I tested the DJI Mini 5 Pro for a month, and it rightly takes top spot in our drones guide – here’s why

Leading drone maker DJI has outdone itself with the Mini 5 Pro, delivering a meaty upgrade of the Mini 4 Pro, which was already my favorite drone. And I should know – I've recently finished my month-long Mini 5 Pro in-depth review, and it's a mini marvel.

Pushing what's possible from beginner drones, the Mini 5 Pro has a larger 1-inch sensor, a versatile camera with 225-degree roll rotation, refined flight features and performance, extra built-in memory, and more.

So good are the upgrades that the Mini 5 Pro puts the heat on DJI's own Air 3S, a much weightier and pricier drone. The next model up after that is the beastly triple-camera Mavic 4 Pro, which is really for pros, leaving the Mini 5 Pro to effectively dominate a huge section of the consumer drone market.

Following my review, it was a no-brainer to replace the Mini 4 Pro with the Mini 5 Pro as the top pick in my best drones guide.

There's one potential catch, however – the uncertainty around the Mini 5 Pro's actual takeoff weight. It's registered at 249.9g, which places it in the regulation-free beginner category, but with a ±4g tolerance.

At the time of writing, users in the EU and UK are unaffected by that tolerance. However, users in the US, for example, where the drone isn't available yet, could be hit with certain flight restrictions / require certification if the drone does in fact weigh over 250g, even by a couple of grams. It's a complex topic that we've unpacked in the article Is the Mini 5 Pro really a legal nightmare?

That potential uncertainty aside, the Mini 5 Pro is easily the best drone for most people – allow me to unpack why.

A complete, compact package

DJI has pushed sub-250g drone boundaries – both literally and technically – in delivering an (officially registered) 249.9g drone with a 1-inch sensor, 4K video up to 120fps, Slow motion 240fps video, 50MP stills (in RAW + JPEG), and leading flight and safety features.

Top flight speeds and wind resistance are 10% better than the Mini 4 Pro's, while ascent speed is doubly fast. ActiveTrack 360 is refined for better subject tracking performance, complete with omnidirectional object sensing (avoidance) that is now enhanced in low light with front-facing LiDAR sensors – the Mini 5 Pro easily handled a stern test of tracking me running through a woodland, navigating overhanging branches along the way. Battery life is rated for up to 38 minutes, too – a fractional improvement.

Videos can be recorded in horizontal or vertical format (switched at the push of a button) in a flat D-Log M color profile with 14EV dynamic range, for greater grading control in post. And the usual host of QuikShots flight moves now have a MasterShots addition which utilizes the Mini 5 Pro's 225-degree roll rotation for a particularly dynamic flight move (see my sample video, below).

The Mini 5 Pro is a complete, compact package that you can easily slip into a jacket pocket. I would pack it for any shoot or adventure 'just in case', because it really adds little weight to the gear bag. The same can't be said for the next model up, the larger Air 3S, which is much bigger and around three times the weight.

Design refinements that I have appreciated include the folding propellers, which can now be set up / packed away in any order, and automatically activate the camera when opened out, meaning you can be airborne quicker.

There are limitations – this is a single-camera drone with a fixed aperture (the Air 3S has two cameras, the Mavic 4 Pro has three), even if that camera is otherwise super versatile.

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£689 / AU$1,199 (no US pricing, yet) is still a lot of anyone's money, and those who simply want to dip their toes into drone flight could start out with the Mini 4K instead. Still, you won't find a drone that comes close at this price point.

Despite the price, I still think the Mini 5 Pro is the best option for beginners, especially with object avoidance, which gives you greater confidence to fly in tricky spots such as around trees and over lakes, and for shooting for social media – check out my Mini 5 Pro vs Mini 4K to learn more.

Is the Mini 5 Pro for everyone? Not quite. But it is easily the best drone for most people, and an excellent tool in any creator's arsenal, and that's why it was an easy decision to declare it the best drone.

DJI Mini 5 Pro review: a top beginner drone with a catch - YouTube

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The best drones

➡️ Read our full best drones guide
1. Best overall
DJI Mini 5 Pro
2. Best budget
DJI Mini 4K
3. Best professional
DJI Mavic 4 Pro
4. Best for selfies
HoverAir X1 Pro