Which DJI drone should you buy? A guide to every range and top-rated models

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Fancy taking to the skies? DJI is the brand you're probably looking at — it's the name behind almost all the best drones around right now. If you're new to the world of drones, figuring out your options is tricky. This article is here to guide you through your options. I'll run through the main DJI ranges and who they're aimed at, and then once you've narrowed things down you can hop to the relevant section to read our reviews for each model. Let's get started...

Note: You'll only be able to see product cards for the models currently available to buy in your region. Due to FCC issues , not all DJI drones are available in the US. Hit the More details button to read our main takeaways for each model, and for a link to the full review.

DJI range guide

DJI Mini

DJI's flagship compact drones, and the best-selling range for beginner pilots. These are all sub-250g models, which means they come with little-to-no flight restrictions , depending on where you fly.

• Check out the Mini lineup

DJI Air

A step up from the Mini series, aimed at enthusiasts. These drones fall into the next weight category up, which means they're sturdier and you'll be able to fly for longer, but you'll need your region's equivalent of a certificate of competency before you fly.

• Check out the DJI Air lineup

DJI Mavic

Top-tier consumer drones with industry-leading camera performance. These are another step up from the DJI Air range, and again you'll need a certificate of competency before you fly.

• Check out the DJI Mavic lineup

DJI Neo

The cheapest, smallest, lightest and simplest DJI drone. It comes with single-push take-off from your hand, designed for aerial selfies (this kind of drone is sometimes referred to as a selfie drone).

• Check out the DJI Neo lineup

DJI Avata

FPV (first person view) drones, designed to be used with goggles for immersive high-speed and responsive flight — legally you need a 'spotter' with you when flying drones through goggles.

• Check out the DJI Avata lineup

There are a few standalone options to be aware of. The Lito is a straightforward beginner drone at an extremely wallet-friendly price — it's a step down from the Mini range in both price and capabilities. The DJI Flip is another beginner drone with vlogger-friendly features. At the other end of the scale is the DJI Inspire range, aimed at professionals — the kind of thing that might be hired for productions.

DJI Mini drones

DJI

Mini 5 Pro

Read our full review

Pros

New 1-inch sensor with detail rich 4K HDR video

Versatile camera with a 225 degree roll rotation

Class-leading flight and safety features

Cons

Actual take-off weight could result in being the next class of drone, hit with restrictions

Flight times typically not as long as advertised

Pricier than entry-level models like the Mini 4K

DJI

Mini 4K

Read our full review

Pros

Excellent value

4K video quality beats rivals

Probably your best first drone

Cons

No object-collision sensors

Lacks subject tracking found in pricier models like the Mini 4 Pro

DJI

Mini 4 Pro

Read our full review

Pros

Improved video features

Omnidirectional Vision Sensing

Remains under 250g

Cons

Upgrades may not tempt Mini 3 Pro owners

Not suited to windy conditions

Fixed-aperture camera

DJI

Mini 3

Read our full review

Pros

More affordable than the Mini 3 Pro

Great image quality

Small and lightweight

Cons

No collision avoidance

4K video limited to 30fps

No subject tracking

DJI

Mini 3 Pro

Read our full review

Pros

Impressive low-light performance

Useful obstacle avoidance

Handy automated flight modes

Cons

Pricier than previous Mini models

DJI

Mini 2

Read our full review

Pros

Intuitive navigation

Compact, convenient drone

Great battery life

Cons

Pricier than predecessor

No new camera hardware

No follow mode

DJI Mavic drones

DJI

Mavic 4 Pro

Read our full review

Pros

Excellent price

Feature-packed

Impressive cameras

Cons

Weight just exceeds 2.2lbs / 1kg

More features than many people will need

Subject tracking is not as varied as the DJI Flip or Neo

DJI

Mavic 3

Read our full review

Pros

Four Thirds camera is excellent

Useful adjustable aperture

Improved safety features

Telephoto lens a handy backup

Cons

Pricier than Mavic 2 series

Basic controller lacks info screen

European classification issues

DJI

Mavic 3 Pro

Read our full review

Pros

Three useful cameras

Excellent image quality

Solid safety features

Cons

C2 European rating

Not everyone will need three cameras

Slightly reduced flight times

DJI

Mavic 3 Classic

Read our full review

Pros

Less expensive than other Mavic 3 models

Excellent image quality

Impressive safety features

Cons

Remains expensive despite lower cost

Battery life shorter than claimed

No Apple ProRes video capture

DJI Air drones

DJI

Air 3

Read our full review

Pros

Dual cameras

Excellent wind resistance

Generous 46-minute flight time

Already excellent safety features improved further

Cons

C1 European rating

Fixed aperture is bad news for ND filter users

Large protruding camera likely to suffer in case of accidents

DJI

Air 3S

Read our full review

Pros

Superb battery life

Easy and safe to fly

Great all-round camera performance

Cons

Weight-class restrictions apply

A minor upgrade on the original Air 3

DJI

Air 2S

Read our full review

Pros

1-inch 20 MP sensor

Great image quality

Small and lightweight

Cons

Controller isn’t foldable

Image edges slightly soft

No adjustable aperture

DJI Neo drones

DJI

Neo 2

Read our full review

Pros

Now has obstacle avoidance

Improved camera performance

More storage and faster transfer speed

Cons

Still only shoots JPEG photos

Limited battery life

DJI

Neo

Read our full review

Pros

Small and lightweight

Easy to use

Multiple flight control options

Cons

Only shoots photos in JPEG

4K video fixed at 30fps

Expensive to add on goggles and FPV controller

DJI Avata drones

DJI

Avata 360

Read our full review

Pros

Great 10-bit image quality from dual sensor setup

Choice of control methods

Agile, speedy and safe flyer

Good value for money

Cons

Other DJI drones beat it on image quality

Buying both FPV and standard controllers could push up the price

No manual FPV flight option

DJI

Avata 2

Read our full review

Pros

Long flight time

Incredible image quality with improved dynamic range

Easy to fly out of the box, and packed with safety features

Cons

Unappealing to experienced FPV pilots outside of the DJI ecosystem

Poor ergonomics of the DJI Controller 3 show no improvement over the DJI Controller 2

Awkward handling in manual mode, probably down to inadequate tuning

Outliers

DJI

Lito X1

Read our full review

Pros

Great video quality for the price, especially with Lito X1

Omnidirectional obstacle avoidance included

Better battery life than the Neo 2 and Flip

Cons

Camera doesn't rotate for 9:16 content

Soft digital zoom

No built-in storage on Lito 1 model

DJI

Flip

Read our full review

Pros

Multi-use functionality

Several flight-control options

Sub-250g folding design

Cons

Image quality is good but not great

Not as agile as the Mini 4 Pro

Not great in wind

DJI

Inspire 3

Read our full review

Pros

Excellent image quality

Smooth and precise flight

Interchangeable lenses

Cons

Expensive

Large and heavy

More complicated than consumer models

DJI

FPV

Read our full review

Pros

A huge amount of fun to fly

Easy to fly for an FPV drone

Goggles offer great image quality

Solid transmission

Cons

Front props visible in footage

Stills photography severely limited

'Spotter' needed when flying outdoors