove some of the friction that might put off first-time buyers.

The simulator also works as a training tool between shoots or during bad weather, making it more than a one-time onboarding gimmick.

The Flight Simulator update will be available from 29 January, while the 15% discount runs from 26 January to 9 February across all three A1 bundles in the US.

When an unannounced DJI drone appears on a retailer’s website, complete with pricing and bundle options, it usually means I missed the announcement somehow.

That’s why the sudden appearance of the long-rumoured DJI Avata 360, the drone giant's answer to the Insta360-incubated Antigraviry A1, on a US retailer’s site immediately raised eyebrows.

According to the listing, the Avata 360 blends DJI’s FPV-style Avata design with full 360-degree capture, enabling you to “fly first and frame later.”

Multiple bundles are already live, including Fly More and Motion Controller kits, and the drone is even available with a small deposit for pre-order.

None of this would raise any red flags, but the fact remains: DJI hasn’t announced anything. There were no teasers on social media, no emails, nothing.

A drone that exists online, but nowhere else

The second issue is geography. The listing appeared on a US retailer’s site, which is an odd choice for a DJI product reveal at a time when the brand’s relationship with the American market remains... complicated.

DJI still sells products in the US, but major launches are usually handled with extreme care, particularly when regulatory attention is involved.

The images aren't quite right, either. At first glance, the Avata 360 looks like a DJI Neo with a 360 camera bolted on top.

Not the newer DJI Neo 2 either – the body design lacks the rear antenna details that differentiate the updated model.

In some photos, the lenses appear to face forward, which would make little sense for true 360-degree capture.

Of course, it's possible that the Avata 360 has a single-lens mode, as some 360º action cameras do, like the Insta360 X5.

That said, a top-bottom lens arrangement, as seen on Antigravity's A1, would provide far cleaner spherical coverage.

The rumour angle

To be clear, rumours of an Avata-style 360 drone have been circulating for a while.

Leaks and filings have hinted at a DJI FPV platform capable of spherical capture, potentially using dual sensors and a rotating or modular camera system.

But the retailer listing doesn’t back any of that up with actual specifications.

There’s no sensor size, no video resolution, no flight time, no transmission system, and no obstacle avoidance details.

For DJI, or any other drone manufacturer, for that matter, that level of vagueness is highly unusual.

Which leads to the uncomfortable conclusion: this listing may be jumping the gun, or worse, building a product page around rumours and mock-ups.

Fake, premature, or accidentally early?

Right now, the Avata 360 sits in an awkward space between plausible and questionable. The concept fits DJI’s roadmap, but the execution, at least in this listing, does not.

That doesn’t mean the Avata 360 isn’t real; it just means the version currently floating around online might not be.

Either way, the sudden appearance of a mystery DJI drone with no announcement, no confirmed specs and inconsistent imagery is too strange to ignore.

However, I would be extra cautious when pre-ordering a drone from an online retailer before the official DJI announcement.

[via DroneXL]

At CES, GDU has unveiled the UAV-P300, which the company says is the world’s first AI-powered drone combining optical and electronic fog-penetration technologies.

According to the brand, the system can boost clarity by up to 50 per cent in rain or fog, helping operators keep working safely rather than waiting for conditions to improve.

It might look similar to the DJI Mavic 4 Pro, but the UAV-P300 isn't a consumer drone.

It's designed for public safety agencies, smart city monitoring, industrial inspections and cultural heritage projects, where visibility and precision genuinely matter.

The emphasis is on reliability in changing environments, consistency across long deployments and imaging that remains usable when light and contrast drop away.

Clear as day

The UAV-P300 features a 50-megapixel wide-angle sensor, full-colour 4K night vision, and a starlight camera system designed to reveal detail in low-light conditions.

There is an 11x optical zoom and up to 176x (!) hybrid zoom, allowing operators to maintain a safe distance while still capturing meaningful visual data.

Thermal imaging is also AI-enhanced, helping highlight heat sources and anomalies in search-and-rescue missions, infrastructure inspections, and nighttime assessments.

The drone uses lidar and AI-powered obstacle recognition to move confidently around cables, buildings and tight urban spaces.

If the GPS signal drops or becomes unreliable, visual SLAM fusion navigation steps in to keep the aircraft stable and maintain dependable return-to-home behaviour.

A built-in laser rangefinder with a 2-kilometre (~1.24 miles) range allows operators to mark targets, measure distances, and share location data quickly within GDU’s UVER platform, improving coordination across teams.

With an IP55 rating against dust and water, the UAV-P300 is designed to continue operating in conditions where consumer drones would typically be grounded.

The UAV-P300 is clearly an enterprise machine, designed for cities, emergency services, and organisations that depend on consistent aerial insight.

But historically, technology like this has a habit of trickling down. Features once seen only on industrial platforms, including advanced obstacle avoidance, thermal modules and multi-sensor gimbals, eventually arrived on mainstream drones.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro uses LiDAR, and even more affordable models, such as the DJI Neo 2, utilise advanced obstacle avoidance systems.

AI-driven fog penetration feels like the next likely step, potentially leading to clearer footage in mist, coastal haze and winter weather for everyday pilots and content creators.

GDU plans to make the UAV-P300 available from late January 2026, with multiple payloads and configurations depending on the use case.

Head over to GDU to find out more.

DJI has quietly rolled out a new firmware update for the Mini 5 Pro, bringing a trio of improvements aimed at safety, stability and day-to-day usability for pilots of the popular sub-250 g drone.

The new v01.00.0400 firmware, along with updates for compatible DJI remotes, is now available via DJI Fly and DJI Assistant 2.

One of the headline tweaks in this update is an optimised low-battery Return-To-Home (RTH) strategy.

DJI engineers have refined the algorithm that guides the Mini 5 Pro back to the home point when the battery reaches a critical level.

That means in situations where power is running low, the drone should now make more reliable decisions about returning home safely, rather than attempting risky routes or getting stuck short of the landing point.

Barriers no more

Official support for propeller guards is another upgrade to Mini 5 Pro pilots.

While prop guards have long existed as third-party accessories (with options already available online), DJI’s firmware now formally recognises these attachments.

That means prop guards can be installed without confusing firmware warnings or flight limitations, making it easier and safer to fly in tight spaces, indoors or around people.

The update also includes various fixes for known issues, smoothing out quirks that the early adopter community has highlighted since launch.

DJI notes that some camera settings may reset after the update, so pilots should double-check their configuration post-install.

As with most DJI firmware releases, users will need DJI Fly v1.19.4 or later to unlock all of the new features.

To update, connect your Mini 5 Pro to the DJI Fly app and follow the on-screen prompts when the update becomes available.

Alternatively, you can use DJI Assistant 2 on a computer if you prefer.

Always ensure your controller and drone are fully charged before starting a firmware update.

[via DroneDJ]

Antigravity might not have exploded into the drone scene – the brand kept on teasing the public in instalments over the last few months, somewhat de-escalating its own mega launch – but that didn’t stop drone enthusiasts, including myself, from speculating about what it will feel like piloting the world’s first 360º drone, backed by action cam giant Insta360.

I had a chance to fly a pre-production unit in July, which was a unique experience, but it also raised more questions than it answered. Is the ability to look around necessary for people to pay extra for the A1? How much does the drone cost to begin with? Can you use it for more than just aerial exploration while travelling, which Antigravity says is one of the main use cases for the drone?

The brand kindly sent over a production-ready drone a month ago to help me answer these questions. Sadly, the weather in the UK didn’t allow me to fly the drone every day since then, but I managed to give it a good try, nevertheless. It’s safe to say that the A1 is an incredibly fun drone and one of the standout gadgets of 2025.

It is, however, far from essential buy. If you need a drone for cinematic footage, you’d better off with a mid-range DJI, such as the DJI Mini 4 Pro, which costs less than half as much as the A1. If you’re a beginner with a limited budget, the DJI Neo or DJI Flip are a lot more approachable options, despite the beginner-friendly controls of the A1.

Will it stop people from buying and trying the world’s first 360º drone? I don’t think so. If anything, I would recommend the fully immersive flying experience the Antigravity A1 provides. For now, this is the only way to see a proper bird’s-eye view of the world while flying – and that’s something people might want to pay the premium price for.

Antigravity A1 review

Price and availability

The A1 is available now at Antigravity in three bundles, each including the drone, the Vision goggles and the Grip motion controller, the core hardware that defines the A1’s immersive flight system. Pricing is set globally, with clear regional tiers across all major markets:

All three bundles ship with the full A1 flight system, but the amount of gear you get increases meaningfully as you move up the range. The Standard Bundle includes one flight battery, a Vision Battery for the goggles, spare props, a carry case, corrective lens frames and the usual cables, straps and manuals.

Stepping up to the Explorer Bundle triples the number of flight batteries, adds a charging hub, doubles the spare propellers and introduces a sling bag for easier transport. For many users, this tier will likely offer the best balance of flight time and accessories.

The Infinity Bundle pushes further, replacing the standard cells with three high-capacity flight batteries, adding a Quick Reader for faster footage offloading, and including the same expanded accessory set as the Explorer tier.

Pricing puts the A1 directly alongside high-end camera drones. For roughly the same money, you could pick up a DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo, or even stretch toward a DJI Mavic 4 Pro with accessories. All of those offer excellent imaging and flight performance, but significantly different from the 8K 360° capture, a “fly first, frame later” workflow, or a motion-controlled, headset-first flight experience of the A1 straight out of the box.

Design and build quality

The Antigravity A1 doesn’t look or feel like any traditional camera drone because it isn’t one. It’s the first drone built entirely around a 360-degree imaging system borrowed from the Insta360 X5, and a headset-first control setup, and that philosophy shows in every part of its design.

At its core, the A1 is a sub-245-gram, EU C0-class aircraft when flown with the standard battery, which means it sits under key regulatory thresholds and is effectively travel-ready straight out of the box.

Folded, it’s genuinely compact, measuring 141 × 96 × 81mm, and feels closer to a palm-sized action device than a full drone. Unfolded, it stretches out to 308 × 382 × 89mm, and the transformation is surprisingly robust; during my flights, the arms locked out cleanly without wobble, and the chassis felt sturdier than its lightweight construction suggests.

The dual-lens system defines the A1’s silhouette. Instead of a single gimbal, the drone houses vertically opposed 360º lenses that capture the full environment. The two lenses are placed at the top and bottom of the aircraft, mounted on a wobbly gimbal that helps reduce shaking inherent to a flying drone.

The dual lens setup also explains some of the clever engineering choices: the retractable landing gear, for example, lifts the aircraft off the ground just enough to protect the bottom lens during takeoff and landing, without obstructing the stitch line for “invisible drone” shots.

I mentioned this in my hands-on experience piece in August, but the light at the front feels a bit tacky for such an expensive drone. The ability to change the colour of the light isn’t something people who spend this much money look for in a drone. Not to mention, you won’t see much of it since you’re wearing the Vision Goggle, and it won’t be visible in the final footage, either.

Speaking of the goggles, they use 1-inch 2,560×2,560 Micro-OLED displays and pancake optics, delivering a clean, responsive image in your hands-on tests. Paired with the Grip, which translates hand movement directly into directional flight, the A1 shifts the ergonomics away from “piloting a drone” and towards “inhabiting a viewpoint in the sky.” Even early test flights showed how natural this felt: point where you want to go, and the drone goes.

Despite its unusual shape, the A1 feels intuitive to handle. The surfaces are matte and grippy, the battery locks with a satisfying click, and the user-replaceable lenses and propellers underscore Antigravity’s emphasis on longevity. I like that places where you would typically pick up the drone have dents, making it easier to hang onto the A1 when not in flight.

From a build-quality standpoint, the drone behaves like a well-sorted lightweight aircraft. It’s rated to handle Level 5 winds (10.7 m/s), and in your real-world testing, it stayed stable even in (somewhat) gusty conditions. Hover accuracy sits within ±0.1 m with vision positioning, which helps enormously when you’re flying through the headset.

Camera performance

The Antigravity A1 isn’t trying to compete with the latest stacked-sensor camera drones on pure image quality. Instead, its selling point is the freedom of 8K 360° capture and the creative possibilities that come with it. With dual 1/1.28-inch sensors recording up to 8K30, 5.2K60, or 4K100, the drone captures a complete spherical view of the world every time it takes off.

That “shoot first, frame later” philosophy fundamentally changes how you use a drone. Instead of worrying about angles or horizon alignment while flying, you simply focus on keeping the aircraft stable and let the camera do the rest.

Even simple movements, like rising over a tree line, cruising along a footpath or hovering above a field, became usable footage from multiple angles. You can turn a single flight into a dozen different shots: a forward-facing reveal, a top-down lurch, a sweeping orbit, or even a backwards tracking shot that you never physically flew. It removes the anxiety around getting framing right in the moment and makes the A1 unusually forgiving for beginners.

Footage quality in good light is strong for a 360 system. Colours match cleanly between the top and bottom lenses, and the stitching holds together well when you’re flying smoothly. It’s not surprising, knowing that Insta360 has been at the forefront of 360º camera technology for years. The high bitrate and 8K resolution give you enough detail to crop heavily when reframing for typical social media formats.

Low-light is where the small sensor size shows its limits. Evening shots introduce noise, shadow detail drops quickly, and if you push into darker tree cover or fly past shade, the footage softens. That’s expected for 360 modules at this size. While not ideal for cinematic night flying, it’s more than adequate for travel, outdoor adventures or daytime creative shooting, which is what Antigravity recommends the A1 for.

As with Insta360’s cameras, the editing ecosystem elevates the experience. The Antigravity app and desktop software take the familiar Insta360 reframing approach and give you intuitive control over keyframes, pans, snap-angles, and subject tracking.

The automatic highlight tool picks out the best moments from your flight, while manual reframing lets you build polished shots with minimal effort. Deep Track can lock onto a moving subject in any direction, even if you weren’t pointing the drone at it during the flight, turning casual footage into something more intentional.

The ability to choose your angle after flying means every recording becomes a flexible canvas, making it easy to tell a story, shoot B-roll, or create social edits where you want multiple cuts from a single take. And because the A1 records in its own 360 container formats with final export via the app or Studio, you get consistently stable, stitched output without the usual complexity of multi-camera rigs.

Flight and piloting performance

The Antigravity A1 offers a flight experience unlike anything else in the consumer drone space, thanks largely to its Grip controller and headset-first control system. Instead of pushing dual sticks, you steer using natural hand movements, and the drone’s response is instinctive in a way traditional quadcopters rarely achieve.

If you’ve ever played a video game with motion controls, you’ll feel at home immediately. The tutorial walks you through the basics, and once you connect the dots between the crosshair in your view and the direction you’re pointing the Grip, the learning curve becomes surprisingly gentle.

The controller's buttons take a few tries to learn. With the Vision Goggles on, you can’t glance down to see them, so early flights involve nudging the headset up to check. Fortunately, the layout is logical, and each button has a distinct texture, which accelerates the muscle-memory process. Within a few sessions, the controls stop feeling experimental and start feeling natural.

Headset video quality is sharp, and the HUD is cleanly designed, though information pushed to the extreme corners of your field of view can appear soft. The goggles’ adjustability means most glasses wearers can fly without their prescription lenses, and the external battery pack – very Apple Vision Pro-esque in its execution – keeps weight off your face. You do have to wear the battery around your neck, but it never feels cumbersome during flight.

The biggest shift in mindset comes from the 360° visual freedom. You can look anywhere without disrupting the drone’s recorded perspective. It removes the usual anxiety about framing mid-flight because the camera captures everything.

However, the A1 always flies toward the crosshair, not wherever your head is turned: flight direction is tied to the aiming reticle rather than the pilot’s gaze. That design choice keeps control predictable but requires situational awareness, especially in environments with obstacles.

On that front, the A1 includes a forward and downward binocular vision system plus a 3D infrared sensor on the underside. It’s not equivalent to the multi-directional, high-speed obstacle avoidance found in premium flagship drones, but it does provide a useful safety layer.

The forward sensors can detect objects from 0.5–18m and remain effective at speeds up to 12m/s, with wide horizontal and vertical fields of view. The downward system offers a similar envelope for landing and low-altitude safety. In practice, it acts more like a cautionary buffer than a full autonomous collision-avoidance system, and pilots still need to fly smart in cluttered spaces.

Wind handling is solid for a drone of this size. The A1 is rated to resist winds up to 10.7m/s, and the combination of FlowState stabilisation and its weight distribution helps it maintain steady footage even when conditions aren’t perfect. It’s not designed for aggressive manoeuvres, but that matches its purpose as a 360-first aerial camera.

The “shared flying experience” feature is less compelling. The tiny screen built into the visor doesn’t replicate the immersive view you get when piloting, and it feels more like a marketing flourish than a meaningful use case. It’s hard to imagine the A1 getting dramatically cheaper without the display, but the feature doesn’t add enough to justify its presence.

Despite that, when you’re the one flying, the A1 feels exciting, approachable and genuinely new. It’s a drone that prioritises intuition and immersion over raw speed or pro-grade manoeuvrability, an identity that fits the 360-capture concept perfectly.

Battery life and charging

The Antigravity A1’s endurance depends heavily on which battery you’re using, and that choice meaningfully shapes the flying experience. With the standard Flight Battery, the A1 is rated for up to 24 minutes of flight time, while the High-Capacity Flight Battery pushes that to 39 minutes under controlled conditions.

In real use, those figures naturally shrink, but my hands-on testing aligns closely with Antigravity’s claims. Calm-weather flights sat in the low-20-minute range, and even with occasional wind and continuous 360 ° video capture, the A1 comfortably delivered sessions long enough for proper aerial sequences rather than stop-start clips.

The relationship between weight and endurance is worth noting: the standard pack keeps the A1 under 249g, making it easier to fly in more regions without additional certification. The high-capacity battery bumps it above that threshold, but the trade-off is a meaningful jump in flight time. It’s the classic portability-versus-endurance equation, and Antigravity gives pilots a genuine choice depending on how and where they fly.

Charging speeds are solid for a dual-battery ecosystem. On the hub, the standard battery charges in around 45 minutes, while the high-capacity pack takes roughly 60 minutes. Charging in the drone itself is slower, just under an hour for the regular battery and roughly 103 minutes for the larger one, so serious users will naturally gravitate toward the hub included in the Explorer and Infinity bundles.

Given the A1’s immersive nature and the tendency to quickly lose track of time while flying in goggles, having multiple batteries becomes almost essential if you’re out filming for extended periods.

The Vision Goggles also draw power from an external battery, a design that mirrors that of high-end mixed-reality headsets. I couldn’t find official battery life stats for the grip and the googles, but according to specs displayed on my HUD, the Vision Goggles should last well over 4 hours between charges. The grip’s battery also seems to last quite a while.

The goggle’s external battery unit does add one more power source to manage, but the separation ensures the goggles never heat up or feel heavy, and swapping this battery is far quicker than landing the drone to change its flight pack.

Verdict

The Antigravity A1 leaves me with mixed feelings, but mostly in the way that genuinely new technology often does.

It is a remarkable achievement and easily one of the most exciting gadgets of the year. True innovation in the drone world has been rare. HoverAir shook things up with the palm-landing X1 a few years back, but since then, most manufacturers, particularly DJI, have focused on careful iteration. The A1 changes that rhythm. It feels new in a way few drones have in a decade.

Antigravity, with Insta360’s imaging pedigree behind it, has delivered the world’s first fully realised 360-degree drone. DJI is undoubtedly circling with its Avata 360, and the company already has both aerial and spherical imaging expertise. Even so, Antigravity reached the finish line first. That alone is worth acknowledging because it required solving technical, optical and flight-control challenges that no consumer brand had cracked until now.

Being first comes at a cost, both figuratively and literally. The A1 sits firmly in the premium bracket, which naturally limits its audience. This is not a mass-market drone like the Neo or the Flip. Instead, it appeals to a more adventurous segment of creators and enthusiasts who enjoy testing the edge of what new hardware can do and who are willing to pay for access to that frontier.

The rewards are significant. The A1 delivers an experience that feels closer to inhabiting a viewpoint in the sky than piloting a camera from a distance. It gives you an entirely new visual language, and no other drone currently available can replicate the sense of freedom that comes from capturing everything around you and choosing your perspective later.

Even so, it will not replace prosumer drones for people who need cinematic single-direction footage, longer flight endurance or more advanced autonomous features. Nor is it the ideal choice for beginners on a budget. It sits apart from those categories because it is trying to expand the boundaries of what a drone can be rather than compete with what already exists.

For now, Antigravity deserves the attention it is getting. The A1 is bold, imaginative and hugely enjoyable to fly. If you have even a passing interest in drones and want something that feels genuinely different, this is the one that will make you stop, look up and smile.

Antigravity, the Insta360-backed drone startup, has officially confirmed the launch date for its debut model, the Antigravity A1.

A new teaser posted across the brand’s social channels reveals a 4 December 2025, 9 AM EST (2 PM GMT / 3 PM CET) unveiling, following a cryptic “pre-launch check” animation showing modules loading, inventory syncing and key specs still “LOCKED”.

It’s the first concrete date we’ve had since the prototype began generating buzz earlier this year.

I flew the A1 during a closed demo and found it unlike any beginner-friendly drone on the market.

The sky behind the sky

The biggest story is the 8K 360º camera system, which captures everything in every direction simultaneously, opening up creative possibilities that standard forward-facing drones simply can’t match.

The drone's 'shoot first, edit later' approach is very similar to Insta360's flagship model, the Insta360 X5.

In fact, the Antigraviry A1 uses the same camera module as the 360-degree action camera, which effectively captures everything around the unit while also editing itself out of the footage, thanks to the overlapping fisheye camera setup.

The main difference between the Antigravity A1 and mounting an X5 on, let's say, a DJI drone is that the former can remove the drone body natively, whereas the latter would require post-processing.

The machine that teaches you

The A1 also aims to flatten the learning curve. Instead of relying on traditional joysticks, the drone uses AI-assisted flight controls that make piloting feel more like a video game.

FVP drone piloting generally requires a longer learning process; with the A1, it's quite literally point-and-go, which significantly lowers the entry barrier for new pilots.

During my test flight, the A1 hovered rock-solid in the wind, dodged obstacles autonomously, and felt surprisingly confidence-boosting for a drone aimed at first-timers.

Antigravity has yet to reveal the full spec sheet and, most importantly, the price, but from what I’ve experienced, this drone is shaping up to be one of the most interesting tech launches of 2025.

With the brand promising its “8K 360 experience” and an ecosystem-style approach, 4 December looks set to be the moment Antigravity finally shows its hand.

Head over to Antigravity to find out more.

Can't wait? Check out T3's roundup of the best DJI deals today.

When DJI Neo originally launched in September 2024, it was pitched as the ultimate palm-sized companion: a sub-250g, beginner-friendly drone that could launch from your hand, follow you automatically and capture 4K video without the learning curve. It became a quiet hit for travellers, families and first-time pilots.

Fast-forward 14 months, and the DJI Neo 2 has arrived, a lighter, smarter, and considerably more advanced model. The Neo 2 brings a new dual-axis gimbal, omnidirectional obstacle sensing, gesture and voice control, upgraded image processing, faster Wi-Fi transfer, and nearly double the internal storage.

It also costs about £40 / €40 more than the first-generation model. So, is it worth upgrading if you already own a Neo, or should you stick with what you have? Let’s break down every key area of improvement in DJI's best drones for beginners.

DJI Neo 2 vs DJI Neo

Price and value for money

At launch, the DJI Neo retailed for £169 / €199 / $199, depending on region. The Neo 2 starts at £209 / €239 (~$259 / ~AU$579). That’s roughly a 20–25 per cent increase, which is not insignificant for an entry-level product.

However, when you consider what’s added, including LiDAR obstacle sensing, an extra gimbal axis, more storage, faster transfer speeds and smarter control options, the jump feels entirely reasonable.

The Neo 2 sits comfortably between the original Neo and the DJI Flip, offering features from higher tiers without the complexity or bulk.

Winner: The Neo 2 is slightly pricier but still an outstanding value.

Design and build quality

At a glance, the two drones share the same design DNA: fixed-arm frames with integrated propeller guards and the same toy-meets-tech aesthetic. But a closer look reveals the Neo 2 is more polished.

It’s actually seven grams lighter than the original despite adding several new sensors, weighing in at 151 g versus the Neo’s 158 g. The footprint has grown slightly (147 × 171 × 41 mm compared to the Neo’s 130 × 157 × 48.5 mm), giving it a wider, lower stance that feels steadier in the air.

The Neo 2 also features a small status display beside the camera, replacing the LED light setup on the Neo’s top shell. It shows battery, mode and connection info at a glance, so you no longer need to tilt or reposition the drone mid-setup.

DJI has also reworked the button layout, placing three controls under the right propeller arms for mode selection and power. They’re easier to reach but arguably too close together, an ergonomic misstep the Neo never had.

The real leap is in safety. The Neo relied on a downward sensor for hover stability and little else. The Neo 2 adds omnidirectional obstacle sensing, combining front-facing LiDAR, monocular vision sensors and a downward infrared module for full 360° awareness. It’s a game-changer for beginners, dramatically reducing the chance of collisions indoors or near trees.

Both models share a fixed-arm design, making them instantly fly-ready with no folding arms or fiddly pre-flight prep required. Still, the Neo 2 feels more refined, with smoother contours, a sturdier prop-guard frame and improved materials that look and feel more premium.

Winner: Neo 2 wins easily. It’s lighter, safer and more practical to handle.

Camera performance

Both drones use a 12 MP 1/2-inch CMOS sensor, but the Neo 2’s imaging pipeline has been completely rebuilt. It now uses an f/2.2 aperture lens (versus f/2.8 on the Neo) for better low-light capture, paired with a new image processor that reduces noise and improves dynamic range.

A significant hardware change is the move from a single-axis tilt gimbal to a dual-axis mechanical gimbal that stabilises both tilt and roll. Combined with DJI’s digital RockSteady-style electronic stabilisation, this produces far smoother footage, especially during turns or when following moving subjects.

Video performance is another major leap. The Neo topped out at 4K@30fps. The Neo 2 can record 4K@60fps, with a 100 fps slow-motion mode, plus a 2.7 K vertical video mode for social media clips. The colour rendition is richer and less saturated, and HDR blending has been tuned to preserve skies and highlights more effectively.

DJI’s ActiveTrack 360° has also been re-engineered. The Neo tracked in four directions (front, back, left, right); the Neo 2 now follows subjects in eight directions, including diagonals, for more natural, cinematic camera moves. The difference in responsiveness is immediate: the Neo 2 locks onto a subject faster and stays locked even if they change direction.

Still photography remains 12 MP, but the Neo 2 produces cleaner JPEGs with smoother tonal gradients. Its SelfieShot feature (entirely new) can automatically switch between waist-up, full-body and long framing, letting you capture group shots without touching a controller.

Winner: Neo 2 again takes the win. The extra gimbal axis and frame-rate boost alone justify the price jump, even before factoring in smarter tracking.

Flight performance

Both drones are aimed squarely at beginners, but the Neo 2 flies like a more mature machine. The new omnidirectional obstacle sensing system, powered by LiDAR, lets it navigate safely in tighter spaces. The original Neo was stable but could be caught out by crosswinds or nearby walls; the Neo 2 feels grounded, deliberate and confident in flight.

The ActiveTrack 360° system now supports tracking speeds of up to 12 m/s, up from roughly 10 m/s on the Neo, letting it keep pace with cyclists, runners and even skateboarders. In follow mode, the Neo 2’s wider stance helps reduce micro-vibrations that sometimes crept into the Neo’s video feed.

Where the Neo 2 really shines is in how it can be flown. Beyond the standard phone-based control, it supports gesture control (using one or two hands to move and re-position it) and voice control via your smartphone or Bluetooth headset. There’s even support for the DJI RC-N3 remote for up to 10 km of video transmission, double what the Neo could manage.

Finally, the Neo 2 introduces Return-to-Palm, which automatically guides the drone back to your outstretched hand. It’s a charming, practical feature that underscores how much thought has gone into ease of use.

Winner: The Neo 2 feels like a true DJI drone, not just a smart toy. Beginners will notice the improvement instantly.

Battery life and charging

Neither drone is designed for endurance flying, but the Neo 2 ekes out a small win. It delivers up to 19 minutes of flight per charge, compared to the Neo’s 18 minutes. Real-world use puts both in the 15–17 minute range, depending on conditions.

Charging, however, has improved. The Neo 2’s redesigned battery locks in more securely and supports faster charging, roughly 40 minutes for a full top-up via USB-C, versus about 50 minutes on the Neo. DJI also upgraded the thermal management system to prevent overheating during back-to-back sessions.

The optional Fly More Combo remains the smarter buy for both models, bundling two extra batteries and a three-bay charger that automatically prioritises the lowest-charged pack.

Winner: Small upgrade, but an upgrade nonetheless. The Neo 2 charges quicker and feels more reliable over time.

Storage and connectivity

Storage is one of the biggest quality-of-life upgrades. The original Neo offered 22 GB of internal memory with no microSD slot, meaning you could record only about 40 minutes of 4K footage before having to transfer files manually. The Neo 2 bumps that to a generous 49 GB, enough for over 100 minutes of 4K 60 fps video.

It also supports Wi-Fi transfer speeds up to 80 MB/s, compared to roughly 30 MB/s on the Neo, drastically reducing offload times. You can even connect directly to the DJI Fly app without cables, and it automatically detects new clips when the drone reconnects.

Winner: Neo 2 again. Faster transfers and more storage make a huge difference to day-to-day usability.

Verdict

The DJI Neo was a simple, affordable and surprisingly capable beginner drone. The Neo 2 builds on that foundation so convincingly that it feels like the product DJI wanted to make the first time around.

It’s lighter, safer, and dramatically more capable in the air. The improved gimbal and faster video modes make footage look far more professional, while LiDAR-based obstacle sensing gives you the confidence to fly in spaces that would terrify most micro-drones. Gesture and voice controls are fun but practical, and the bump in storage and Wi-Fi speed makes the day-to-day experience smoother.

If you already own a Neo and mostly use it for occasional selfies or travel clips, you don’t need to upgrade; the original is still fun and functional. But if you film frequently, value better stabilisation, or want a drone that’s genuinely hard to crash, the Neo 2 is absolutely worth it. It’s still the most accessible DJI drone you can buy, just now with a lot more advanced tech.

DJI is releasing new products like there’s no tomorrow. The dust hasn’t even settled on the Mini 5 Pro, and the world’s best drone maker is already back with another bombshell, the successor to the dinky DJI Neo, launched just 14 months ago.

The Neo 2 is anything but a minor iterative update. It adds a new dual-axis mechanical gimbal, 4K video at up to 60 fps, omnidirectional obstacle sensing (LiDAR + IR), increased internal storage (~49 GB), improved flight stability, stronger wind resistance, and more.

Despite the improvements, it’s hardly any bigger than its predecessor; in fact, it's seven grams lighter. Yes, it’s more expensive, but it’s still one of the most affordable DJI drones in existence – not to mention, it’s still the best drone for beginners, thanks to its intuitive gesture and voice control features and small size.

I’ve been flying the DJI Neo 2 for weeks, and it has grown on me since the day I took it out of the box. The camera is so much better than before, and the LiDAR obstacle-sensing at this price is mind-blowing. If you want an affordable drone that actually gets the job done, you need the Neo 2.

DJI Neo 2 review

Price and availability

The DJI Neo 2 is available now at DJI and authorised retail partners across Europe and the UK. The standard drone-only package costs £209 / from €239, while the Fly More Combo, which adds two extra batteries and a three-bay charging hub, starts at £349 / from €399. DJI also offers a Motion Fly More Combo, pairing the drone with its motion controller and FPV-ready goggles for £509 / from €579.

This means the Neo 2 launches at about £40 more (≈24% increase) in the UK and €40 more (≈20% increase) in Europe than the original Neo.

Official US pricing hasn’t yet been listed on DJI’s store (the situation is currently in flux in the country), but early retailer data suggests a starting point of around $259, putting it comfortably below the Mini SE and well under the $300 threshold. Australian retail listings are beginning to appear at roughly AU$579 for the standard model, in line with international conversion rates once taxes are included.

As with all new DJI drones, the Neo 2 is supported by DJI Care Refresh, a comprehensive protection plan covering accidental damage, collisions and flyaways. The one-year plan includes up to two replacements, while the two-year plan covers up to four. Both include official warranty coverage and free shipping for replacements.

Design and build quality

The DJI Neo 2 feels like a solid refinement of the original Neo’s compact charm. At 151 g, it’s seven grams lighter (!), yet the chassis feels sturdier thanks to an improved composite frame and the seamless integration of a full prop-guard design.

The guards now curve smoothly into the arms, giving the drone a cleaner silhouette while offering genuine 360-degree protection, which, to be fair, was also the case with the Neo. This feature makes the successor feel reassuringly durable when flying indoors or around unaware people.

DJI also added a tiny status display on the left side of the lens, showing battery level, shooting mode, and connectivity at a glance. This is an excellent ergonomic update. The original Neo had an LED-based setup at the top of the drone, which meant you couldn’t select a mode and fly it without moving its position.

The new front display and button layout change this. You’ll find three buttons on the right just under the propellers, allowing you to select a programme and fly the drone without rotating your hands.

A slight caveat with the button layout is that they all feel similar and are positioned too close to each other. I often found myself flipping the Neo 2 over to see on which button my finger was resting, which admittedly diminishes the benefit of coming up with this otherwise excellent setup.

I would move the selector rocker to the other side of the drone, and move the I/O button further back to make it easier to locate with your thumb. I might even add a larger, circular silicone cover to make it even easier to interact with it.

The front now houses twin LiDAR and monocular sensors, part of the new omnidirectional obstacle-sensing system, a huge upgrade from the Neo, which had neither. Together with downward infrared, these allow the Neo 2 to hold its position far more confidently than its predecessor.

Despite the added sensors, the Neo 2 remains impressively compact at 147 × 171 × 41 mm, making it only slightly larger than the original Neo (130 × 157 × 48.5 mm). The increase in width and length gives it a steadier footprint in the air, while its reduced height and take-off weight keep it effortlessly portable and well under the 250 g registration threshold.

The fixed-arm design feels more solid and ready-to-fly than folding drones: no hinges, no unfolding, just grab-and-go. It still slips easily into a small camera pouch or backpack side pocket.

DJI also doubled internal storage from 22 GB to 49 GB and added Wi-Fi transfer at up to 80 MB/s, eliminating the cable dance that slowed the original Neo. Footage moves quickly to your phone and drops straight into the Fly app for editing. The app even offers to download content if it senses the Neo 2 has fresh footage.

Camera performance

The Neo 2’s camera might look familiar on paper – it still uses a 12 MP 1/2-inch CMOS sensor – but the upgrades beneath the surface make a real difference in how footage looks and feels.

DJI has paired that sensor with a wider f/2.2 aperture and a faster image processor, resulting in noticeably cleaner, more balanced footage, especially in mixed or low light. The colours are more natural and skin tones less plasticky than on the original Neo, which tended to crush shadows and blow out highlights.

Perhaps the most meaningful upgrade is mechanical. The Neo 2 swaps the Neo’s single-axis tilt gimbal for a new 2-axis system that adds roll stabilisation. Combined with DJI’s digital RockSteady-style smoothing, the result is far steadier footage when banking or tracking moving subjects, something the first Neo often struggled with. Even quick pans and sharp turns look cinematic rather than jerky.

Video capture now tops out at 4K@60fps (with a 100fps slow-motion option) – a massive step up from the Neo’s 4K 30 fps ceiling, and it opens the door to more expressive, dramatic shots. The Neo 2 also adds a 2.7K vertical-video mode for social content, which isn’t quite the DJI Mini 5 Pro’s true vertical mode, but for the price, it’s still impressive.

The ActiveTrack 360° system has been upgraded, too, with faster recognition and a new eight-direction tracking matrix (forward, backward, lateral and four diagonal). It locks on more quickly and maintains framing with far fewer wobbles when the subject changes direction.

The drone retains the same crisp 12 MP stills, albeit with a smoother tonal curve and better dynamic range. Pair that with the new SelfieShot feature, which automatically reframes between waist-up, full-body and long shots, and the Neo 2 starts to feel like a mini camera operator rather than a flying toy.

Intelligent shooting modes return with a few smart additions. MasterShots and QuickShots now take advantage of the wider frame rate options, while Dolly Zoom adds a surprisingly effective faux-Jaws effect. Each can be activated with a tap or a gesture, and the drone’s new onboard display confirms your selected mode before take-off.

Flight performance

The first Neo was easy to use but occasionally twitchy in wind or near obstacles; this model feels like DJI has ironed out all those beginner quirks.

Much of that comes down to the new omnidirectional obstacle-sensing system, which combines forward-facing LiDAR with a network of monocular and infrared sensors to map the surroundings in real time. The result is a far steadier hover and smoother, more confident navigation, even at low altitudes or around trees and buildings.

Despite its compact dimensions, the Neo 2 holds position with uncanny precision. The wider stance gives it a more stable footprint in the air, while subtle tuning in the motors and flight controller makes it more responsive to input. It feels balanced, predictable and remarkably forgiving for newcomers.

In flight, the difference in control smoothness is immediately obvious. DJI says the Neo 2 can track at speeds up to 12 m/s, and while you’re unlikely to hit that in typical use, the extra power is noticeable when you let it chase a cyclist or runner in ActiveTrack 360° mode.

The tracking algorithm now supports eight-directional movement (forward, backward, lateral and diagonal) so the drone adapts naturally to changes in movement without swinging wildly to reframe the subject.

I found the gesture and voice control options are genuinely usable, not just party tricks. With simple hand movements, you can adjust altitude and direction, or command the drone to take off, land, and start recording. Better still, you’ll feel like a Jedi master, controlling the Neo 2 with your outstretched hand.

The blue indicator light, which lights up when the Neo 2 recognises your hand, provides excellent feedback. You can move the drone up, down and from side to side with one hand, and use two hands to increase or decrease the distance between you and the Neo 2. It’s all very intuitive and feels rather cool, too.

Voice commands sent through a smartphone or Bluetooth headset make it even more flexible when your hands are full. You can also use any of DJI’s portable microphones to record audio while filming, just like in the case of the original Neo.

One of the most enjoyable touches is the Return-to-Palm feature. After a flight, the Neo 2 will precisely locate your outstretched hand and land itself with smooth, deliberate confidence. It’s the kind of human-centric detail that turns a clever gadget into something that feels alive.

Battery life and charging

Battery life isn’t the Neo 2’s headline act, but it’s quietly improved in all the right ways. DJI quotes up to 19 minutes of flight time, just a minute more than the first Neo, though in practice, you’re looking at around 15 to 17 minutes maximum depending on wind and how often ActiveTrack or gesture control is used.

The redesigned battery locks more securely into the body, eliminating the slight play some Neo owners noticed over time. It also charges faster thanks to improved thermal management and updated circuitry. A full top-up via USB-C takes just over 40 minutes, which makes back-to-back flights entirely possible with a second pack.

The Fly More Combo bundles two extra batteries and a three-bay charging hub that automatically prioritises the lowest-charged cell, so you can cycle through all three without micromanaging charge levels.

DJI’s integration of intelligent battery tech, including real-time temperature and voltage monitoring, means you get fewer unexpected drop-offs and better long-term health. The LED indicators on the rear of the pack are easier to read in bright light, and there’s a reassuring click when you seat it into place.

Verdict

I love the DJI Neo 2. It’s a fuss-free beginner drone for hobbyists who care more about ease of use than anything else. It’s more than affordable still, and can be used without a controller, which helps keep the price down.

It’s a lot more competent than its predecessor, yet it’s still lightweight and uncomplicated, making it a top choice for younger pilots as well as athletes who want a drone that can actually follow them around during their preferred sports.

Camera performance is a lot better than before, and it’s also a lot safer to fly the Neo 2, thanks to the omnidirectional sensing system. Hand gesture control is truly my favourite way to position the drone, and the new button and display layout is much more ergonomic than before (although the former could still be improved).

There really is little to nothing to criticise about the DJI Neo 2. It’s highly recommended for this Christmas and beyond.

DJI makes some of the best drones in the sky, but the brand has found itself at the centre of a political storm in the US. The question many are asking is whether it’s still worth buying one now, given all the talk of bans, restrictions, and national security reviews.

The short answer is yes, as a hobbyist, you can still buy and fly a DJI drone in the US today, but it’s worth understanding what’s going on behind the scenes, because the landscape is shifting.

A long story, not a sudden crisis

Despite recent headlines suggesting an impending clampdown, this isn’t a brand-new issue. The US Department of Defense has restricted the use of DJI drones by federal agencies since 2020, citing cybersecurity concerns and links to Chinese manufacturing.

That ban applied only to government entities, not private citizens, and everyday drone pilots have continued to fly freely ever since. The current situation builds on that existing foundation rather than introducing something entirely new.

So while the news might sound alarming, it’s better described as a continuation of long-standing scrutiny rather than an overnight ban. The key difference now is that the proposed new rules could expand restrictions on imports and sales rather than simply dictating what federal agencies can buy.

What’s actually being proposed

Under Section 1709 of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, the US government must assess whether drones made by companies such as DJI pose a national-security risk.

If that assessment isn’t completed by 23 December 2025, DJI could automatically be added to the Federal Communications Commission’s so-called “Covered List” under the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act.

Being placed on that list wouldn’t make it illegal to own or fly a DJI drone, but it could prevent new models from being authorised for sale in the US and stop retailers from importing fresh stock.

The Commerce Department is also conducting its own national-security investigation into drone imports, while US Customs has reportedly held some DJI shipments under forced-labour and compliance checks.

At present, none of this translates into a consumer ban. Hobbyists can still buy the brand's drones, such as the excellent DJI Mini 5 Pro, online or in stores, register them with the Federal Aviation Administration if required, and take them out to fly.

The focus of the legislation is on government procurement, import controls and communications authorisations rather than private use.

What could change (and what probably won’t)

The main risk for hobbyists isn’t that they’ll suddenly be grounded. It’s that future support and availability could be affected. If DJI were restricted under the new rules, importing and selling new models in the US could become difficult, pushing up prices or creating shortages.

Firmware updates and customer support could also become more complicated if the company faces restrictions on operating servers or distributing software in the country.

What’s far less likely is a scenario where the government bans existing owners from flying their drones. The FCC doesn’t have the authority to seize or ground consumer drones, and no proposed legislation suggests otherwise.

For context, the Department of Defense ban on federal use has been in place for five years and has never prevented hobbyists from enjoying their drones. The situation might tighten, but it’s extremely unlikely that consumers would suddenly be told to stop flying.

What it means for you

If you’re a hobbyist, it’s still perfectly reasonable to buy a DJI drone today, especially with such amazing deals about. The company’s drones remain among the best in the world, with class-leading camera systems, stable flight performance and an intuitive app experience.

That said, you might want to consider a model that already has all the features you care about, because relying on future updates might not be the safest bet.

It’s also sensible to keep a local copy of the DJI Fly app and any relevant firmware files, just in case app-store access changes later. None of this is cause for panic; it’s simply good practice if you’re investing in a device that relies on ongoing software support.

If you use your drone commercially or plan to resell it later, be aware that regulatory uncertainty can affect second-hand value. But for casual pilots capturing weekend footage or scenic travel shots, the impact is minimal for now.

The bigger picture

There’s an important distinction between how government agencies treat DJI and how private citizens can use their products. DJI itself has already been restricted for U.S. federal agencies since 2020 under DoD rules, but private citizens still fly DJI drones freely.

That context matters, because it shows the current debate isn’t new; it’s merely an evolution of ongoing concerns about data security and supply chains rather than a fresh crackdown.

The FAA’s existing hobby-flying rules remain unchanged. As long as you follow standard regulations, including Remote ID requirements and airspace restrictions, you’re free to keep flying.

If you buy a DJI drone in the US today, you’re making a smart purchase in the short term. The hardware is outstanding, the user experience is refined, and the sky is still open to hobbyists.

What’s uncertain is the long-term regulatory climate. A potential import restriction or software limitation could make future models harder to buy or support, but existing drones aren’t in danger of being banned.

In other words, this isn’t about panic-buying before a ba – rather, it’s about being informed. The airspace is still yours to explore, but it’s wise to keep one eye on the horizon.

DJI shows no sign of slowing down lately. It feels like the brand is releasing a new drone (and action camera, robot mop, and gimbal) every week. The company’s latest model, the Mini 5 Pro, stirred quite a few emotions online because of weight variances that push the drone out of the sub-250g category.

I’ll discuss the question of weight below in detail, but aside from that, the Mini 5 Pro is an impressive upgrade over the DJI Mini 4 Pro, which was launched two years ago. It moves from a 1/1.3″ sensor to a 1-inch CMOS sensor capable of 50 MP stills, improving low-light performance and dynamic range.

The Mini 5 Pro also adds new obstacle-sensing hardware ­– including front-facing LiDAR – and upgraded motors and aerodynamics for better wind resistance and flight stability. On the video side, it extends capabilities to 4K/120 fps (and FHD up to 240 fps), while introducing a 225° gimbal roll for true vertical-format shooting and a “Med-Tele” digital crop mode.

Is it worth the upgrade, though, or are you better off keeping an eye out for Mini 4 Pro deals? Is the Mini 5 Pro the best drone for hobbyists, or should they go with a different option? I flew the Mini 5 Pro for the last two weeks, and here’s my verdict.

DJI Mini 5 Pro review

Price and availability

The DJI Mini 5 Pro is available now in the UK and across most of Europe, with pricing that reflects its new position as a premium compact drone. In the UK, the standard model starts at £689, while the Fly More Combo with the RC 2 controller and additional batteries costs around £979. These bundles are widely stocked through major retailers and DJI’s official store.

Across Europe, pricing follows a similar pattern, starting at around €799 for the base drone and roughly €1,129 for the Fly More Combo. Availability is strong in most EU markets, with both configurations shipping now.

In Australia, the Mini 5 Pro starts at approximately AU$1,119, positioning it as one of the most feature-rich drones in its weight class. The Fly More Combo typically retails for around AU$1,549, depending on stock and regional tax differences.

The situation in the United States is less straightforward. At the time of writing, DJI has not officially launched the Mini 5 Pro in the US, and units currently available there come via authorised resellers and importers. That means pricing may fluctuate above international averages, and stock levels remain limited.

Is the DJI Mini 5 Pro a sub-250g drone?

Whether the Mini 5 Pro classifies as a sub-250g drone depends on who you ask. DJI says on its website that the drone weighs 249.9g, which puts it very close to the limit set by most authorities for hobbyist drones. The EU also agrees that the Mini 5 Pro is a small drone, thanks to its approach to allow for +/- 3% manufacturing deviation in weight.

However, the aviation authorities in the UK and the US don’t automatically accept DJI’s 249.9 g marketing claim. This means that if they check your Mini 5 Pro while you’re flying and it weighs more than 250g, you could get in trouble if you don’t have the appropriate certifications.

My test unit came in at 252.2g, which means it is over the limit, and therefore, I need my Operator ID displayed on the drone and can’t fly it over “uninvolved people.” That’s on top of the tight regulations drone pilots enjoy in the UK!

Now, this wouldn’t be a major issue, but historically, the whole point of the Mini series was to offer pro-level features in a sub-250g package. The Mini 5 Pro breaks this tradition, making it harder to recommend the model to hobbyists. Due to the weight increase, the drone is better suited for prosumers who can’t quite stretch their budget to buy a Mavic.

I tend to side with the EU on this matter, as I don’t think a 252g drone with advanced obstacle sensing can do a lot more damage than a sub-250g model (which are usually around 249g anyway). Equally, allowing deviations from the target weight can be a slippery slope from a legislative perspective.

I appreciate that it must be incredibly difficult to design a tiny drone with pro-level features, but I wish DJI had waited a bit longer so the Mini 5 Pro would fall under the 250g weight limit. It’s not like any other companies are even remotely close to challenging the brand’s dominance in the drone market.

Design and build quality

The DJI Mini 5 Pro keeps the signature foldable-arm design that’s defined the Mini series since the beginning, but this time it feels far more refined. Folded, the drone measures 157 x 95 x 68 mm (without propellers), and extends to 304 x 380 x 91 mm when unfolded . The overall silhouette remains compact and portable, yet everything from the finishes to the gimbal mount has been subtly re-engineered to look and feel more premium.

DJI has tightened tolerances throughout: the propeller arms now lock with a more solid click, the body panels feel sturdier, and the ventilation system has been redesigned to improve cooling during extended flights.

The gimbal housing is larger and sturdier to accommodate the new 1-inch sensor, and the landing setup has been simplified with forward legs only, giving the drone a more aerodynamic stance.

The drone feels quiet, stable, and able to hold position confidently even in blustery conditions. Improvements to the motors and aerodynamics give it stronger wind resistance, while the overall construction feels less plasticky than before.

DJI has also added practical touches such as 42 GB of built-in storage, letting users capture footage even without a microSD card.

Camera performance

For the first time in the Mini lineup, DJI has fitted a large 1-inch CMOS sensor capable of producing 50 MP stills and capturing 4K video at up to 120 fps. Combined with a bright f/1.8 aperture and 10-bit colour depth, this delivers professional-grade image quality that rivals much larger drones.

Dynamic range is excellent, particularly in D-Log M mode, allowing the Mini 5 Pro to handle bright skies and shadow detail exceptionally well. The 1-inch sensor offers noticeably improved low-light performance compared to the Mini 4 Pro, producing cleaner night shots with less noise and more accurate colour. Even in tricky lighting conditions, such as dusk, urban night scenes, or high-contrast landscapes, the Mini 5 Pro maintains impressive tonal balance.

The drone supports 4K HDR at up to 60 fps and full-HD slow motion at up to 240 fps. The footage looks crisp and cinematic, with smooth motion and natural-looking contrast.

The new 225° gimbal roll range enables true vertical shooting, ideal for social content, while the “Med-Tele” 48 mm mode provides a mid-range digital zoom without significant loss of detail.

Stills are sharp and richly detailed, with enough resolution to crop heavily without visible degradation. The camera can also shoot RAW photos for more flexible post-processing.

If there’s a downside, it’s that the higher resolution and bit depth make files larger, so you’ll need fast cards and decent post-production hardware. However, you do get more built-in storage and an option to expand it using Micro SD cards, so there is that.

Flight performance

Flight performance has always been a strength of DJI’s Mini range, and the Mini 5 Pro continues that tradition while adding a level of refinement that feels close to the Air 3.

The drone can reach speeds of up to 18 m/s (up 2 m/s from the Mini 4 Pro) in Sport Mode and ascend at up to 10 m/s, with wind resistance rated at up to 12 m/s. In testing, it remains impressively steady even in gusty conditions (it’s always windy down by the coast where I live), maintaining smooth footage without noticeable drift.

The Mini 5 Pro includes the full suite of DJI’s intelligent flight modes. FocusTrack combines ActiveTrack, Point of Interest, and Spotlight, enabling the drone to follow moving subjects automatically while maintaining composition.

MasterShots and QuickShots simplify cinematic movements, creating automated clips like Dronie, Helix, and Rocket with minimal input. Of course, most of these can also be found in cheaper DJI drones, such as the DJI Neo and DJI Flip, so it’s not a huge surprise that the Mini 5 Pro has these, too.

Waypoint Flight, a feature once reserved for larger drones, including the DJI Mavic 4 Pro, enables programmable routes and repeatable camera paths, a huge plus for creators who need consistent shots over time. This feature already appeared on smaller drones, such as the Air 3, so it makes sense for the Mini series to get it as well.

Omnidirectional obstacle sensing, backed by LiDAR and advanced processing, enhances safety and precision. Return-to-Home is reliable even in areas with limited GPS, and the overall responsiveness of the controls feels snappier than before. The combination of advanced tracking, automated cinematic modes, and improved obstacle avoidance means it’s easier than ever to capture complex shots solo.

In the air, the Mini 5 Pro feels agile yet confident, straddling the line between beginner-friendly and professional-grade. The flight controls are precise, braking is smooth, and hover stability is excellent.

Battery life and charging

Battery performance is a major strength of the DJI Mini 5 Pro, and it’s one of the areas where DJI has pushed the limits of what a compact drone can do. The standard Intelligent Flight Battery is rated for up to 36 minutes of flight in ideal conditions (vs 34 minutes on the Mini 4 Pro), while the optional Battery Plus extends that to a claimed 52 minutes. Those figures are optimistic, but they show how far the brand has come in making long-endurance flight possible in a small form factor.

In real-world use, flight time naturally depends on how you fly. Recording 4K video, battling headwinds, or climbing aggressively will all drain the battery faster. On average, you get 25-30 minutes of usable flight time with the standard pack, which still puts the Mini 5 Pro ahead of most sub-500 g drones. With the Battery Plus, you can realistically expect 35 to 45 minutes, depending on weather and flight profile.

The standard battery has a capacity of 2,788 mAh, while the Battery Plus ups that to 4,680 mAh. The increase doesn’t just extend flight time; it also provides more consistent power delivery, particularly useful for high-performance filming modes or in colder environments where smaller packs often struggle.

However, the larger battery pushes the take-off weight well above 250 grams. The standard battery (Intelligent Flight Battery) weighs approximately 71.2 g, while the extended battery (Intelligent Flight Battery Plus) weighs approximately 117 g. So, switching from the standard to the Plus battery adds roughly 45.8 g of weight to the drone’s take-off weight.

Charging has been streamlined. Using DJI’s official 18 W charger, a single battery takes roughly an hour and twenty minutes to top up. The optional two-way charging hub can power multiple batteries sequentially or serve as a power bank for other devices. The charging hub also automatically prioritises the battery with the most charge remaining, speeding up turnaround times between flights.

Verdict

The DJI Mini 5 Pro is the most capable “Mini” drone yet, bridging the gap between consumer-friendly portability and professional performance. Its 1-inch sensor produces stunning 4K footage with rich detail and impressive dynamic range, while new features like LiDAR obstacle sensing and Waypoint Flight bring big-drone intelligence to a compact form.

Flight stability, range, and battery life are all improved, making it an excellent creative tool for filmmakers and travellers alike. The only drawback is its weight; at over 250g for most units, it loses the carefree, regulation-light status that made the Mini series so appealing in the past.

DJI has quietly launched the Neo 2, the follow-up to its smallest and most approachable drone, first landing in China with a global release expected soon.

The move mirrors how DJI handled the rollout of its ROMO cleaning robot, which debuted regionally before expanding to international markets, a staggered strategy that’s becoming increasingly common for the Shenzhen-based brand.

The original DJI Neo, which was released just over a year ago, was designed as a lightweight entry point into drone photography.

The new Neo 2 blurs the line between toy-sized drones and DJI’s more serious camera platforms, such as the DJI Mini 4 Pro.

It packs a larger 1/2-inch sensor and now records 4K video at up to 60 frames per second, bringing it closer to the image quality of the Mini series.

A new dual-axis mechanical gimbal helps stabilise footage even in breezy conditions, while DJI’s image-processing algorithms add more detail and better dynamic range.

Sharper vision, safer flight

Flight stability has been enhanced across the board. The Neo 2 can now withstand winds of up to 24 mph and maintain smoother tracking in follow modes.

DJI also fitted the drone with a new LiDAR (!) and infrared-based obstacle avoidance system, giving it near-omnidirectional awareness.

That’s a major upgrade from the single-direction sensor of the original model and one that should make it much harder to crash in tight urban or indoor spaces.

Battery life is rated for around 19 minutes on a single charge, a small but useful bump that extends creative shooting windows.

The propellers have been redesigned for quieter operation, and a new LED display on the body offers quick-glance flight and connection info.

Connected thinking

Connectivity is more flexible, too. Out of the box, the Neo 2 uses Wi-Fi for short-range flights and quick social-media uploads, but it’s also compatible with DJI’s modular O4 transmission system.

Add the optional module, and you unlock extended range, lower latency, and access to the brand’s controllers and FPV gear, a feature previously reserved for higher-end drones.

Weighing just 151 grams, the Neo 2 remains well under the 250 g limit that keeps drone registration simple in most regions.

In China, it’s priced from ¥1,499 (roughly £209 / €239 / US$211).

European retailers list 13 November as a potential release date, although DJI hasn’t yet confirmed global availability.

Head over to DJI to find out more.

After nearly a decade of refining 360-degree action cameras, Insta360 has its sights set skyward.

Fresh from launching the Insta360 X4 Air, a lightweight 8K 360 camera aimed squarely at content creators, the Shenzhen-based brand is gearing up for yet another massive release in the shape of the Antigravity A1 drone.

According to the South China Morning Post, Insta360’s parent company Arashi Vision saw a 92.6% year-on-year revenue jump (!) in Q3 2025, reaching roughly $413 million, driven by strong global demand for its 360 and action cameras.

The company is now using that momentum to expand into new categories, investing heavily in chip development and aerial imaging.

From GoPro rival to drone contender

The new Antigravity A1 drone is the world’s first 8K 360° all-in-one drone, weighing under 249 g, a key threshold that allows it to bypass stricter aviation rules in many countries.

With an optical unit borrowed from the flagship Insta360 X5, the A1 can capture immersive footage with no blind spots and supports the brand’s hallmark “invisible drone” effect that removes the craft from the shot entirely.

It’s a natural progression for Insta360, which has long blended cutting-edge optics with powerful software.

Antigravity line promises to extend that creative ecosystem from handheld to aerial capture, all within the same app and editing workflow.

An uphill battle against DJI

The move also puts Insta360 in direct competition with DJI, the world’s dominant drone maker, which controls more than 70% of the consumer market.

Analysts quoted by KrAsia note that while Insta360’s 360-camera dominance gives it a strong brand halo, cracking the drone space will require significant investment in supply chains, global service networks, and regulatory approvals, all areas where DJI is miles ahead.

Still, Insta360’s push could carve out a niche. The focus on 360° aerial filming, intuitive controls via goggles and grip, and a featherweight design could appeal to content creators looking for something fresh.

Growth, risk, and what’s next

Behind the scenes, Insta360 is spending big. Net profit reportedly dipped around 15.9% in the last quarter as the company poured money into R&D and marketing.

Gross margins remain healthy at roughly 51%, but the brand is clearly prioritising growth over short-term gain.

The Antigravity A1 is expected to launch soon, with regional pricing still under wraps. We expect the A1 to occupy the mid-to-premium tier, aimed at enthusiasts who want 360° freedom without the bulk or bureaucracy.

After redefining what action cameras can do, Insta360 is clearly ready to take to the skies.

DJI has issued a firmware update for the Mavic 4 Pro, the brand's best drone for prosumers, which impressed me with its next-level performance and cutting-edge design during testing.

The latest release adds two notable upgrades: automatic zoom switching and a Dynamic Home Point mode.

Zoom switching might sound small on paper, but for pilots, it’s a big step forward.

Instead of manually juggling lenses or breaking up a shoot, the drone can now transition seamlessly between focal lengths.

This makes it easier to adjust framing mid-flight, giving creators more fluid control when chasing action shots or piecing together cinematic sequences.

Dynamic Home Point, meanwhile, tackles one of the most practical challenges in drone flying.

Traditionally, the return-to-home location is fixed at takeoff. With this update, the Mavic 4 Pro can now follow the controller’s current position.

It's a game-changer for those shooting from moving vehicles or boats, reducing the risk of a drone heading back to an empty spot miles away.

Momentum in the skies

In my review of the Mavic 4 Pro, I called the drone “a serious leap forward,” praising its Infinity Gimbal with 360-degree rotation, LiDAR-based obstacle sensing, and generous flight times of over 50 minutes.

DJI had raised the bar for what a prosumer drone could achieve with the Mavic 4 Pro – this firmware release builds on that momentum, reinforcing the drone's status as a tool for ambitious aerial filmmakers.

For owners, the update is free and available now via the DJI Fly app. If you don't have a DJI drone yet, check out T3's roundup of the best cheap DJI deals now.

[via Imaging Resource]

We’ve seen it cropping up in social posts and leaked in clips for weeks now, so this one probably won’t come as much of a shock, but DJI’s Osmo Nano is now official.

The leaks promised a proper wearable camera you could clip on and forget about and today’s launch confirms that’s exactly what it is - and, thankfully, it’s a bit more capable than a cute magnetic cube.

Wear and forget it's there

DJI’s new Osmo Nano arrives in the form of a featherweight, clip-on camera you wear and forget about. It weighs just 52g, measures 57 x 29 x 28mm, and snaps to just about anything, be it hats, helmets, straps or even a pet collar via a dual-sided magnetic mount.

Despite the dinkiness, it’s built to get wet and is waterproof to 10 metres without a case, and IPX4 splash resistance when paired with its Multifunctional Vision Dock.

What's more, that dock isn’t just a charger - it adds a tiny OLED touchscreen for remote control, fast-charges the camera to 80% in about 20 minutes, according to DJI, and doubles as your transfer station with a microSD slot and USB-C.

Speaking of battery, DJI quotes up to 200 minutes of 1080p/24 recording when docked and fully juiced, or around 60 minutes of 4K/30 using the Nano’s Endurance mode.

Big-camera look from a clip-on

According to DJI, the Osmo Nano's headline feature is image quality. It uses next-gen 1/1.3-inch sensor and high-performance processing for up to 13.5 stops of dynamic range, with 4K/60 video (and 4K/120 slow-mo) through a 143-degree ultra-wide lens.

You get 10-bit colour and D-Log M if you like to grade, SuperNight for low-light, RockSteady 3.0 to tame shake and HorizonBalancing to keep things level within ±30-degrees.

Audio’s covered by dual mics, plus OsmoAudio Direct that pairs the camera straight to two DJI Mic transmitters (DJI's first-gen Mic isn’t supported). Modes stay fuss-free, allowing you to flip between horizontal and vertical, set Auto Recording intervals, trigger with a nod via gesture control, and lean on Pre-Rec so you don’t miss the moment before you hit record.

Available right now

The Osmo Nano is on sale today at store.dji.com and authorised retailers.

The Standard Combo (64GB) will set you back £239 / €279 and the Standard Combo (128GB) starts at £259 / €309 - both include the camera, Multifunctional Vision Dock, magnetic hat clip, magnetic lanyard, protective case, USB-C PD cable and a magnetic ball-joint mount.

A handful of accessories (headband, quick-release mount, ND filters, glass lens cover) land alongside, and DJI Care Refresh is available for accidental damage cover.

If you’ve been waiting for a hands-free camera that’s genuinely tiny yet still looks the part on a big screen, this is the one to watch.

DJI leaking its own gear before launch is practically a tradition at this point, and the rumoured Osmo Action 6 is the brand's latest device to slip through the net.

Fresh images and tester reports courtesy of thenewcamera suggest the Osmo Action 6 will arrive in the form of a camera that doesn’t just shoot better video, but also integrates with your smartwatch.

Watch-friendly controls and overlays

The big talking point from this leak is the smartwatch integration. Rumours suggest you’ll be able to start/stop recording and switch modes from your wrist, with Apple Watch and Garmin support very likely.

GPS overlays and health data (such as speed, distance, altitude, even heart rate) are all said to sync to your footage, while Garmin users may see extra metrics like power/cadence for cycling and dive data in the water.

If true, that’s a nice little setup for runners, riders and divers who don’t want to faff with the camera mid-session.

Bigger sensor and storage

On the imaging side, the Action 6 is tipped to step up to a 1-inch CMOS sensor, bringing better low-light chops and broader dynamic range.

Video specs doing the rounds include 8K at 30fps, 5.3K at 60fps, 4K at 120fps and 1080p at 240fps, plus 10-bit D-Log M with claims of 13.5+ stops. Stabilisation reportedly upgrades to RockSteady 4.0 with AI-assisted HorizonSteady 360-degrees, and the body itself looks like it might be a bit bulkier than the Action 5 Pro with a new ridged lens bezel.

Rumours also point to 47–64GB of built-in storage plus microSD expansion, Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi 6, and USB-C (with a hint of DisplayPort out for monitoring). Water resistance is said to be 18–20m without a case, and a 1950mAh battery is being bandied about – apparently good for over four hours of 4K recording. And if the larger sensor does make the cut, expect a chunkier chassis to go with it.

Price and possible release

While there's no official word from DJI yet on the Osmo Action 6, the internet rumour mill suggests mid-October for an official announcement, with shipping later or early November.

Pricing rumours span $329–$429 / £243-£318 for a Standard/Essential bundle (camera, mounts, one battery) and $479–$579 / £354-£429 for an Adventure combo (extra batteries, case, rugged mounts).

As always, take these numbers with a pinch of salt for now, since specs and prices are likely to shift between test units and the device you can actually grab off the shelf.

After months of rumours and teasing, DJI has officially launched the Mini 5 Pro, and it’s shaping up to be the company’s most ambitious Mini yet.

Still tipping the scales under 250g (despite worries that all the new tech will push the drone above the threshold), this palm-sized flyer lands with serious upgrades that blur the line between a travel-friendly quadcopter and a professional aerial camera rig.

The headline feature is the 1-inch sensor, which makes the Mini 5 Pro the world's sub-250g drone to have such a large sensor.

That alone puts the Mini 5 Pro on a different level from last year’s excellent DJI Mini 4 Pro, but the brand hasn’t stopped there.

From night-time obstacle sensing to vertical shooting for TikTok creators, this is a drone designed to please both seasoned pilots and first-timers who just want their city break footage to look incredible.

1-inch sensor takes image quality pro

The Mini 5 Pro debuts a 50MP, 1-inch CMOS sensor, giving it far larger pixels than its predecessor. You get cleaner nightscapes, sharper sunsets, and richer HDR.

DJI claims up to 14 stops of dynamic range, plus a new 48mm Med-Tele mode that adds depth and separation for portraits.

Add in its portrait optimisation engine, and you’ve got a pocket-sized drone that can rival bigger rigs for detail and skin tones.

Cinematic video as standard (+slo-mo)

Creators will love the 4K/60 HDR recording and the option to slow things down with 4K/120fps slow-motion.

Colourists get even more room to play thanks to 10-bit H.265 capture in D-Log M and HLG, with ISO pushed up to 12,800 for nighttime work.

From sweeping mountain shots or neon cityscapes, the Mini 5 Pro is ready to (up)grade.

Night-flying just got safer

DJI has fitted the Mini 5 Pro with forward-facing LiDAR alongside its vision sensors (see also: DJI Mavic 4 Pro review), unlocking what it calls Nightscape Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing.

In plain English, this drone can spot obstacles even in dimly lit environments, down to about 1 lux, the equivalent of a candle.

That means safer Return-to-Home flights at night and even a non-GNSS RTH mode that memorises routes when GPS isn’t available.

Vertical shooting, flexible gimbal

The 225° gimbal rotation is more than a party trick. It enables accurate vertical shooting with no cropping required, making it perfect for Instagram Reels or TikToks.

Paired with modes like Timelapse and QuickShot Rotate, it opens up creative camera moves previously limited to larger drones.

Smarter tracking, longer flights

DJI has given ActiveTrack 360° a serious update, with custom modes for cycling, walking, and general use.

It can track subjects at up to 15m/s in open areas while avoiding obstacles more intelligently.

Battery life is also improved with 36 minutes standard and a whopping 52 minutes with the optional Plus pack (where regulations allow).

The most powerful Mini yet

At £689 / €799 for the base model, the DJI Mini 5 Pro isn’t just a casual toy, but it’s hard to argue with the tech on offer.

A 1-inch sensor, pro-level video formats, night-flying smarts and genuine portability make it a compelling upgrade.

For travellers, content creators, or anyone who has hesitated to jump into drones due to bulk or complexity, the Mini 5 Pro might just be the tipping point.

The Mini 5 Pro can be purchased at DJI UK – US price and availability TBC.

DJI has a habit of letting its drones leak all over the internet before they’re even announced, and the upcoming Mini 5 Pro is no exception.

The next-gen mini drone is slated to be landing this week, perhaps on Thursday (18 September), but I doubt there'll be anything new to see by that time.

In the latest leaks, renown leaker Jasper Ellens claims to have “stumbled upon” the Mini 5 Pro’s webshop description before leaking the spec sheets and images on DroneXL. This is just after the drone popped up via a Cypriot reseller and made a cameo flight in a YouTube video.

But if we look at what’s rumoured, this could be the most ambitious Mini yet - one that ticks almost every feature box while staying under that all-important 250g limit.

Next gen camera and tracking

At the heart of the Mini 5 Pro is said to be a new 50MP, 1-inch CMOS sensor with an f/1.8 aperture - a step up from the Mini 4 Pro’s smaller 1/1.3-inch sensor. This is expected to deliver better, low-light performance, up to 14 stops of dynamic range and crisp 4K60 HDR footage in both 10-bit D-Log M and HLG modes. The gimbal can even rotate 225° for true vertical shooting, according to the leaks.

ActiveTrack, DJI’s clever subject-tracking system, is also in line for a performance injection. Leaks strongly hint at 360-degree tracking that can lock onto objects moving up to 15m/s, which should mean smoother, more reliable footage even if your subject’s tearing around.

And let’s not forget OcuSync 4 Plus. DJI hasn’t spelt out exactly what’s “Plus” about it yet, but transmission distances of up to 20km have been mentioned, alongside smarter, more stable video feeds.

Safety, sensors and longer flights

Other leaks suggest the Mini 5 Pro could be the first drone in its class to meet FAA Category 1 standards out of the box. This is due to a fixed-blade propeller cage design that the leak says will help prevent injury, plus Remote ID built in as standard. What this means essentially is less paperwork and more freedom to fly over people legally.

The leaks also point towards hardware upgrades that will include omnidirectional obstacle avoidance with LiDAR sensors alongside a big bump in power, with whispers of a 4,680mAh battery delivering up to 50 minutes in the air - that would be nearly half an hour more than the Mini 4 Pro.

The only catch is portability. Those fixed arms and prop guards might get in the way of that classic fold-and-go design the Mini series sported - unless, of course, the guards are removable.

One thing's for sure - leaks of this new drone have left little to the imagination. But if even half of these specs turn out to be true, the Mini 5 Pro could be DJI’s best lightweight drone yet.

And while we’re on the subject of DJI leaks, don’t forget the company also “accidentally” revealed its next tiny action cam, the Osmo Nano, in a social post last week. It’s certainly shaping up to be a busy month for DJI fans.

Just weeks after we first spotted the Aqua on HoverAir's website, the company has now officially revealed the self-flying camera to the public.

We already knew the lightweight drone is waterproof and has a Level 7 wind resistance rating, but looking at the complete feature list, the Aqua is more than just a one-trick pony.

It turns out that the drone not only floats but follows, tracks, and films you across open water, without ever needing manual piloting.

Built for the water, not just waterproof

With its IP67 waterproof rating, neutral buoyancy, and featherweight sub-249g build (no FAA registration needed), the AQUA can take off and land directly on water (inc. saltwater) without sinking.

"This is our most metal-heavy design yet," says MQ Wang, Founder and CEO of Zero Zero Robotics. "It includes a magnesium alloy heat sink, stainless steel motor housing, and even titanium screws for anti-corrosion."

Better still, it can flip itself over (!), meaning you can literally throw it on the water however you like, and it would still take off.

Its 12MP camera supports 4K resolution at 100fps for ultra-smooth slow motion, and captures vibrant, stabilised footage thanks to its 1/1.3" CMOS sensor, H-LOG format, and HDR support.

The lens itself features self-heating, anti-fog treatment, and a hydrophobic nanocoating, ensuring clarity in splash-heavy environments.

A 2x digital zoom adds flexibility, and footage is stored directly onboard with up to 128GB of UFS 2.2 internal memory.

On the ropes

The drone operates without a traditional controller; instead, you use the new Lighthouse accessory, worn on your wrist, to trigger takeoff, initiate recording, switch modes, or call the drone back via Virtual Tether.

"The Lighthouse gives you basic controls like takeoff, landing, and recording, but it also enables precise position tracking using what we call Virtual Tether," explains Mr Wang. "Think of it like an invisible leash between the drone and the user."

This "invisible tether" range can be set to 10 or even 20 metres and prevents the drone from drifting off due to wind or waves. Once it goes out of range, it automatically comes back to you.

Performance and control, reimagined

Stabilisation comes via the brand-new SmoothCapture 3.0 system, and with Level 7 wind resistance (up to 33 knots) and a top tracking speed of 55km/h (34mph), the drone can handle gusty coastlines and fast-paced action.

A full charge delivers up to 23 minutes of flight time, impressive for a waterproof drone of this size.

The AQUA ships with more than 15 automated flight modes, including Snorkel Mode (for low-altitude, water-adjacent filming) and Gimbal Mode for locked-off cinematic shots.

You don’t even need your phone. The AQUA features a built-in 1.6” AMOLED display that lets you preview and playback footage directly on the device, ideal when you're off-grid or in the middle of the sea.

Available now for preorders, the HOVERAir AQUA starts at $999 for early backers. It will also be on show at IFA Berlin from September 3–9 (Hall 20, Stand 103), offering a chance to see it fly (and float) in person.

A new fight is brewing in the drone world, and DJI might not have the skies to itself for long

Chinese smart appliance maker Dreame has reportedly started hiring drone experts, raising eyebrows across both the cleaning and drone industries.

Best known for its sleek vacuum cleaners and mops, such as the highly rated Dreame L40 Ultra, Dreame now appears to be plotting something more ambitious, and the timing is no accident.

According to a report in the South China Morning Post, Dreame is actively recruiting engineers and pilots for a “pan-aviation” team, including specialists in drone navigation algorithms and aerial testing.

Most of the listings are concentrated around the company’s Suzhou base and in Shenzhen, the home turf for DJI, the world’s best drone brand when it comes to both consumer and industrial/agricultural UAVs.

Unsurprisingly, some of the talent appears to have come directly from DJI, along with drone delivery heavyweight Meituan.

While the company hasn’t officially confirmed a drone product is in the works, the signs are hard to ignore.

Dreame's aggressive hiring spree comes just weeks after DJI launched its first robot vacuum, the Romo, in China.

The Romo is powered by drone-grade navigation tech and industrial design polish, and it’s being widely seen as the tech giant’s first serious push into the home robotics space.

It doesn’t take a huge leap to imagine Dreame returning the favour, leveraging its own robotics and AI know-how to step into the skies.

New players, new rules

But it’s not just Dreame making waves. Insta360, a leader in 360° camera tech, has recently launched Antigravity, a brand-new drone venture with disruptive potential.

Its first product, the Antigravity A1, is being hailed as the world’s first 8K 360° all-in-one drone, debuts in early 2026, and weighs under 250 grams, evading registration thresholds in many countries.

If so, it would mark the start of a fascinating turf war between three tech giants evolving from opposite directions: DJI coming down to earth, Insta360/Antigravity and Dreame looking up.

Even if a Dreame drone isn’t imminent, the hiring spree could be laying the groundwork for drone-enabled services or new forms of automation. With both brands operating at the cutting edge of robotics and object detection, this might be less about flight and more about who controls the future of the smart home.

One thing’s clear: the drone industry just got a little more crowded – and a lot more interesting.

Just weeks after initial rumours teased LiDAR and a larger sensor, new leaks have revealed a much clearer picture of the DJI Mini 5 Pro, and it looks like DJI is gearing up to deliver its most powerful sub-250g drone yet.

According to detailed coverage from DroneXL, the Mini 5 Pro has appeared in photos bearing a "C0" classification label, which suggests the drone will officially weigh under the 249g limit, keeping it exempt from stricter drone regulations in many regions, including the UK and EU.

But even with that featherweight frame, the leaks point to a 1-inch sensor paired with a 24mm f/1.8 lens, a new 48mm medium-tele crop mode (not a dedicated lens, though), and support for 4K/120fps video.

That would make the Mini 5 Pro a compelling tool for travel creators and solo shooters looking to elevate their footage without bumping into airspace restrictions.

We also expect to see an upgraded gimbal system allowing 225–330 degrees of rotation, and a clever new side button that may enable the drone to launch without a controller, much like the DJI Neo and DJI Flip drones.

Tap-to-fly and whisper-quiet rotors?

Other notable upgrades include tap-and-twist propeller mounts for tool-free blade swaps, redesigned low-noise tips, and possible OcuSync 4+ transmission with a max range of up to 25km, according to TechRadar.

Battery leaks also suggest a move to a 33.5Wh capacity pack, significantly larger than the Mini 4 Pro’s ~19Wh cell, and potentially offering 36-45 minutes of flight time.

However, leaked packaging images appear to omit the "<249g" marking, raising questions about regional weight variations or different battery options depending on location.

So when is it coming?

The drone was initially tipped for a 7 August release – which goes to show just how unreliable these leaks can be – but the latest reports suggest a possible delay, with September 2025 now the more likely launch window.

Expect compatibility with existing Mini 3 and Mini 4 Pro batteries, which would be great news for upgraders.

Until DJI makes it official, these features remain speculative. Taken together, though, the leaks we've heard so far paint a picture of a Mini drone that’s not just more powerful but more versatile than ever before.

Antigravity shook up the drone scene in late July 2025 when it heralded the coming of the world’s first 360-degree drone, the A1. The Insta360-incubated brand took the technology that powers the action camera brand’s flagship device, the Insta360 X5, and strapped it onto a drone. The A1 offers a unique point of view and flying experience, as I witnessed it in Germany in June, when I had the opportunity to fly it.

I’m a big fan of Insta360, so the idea of being able to fly one of the brand’s cameras in the air excited me. Insta360 is not only famous for its cutting-edge camera technology but also for its user-friendly software, which makes editing 360-degree footage comparatively easy. Antigravity taps into both with its new drone.

That said, the new brand does more than just regurgitate Insta360 know-how. The A1 drone is one of the most innovative flying cameras I have tested recently, thanks to the videogame-like controls and immersive, almost Apple Vision Pro-like headset. It flips the script and offers a new way of flying drones, nearly putting more emphasis on flying than content capturing.

Before I go any further, it’s worth noting that I tested a beta unit, which didn’t quite have the capabilities of the final model launching later this year. The transmission rate wasn’t quite amazing, but I know that the consumer-ready model will have this sorted out, as we were given an opportunity at the end of the session to try the single headset with the increased frame rate.

What is the Antigravity A1?

The Antigravity A1 is a sub-249g drone, which includes three key components: the A1 drone, the Antigravity Vision goggles and the Antigravity Grip motion controller. The drone features a top-and-bottom camera layout, similar to 360-degree cameras, to capture footage all around.

Most drones have the camera at the front of the unit; the A1 replaces this with sensors. Between the two sensors, there is a (somewhat tacky, in my opinion) light strip that can be customised in the app. The drone has four folding arms and a whole host of additional sensors at the bottom of the unit. It’s so compact when folded that I could hold the A1 in my palm.

The Antigravity Vision goggles are just as unique as the drone itself. They have microLED screens and an external battery that hangs around your neck. They also have a unique feature: people around you can see what you see by looking at the left eyepiece, which has a built-in display facing outwards. It’s an interesting, albeit not flawless, approach that lets people around you ‘enjoy’ the flying experience without piloting.

Finally, the Antigravity Grip motion controller is a small gadget that, just like the goggles and the drone, provides a different flying experience from other drones. For example, moving your arms upwards will make the A1 ascend, etc. The Grip also has a few buttons, which take a moment to get used to, as you can’t actually see them with the goggles strapped to your face. It feels very intuitive in the hand, that’s for sure.

Flying experience

Antigravity prides itself on providing a beginner-friendly flying experience, and it’s not wrong. Controlling the A1 is as easy as pointing the crosshair in the direction you want to go and squeezing the trigger on the Grip. It’s like playing a POV flying simulator on your gaming console, and it works just as easily.

The A1 might provide a first-person view of the skies, but it’s very different from other FPV drones, like the DJI Avata 2. FPV drones turn when you turn your head, whereas the A1 allows you to look around when the drone itself is flying in a straight line. Antigravity’s drone isn’t quite as fast as the Avata 2, but you can make it look like it is in post (more on this below).

Even though you can look around in the goggles, the cameras collect 360-degree footage (so not just stuff you’re looking at). It’s a bit strange at first, as your brain naturally assumes the drone will fly in the direction you’re facing.

This could lead to potential issues in crowded environments, as I can totally envision beginners flying the A1 into objects as they are looking around left and right. (That’s what all the sensors are for, I guess.)

There is a HUD in the frame, telling you the basic flight information. In my opinion, the information is pushed too much to the side, making it hard to see the drone's altitude and remaining battery life. The Vision goggles can be customised, though, so it’s possible yo ucan change the look of the HUD in the settings (we didn’t have this option).

Nothing takes away from the immersive flying experience, though. It’s a lot of fun flying the Antigravity A1, even if you don’t care about content creation the slightest. This is something the brand likes to emphasise: flying the A1 drone is a pivotal part of the Antigravity experience. And, in my experience, you certainly get a different point of view of things you’ve seen when you pilot the A1.

Content capturing

Flying the drone might be a big pull to try the A1, but realistically, it will be content creators (amateur and professional alike) who would want to try (and buy) the new Antigravity drone. As such, the quality of the footage coming out of the drone is just as important as the flying experience.

As we’ve already established, the A1 is the world's first 360° drone, capable of recording in 8K resolution videos with a "shoot first, frame later" approach. Thanks to the top-and-bottom camera layout, combined with stitching algorithms, the entire fuselage is invisible in the final footage, similar to Insta360's X Series cameras with their invisible selfie stick effect.

As expected, the file size for 8K footage is humongous, but it allows you to create truly unique videos using key frames. Antigravity/ Insta360 also offers AI-powered effects, which can turn otherwise mundane footage – e.g. the drone flying forward – into cinematic masterpieces. We were shown some examples, like the backflip or the horizon split effects, which looked pretty amazing, considering the pilot had nothing to do apart from flying the A1 in a straight line.

Of course, as my example above shows, there is only so much you can do with boring footage. Much like Insta360’s innovative cameras, the A1 and the algorithm can’t help you add action to footage of you flying the drone in an empty parking lot. Similarly, the Insta360 Go 3S might unlock previously unknown creative possibilities, but if you aren’t creative to begin with, it won’t help much.

On a more positive note, thanks to the 360° footage captured by the A1, you can frame and reframe your videos multiple times over. You can have a 16:9 image ratio edit for YouTube and a 9:16 version for Instagram or TikTok. Layer on the different effects, and you have yourself an incredible aerial tool to impress everyone, even if you’re not an experienced pilot.

The future of drone flying?

Of course, it’s a big question whether people would buy the drone so that they can experience the unique POV, as Antigravity hopes. We still don’t know anything about pricing, which will play a huge part in how well the A1 will be received. I expect the combo (drone + goggles + controller) to sell for a slightly more premium price, but only time will tell if I’m right.

During our test flight, some colleagues and I suggested a cheaper version with a basic controller to keep the price down, and Antigravity seemed keen on exploring the possibility. A standard, two-joystick controller with a smartphone display might not provide the same immersive flight experience, but it would allow content creators to access the footage in the app, which might be a pull for many.

The Antigravity A1 is a unique offering that really pushes the boundaries of drone flying. It’s nice to see that companies are trying to move beyond what giants like DJI have to offer. If anything, DJI seems to be on the back foot these days when it comes to innovation, only offering iterative updates to its drones (while battling to stay relevant with the US sanctions looming in the background).

I look forward to flying the A1 more in the coming months to thoroughly test its capabilities. I feel I only scratched the surface of what the drone is capable of during my time in Germany, not to mention the fact that we tested the not-quite-ready version of the A1.

As things stand, the Antigravity A1 might just become the most exciting tech launch this year, but there is more testing to be done before this can be said definitively.

Amazon Prime Day may be over and the summer sales winding down, but that doesn’t mean the best deals have disappeared. In fact, one of the season’s standout offers is still hovering; you can snag this DJI Air 3S for almost £145 cheaper.

We’re seriously shocked that this brilliant drone bundle is still on offer. When our resident drone expert, Derek Adams, reviewed the Air 3S he said: “It’s an exceptional drone that strikes a perfect balance between performance, camera quality, portability and price.”

He also praised its impressive dual 4K camera setup, upgraded obstacle avoidance and new autonomous flight modes – ultimately calling it the perfect drone for casual flying through to serious content creation.

As this is the Fly More Combo, as well as the Air 3S drone, this bundle also comes with a 3 series battery charging hub, DJI RC-N3 controller, ND filters, a shoulder bag to store everything in, and more.

While £144 off may not be the biggest saving we've seen in DJI history, it's still very decent. The Air 3S has been on offer for a while though, so we don't expect it to stay at this price for too much longer (all good things must come to an end). If you therefore want it, we'd make the most of this offer while you can.

DJI leaves little to no room for other brands in the drone scene, but the most innovative companies still manage to thrive in the shadow of the Chinese giant.

Zero Zero Robotics is one of these, which beat its Goliath of a rival to the punch when it introduced the HoverAir X1, the first actually usable selfie drone to the market two years ago.

Now, the brand is back with another first. The HoveriAir Aqua is the first waterproof drone that can be quite literally launched from the water.

Zero Zero Robotics claims the Aqua is "100% waterproof" with "15+ waterproofing adaptations," including a hydrophobic, anti-corrosive nano-coating, lightweight titanium components, and a self-heating body.

The Aqua also seems to be the first drone that's coloured differently (in eye-catching orange), making it easier to detect it against the sky/body of water.

The brand's drones have been pioneering image quality in the past, offering up to 8K resolution in a sub-249g body (see also my HoverAir X1 PROMAX review), and the new drone is no exception.

The water-ready Aqua can shoot videos in 4K @ 100fps and has a 1/1.3" CMOS sensor, rivalling (and, on occasions, surpassing) some of its closest competitors, such as the DJI Neo and the DJI Flip.

It's not just water that the Aqua can withstand: according to Zero Zero Robotics, the drone also has Level 7 wind resistance capabilities – impressive for such a compact drone.

It's an exciting time for drone enthusiasts. Not only have we already seen a flurry of selfie drone launches in recent years, Insta360-spinoff Antigravity is expected to reveal the world's first 360-degree drone soon.

More technical details about the upcoming Aqua will be revealed at a later date. You can sign up for updates now at Zero Zero Robotics.

A new drone brand has taken flight, backed by one of the best action camera manufacturers.

Antigravity, officially launched today, is a bold new name in aerial tech with a mission to reimagine what drones can be.

Incubated by Insta360, the brand best known for its 360-degree action cameras, and years in the making, Antigravity aims to create an entirely new category: 360 immersive flight.

Reframe the sky

Where other brands are locked in an arms race over specs and flight times, Antigravity is playing a different game.

“Most drones today are tools,” says BC Nie, Head of Marketing at Antigravity. “We’re reimagining what a drone should be: not just a flying camera, but a way to experience freedom, creativity, and storytelling.”

The upcoming product promises to make drone footage more expressive and dynamic, allowing users to relive their adventures from every angle without needing to be an expert pilot or editor.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Insta360 offers a similar approach with its action cams, including the current flagship, the Insta360 X5.

“Normal drones are already good; they’re cinematic and easy to fly,” BC adds. “But they’re becoming repetitive and less exciting. We wanted to create something that brings back the joy of flying, while still delivering the content people want.”

Sky-high expectations

Not much is known about Antigravity's debut drone just yet, apart from its lightweight, sub-249g form factor and 8K video capabilities.

And it's not just about the experience of flying, either. As BC explains, 360 capture transforms how footage is created: “With 360 imaging, you’re removing the drone body from the footage. That unlocks unlimited angles; the drone becomes an extension of you in the air.”

“It’s not just for creators or drone pilots,” he continues. “It’s for outdoor travellers, for families, too. Now they can extend that experience through the air and see the world from above.”

The new drone promises a more accessible and joyful piloting experience for everyone, from travellers and families to tech-forward explorers.

Ease of use is said to be central to the brand’s design philosophy, and that includes a rethinking of how users interact with the drone in real time.

You’re invited

The company is also taking a fresh approach to product development.

Through its Antigravity Hub, the brand is inviting users and enthusiasts to co-create the future of its products.

Feedback from early testers is already being implemented into future updates, even before the first drone officially hits the skies.

“We want to build with our community, not just for it,” says BC.

The drone itself will be revealed in full this August, with availability expected this winter.

“We could’ve launched earlier, but it was more important to get it right,” BC explains. “This wasn’t about being first, but about creating something truly new.”

Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but Antigravity has made it clear this will be a premium product built with cutting-edge imaging technology and a distinct point of view.

DJI may dominate the skies for now, but Antigravity isn’t trying to outmuscle the competition: it’s sidestepping it entirely.

With its focus on immersive capture, inclusive design, and storytelling-first features, Antigravity might have found the right mix to challenge the dominance of its rival.

Head over to Antigravity to find out more.

The wonderful world of consumer drones has come on leaps and bounds in recent years. These days, there's something for just about everyone, whether you fancy a cheap and cheerful bit of fun, or a pro-spec piece of kit for serious work.

The one thing which is missing right now is a product from Insta360. That's the brand behind some of the best action cameras on the market, including the incredible 360° action cam – the Insta360 X5.

Now, it looks as though the brand is set to pivot into the world of drones for the first time, with a fresh set of leaks and rumours pointing to that device. There are a couple of key things noted, so we'll go through them here.

First up is a Tweet which showcases some of the patents the brand has gained in this space. The first showcases a modular design, which appears to allow users to remove the prop guards for easier transport and repairs.

Far more interesting, though, is the design for the cameras themselves. That shows two fisheye lenses in use, which combine to offer a full 360° field-of-view. Those are also said to be optimised for stitching, and with minimal overlap.

The other leaked imagery – still on Twitter, but this time from a different account – shows how the brand manages to keep its device invisible within the images. That's thanks to a design with arms positioned in the blind spot of the cameras, with motors tilted outwards and down by up to 20­° to assist.

It's a really clever piece of design which should allow users to capture fantastic shots in the signature Insta360 style, without having to compromise with stray pieces of the device in the frame. With the drone expected in the not-too-distant future, we'll be keeping a close eye on further developments over the coming weeks.

A fresh update to the DJI Fly app is giving selfie drone flyers a new trick up their sleeve: Dolly Zoom.

Version 1.17.4 of the app, which began rolling out globally in early July, officially adds support for this dramatic flying mode on the DJI Flip, turning everyday footage into cinematic gold, no gimbal or Hollywood budget required.

Made famous by Steven Spielberg's 1975 opus, Jaws, Dolly Zoom – also known as the “vertigo effect” – is a visual technique where the subject stays the same size in the frame while the background appears to warp and stretch.

It’s usually achieved with a zoom lens and dolly track, and even though it's possible to execute it manually on certain cameras with large enough teleobjectives, it requires an experienced operator.

Luckily, you won't need any skills here, as DJI has baked the effect into its automated flight modes so you can now pull it off with a tap.

Technically, the feature has been available since late May via a firmware update for the DJI Flip, but this is the first time it’s been folded into an official DJI Fly app release.

The latest app update (v1.17.4) also brings general bug fixes and performance tweaks, making it a worthwhile upgrade even if you’re not aiming for Spielberg-style shots.

The Dolly Zoom effect is currently exclusive to the DJI Flip, meaning other selfie drones like the DJI Neo miss out for now, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it expands to more models in future updates.

Version 1.17.4 of the DJI Fly app is available now via the App Store and Google Play.

[via noflimschool]

DJI’s long-rumoured Mini 5 Pro just got a big boost in credibility thanks to a fresh wave of leaks, and this time, we’ve got more than just speculation.

According to multiple reports, including one from our sister site TechRadar citing drone insider Jesper Ellens (via DroneXL), DJI is preparing to launch its next-gen ultralight drone on 7 August 2025.

That means the Mini 5 Pro will arrive sooner than expected, giving drone fans something to get excited about this summer.

The latest leak includes a grainy but intriguing photo of what appears to be a Mini 5 Pro prototype, snapped by a mountain biker in China and shared via social channels (see below).

It shows a folding drone that looks close to production-ready and sleeker than the earlier test units, and definitely more refined than the fixed-prop prototypes seen in previous leaks.

LiDAR for the masses

Most eye-catching, though, is confirmation that DJI appears to be adding a LiDAR sensor to the front of the Mini 5 Pro, a huge first for the brand’s sub-250g lineup.

Until now, this kind of advanced obstacle detection has been reserved for premium (enterprise) drones like the DJI Mavic 4 Pro or the Matrice 350 RTK with a Zenmuse payload.

If true, this means the Mini 5 Pro could offer enhanced obstacle avoidance in low-light conditions, an area where the DJI Mini 4 Pro still struggles despite its otherwise excellent flight tech.

There’s more. Observers noticed new vented motor housings, which could improve wind resistance and overall flight performance.

And alongside a larger battery, the Mini 5 Pro is now tipped to carry a 1-inch sensor camera, making it a genuine upgrade for aerial photographers and videographers hoping for better low-light performance and dynamic range.

DJI hasn’t officially confirmed any of this, of course, but the pieces are beginning to fall into place, especially as the drone also popped up in FCC filings earlier this month, complete with a beefy 33.5Wh battery (compared to the Mini 4 Pro’s 18.9Wh cell).

DJI’s most advanced ‘Mini’ yet?

As with earlier reports, it looks like DJI is still aiming to make the Mini 5 Pro fully FAA Category 1 compliant.

That means keeping the total take-off weight under 250g while integrating Remote ID and safety tech like enclosed propellers or guards.

With LiDAR onboard, it could make urban flying safer and more accessible than ever, especially for beginners.

We’re still waiting on an official teaser or invite from DJI, but if the 7 August launch date holds up, we won’t have to wait long.

And if the leaks prove true, the Mini 5 Pro might be DJI’s most impressive compact drone to date, combining pro-grade flight and imaging features in an ultralight, travel-friendly form factor.

It’s been two years since drone manufacturer extraordinaire DJI released a Mavic drone. This line is aimed at professional creators, and is larger and more expensive than smaller camera drones such as the DJI Flip and the DJI Neo.

Rumours have been steadily circulating online about the imminent launch of the Mavic 4 Pro, so I can’t say I was too surprised when DJI reached out with an opportunity to test the new drone a month ago.

Well, I might not have been surprised, but I was excited nevertheless, as the Mavic 4 Pro promised serious performance upgrades, longer flight time, better transmission range, LiDAR, and a lot more. All for the same recommended price as the amazing DJI Mavic 3 Pro was sold for back in the day.

After testing the Mavic 4 Pro for a few weeks, I’m happy to confirm that it’s the best drone for those who take aerial content creation seriously, but maybe not as seriously as getting an Inspire 3. Everyone else, if you have the money and the appropriate pilot's licence, this is the one to get!

DJI Mavic 4 Pro review

Price and availability

The Mavic 4 Pro was announced in May 2025 and is available now at DJI UK and DJI AU with prices from £1,879/ €2,099/ AU$ 3,099. It’s the same original retail price of the Mavic 3 Pro, even though these days, you can buy the latter for cheaper, even directly from the brand.

Like all other DJI drones, the Mavic 4 Pro is available in various bundles. The DJI Mavic 4 Pro Fly More Combo (includes the amazing DJI RC 2 controller) costs £2,459, €2,699/ AU$ 4,039. The DJI Mavic 4 Pro 512GB Creator Combo, which adds the DJI RC 2, three batteries, the parallel charging hub, and a carry case, sells for £3,209/ €3.539/ AU$ 5,359.

The DJI RC Pro 2 controller, on its own, has a recommended retail price of £879/ €999, AU$ 1,529. The company is yet to disclose US prices and availability, likely due to its strained relationship with the country’s legislative system. Check out DJI US for the latest information on this. Also, visit T3's best DJI deals roundup for the latest offers on the Mavic 4 Pro and others.

I used the DJI Mavic 4 Pro 512GB Creator Combo for the test, and I have a small gripe with it, which some of you might find nitpicky, but I must mention it: the carry bag could be more box-like, so it fits inside backpacks better. Most pros have custom-made cases (I assume), but enthusiasts like me would prefer to integrate the case into a backpack that also contains my camera.

The carry case is too big to do that. Not just that, but the parallel charging hub’s 240w charger cable doesn’t fit into the bag, either. Well, it fits, just about, but there isn’t dedicated space for it, which is a shame. For this much money, I’d expect the drone and its accessories to be perfect (sorry, DJI).

Specifications

• Dimensions (L×W×H): 328.7 x 390.5 x 135.2 mm (unfolded), 257.6 x 124.8 x 106.6 mm (folded)
• Weight: 1,063 g
• Max flight time: approx. 51 mins
• Max. transmission range: 41km (technical limit), 30 km (FCC), 15 km (CE/ SRRC/ MIC)
• Wind resistance: 12 m/s (39.4 ft/s)
• Built-in GPS: yes, GPS + Galileo + BeiDou (no GLONASS)
• Internal storage: 64GB (Mavic 4 Pro), 512GB (Mavic 4 Pro Creator Combo)
• Sensor: 4/3 CMOS (Hasselblad Camera), 1/1.3-inch CMOS (Medium Tele Camera), 1/1.5-inch CMOS (Tele Camera)
• FOV: 72° (Hasselblad Camera), 35° (Medium Tele Camera), 15° (Tele Camera)
• Max photo resolution: 100MP (Hasselblad camera)
• Max video resolution: 6K@60fps, 4K@120fps (Hasselblad Camera), 4K@120fps (Medium Tele Camera), 4K@100fps (Tele Camera)
• Image stabilisation: 3-axis mechanical gimbal (tilt, roll, pan)
• Connectivity: WiFi 6

Design and build quality

There are some pretty serious upgrades on the Mavic 4 Pro. One of the most important is the Infinity Gimbal with 360° continuous rotation with a 70-degree tilt, allowing you to shoot sequences like never before.

I really can’t emphasise how cool this is. Some of the Quickshots I shot with the Mavic 4 Pro are mind-blowingly smooth, and the drone did them seemingly effortlessly.

The gimbal holds the tri-camera unit, which still includes a wide-angle Hasselblad camera, a medium tele and a tele camera. However, the Hasselblad and tele cameras have new sensors, brighter apertures and higher resolution/framerates (more on this in the Camera performance section).

Another big-big improvement is the inclusion of a LiDAR sensor on the front right arm of the drone. The DJI Air 3S added this last year, LiDAR sensors can ‘see’ obstacles better than optical sensors, allowing the Mavic 4 Pro to avoid collision even in low-light conditions. In fact, DJI claims the drone can navigate in conditions as dark as 0.1 lux, practically pitch black.

(Not sure what sort of content you want to create in those conditions, but at least the drone won’t fly into a wall.)

Another change – and this might not be that welcome as others – is that the Mavic 4 Pro is larger and heavier than its predecessor. Coming in at 1,063 g, it’s over 100g heavier than the Mavic 3 Pro (958g), which was 63 grams heavier than 2021’s DJI Mavic 3. It doesn’t make an awful lot of difference, considering you aren’t holding the drone in your hand, but still; it is heavier.

The Mavic 4 Pro being heavier than 250g means you’ll need additional licences in certain countries, such as the UK, where you require an Operator ID as well as a Flyer ID. Also, considering it’s a heavier drone, you will have to be careful when flying it, as it will take longer for the drone to slow down from higher speeds. It’s no different from flying the Mavic 3 Pro, though.

Flight performance

The Mavic 4 Pro flies like a dream. It has a comparatively high wind resistance and can withstand gusts up to 12 m/s (39.4 ft/s). During testing, it coped well in windy conditions that smaller DJI drones struggled with, which really isn’t that surprising. A heavier body and larger propellers will be able to position the drone better, after all.

Of course, it will be pushed by stronger winds, and I did manage to trigger the strong wind warning when flying it over valleys with more wind activity. That said, I had to go out of my way to achieve this. Of course, I wouldn’t fly the Mavic 4 Pro into a tornado, but under normal circumstances, it should be able to cope with air gusts.

The drone can ascend and descend faster (10m/s in Sport Mode vs 8m/s and 6m/s, respectively), and its horizontal speed also improved from 21m/s to 25m/s – that’s 90km/h (~56 mph), people! I must say, after using the Flip for content creation, flying the Mavic 4 Pro at higher speeds required some adjustment. The stopping time and distance were longer, which resulted in some close(ish) calls on occasions.

Hovering accuracy stayed the same, despite the addition of LiDAR. What has improved is obstacle avoidance. In Normal mode, the Mavic 4 Pro can travel up to 18 m/s and, with Obstacle Avoidance turned on (set to stop), it can prevent the drone into walls or people. Of course, I wouldn’t recommend testing it on living creatures, but based on my tests, the system can prevent harm to both the drone and objects.

Maximum flight distance is now a staggering 41km (~25.5 miles), which is insane for such a compact drone. Of course, you won’t be flying to Mavic 4 Pro anywhere near this, as in most countries, the drone needs to stay in your line of sight, usually under one kilometre. Plus, countries have different regulations, too; the FCC limits this at 30 km, whilst in Europe, the maximum flight distance is 15 km.

A cool new addition to the incredible flying capabilities is the GPS-free return-to-home (RTH) function. Using its real-time vision positioning and map construction technologies, the Mavic 4 Pro can memorise (!) flight paths and can RTH without GPS. You need adequate lighting for the drone to learn the path, but still, it's a pretty amazing feature to have.

Finally, borrowing from the Flip and other small drones, DJI made the Mavic 4 Pro easier to deploy: unfold the arms, and it’s ready to go. The same goes for the new DJI RC 2 controller (you’ll find more about it below); unfolding the screen will turn the controller on.

Camera performance

The Mavic 4 Pro uses the same tri-camera setup as its predecessor, but as mentioned above, the performance of the cameras has changed.

The Hasselblad camera has a 72° FOV (format equivalent: 28 mm) and is brighter than before (max aperture: f/2.0 vs f/2.8). The medium tele’s specs are the same (FOV: 35°, format equivalent: 70 mm, max aperture: f/2.8), but the tele camera is also brighter (max aperture: f/2.8 vs f/3.4) and it’s zoomed in a bit more (format equivalent: 168 mm vs 166 mm). The latter has the same FOV as the Mavic 3 Pro (15°).

Two of the three cameras have a new chip, including the Hasselblad’s 4/3 CMOS sensor that now has a maximum resolution of 100MP but can also shoot 25MP still images, too (the Mavic 3 Pro’s max image resolution is 20MP). The medium tele is supposed to have a 1/1.3” sensor, but the tele camera also has a new 1/1.15” chip.

I don’t think anyone has massive complaints about the image and video quality of the Mavic 3 Pro. Even smaller drones like the Flip or the Neo produce stunning footage. Neither of these compares to the Mavic 4 Pro, though. The dynamic range and scene recognition are brilliant, enabling even non-pros like me to create stunning videos.

I was worried that DJI wouldn’t include the QuickShots or MasterShots features on the Mavic 4 Pro on account of the pro nature of the drone. Thankfully, I was wrong! Not only are they here, but you get more options than on the small drones.

The new gimbal does wonders stabilising the footage, and the increased tilt and rotation angle allows the drone to keep the frame steady even in stronger winds and through more complex movements.

Interestingly, the Mavic 4 Pro suffers from the same overexposure issue as all other DJI drones. I’d recommend adjusting EV down to -0.7, and only moving it back up if the scene you’re shooting is dark, especially in 6k@60fps HRD mode (Hasselblad camera), which I used for most of my shots: it has 16 stops of dynamic range.

Battery life, charging and flight time

Battery life has increased from 43 to 51 minutes (nearly 20% increase). In fact, the Mavic 4 Pro can hover for longer than the how long the battery lasts on the Mavic 3 Pro (45 minutes). It’s quite reassuring to know that you won’t run out of battery anytime soon when working with the drone.

It’s almost impossible to verify DJI’s battery life data, as real-life conditions will never be as steady as the brand’s lab data. Plus, battery life very much depends on how you fly the drone, in which mode, how you use the camera, and so on. Based on my experience, you can certainly fly the Mavic 4 Pro, even in windy conditions, for around 30-35 minutes.

I used the parallel charging hub and had two spare batteries, which allowed me to fly the Mavic 4 Pro for almost three hours. It takes only 90 minutes to charge three batteries with this charger simultaneously, giving you 150 minutes of flight time – not too shabby! If you happen to have one of the brand’s portable power stations at hand (such as my favourite DJI Power 500), you can also quick-charge the battery on the go.

The DJI RC 2 controller

I was almost as excited to try the DJI RC 2 as the drone. The new controller, albeit quite expensive (RRP £879/ €999/ AU$ 1,529), is a fantastic piece of tech that ushers in a number of improvements. As mentioned above, you can turn it on by unfolding the display – not a bad start, but there is a lot more to it than just one quick deploy feature.

My favourite aspect of the DJI RC 2 is that the controller sticks fold with the display, meaning you’ll never have to unscrew them again and risk losing them. Fiddling with the sticks is one of my pet hates, and I’m glad the DJI RC 2 does the work for me.

The 7-inch Mini-LED touchscreen display has a maximum brightness of 2,000 nits, as bright as the Apple Watch Ultra 2. This highly viewable screen not only folds but also rotates, making it easier to frame vertical shots (the Mavic 4 Pro can shoot videos in up to 4K@60fps).

Better still, the controller has a built-in mic and can be connected to the brand’s wireless microphones, like the DJI Mic Mini or Mic 2. It has a 4-hour battery life and even has 128GB of internal storage. In short, it’s a beast that deserves the spotlight as much as the Mavic 4 Pro!

There is only one small grievance with it, namely the on/off button, which is hidden in the top left corner of the display. It's very much in incognito, and took me a while to find. Once I located it, it was smooth sailing from then on, though.

Verdict

DJI has outdone itself with the Mavic 4 Pro – a feature-packed aerial powerhouse that raises the bar without raising the price. With its groundbreaking Infinity Gimbal, LiDAR obstacle detection, vastly improved image quality, and rock-solid flight performance, it’s a dream for prosumer creators.

Yes, it’s heavier, pricier, and the medium tele camera didn’t get an upgrade, but those are small gripes in an otherwise stellar package. If you’re serious about aerial content but not quite ready to splash out on an Inspire 3, this is the drone to get, provided you’ve got the licence and the budget to match.

DJI’s been busy releasing entry-level selfie drones in the past 12 months, including the competent DJI Neo and the punching-well-above-its-weight DJI Flip. With the release of the DJI Mavic 4 Pro, the brand firmly reminded us that it's still the king of prosumer camera drones.

That said, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is an amazing tri-camera UAV, sporting a wide-angle Hasselblad lens, 5.1K video capability, 20MP images, up to 43 minutes of flight time with a single battery, and more, which begs the question: is it worth upgrading to the Mavic 4 Pro?

The short answer to that question is yes, the Mavic 4 Pro is worth the upgrade. Even though it hasn’t reinvented the form factor like the Mavic 3 Pro (which added an extra lens, compared to the DJI Mavic 3), the improvements are significant and could elevate the work of every professional storyteller out there.

After trying both (I've been testing the Mavic 4 Pro for a month), it’s time for the ultimate prosumer drone showdown. Is the new DJI the best drone overall? It certainly is the most capable. Here’s why.

DJI Mavic 4 Pro vs Mavic 3 Pro

Price and availability

The Mavic 3 Pro was launched in May 2023, so exactly two years before the launch of its successor. The recommended retail price for the most accessibly-priced kit (DJI RC) was $2,199 / £1,879 / AU$ 3,099. Even though the drone kept its price high throughout the last couple of years, you can buy it for a little bit cheaper (approx. $/£200) these days.

The Mavic 4 Pro was announced in May 2025 and costs £1,879/ €2,099/ AU$ 3,099. It’s the same original retail price of the Mavic 3 Pro, which is impressive, considering the improvements and general inflation. I’d go out on a limb and say that it might not look like a bargain, for what you get for the money, it really is.

Winner: Same RRP and better features – the Mavic 4 Pro wins this round.

Design and build quality

The Mavic 4 Pro kept the three-camera setup but introduced some significant upgrades to the drone's chassis. One of the showstopper features of the new UAV is the ‘Infinity Gimbal’ with a full 360° rotation and 70° upward shots.

To put it in perspective, the gimbal is so flexible that when you rotate the drone in your hands, it looks like those videos when people test the steadiness of birds’ heads. It just doesn’t move, no matter how far you rotate the Mavic 4 Pro’s body.

The drone is now easier to set up and use. Unfolding the arms automatically turns on the Mavic 4 Pro, and the same is true for the RC Pro 2 controller (I’ll talk about the controller in more detail below). The drone itself is slightly larger (both folded and unfolded) and heavier than the Mavic 3 Pro, tipping the scales at 1,063g (vs 958g). It’s not a noticeable difference, and the increased weight certainly doesn’t affect the battery life.

The camera unit (more on this also below) has been swapped around, with the main Hasselblad camera now sitting at the top as opposed to the bottom as it did on the Mavic 3 Pro. The sensors’ positions have also changed; for example, the forward-facing cameras were moved further up the drone, and have been somewhat replaced by a LiDAR sensor.

Winner: better gimbal, LiDAR, better camera unit – it’s a no-brainer the Mavic 4 Pro is a better drone, despite its weight.

Features

Speaking of LiDAR, it’s one of the big-big improvements – the Mavic 4 Pro has one of these on the right arm. I’m sure everyone who’s interested in a Mavic drone knows what the technology is, but just in case someone needs a refresher, it stands for Light Detection and Ranging.

In layman's terms, it's like a super-accurate version of echolocation, but instead of using sound like bats, LiDAR uses laser light to find objects, even in light conditions where everyday optical sensors might fail to recognise them.

This is a big deal, and even though the Mavic 4 Pro only has one of these, it helps the drone avoid dangerous collisions much better than before. It also has six low-light vision sensors (on top of the LiDAR). In comparison, the Mavic 3 Pro has eight optical sensors, but DJI doesn’t recommend using it close to reflective surfaces such as water because that might confuse the sensors. The LiDAR helps the Mavic 4 Pro determine the difference between reflections and actual obstacles better.

Thanks to the 0.1 Lux Nightscape Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing technology, the Mavic 4 Pro can return to home without GPS. On that note, video transmission range has also been improved (DJI Q4+) to 30km from 15km on the Mavic 3 Pro (which uses DJI Q3+).

Internal storage has also improved from 8GB to a whopping 64GB on the Mavic 4 Pro. The Creator Combo version of the drone has 512GB of storage. Not quite the Mavic 3 Pro Cine’s 1TB SSD, but it’s considerable nevertheless. Internal storage can be expanded with MicroSD cards, of course.

Winner: better night-time performance, faster obstacle avoidance speed, more storage; chalk another one up for the Mavic 4 Pro.

Controller

The Mavic 4 Pro introduces a new controller, the DJI RC Pro 2 – I was almost more excited to try it than the drone itself! It solves one of my biggest griefs with controllers, namely that you need to screw and unscrew the control sticks every time you use the drone. The RC Pro 2 solves this by folding the sticks down when you close the display. Magic!

Unfolding the Mini-LED screen automatically starts up the RC Pro 2, similarly to how the Mavic 4 Pro will start up when you unfold the arms. The display is not only larger than before (7” vs 5.5”) but it’s also brighter (2,000 nits peak brightness vs RC Pro’s 1,000 nits) and reflects true D-log colours. Plus, it can be rotated (and tilted!) to use as a vertical display for better framing.

Battery life has been increased from three to four hours, and internal storage capacity went from 32GB to 128GB. The RC Pro 2 now also has a built-in, and you can use DJI mics, such as the versatile DJI Mic Mini, to record audio while you fly the Mavic 4 Pro.

The RC Pro 4 introduces the dynamic home point, which follows the controller around, making car filming more accurate. The aforementioned DJI Q4+ transmission for up to 30km is also enabled by this controller and its “enterprise-level multibeam high-gain antennas.”

Winner: The DC Pro 2 is an impressive controller with all the features a professional pilot would expect.

Optical performance and quality

The Mavic 3 Pro introduced the tri-camera setup, with a Hasselblad wide-angle camera (FOV: 84°, Format Equivalent: 24 mm, Aperture: f/2.8-f/11), a medium tele camera (FOV: 35°, Format Equivalent: 70 mm, Aperture: f/2.8) and a tele camera (FOV: 15°, Format Equivalent: 166 mm, Aperture: f/3.4).

An interesting feature to note is that these aren’t just lenses but separate camera units with their respective sensors. The Hasselblad camera has a 4/3 CMOS (Effective Pixels: 20 MP), the medium tele camera has a 1/1.3-inch CMOS (Effective Pixels: 48 MP), and the tele camera has a 1/2-inch CMOS chip (Effective Pixels: 12 MP).

In comparison, the Mavic 4 Pro also sports a tri-camera setup, but the performance of the cameras has changed. The Hasselblad Camera now has a 72° FOV (Format Equivalent: 28 mm) and is brighter than before (Aperture range: f/2.0 to f/11). The medium tele’s specs are the same (FOV: 35°, Format Equivalent: 70 mm, Aperture: f/2.8), but the tele camera is also brighter (Aperture: f/2.8) and can zoom in a bit more (Format Equivalent: 168 mm). The latter has the same FOV as the Mavic 3 Pro (15°).

Two of the three cameras have a new chip, including the Hasselblad’s 4/3 CMOS sensor that now has a maximum resolution of 100MP but can also shoot 25MP still, too. DJI claims it's a mirrorless-level lens! The 168mm tele camera also has a new 1/1.15” chip.

Admittedly, footage produced by the Mavic 3 Pro is far from terrible; DJI has always been famous for its crisp, high-definition imagery. The Mavic 4 Pro takes it up a notch by refining (and often increasing) the quality of both the images and videos. Max ISO went up from 6,400 to 12,800 (Normal mode) and shutter speed to 1/16,000 from 8,000 on the Mavic 3 Pro.

As mentioned before, the maximum resolution of the Hasselblad and tele cameras increased significantly, but the medium tele stayed the same. Slow Mo modes have been improved on both the medium tele and tele cameras (4k/120fps and 4k/100fps, respectively).

Winner: It’s quite clear that the Mavic 4 Pro is a better option for pros than its predecessor.

Battery life

Battery life is often a deciding factor when choosing a prosumer drone, and DJI’s latest flagship makes a strong case for itself. The DJI Mavic 3 Pro, with its 5,000mAh (77Wh) battery, offers up to 46 minutes of flight time in ideal conditions, with hovering capped at around 40 minutes.

In real-world scenarios, users typically see between 23 and 28 minutes, depending on wind conditions and how intensively the camera is used. It's solid, but not exceptional compared to newer rivals.

The Mavic 4 Pro builds on that with a significantly larger 6,654mAh (95.3Wh) battery, giving it an advertised flight time of up to 52 minutes. Crucially, it's not just about capacity; its redesigned power system delivers better energy efficiency, allowing longer flights without adding bulk.

In fact, despite its bigger battery, the Mavic 4 Pro's battery weighs just 332g, slightly lighter than the Mavic 3 Pro’s 335.5g pack. That means more time in the air with no extra weight penalty, a win for anyone shooting longer sessions or covering greater distances in a single flight.

Winner: The Mavic 4 Pro's battery lasts longer and weighs less. No brainer.

Verdict

There isn’t a single category where the Mavic 3 Pro outdid the Mavic 4 Pro. If anything, the improvements are so significant that they make the drone’s predecessor pale in comparison. It’s true that two years have passed since the launch of the Mavic 3 Pro, but even with that taken into account, it’s hard to deny the superiority of the Mavic 4 Pro.

There really is only one area where the Mavic 4 Pro isn’t better: weight. Otherwise, you get a much better drone for the same recommended price as the Mavic 3 Pro. (Of course, there might be some deals coming on that model soon, now that the Mavic 4 Pro has been announced.)

Should you upgrade to the Mavic 4 Pro from the Mavic 3 Pro? If you’re a professional who uses the drone for work, I’d say it’s almost essential you get the new version. It’s safer to fly and allows for more creative freedom thanks to its updated camera system.

If you’re an enthusiast, you might not want to rush that much. The Mavic 3 Pro is an impressive drone with pro-grade features, but it’s a big financial commitment. Getting the Mavic 4 Pro would be a big investment, especially if you’re only shooting videos for social media (and your pleasure).

One thing is certain: the DJI Mavic 4 Pro is an impressive camera drone with serious specs that’ll make even Mavic 3 Pro owners green with envy. Whether that’s enough for pilots to open their wallets is yet to be seen.

HowevAir has been the go-to selfie drone brand thanks to its lightweight, easy-to-control models, such as 2023’s HoverAir X1. Last year, the company announced two new selfie drones, the X1 Pro and X1 PROMAX, both with a maximum speed of 26mph (42 km/h)—much faster than most DJI drones.

The HoverAir X1 Pro received a glowing review from my esteemed colleague Derek, so I was looking forward to trying the X1 PROMAX, the flagship model aimed at professional content creators. The main difference between the X1 Pro and X1 PROMAX is that the latter can shoot in 8K and has a vision-based rear-side collision detection system.

Are these two USPs enough to justify the higher price of the X1 PROMAX, or are you better off with the X1 Pro? More importantly, do you need the X1 PROMAX with drones such as the DJI Neo and DJI Flip around, catering for more beginner pilots? How does the X1 PROMAX compare to the best drones? Let’s find out.

HoverAir X1 PROMAX review

Price and availability

The HoverAir X1 PROMAX was announced in August 2024 and is now available to buy via HoverAir US and HoverAir UK for $699/ £639 (approx. AU$1,096, Standard Bundle) – AU price and availability TBC. For comparison, the HoverAir X1 Pro sells for $499/ £459 (approx. AU$782).

The X1 PROMAX Basic Combo, which includes an extra battery, Charging Hub, Power Adapter and Combo Case, is $955. The Cycling Combo has two extra Smart batteries, the Beacon, a Power Adapter, a Carry Bag, ND Filters, a Charging Hub and a HandleBar Mount for $1,292. The Skiing Combo is the next step up, which gives you two extra Thermo batteries, a Beacon, a JoyStick, PowerCase, a Power Adapter, a Carry Bag, ND Filters, and a Charging Hub for $1,620.

Specifications

• Dimensions (L×W×H): Folded: 149 x 105 x 34 mm / Unfolded: 149 x 173 x 39 mm
• Weight: 192.5 grams
• Battery life (flight time): 16 mins
• Range: 500m (smartphone app) / 1 km‌ (Beacon)
• Speed: 42kph (26mph) / short bursts: 60kph (37mph)
• Obstacle avoidance: Yes, vision-based rear-side collision detection
• Max Wind Speed Resistance: 10.7 m/s (Level 5)
• Built-in GPS: No
• Internal storage: yes, 64 GB (plus Micro-SD card slot for up to 1TB storage)
• Sensor: 1/1.3 inch CMOS (equivalent to ½-inch)
• FOV: 107 degrees
• Max photo resolution: 12MP
• Max video resolution: 8K @ 30fps, 4K @ 120fps
• Vertical video: Yes, 2.7K @ 60fps
• Image stabilisation: Two-axis mechanical gimbal with EIS
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6 with up to 1.2 Gbps download speed

Design and build quality

The HoverAir X1 PROMAX has the same physical dimensions and flight characteristics as the X1 Pro. It measures 149 x 105 x 34 mm when folded and 149 x 173 x 39 mm unfolded and fits comfortably in your palm or your pocket (when folded). The propellers are protected (and fully enclosed) by a durable HEM (Hyper-elastic Material) frame.

The drone has a lightweight chassis, weighing only 192.5g, well under the usual 250g limit posed by many regulation bodies. Because it looks the same as the HoverAir X1, the X1 PROMAX almost feels too lightweight and fragile for a prosumer drone; I wouldn’t mind if it were heavier and more robust, making it more resilient for professional use.

On the other hand, the X1 PROMAX is intuitive to use, even without a controller. In classic selfie-drone style, you can operate it using the button on the drone. A ring around the button lets you choose flight modes, of which there are 12, including manual control. The drone has a built-in speaker announcing which mode you’re currently in (it’s pretty loud).

A small display is positioned just above the button, showing which mode is active and the setting of that mode. It’s bright and easy to read. The camera unit is at the front of the drone (understandably) mounted on a two-axis gimbal. I’d expect a three-axis gimbal on a drone aimed at professionals; that said, the X1 PROMAX’s gimbal performed well on my tests.

The camera unit comprises a 1/1.3'' CMOS sensor and a custom 7-layer lens featuring 14 stops of dynamic range and a 107-degree field of view. I’ll talk more about camera resolution below; in short, it’s sharp and delivers impressive clarity for its size.

Skiers and snow sports enthusiasts will love that both the X1 Pro and X1 PROMAX can operate in temperatures as low as -20ºC (-4ºF) with the Thermo Smart Battery. This is a big advantage over DJI drones, which often can’t go any lower than -20ºC (32°F). Makes sense that the X1 PROMAX has a Skiing Combo version.

Finally, the HoverAir X1 PROMAX has a Level 5 wind resistance, meaning it can withstand gusts up to 10.7 m/s. Quite impressive for such a compact drone.

Features

The HoverAir X1 PROMAX is a selfie-drone, meaning it has autonomous features. There are 11 of these, including Hover (the drone is stationary, but it positions the camera at you), Zoom Out (the drone flies away from you and back at a 45-degree angle), Follow, Orbit and Bird’s Eye (going straight up and back down).

On top of these, the X1 PROMAX also has some unique features, such as Indoor follow, Cycling Mode, Ski Mode, Side Track, Dolly Track and my favourite, Dolly Zoom. Some of these are less faff to use than others.

For example, to be able to use the X1 PROMAX in Ski Mode, you need the Thermo batteries and apply stickers on the side to prevent water from entering the drone. Plus, should the drone fall on snow, you need to pick it up immediately to prevent water from entering the device.

Then, you have to remove the stickers when you use the drone again in higher temperatures to prevent it from overheating. When I mentioned above that the X1 PROMAX feels less durable, this is what I meant. I’d expect a professional drone to be able to withstand falling in the snow, at least for a little while.

The X1 PROMAX has 64GB of internal memory, which is extendable to 1TB using a MicroSD card. I found the internal storage to be more than adequate for non-commercial use; however, if you keep shooting in 8K, I’m sure it’ll fill up quickly.

Speed is certainly the biggest advantage of using the HoverAir X1 PROMAX. Max auto-follow speed is a whopping 26 mph (42 km/h), and the overall maximum speed of the drone is even faster: you can fly it at 37 mph (60 km/h) in manual mode. Not quite the 97 km/h (60 mph) maximum speed of the DJI Avata 2, but fast enough for a selfie drone.

Things are a little less rosy in the flight time department. The official maximum flight time is 16 minutes, well below the 31 minutes of the DJI Flip. Again, I’d expect a much longer battery life from a professional drone. Considering how lightweight it is, HoverAir could’ve just included a larger battery to enable the X1 PROMAX to fly for longer.

A slight update over the X1 Pro is obstacle detection. While the X1 Pro uses rear-side active collision detection and proximity sensors, the X1 PROMAX has a vision-based rear-side active collision detection system as well as CV as proximity sensors. Both drones have OmniTerrain technology, though.

Despite the lack of GPS on board, OmniTerrain enables reliable positioning and motion planning, even over challenging terrains such as water, snow, and cliffs. This system activates automatically within 30 seconds to 3 minutes after powering on the drone, calibrating the necessary sensors for optimal performance.

One nog benefit of OmniTerrain is that it helps the drone maintain smooth and reliable tracking in low-light conditions, like nighttime activities like cycling or running. I would have preferred GPS as well as OmniTerrain – maybe we’ll get that with the X1 PROMAX 2.

Flight performance

I’m always conscious about taking selfie drones out for a spin. It’s not like I don’t trust them; it’s just the general anticipation that tech is not always 100% reliable, and if the selfie drone following you at higher speeds decides not to see an obstacle, that can cost you a lot of money in repairs.

I was even more cautious with the X1 PROMAX due to its high maximum speed. An unexpected collision with a pedestrian or a car pulling out too soon after you crossed the street could mean the drone crashing into them at 26 mph – not great.

That said, the X1 PROMAX never had any issues following me, even when I was on my electric bike. I kept my ears pricked for the whirr of the propellers and avoided people and obstacles as best as I could to give the dinky flying tripod a fighting chance, but it passed my tests with flying colours.

I must confess, I didn’t push the X1 PROMAX to its limits, flying it over choppy waters and through thick forests in the dark. I mentioned this multiple times, but I was concerned about the drone flying into obstacles at a high speed, which would have meant the end of testing. In ‘standard’ situations, though, it performed well.

The Beacon control is interesting. You can use it as a motion controller by attaching only one handle or as a standard controller using both grips. The Beacon has a built-in display, but if both handles are attached, you can use your phone as an external display.

It might just be me, but I wish obstacle avoidance were more pronounced on the X1 PROMAX – the drone had no issue flying into the wall at full speed in manual mode. I’d expect at least a small degree of flight path correction if there are obvious obstacles in the way. In autonomous modes, especially if it’s following you outdoors, the X1 PROMAX does a good job of steering clear of objects in its way.

Camera performance

One thing that sets HoverAir drones apart from the competition is image quality. I’d say it’s on par with DJI’s prosumer models, which I appreciate is a bold claim. The X1 PROMAX renders colours beautifully, and footage looks pin-sharp straight out of the box. With 14 stops of dynamic range and a 107-degree field of view, videos appear well-balanced across the frame.

Despite its two-axis gimbal, the SmoothCapture 2.0 stabilisation system does a tremendous job eliminating shake. I saw no signs of blurriness during testing. Colours pop just enough, slightly oversaturated but pleasing to the eye.

There are plenty of frame rates and resolutions to choose from, with 8K @ 30fps as the highest. While impressive, most people won’t need this—sharing platforms often downscale to 4K, which is already more than detailed enough for most screens.

A more interesting feature is 10-bit Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) recording, a high dynamic range (HDR) video format that enhances colour depth, smoother gradients, and preserves detail in highlights and shadows. The X1 PROMAX captures over a billion colours, reducing banding and offering better flexibility for grading. The X1 Pro lacks this feature, but several DJI drones include it, like the Mini 4 Pro and Air 3S, both of which cost significantly more.

Slow-motion recording is another strength, supporting 4K @ 120fps. Some cheaper models, like the DJI Flip, offer 4K @ 100fps, but the Flip lacks many of the X1 PROMAX’s other capabilities. Overall, HoverAir’s drone provides a more comprehensive package.

Verdict

The HoverAir X1 PROMAX is the most advanced selfie drone from any brand to date; technologically speaking, it’s impressive. The videos look stunning, and thanks to the myriad of autonomous flight modes and easy operation – not to mention all the accessories – you can deliver unique content time after time.

My biggest grief is that the drone wasn’t built using a commercial mindset. Rather, the X1 PROMAX feels like the X1 Pro on steroids. It’s the same size and weight, uses the same batteries and sensor, has the same maximum speed (which is very impressive, by the way) and operates very much like a selfie drone.

The question is: do we need an overpowered selfie drone such as the X1 PROMAX? I think the answer is no. Instead, Maybe if it weren’t so much more expensive than the X1 Pro, I would recommend it more. I can imagine the hypothetical X1 Pro+ drone with 10-bit HLG and 8K video for $100 extra would sell better.

As much as I like DJI drones, I will always support smaller drone companies because I don’t want just one company dominating the market. As such, I will recommend the HoverAir X1 Pro, but maybe not the X1 PROMAX, unless you’re incredibly keen on the 8K videos. HoverAir, please make a sturdier drone with the same features, and I’ll be the first one in the queue to buy it!

DJI-rival Potensic's latest drone, the ATOM 2, is finally available to buy from today. Capable of 8K photos and 4K/30fps HDR video, the new model is powered by a 1/2-inch Sony CMOS sensor.

Thanks to its wide, F1.8 aperture and 4-in-1 pixel technology, the ATOM 2 is said to have better low-light performance than its predecessor, the Potensic Atom.

As expected from a drone released in 2025, the ATOM 2 comes fully equipped with AI features, including automatic subject tracking and enhanced low-light scenes with noise reduction and brightening.

The UAV has a 10km transmission range, one-key Return to Home with an improved GNSS system (40% better location accuracy compared to the ATOM) and four-times digital zoom for flexible framing.

To coincide with the launch of the ATOM 2, the brand released the new Potensic Eve app, which provides an updated interface for flight control, safety features, and playback.

The new drone finds itself in a more competitive environment, with many affordable models fighting for the attention of beginner pilots. These include the excellent DJI Flip and DJI Neo, as well as the HoverAir X1.

The biggest improvement I would like to see is camera performance. Despite having a 4k resolution, the ATOM underperformed in this department. Let's hope the ATOM 2 delivers smoother, more detailed frames.

Conversely, the ATOM 2 is said to have an up to 32-minute flight time, which is nearly twice as long as the DJI Neo. Opt for the Two Battery bundle, and you'll be able to pilot your device around for over an hour almost uninterrupted.

The ATOM 2 is available via Potensic's website and select retailers for a recommended retail price of £300/ $330 for the standard bundle and £340/ $380 for the Two-Battery bundle.

DJI is one of those brands that won’t ever stop innovating. Despite entering many new product categories last year – from portable power stations to electric mountain bikes – the company stayed true to its roots by also launching a heap load of drones last year.

One of these was the DJI Neo, one of the company's cheapest and, quite frankly, most exciting drones. This dinky, super-affordable drone can be operated without a controller and perform certain manoeuvres independently.

Its camera performance isn’t on par with the brand’s mid-range models, though, and the flight time is comparatively short. Enter the DJI Flip, which I think is the best drone from the brand for beginner pilots. It might look a bit stranger than other DJI drones due to the propeller guards, but the camera performance is stunning, and it has pretty much double the flight time of the Neo.

The Flip also offers controller-free operation with AI-powered subject tracking and weighs under 249g, which means you won’t need to worry about advanced pilot licences. It’s just like DJI Mini 4 Pro but much cheaper and safer. Is the DJI Flip the ultimate beginner drone? Let’s find out.

DJI Flip review

Price and availability

The DJI Flip was launched on 15 January 2025 and is available to buy now at DJI, with prices from $439/ £369/ AU$699 (Standard Combo with the RC-N3 controller). The DJI Flip RC 2 Combo comes in at $639/ £549/ AU$949, with the only real difference being the inclusion of the DJI RC 2 Controller. The ultimate DJI Flip Fly More Combo costs $779/ £659/ AU$1,159 and includes three batteries, three spare propeller pairs, a gimbal protector, a shoulder bag and a charging hub.

You can tell DJI is positioning the Flip in a higher bracket than the Neo by the controller. The former comes bundled with the RC-N3 Controller, the one without the built-in screen. The Flip’s RC 2 controller doesn’t require your phone for the preview, so you can text and drone at the same time (just kidding; you should never take your eyes off the drone when in flight).

Specifications

• Dimensions (L×W×H): 233×280×79 mm (unfolded), 136×62×165 mm (folded)
• Weight: 249 grams
• Battery life (flight time): approx. 31 mins
• Range: 14 km‌
• Max Wind Speed Resistance: 10.7 m/s (Level 5)
• Built-in GPS: yes, GPS + Galileo + BeiDou (no GLONASS)
• Internal storage: yes, 2 GB
• Sensor: 1/1.3-inch image sensor
• FOV: 82.1 degrees
• Max photo resolution: 48MP
• Max video resolution: 4K (3840×2160) @ 60fps (horizontal shooting); 2.7K (1512×2688) @ 30fps (vertical shooting)
• Image stabilisation: 3-axis mechanical gimbal (tilt, roll, pan)
• Connectivity: WiFi

Design and build quality

Although the DJI Flip shares some functional similarities with the Neo, its design is markedly different. When unfolded, it’s considerably larger than the compact Neo, measuring 233×280×79 mm. It also weighs nearly twice as much at 249g. Even so, it remains a small and lightweight drone—though not quite palm-sized.

The Flip’s most striking feature is its expansive propeller design, safeguarded by web-like protective guards. These non-removable guards are thoughtfully engineered to shield both pilots and bystanders from accidental contact with the propellers. For beginner pilots, the perceived risk of exposed blades can be daunting—but that’s not an issue with the Flip.

Though it sports large propeller discs, the Flip folds down neatly. In fact, it collapses in the same intuitive manner as most DJI drones (unlike the non-foldable Neo), making it exceptionally easy to transport and store. I received the Fly More Combo for testing, which includes a carry bag, and I was genuinely impressed by how perfectly the drone and its accessories fit inside.

The Flip is equipped with a sophisticated 3-axis mechanical gimbal that delivers remarkably stable, fluid footage. Paired with a sizable 1/1.3-inch image sensor, it captures stunning videos at up to 4K@60fps and crisp 48MP stills through its 82.1-degree FOV camera. While it features a single-camera setup, the Flip also supports vertical video recording in 2.7K@30fps.

Positioned above the camera unit is the 3D Infrared Sensing System, enabling the Flip to detect obstacles ahead even in low light conditions. Additionally, downward-facing cameras—similar to those on the Neo—assist with smoother take-offs and landings, even without a stable GPS connection.

Despite its lightweight construction, the DJI Flip boasts an impressive Level 5 wind-resistance rating, capable of withstanding wind speeds up to 10.7 m/s. It remains steady and responsive even in turbulent conditions (more on this below). The drone also offers 2GB of internal storage, expandable via an SD card.

For simplicity, the Flip features just two buttons: one to select functions and initiate autonomous flight, and another to power the drone on and off. Operating it couldn’t be more straightforward.

Flight performance

Much like the Neo, the DJI Flip can be operated in three ways: via the DJI Fly app, using a DJI RC controller, or with the onboard button. Each method offers its own advantages, which I’ll break down below.

Using the button on the drone is arguably the most convenient way to capture footage. The Flip offers five QuickShot modes—Dronie, Circle, Rocket, Spotlight, and Direction Track—that provide a variety of creative angles, though they do tend to focus primarily on the pilot.

The Flip also features an autonomous Follow mode, enhanced by AI-powered subject tracking and forward-facing infrared sensors. This combination allows the drone to reliably follow its subject. With a top speed of 16m/s, the DJI Flip isn’t the fastest drone out there—it won’t keep up with a motorbike or even a road bike—but it’s perfectly capable of tracking a jogger.

Direction Track addresses a common criticism of the Neo: its inability to track the user from the front. Previously, moving toward the drone signaled it to land, making head-on tracking impossible without a controller. Direction Track solves this. When activated, the Flip maintains its set distance, even if you walk toward it. Once recording stops, the drone reverts to its standard behavior. This feature has also been added to the Neo via a recent software update.

Switching to the DJI Fly app unlocks even more control. Beyond initiating QuickShot modes, the app allows you to fine-tune settings. In follow mode, for instance, you can adjust follow distance (close, medium, far), follow height (low, flat, high), and camera mode (defaulted to video). These settings remain active across all controls until manually changed.

The app also lets you customise other flight modes—adjusting height and rotation in Rocket mode, setting a flat trajectory in Dronie mode, or defining the maximum distance in Circle mode, to name a few. Additionally, manual flight control is available through the app. While the absence of physical buttons makes it less intuitive, it adds versatility. Notably, recording audio—whether through your phone’s microphone or external devices like the excellent DJI Mic Mini—is exclusive to the app.

For those who prefer hands-on control, the RC controller is essential. I used the superb DJI RC 2 with its built-in display, which made piloting the Flip remarkably intuitive. It’s not quite as effortless as letting the drone handle everything, but the RC 2 offers a satisfying sense of control.

The controller also makes it easier to switch between video and photo modes and adjust speed settings. Its larger interface and programmable physical buttons offer a more user-friendly experience. Personally, with my larger hands, using the phone felt cumbersome—but I had no such issues with the DJI RC 2.

The Flip’s Level 5 wind resistance and 3-axis gimbal ensure stable, fluid footage even in challenging conditions. Living by the coast, I often face strong winds, yet the Flip handled gusty weather impressively. Warning messages occasionally appeared on the display, but the drone remained steady and secure in the air.

Camera performance

The Flip is equipped with what DJI proudly calls a high-quality imaging system, a claim it more than lives up to. At its core is a sizeable 1/1.3-inch sensor with Dual Native ISO integration, paired with a 24mm wide-angle lens and a bright f/1.7 aperture. While the Flip features only a single lens—unlike the multi-lens setups on the Mavic series—it still delivers exceptional image and video quality.

In fact, DJI’s superiority in image quality is what truly sets it apart from competitors. Many drone brands boast 4K capabilities but place their footage side-by-side with DJI’s, and the difference is striking. The Flip easily punches above its weight, empowering you to capture breathtaking visuals.

The Flip can record videos in stunning 4K at 60fps in landscape mode and 2.7K at 30fps when shooting vertically. Still images reach up to 48MP, with the added benefit of RAW photo support for greater editing flexibility. DJI also includes Glamour Effects for exported footage, adding a subtle touch of polish and vibrancy.

Photos captured by the Flip are nothing short of spectacular, and its videos are remarkably fluid. At first, I assumed I had set the camera to 60fps because of how smooth the footage was, only to realise later it was actually running at 30fps. That’s how effortlessly the Flip handles motion.

The addition of vertical shooting mode is a welcome upgrade. Sure, you could crop 4K footage into a vertical format during post-production, but framing your subject is far easier when viewing it live in vertical orientation. Plus, making quick exposure adjustments on the spot becomes much more intuitive.

Using the controller unlocks even more advanced shooting modes, such as MasterShots. Like QuickShots, these automated modes harness DJI’s AI to craft dynamic, professional-looking shots with minimal input. Slow-motion video and panoramic photo modes are also exclusive to the controller, offering even greater creative flexibility.

Battery life and flight time

One big difference between the Neo and the Flip is flight time. While the former could only fly for up to 17 minutes with the propeller guards, the latter has a 31-minute Flight Time (With Remote Controller). Of course, windy conditions and faster flying modes drastically reduce this, but still, it’s impressive that the Flip can, in theory, stay airborne for this long.

If you splash the cash on the Fly More combo, you get the new Parallel Charging Hub, which charges two batteries simultaneously, significantly reducing charging time. The Fly More combo also includes two extra batteries, meaning you can fly your drone for an hour and a half without charging the batteries.

The charging time is around 75 minutes with the battery inserted in the Flip via a USB-C cable but drops to only 45 minutes using the chagrin hub. You can charge two batteries from zero to one hundred per cent, allowing you to fly the drone for an hour. Not too bad! If you can’t wait that long, just get one of the brand’s portable power stations, like the excellent DJI Power 500, and you can charge the batteries and fly the drone simultaneously.

Verdict

If you’ve made it this far (and didn’t just skip to the end), it should be clear that I’m thoroughly impressed with the DJI Flip. This is an outstanding drone that not only surpasses the Neo but also outperforms most beginner drones on the market.

Its advanced AI capabilities, large sensor, autonomous flight modes, and impressive battery life make it a standout. If you appreciated the Neo but felt it had its limitations, the Flip will more than exceed your expectations. Even better, it’s surprisingly affordable. Given its flight performance and exceptional imaging quality, the Flip offers incredible value for money.

But does the Flip render the Neo obsolete? Not at all. DJI’s smart marketing strategy ensures that both the Flip and the Neo serve distinct purposes, making them excellent choices for beginner pilots. However, for its more premium price, the Flip delivers a significant leap in functionality and image quality that’s well worth the investment.

Also consider

DJI Mini 3: The Mini 3 delivers excellent 4K video and vertical shooting like the Flip but lacks the same AI-powered tracking and safety-focused propeller guards. It’s a great middle-ground for beginners seeking portability without sacrificing image quality.

Autel EVO Nano+: With its large sensor and excellent 4K camera, the EVO Nano+ rivals the Flip in image quality and includes obstacle avoidance. However, it’s more expensive and lacks the same seamless DJI app ecosystem and user-friendly controls.

DJI Mini 4 Pro: The Mini 4 Pro offers more advanced obstacle avoidance and pro-level features like omnidirectional sensors and extended flight range, making it better suited for users ready to invest more. However, it’s pricier than the Flip and may feel less approachable for complete beginners.

DJI has been extremely busy in 2024, releasing one successful product after another. One of these was the very well-received model, the compact DJI Neo, an ultra-affordable selfie drone with skills like no other DJI drone. It could follow you around and can be operated without a controller for one-tenth of the price of a new Mavic Series drone.

To my surprise, the company released another selfie drone, the DJI Flip, mere months after. The newer UAV is larger, somewhat heavier and has a larger sensor; it also added new modes and sports a unique design that involves folding propellers with guards. However, the Flip is twice the price of the Neo.

At face value, the two models offer similar functionality and user experience, making it harder for beginner pilots – the primary target market for both – to decide which one to get. I tested and reviewed both, and even though I love them, one is certainly better value than the other.

Which is the best drone of the two, and how do they compare? Just because one isn’t the best drone, does it mean it’s not worth buying? What are the pros and cons of either model? Find out the answers to these questions and more below in my full DJI Flip vs DJI Neo comparison.

DJI Flip vs DJI Neo

Price and availability

The DJI Neo was announced in September 2024 and is now available to order directly from DJI and authorised retail partners for a recommended price of $199/ £169/ AU$299 for the standalone combo. The Fly More Combo, which includes the RC-N3 Controller and the Two-Way Charging Hub, retails for $289/ £299/ AU$539.

The DJI Flip was launched in January 2025 and is available to buy now at DJI, with prices from $439/ £369/ AU$699 (Standard Combo with the RC-N3 controller). The DJI Flip RC 2 Combo comes in at $639/ £549/ AU$949, with the only real difference being the inclusion of the DJI RC 2 Controller. The ultimate DJI Flip Fly More Combo costs $779/ £659/ AU$1,159 and includes three batteries, three spare propeller pairs, a gimbal protector, a shoulder bag and the parallel charging hub.

It’s worth noting that the Neo received no discounts during Black Friday, which is no surprise considering how cheap it is at full price. Even though the Flip is more expensive, I doubt we’ll see huge discounts before DJI decides to start getting rid of its stock (in anticipation of a new model, perhaps).

Winner: the Neo is not just cheaper but one of the most affordable premium drones out there, which makes it more appealing to beginner pilots.

Design and build quality

The DJI Flip and DJI Neo drones offer distinct design philosophies aimed at beginner drone users, balancing safety, portability, and ease of use.

The DJI Flip stands out with its foldable design, making it highly portable for users who need convenience without sacrificing durability. Its integrated propeller guards are designed with a web-like structure, providing an extra layer of safety during flights.

Weighing 249g, I found the Flip solid yet light, striking a balance between robustness and portability. Its infrared sensors, positioned above the camera unit, allow it to avoid obstacles in front of the drone and feature similar downward-facing cameras to detect optimal landing surfaces. It only has 2GB internal storage but is expandable with microSD cards.

On the other hand, the DJI Neo adopts a non-foldable, ultra-lightweight design that weighs only 135g. In all honesty, I don’t mind the non-folding design, as the Neo is ultra-compact as it is. Its compact size and built-in propeller guards make it exceptionally beginner-friendly, particularly for indoor flights. While its design leans more toward a toy-like appearance, the Neo remains durable enough to withstand occasional bumps and minor crashes.

The addition of downward-facing cameras enhances stability by assisting with takeoff, landing, and hovering – even in environments without GPS (both the Neo and Flip have built-in GPS). This makes the Neo ideal for casual users or younger pilots who value simplicity and hassle-free operation over advanced features.

The Flip offers a more advanced, polished design with a focus on versatility and safety, making it suitable for beginners interested in progressing toward professional-level drone use. The Neo, with its lightweight and straightforward design, targets users seeking an easy-to-use, durable drone for basic flying experiences. That said, both drones excel in offering safe and accessible entry points into drone flying but cater to slightly different audiences.

Winner: the Flip is more robust and has a folding design, yet it’s still under the 250g limit, a widely adopted regulation for drones by aviation authorities like the FAA (U.S.) and the CAA (U.K.)

Flight performance

The DJI Flip offers an impressive flight performance for beginners, featuring a 31-minute flight time and a range of up to 14 km. It includes AI-powered subject tracking, a 3-axis mechanical gimbal for stable footage, and strong wind resistance up to Level 5 (10.7 m/s). These features provide a smooth and stable flying experience, making it beginner-friendly yet capable of semi-professional tasks.

The DJI Neo offers an 18-minute flight time and a 7 km range, with a single-axis mechanical gimbal and electronic stabilisation for smooth footage. It features Level 4 wind resistance (up to 8 m/s) and improved tracking thanks to apost-launch firmware update. Its lightweight build makes it ideal for stable, indoor, and beginner-friendly flights.

I found that the DJI Flip offers a more refined and versatile flight experience, handling outdoor conditions and advanced manoeuvres more easily. Its stability in the air allows me to produce smoother, cinematic footage that might appeal to users interested in pushing their creative limits. The DJI Neo prioritises simplicity and safety, making it perfect for casual flying. It feels more forgiving for beginners but lacks the agility and control that the Flip provides.

The more advanced Flip offers both QuickShots and the more advanced MasterShots, giving users access to a variety of automated flight patterns and cinematic shooting modes. This makes it ideal for capturing professional-looking footage with minimal effort. The smaller Neo primarily features QuickShots, focusing on simpler, user-friendly automated shots. Both can follow pilots automatically, though.

Winner: the DJI Flip is the better choice due to its smoother handling, greater stability, and adaptability to various flying environments.

Camera performance

The DJI Flip delivers exceptional camera performance for a beginner drone. It features a large, 1/1.3-inch sensor with Dual Native ISO integration, paired with a 24mm wide-angle lens and a bright f/1.7 aperture.

It’s capable of capturing high-resolution 4K video at 60fps and 48MP still images, delivering exceptional detail and clarity. Its 3-axis mechanical gimbal ensures ultra-smooth stabilisation, even during dynamic movements. AI-powered subject tracking further enhances its creative capabilities.

The DJI Neo delivers solid camera performance with a focus on simplicity and ease of use. It has a smaller, 1/2-inch image sensor and offers 4K video recording at 30fps and 12MP photos, supported by a single-axis mechanical gimbal and electronic stabilisation. While it delivers decent footage, it lacks the advanced stabilisation and high-resolution imaging of the Flip, making it more suited for casual content.

The DJI Flip excels in camera performance with superior stabilisation and image quality, making it ideal for users interested in capturing professional-looking, dynamic footage. Its advanced gimbal system allows for smoother, more stable shots in various conditions. The DJI Neo, while capable of capturing clear 4K video, focuses on simplicity with basic stabilisation, making it better suited for casual content and social media clips.

Winner: the DJI Flip is the stronger choice for users seeking creative flexibility and higher-quality visuals.

Battery life

The DJI Flip offers significantly longer battery life, providing up to 31 minutes of flight time. This extended duration allows for more creative flexibility and longer shooting sessions. The Neo has a shorter battery life, offering up to 18 minutes of flight time, which is more limiting but still sufficient for casual and beginner users.

While both have their The DJI Flip supports faster and more efficient charging with an advanced charging hub that can charge multiple batteries in sequence, maximising flight time between sessions. The DJI Neo uses a simpler charging setup, typically charging one battery at a time, which can be slower and less convenient for extended use.

Winner: the Flip’s longer battery life makes it more suitable for capturing complex shots and exploring larger areas.

Verdict

Although both drones have their place in the broader DJI ecosystem, the Flip is admittedly a more competent drone with longer battery life, better sensors, and more versatile flying capabilities than the Neo. It costs more but is still much cheaper than most mid-range DJI drones of yesteryear.

Where does this leave the DJI Neo? Being as affordable as it is, I can’t imagine its popularity decreasing significantly due to the Flip’s presence. The dinky drone’s feature set punches above its weight, and the app ecosystem is second to none. To be able to acquire a quality DJI drone with 4K resolution for under $200 is nothing short of a miracle.

However, if you can stretch your budget a little more, I would recommend getting the Flip instead. The larger sensor produces crisper images and smoother videos, not to mention the MasterShots and slow-motion footage. It’s simply a more capable beginner drone sold for a very reasonable price.

The best drones have come a long way since they first appeared over the horizon a decade and a half ago. Each iteration got progressively better, smaller, and more sophisticated; however, we had to wait until 2025 to see drones that could interact with things via flexible arms.

Wisson Robotics just debuted its "Aerial Soft Robots" at CES, including the Orion AP30 Pliabot aerial manipulator system in collaboration with DJI's first delivery drone, the FC30, announced a year ago (also at CES).

Powered by Wisson’s proprietary Pliabot technology, this system is designed for precise and adaptive operations, such as object handling, item transfer, and contact-based activities. Its unique design and functionality make it a valuable tool in industries like infrastructure maintenance, logistics, and emergency services.

The main component is the Pliabot manipulator arm, which mimics the flexibility and adaptability of human muscles. The company claims that this allows the arm to achieve a high extension ratio while maintaining a lightweight design.

Despite its compact form, the arm boasts a high payload capacity, making it capable of carrying or manipulating objects in various challenging scenarios. The system’s design allows it to perform hovering operations near the ground or at high altitudes, expanding its range of applications.

For example, it can be used in infrastructure inspection and maintenance, repairing bridges, wind turbines, or power lines. In logistics, the manipulator arm can grab and deliver items in confined or hard-to-reach spaces. It might even come in handy collecting rubbish on top of mountains.

Now, this is all well and good, but I have some concerns. First off, many people don’t realize just how big DJI’s FlyCart 30 is. We’re used to thinking of drones as small, dinky, palm-sized gadgets that can hover around our heads or bump into walls without causing much trouble. The FlyCart 30 is a whole different beast.

Then there’s the matter of adding a flexible robotic arm capable of manipulating objects with high precision to these massive drones. It sounds like something straight out of a dystopian sci-fi movie. Much like AI, the fusion of high-precision robotics and autonomous flying machines opens up a world of possibilities – some exciting, others downright unsettling.

Maybe it’s just me, but looking at the Orion AP30 Pliabot gives me serious Doc Ock vibes. From a technological standpoint, it’s undeniably impressive, but it’s also kind of terrifying. Sure, there’s no doubt this kind of tech could be a lifesaver in situations too dangerous for humans, but still – it creeps me out.

Even though I’m not entirely on board with the idea of gigantic drones equipped with robotic arms operating anywhere near me, I can’t deny that this was inevitable. Technology evolves so quickly, and concepts like this were bound to materialise sooner or later.

I’m not involved in industrial drone use, so I’ll have to wait for someone to develop smaller robotic arms for compact drones before I consider giving them a try. As much as I find the idea controversial, I can’t help but look forward to the chance to take one out for a spin someday. Until then, I’ll just focus on not thinking too much about the fact that enormous drones with robotic arms already exist in the world.

For more info on the Orion Range, head over to Wisson Robotics.

Just when you thought DJI had already revolutionised drones in every possible way, along comes the Flip – a foldable, pocket-friendly marvel that’ll surely turn heads (and propellers) once it's officially announced.

Leaks suggest this pint-sized drone could replace the Mini 5 in DJI's lineup, but the big question is: what’s it flipping out about?

Taking cues from the DJI Neo, which has been a huge success this year, the upcoming DJI Flip resembles HoverAir’s drones (check out T3's HoverAir X1 review), at least in terms of foldability.

Sure, some DJI drones fold, like the DJI Mini 3 Pro, but the Flip, as the name suggests, will feature propellers that fold downward instead of inwards.

This compact design is a departure from DJI’s traditional foldable drones and seems geared toward making the Flip ultra-portable, even more so than the DJI Mini series.

Leaks suggest that the Flip will feature propeller guards and larger, ducted propellers, likely to make flights quieter and safer, which is ideal for a semi-autonomous selfie drone.

On the tech side, the Flip is rumoured to include DJI’s O4 (OcuSync 4) transmission system, which would ensure reliable connectivity and compatibility with DJI’s latest controllers.

There’s also speculation about advanced obstacle detection via LiDAR sensors, which would make the Flip smarter and more responsive to its environment.

Battery life appears to be a key selling point, with a 3,110mAh battery expected to power longer flights compared to some of DJI's smaller drones, like the Neo.

Some reports indicate that the Flip could replace the anticipated Mini 5 series, suggesting that DJI might be reorganising its lineup to prioritise innovation in design and technology.

While DJI has not officially announced the pricing or release date, many, including us, expect the Flip to debut in early 2025, maybe even at CES.

One thing is for sure: the Flip looks smart, stylish, and savvy, so it's not unlikely it'll be in everyone's travel bags come summer 2025.

[via The Verge, Techradar, DroneXL]