Drones are becoming more compact and, more importantly, easier to use lately. Gone are the days when you needed a big drone to capture high-quality video. Even the smaller drones are now very capable.
Just look at the DJI Neo and even the DJI Flip, which we reviewed. You wouldn’t expect that kind of footage from drones that small.
So imagine what more the larger drones can do, just like the new DJI Mini 5 Pro. It’s not as small as the Neo or the Flip, but it’s still a compact drone, especially when compared to the Mavic 4 Pro we reviewed earlier this year.
Still, if you’re considering picking up a drone, whether as a hobby or for something serious, is the DJI Mini 5 Pro the one to choose? Well, let’s find out whether this is the one for you.
Design & Construction
The DJI Mini 5 Pro isn’t that big of a drone, especially when you compare it with the Mavic 4 Pro and, more so, the Phantom models of before. However, it’s not exactly that “mini” considering there’s the Neo and the Flip.
Given the size of the drone, it’s quite compact. I could easily fit it in my backpack without issues. But since our unit came with a carrying bag for all the batteries, controllers, and accessories, I put everything in there to keep it more organized.
It’s quite lightweight too, weighing only 249.9 grams. The body and shape of the Mini 5 Pro are similar to the Mini 4 Pro. From the foldable body design to polymer construction, it feels very familiar. Even the location of the modules and fish eyes is the same as they were in the Mini 4 Pro.
Unfortunately, it still isn’t weatherproof. So when it starts to rain, DJI recommends users return and land the drone immediately. In one instance, the Mini 5 Pro was caught in light rain. We immediately brought it back, and it still worked properly after.
So it might still look a lot like the DJI Mini 4 Pro on the outside. However, the Mini 5 Pro has a new trick up its sleeve. Instead of screw on propellers, it now uses a quick-release style system, which makes it easier to replace should you unfortunately crash into objects a lot.
It also has an auto-power-on feature that powers up the drone the moment you unfold the arms. I liked it at first, but then I found it a bit intrusive. For example, when you’re just trying to fix the position of the propellers and move the arm, it will turn on. It’s a minor issue, but other than that, it helps deploy the drone a lot faster.
If you’ve ever flown the DJI Mini series model before, you’ll definitely feel right at home with the Mini 5 Pro. With the drone’s compact and lightweight size, you can easily bring it around wherever you go.
Camera System
The main upgrade DJI made to the Mini 5 Pro is the camera. It now uses a full 1-inch CMOS sensor, which can capture 50MP stills. For video, it can capture up to 4K@120FPS or even super slow motion at 240FPS.
Together with the new camera, the gimbal also got an upgrade. It’s still a 3-axis gimbal with support for vertical shooting like before. But now, it features roll rotation, allowing users to be more creative with the shots they want to take.
As expected, with the new sensor, the camera on the Mini 5 Pro captures amazing photos and videos both in daylight and even in low light. Our review unit also came with some ND filters, which you can quickly swap out depending on your needs.
To test it out as is, the videos were recorded in 4K@30FPS without the ND filter installed. And as you can see from the video sample above, I was able to capture a great view of the Banawe area at night. There’s a good balance between the highlights and shadows, and there’s little to no grain even when there’s barely any light.
Even out in the distance, you can make out the other high-rise buildings around Metro Manila. It’s quite impressive to see the Manila skyline at night from this point of view. But of course, do be careful when flying the drone.
As you would expect from a 1-inch sensor, it’s amazing during the day. The colors are very vivid, and almost everything is sharp. It’s more than adequate for your social media posting. In fact, for some beginner drone users, the quality might be overkill. But hey, at least if you do keep flying, it’s a worthwhile investment.
With the new sensor, the Mini 5 Pro now features up to 3x zoom. It’s only a digital zoom, so there is a noticeable drop in quality, especially when you hit the max zoom. For the photos, when you pixel peep, you will notice some artifacting in the zoomed images.
DJI Mini 5 Photos
Thursday, Dec 4, 2025
However, it won’t really be a problem if you’re going to use the zoomed images for social media posting only. It’s still more than adequate, and even in low light, it’s quite workable. Just check out the sample gallery above to see what we mean.
If anything, you need a large-capacity microSD card. The Mini 5 Pro comes with 42GB of internal storage. But if you’re planning on taking a lot of footage, especially in 4K or in slow mo, all that space will be used up fast.
Flight Features
Flying the Mini 5 Pro is relatively easy, even if you’re just starting out flying a drone. For reference, our unit is the Fly More Combo package, which comes with the DJI RC2 remote with a digital screen.
Even if you’re taking off from a somewhat tight area, there are multiple sensors all around the drone. This makes it almost impossible to hit obstacles or objects you’re flying into.
The fish-eye cameras at the front give you a nice, clear view of everything. Even when you’re flying in low light conditions, you can clearly see everything thanks to the upgraded nightscape sensors.
Despite having new mounts for the blades, there’s not really a big difference in terms of the speed the drone can fly. DJI claims it can fly up to 18 m/s or roughly 64 km/h in sport mode when the weather conditions are perfect. It also has a range of up to 20 kilometers and a maximum take-off altitude of 6000 meters.
But given my lack of experience, I didn’t want to crash into any house or building here in the metro. It’s a similar story when it comes to flying a longer distance and flying it any higher. There’s even an auto take-off function, which I found myself using almost all the time.
As always, you have to take note of regulations too. The last thing you want is for your new drone to hit a helicopter or a plane just because you’re sightseeing.
Thankfully, if you fly a bit too far, the Mini 5 Pro can memorize its flight path and automatically return home even if the GPS signal becomes weak. The moment you take off, it will automatically set that place as the new home point. There’s also a warning when the battery becomes too low, giving users the option to land immediately or return home.
That way, you’ll be sure this drone won’t just drop into someone’s backyard or randomly into the forest when you’re outdoors.
Battery
As for the battery, the DJI Mini 5 Pro packs a 2,788mAh battery pack as standard. If that’s too small for you, there is an optional DJI Mini 5 Pro Intelligent Flight Battery Plus with a larger 4680mAh capacity.
From our experience with the standard battery pack, you have around 30 minutes of battery run time, which isn’t far from DJI’s claim of 36 minutes. You might think it’s not that long, but we believe it’s more than enough.
If you get the Flymore Combo, it comes with two additional battery packs and a charging dock too. The charging dock can be powered by a capable power bank, meaning you won’t have to worry about losing juice for your drone.
Conclusion
All in all, the DJI Mini 5 Pro is a great drone to own, whether you’re a budding filmmaker or just want to capture amazing footage from your adventures across the country or even around the world.
The price isn’t that expensive either. The DJI Mini 5 Pro retails at PHP 40,690. If you want the Fly More Combo like ours, which includes the more high-end DJI RC2 remote, extra batteries, and the bag, then that will set you back PHP 57,990.
If you’re someone who enjoys flying drones already and want to move up a notch, you definitely can’t go wrong with the Mini 5 Pro. However, if you’re just starting out and not sure whether this drone will eventually become a paperweight, I would recommend sticking to the more entry-level drones offered by DJI, like the Neo or the Flip.
Still, if budget isn’t a problem, you’ll definitely enjoy flying and capturing moments with the DJI Mini 5 Pro. It’s got all the safety features to ensure you won’t crash, and at the same time, the new 1-inch sensor is very capable of taking all the footage you want.
But overall, what do you think of the new DJI Mini 5 Pro? Is it the drone you’ll be buying this coming holiday season or would you pick something else? Whatever the case, share your thoughts in the comments below.
What we liked:
- Compact form factor
- Ease of use
- Amazing camera quality
What we didn’t like:
- A bit pricey
DJI Mini 5 Pro specs:
10 m/s (max ascent speed, S Mode)
8 m/s (max descent speed, S Mode, using Intelligent Flight Battery Plus)
19 m/s (max horizontal speed, S Mode and using Intelligent Flight Battery Plus, up to 15 m/s for tracking)
6,000 m max takeoff altitude
Apx. 52 minutes max flight time (using Intelligent Flight Battery Plus)
32 km max flight distance (using Intelligent Flight Battery Plus)
12 m/s max wind speed resistance
GPS, GALILEO, Beidou
42GB internal storage
1-inch 50MP CMOS sensor (f/1.8)
Up to 4K at 120 fps video recording
H.264/H.265: 130 Mbps
10-bit 4:2:0 (H.265)
3-axis mechanical gimbal (tilt, roll, pan)
Omnidirectional binocular vision system
IR sensing system
Forward-facing LiDAR
DJI RC2 Remote (O4+, Optional Fly More Combo)
Wi-Fi 6 (500 m effective operating range)
Bluetooth 5.4
2,788 mAh (DJI Mini 5 Pro Intelligent Flight Battery)
4,680 mAh (DJI Mini 5 Pro Intelligent Flight Battery Plus)
249.9 g takeoff weight
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