DJI Mini 4 Pro vs DJI Air 3s: Which Drone Should You Buy in 2025?

DJI Mini 4 Pro vs DJI Air 3s: Which Drone Should You Buy in 2025?

I’ve flown a lot of drones over the years, but something about comparing the DJI Mini 4 Pro and the DJI Air 3s hits differently. ✈️💭 Maybe it’s because these two drones represent completely different kinds of freedom. The Mini 4 Pro feels like the kind of drone you toss in your bag on a whim, ready for spontaneous flights at sunrise or a last-minute golden-hour session. Meanwhile, the Air 3s feels like commitment, intention, and the weight of creative ambition — the kind of drone you pull out when you know you want to make something big, something that feels like it will outlive the moment.

When I put these two side by side, I could feel the contrast in my hands. The Mini 4 Pro is so light it almost feels like it floats before it even takes off. That 249g body opens up the world — no registration in many places, no hassle, just pure go-anywhere creativity. 🌄 The Air 3s… well, it has presence. It feels like a tool built for creators who want to chase real cinematic depth, the ones who don’t mind carrying a bit more weight if it means pulling more detail out of every shadow and highlight.

Once they’re in the air, the personalities become even more obvious. The Air 3s, with its 1-inch CMOS sensor, just sees more. The dynamic range feels wider; the low-light performance feels like breathing room instead of compromise. Watching the footage back later, the clarity made me pause — that kind of sharpness that feels like it stretches time. The Mini 4 Pro, on the other hand, shines with motion. That 4K60 is smooth, lively, social-ready — the type of footage that makes bike rides, kayaking trips, and walk-and-talks look like a memory already edited for the feed. 🚲✨

Photography tells the same story. The Air 3s gives you those 48MP files that feel almost tactile when zooming in — perfect for prints or when you want to dive deep in Lightroom. With the Mini 4 Pro’s 24MP shots, I found myself focusing more on composition than technical perfection — using the drone the way you use a sketchbook, catching moments quickly, freely.

Flight performance might be the biggest divider. The Air 3s staying in the sky for 46 minutes feels incredible — long enough to relax into the shot instead of racing the battery. That extra top speed doesn’t hurt either. But there’s something about the Mini 4 Pro’s simplicity that makes you forget the specs and just enjoy the act of flying. The Air 3s feels like a machine; the Mini 4 Pro feels like a companion. 🌬️💡

Obstacle avoidance is where the Air 3s reminds you it’s the more serious drone. Full omnidirectional sensing gives this layer of security you appreciate when shooting near trees, cliffs, or tight aerial paths. The Mini 4 Pro’s 360-degree sensing still does the job beautifully — but the Air 3s simply sees the world better.

Then there’s price — always the grounding factor. The Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo sitting around $1,429 CAD feels like a deal for how much capability you get. The Air 3s at roughly $1,799 CAD demands more, but it also gives more. More clarity, more flight time, more confidence.

In the end, the choice felt less technical and more emotional. If you want something that fits into any moment — spontaneous, light, travel-ready — the Mini 4 Pro just slips into your life. If you want something that pushes your creativity further, something that makes you feel like you’re crafting aerial stories rather than just capturing them, the Air 3s stands out like a next step. 🌅🎥

DJI Mini 4 Pro vs DJI Air 3s: Which Drone Should You Buy in 2025?

📦 Buy on Amazon USA

DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo

DJI Air 3s Fly More Combo

FINAL THOUGHTS

The more I fly these drones, the more I realize drones aren’t just gear — they’re freedom. Each one gives you a different type of sky. The Mini 4 Pro gives you freedom from limitations: no registration, barely any weight, and full creative movement with almost no barriers. It feels like wandering — like letting curiosity guide you. I think that’s why I enjoy tossing it in my backpack on calm mornings when the air feels soft and the light feels generous. 🌄💭

The Air 3s, though… that’s the drone I reach for when I want to feel something. When I want footage that breathes, depth that pulls you into the scene, clarity that makes you stop and replay the moment. When I flew it the first time, I felt that old spark — the thrill of knowing the camera could keep up with my imagination. Its bigger sensor, longer flights, and smarter obstacle avoidance made me feel like I had room to create, not just capture. It reminds me why I fell in love with aerial filming in the first place. ✨

What I’ve learned is that the “best” drone depends on the version of yourself you’re flying as. The explorer? The traveler? The storyteller? The filmmaker? Each drone lights up a different part of your creative identity. The Mini 4 Pro is for days when you want to keep things simple, portable, and joyful. The Air 3s is for days when you want to craft something meaningful — footage that feels like it belongs on a bigger screen.

Both drones give you a sky. It just depends which sky you’re ready to enter. 🌤️🛩️

🛒 Buy on Amazon Canada

DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo

DJI Air 3s Fly More Combo