
Guide to the right DJI drone
The Chinese company DJI now offers a large and diverse range of different drone product lines, which is why we want to use this as an opportunity to give you an overview of the different drones and how to find the best drone for you.
Whether you are a hobby photographer, FPV pilot or filmmaker, you will find the right drone at DJI. There are also suitable models for disaster control or science, but these are not available everywhere.
What are the legal requirements?
Strict legal regulations must be observed when operating drones in many countries. These include the obligation to register drones, compliance with no-fly zones and the maximum altitude for flights. In the EU, for example, the Drone Regulation applies, which divides drones into different categories (open, special, certified). For drones weighing less than 250 grams, such as the DJI Mini series, NEO and Flip, less stringent regulations apply as long as no camera footage of people is taken. However, it is always advisable to find out about local regulations before flying and obtain the appropriate permits if necessary.
The drone license and its classes
Depending on the weight and intended use of the drone, a drone license may be required. There are two main classes in the EU:
1. small drone license (A1/A3)
- Compulsory for drones weighing between 250 grams and 2 kilograms.
- Covers flights in the open category, but with restrictions such as minimum distance to people.
- Online training and testing via official platforms.
- Required for drones between 2 and 25 kilograms flying in the open category.
- Allows flights closer to people, subject to certain regulations.
- Additional theoretical test at a certified body required.
Regardless of the class, drone operators must ensure that their drone is registered and that the registration number is visibly attached to the drone. Liability insurance should also be taken out, as this is required by law in many countries.
Which DJI drone series are available?
Below we present the drones in the various user classes, taking weight and video quality into account. The modern drones from Dji come with many functions such as Active Track and co.
DJI NEO, the drone for anyone looking to get started
The DJI Neo is currently the "baby" drone from DJI and offers a nice package for beginners. The drone can be switched to the different modes using the power button on the top and is also designed for voice control (English only). With its 135g, it is currently subject to the fewest regulations and with the propeller protection, the drone cannot be damaged so easily on the first flight. The drone is also compatible with DJI's own remote controls as well as with smartphones. This small drone can also track you via gesture control and record videos in 4K.
Since the camera gimbal of the Neo is set up like an FPV drone, the DJI Neo also produces video material with the look of an FPV drone, which is very dynamic.
Merkmale:
- Weight under 250 grams (ideal for legal requirements in many countries)
- Easy to control, with intuitive apps and tutorials
- FPV drone flight
- Propeller protection
- Voice control
Anwendungsbereiche:
- Vlogging
- Recreational flights
- Dynamic recordings
DJI Neo
- palm-sized drone for vlogs
- land effortlessly on your palm without remote control and film with YOU in focus
- 135 g, lightweight and portable
- Hand launch and landing
- AI subject tracking, QuickShots
- multiple control options
- ultra stabilized 4K video
- All-round protection for propellers
DJI Flip, the other kind of mini drone
Similar to the NEO, the Flip is aimed at beginners and social media creators who want to film some cool new perspectives for their videos. Like the DJI Neo, the DJI Flip comes with an enclosing propeller guard. It ranks behind the DJI Mini series in terms of quality and also offers a take-off weight of less than 250g, with a comparable compactness. The Flip also has several sensors for obstacle detection and voice control. With a 1/1.3-inch sensor, the Flip's camera offers good image quality at 48MP, with up to 4K/60p HDR!
Merkmale:
- Weight under 250 grams (ideal for legal requirements in many countries)
- Easy to control, with intuitive apps and tutorials
- Propeller protection
- Voice control
- Foldable
Anwendungsbereiche:
- Travel photography
- Vlogging
- Leisure flights
- Video aerial photography
DJI Flip
- Photos with 48 MP
- Videos in 4K/60fps HDR
- Vertical 2.7K recordings
- Slow motion in 4K/100fps
- foldable, full-surface propeller guard
- weighs less than 249 g
- AI subject tracking
- up to 4x zoom
- Automatic braking thanks to 3D infrared sensor system
- up to 31 minutes flight time
- charge two batteries simultaneously in 70 minutes
- Connection via Wifi Direct/DJI Fly app
- with voice control
DJI Mini Series - The uncrowned queen of content creators
The Mini has established itself in social media at the latest since the DJI Mini 3 Pro with its 249g and the option to switch the camera to vertical mode, the Mini series comes with many sensors for improved flying of the drone. This makes the Mini series a very popular content creator tool for solo influencers and small businesses. With 4K and a reasonable slow motion, it is simply a very enjoyable drone. The Mini 3 has also established new quieter motors / rotors, which make the drone almost inaudible from a height of 50m. The Mini drones are divided into Mini and Mini Pro, with the drones usually differing in design and the range of video formats for further use; if you don't want to change anything on the material afterwards, you can get by without the Pro version.
It is easy to control and is suitable for beginners and professionals alike, thanks to the good video quality and a wide range of accessories.
Merkmale:
- Weight under 250 grams (ideal for legal requirements in many countries)
- Easy to control, with intuitive apps and tutorials
- Solid camera quality
- Good price-performance ratio
- Camera can be used in portrait format for full 4K
Anwendungsbereiche:
- Travel photography
- Leisure flights
- Simple landscape shots
- Reel / TikTok / Shorts production
DJI Mini 4 Pro
- low weight of 249 g
- 4K/60 fps HDR and 4K/100 fps video recording
- Slow motion recordings in 4K
- up to 34 minutes flight time
- vertical recordings possible
- RAW recording capability
DJI AVATA - The FPV drone from Dji
Action-packed drone scenes that you see again and again on social media are usually created with FPV drones! For example with the DJI Avata series, which offers a completely separate ecosystem for beginners to professional FPV pilots, the Avata series has found its user. It offers a very good radio connection and very good video material, with an innovative control concept, for example with the Motion RC. FPV drones are normally flown with goggles in the first person view. FPV drones such as the Avata are characterized by a very high flight speed, which allows them to promote action in scenes and enable the tracking of fast objects such as cars, motorcycles and the like. The Avata offers a number of functions that are also beneficial for beginners, such as propeller protection and some pre-programmed flight maneuvers.
It is subject to the small drone license!
Merkmale:
- FPV goggles for an immersive experience
- High speeds and agility
- Cameras with ultra-wide-angle lenses
- Cinewhoop design on the Avata for tight flying spaces
Anwendungsbereiche:
- Drone racing
- Dynamic sports shots
- Creative film projects
- Social media FPV shots
DJI Avata 2
- compact and maneuverable drone
- up to 23 min. flight time
- super-wide field of view with 155°
- 1/1.3-inch CMOS ultra-wide-angle camera
- 4K/60fps HDR videos
- 10-bit D-Log M color mode
- 46 GB internal memory
The DJI Air series - the drone for more demanding requirements
If one Lens is not enough for you, the Air series is a drone with two camera modules. One telephoto and one wide-angle camera, which can offer up to 4K/120p. It is clearly aimed at professionals or ambitious amateurs who need more than just one focal length. It is a dream for photographers in particular, offering many functions such as free panorama and very good obstacle detection. It weighs just over 700g and therefore requires a small drone license. The sensor size of the camera units is well suited to different lighting situations and therefore offers a very high level of detail.
Merkmale:
- Advanced camera with up to 1-inch sensor
- Advanced flight modes such as ActiveTrack and MasterShots
- Compact size, ideal for traveling
- Good battery life (up to 34 minutes)
Anwendungsbereiche:
- High-quality vacation photos and videos
- Semi-professional to professional content creation
- Social media productions
DJI Air 3S
- Dual camera drone for traveling - dual camera 4K/60fps
- 10-bit O4 video transmission
- Wide-angle camera: 1 inch CMOS, 50 MP effective pixels
- medium telephoto camera: 1/1.3 inch CMOS, 48 MP effective pixels
- Wide-angle camera: field of view: 84°
- corresponds to format: 24 mm, aperture: f/1.8, focus: 0.5 m to â
- medium telephoto camera: field of view: 35°
- corresponds to format: 70 mm, aperture: f/2.8, focus: 3 m to â
- unbeatable image quality
- safe flying at night for more creativity
The professional drone - The DJI Mavic series
These drones come with 3 camera modules for maximum creative freedom. The main camera of the Mavic series is equipped with a Hasselblad Lens and a 4/3 sensor for maximum resolution! Overall, all camera modules in the Mavic series are designed for maximum quality, with only the top series such as the Inspire, which are generally only used for special projects, exceeding this. The Hasselblad optics of the Mavic 3 Pro already have 5.1K at 50fps, which enables easy slow motion. At almost one kilo, it also requires a small drone license. Those who do fly it will benefit from the sensor technology, which is also familiar from the Mini 4 and co. and even a beginner will be able to fly the drone safely through many scenarios. However, the Air 3 and Mavic 3 Pro differ from the other models primarily in the maximum possible take-off altitude of 6000m, which is thanks to the larger motors, among other things.
Merkmale:
- High-performance camera systems (e.g. Hasselblad camera, 5.1K video)
- Long flight time (up to 46 minutes with the DJI Mavic 3 Pro)
- Multiple sensors for safe flights
- Advanced intelligent flight modes
Anwendungsbereiche:
- Professional film and photo productions
- Documentaries and nature photography
- Aerial photography for companies
Conclusion
DJI's large selection of different models for many different areas of application, some drones also cover other areas and some drones can also be controlled with other remote controls, for example, to enable a different flying experience. For us, DJI has a drone in its range for every user that meets even the highest demands in terms of image quality.