DJI Mini 4 Pro vs DJI Air 3S
Get the Air 3S if image quality comes first. It has a 1-inch wide camera, a 70mm medium tele, forward LiDAR and a 45-minute rated flight time. Get the Mini 4 Pro if you travel a lot: it is under 249g, folds small and costs…
DJI Mini 4 Pro
$759
DJI Air 3S
$1099
Technical Specifications
Last updated: Oct 2026| Feature | DJI Mini 4 Pro | DJI Air 3S |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | <249g | 724g |
| Dimensions | 148×94×64 mm | 214×101×89 mm |
| Volume | 890 cm³ | 1922 cm³ |
| Max Speed | 16 m/s | 21 m/s |
| Max Flight Distance | 18 km | 32 km |
| Sensor Size | 1/1.3-inch CMOS | 1-inch CMOS (Wide) + 1/1.3-inch CMOS (Tele) |
| Megapixels | 48 MP | 50 MP |
| Max ISO | 6400 ISO | 12800 ISO |
| Flight Time | 34 mins | 45 mins |
| Max Resolution | 4K/100fps HDR | 4K/120fps HDR |
| Movie Bitrate | 150 Mbps | 130 Mbps |
| Field of View | 82.1° | 84° |
| Transmission Range | 20km (O4) | 20km (O4) |
| Wind Resistance | Level 5 (10.7 m/s) | Level 6 (12 m/s) |
| Obstacle Avoidance | Omnidirectional | Omnidirectional (LiDAR) |
| Battery Power | 2590 mAh | 4276 mAh |
| Charge Time | 70 mins | 80 mins |
| Internal Storage | 2GB | 42GB |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Obstacle Detection | Yes | Yes |
| Return to Home | Yes | Yes |
| Removable Battery | Yes | Yes |
| Shoots RAW | Yes | Yes |
| HDR Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Weather Sealed | No | No |
| Best For | Travel creators who want the smallest kit | Photographers who want two focal lengths and better low-light images |
| Camera System | Single camera (24mm equiv.) | Dual camera (24mm + 70mm equiv.) |
| Max Start Altitude | 4000 m | 6000 m |
| Night Obstacle Sensing | 3D Infrared sensor (0.1-8m) | Forward LiDAR (0.5-25m at night) |
| EU Drone Class | C0 | C1 |
| Gimbal Vibration Range | ±0.01° | ±0.0037° |
The second lens and the bigger sensor
The Air 3S pairs a 24mm-equivalent camera on a 1-inch sensor with a 70mm medium tele on a 1/1.3-inch sensor. That gives two real focal lengths without digital zoom, so you can compress a scene or frame a subject tighter from the same spot. The Mini 4 Pro has one 1/1.3-inch camera.
In low light the Air 3S has the edge: a larger main sensor and a maximum ISO of 12800 against 6400 on the Mini 4 Pro in normal mode. Frame rates are close (4K/120fps against 4K/100fps), and both record 10-bit 4:2:0 HLG and D-Log M. If you post casual travel clips, neither log profile will matter much.
Weight, size and the rules
This is where the Mini 4 Pro earns its place. It stays under 249g with the standard battery and folds to 148×94×64mm. The Air 3S is 724g and much bulkier. In the EU the Air 3S is generally sold as C1, which brings additional operator or aircraft requirements depending on the country. The Mini 4 Pro may qualify for lighter rules, though operator registration or training can still apply. Check the registration rules by weight for where you fly.
Flight time and batteries
DJI lists 34 minutes and 16 m/s for the Mini 4 Pro against 45 minutes and 21 m/s for the Air 3S, which also lists a 32km maximum flight distance. The Mini 4 Pro's Plus battery extends it to 45 minutes and 25km, but it pushes the drone over 250g and is not available in Europe. Air 3S batteries are interchangeable with the Air 3, which helps anyone upgrading from that model.
Obstacle sensing at night
Both drones sense in all directions. The Air 3S adds forward LiDAR, which DJI rates at 0.5-25m at night and which gives it better obstacle detection after dark. Neither drone is collision-proof around thin wires, reflective surfaces or textureless walls.
Storage and real cost
The Air 3S has 42GB built in; the Mini 4 Pro has 2GB, so budget for a card. Also price the full kit, including spare batteries, controller, filters and storage, before comparing the $759 and $1,099 headline prices. For a newer small option, see Mini 5 Pro vs Air 3S, or read our Air 3S analysis and Mini 4 Pro analysis.
DJI Mini 4 Pro
Strengths
- Under 249g with the standard battery, which can mean lighter rules in some places
- Omnidirectional obstacle sensing
- 4K/100fps, 10-bit D-Log M and True Vertical Shooting
- Compact folded size of 148×94×64mm
- $340 cheaper than the Air 3S
Drawbacks
- Smaller 1/1.3-inch sensor for low light
- Only 2GB internal storage, so a microSD card is a must
- Plus battery is not sold in Europe and takes it over 250g
- No LiDAR
DJI Air 3S
Strengths
- 1-inch 24mm wide camera plus 70mm medium tele on a 1/1.3-inch sensor
- Forward LiDAR with a 0.5-25m night measurement range
- 45-minute flight time and 32km maximum flight distance
- 42GB internal storage
- Uses the same batteries as the Air 3
Drawbacks
- 724g and C1 in the EU, with heavier-aircraft requirements
- Much bigger in a bag
- $1,099 against $759
Air 3S for image quality, Mini 4 Pro for travel
Get the Air 3S if image quality comes first. It has a 1-inch wide camera, a 70mm medium tele, forward LiDAR and a 45-minute rated flight time. Get the Mini 4 Pro if you travel a lot: it is under 249g, folds small and costs $340 less ($759 against $1,099).
The Air 3S weighs 724g and is C1 in the EU, so expect heavier-aircraft rules. The Mini 4 Pro's weight can simplify some requirements depending on where you fly and which battery you use, but registration and training can still apply.
Both record 10-bit D-Log M and HLG, so color grading is not the deciding factor. The second lens and the low-light advantage of the bigger sensor are.
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Context and limitations
This comparison helps buyers choose between DJI Mini 4 Pro and DJI Air 3S by translating the specification table into camera, flight, safety, workflow and value decisions. Recommendations are matched to user needs rather than based on a single headline number.
Limitations
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Alihan Demirdaş is the founder and editor of Drone Ranker. A software developer by profession, he researches drones the way he reads code: from the primary documents. Every review, comparison and news story on the site is written by him from manufacturer specification sheets, FCC and EU certification filings, aviation-authority rules and dated press releases, with the source linked. Unless a page is labelled hands-on, the analysis is documentary; when an aircraft is in his hands, the page says so and carries his own photographs and flight notes. He covers consumer, professional and agricultural drones and is based in Türkiye.