A drone changes what you can see on a trip: the shape of a beach, the line of a track over the next ridge, the rocks where the fish might be. The DJI Mini 4K was our first drone, and we used it on our trips for scenic shots, for checking tracks when driving in remote areas and for finding good fishing spots along the coast. We paid $450 for the drone on its own, and have since upgraded to the DJI Mini 5 Pro.
What’s in the box
The drone, one battery, the DJI RC-N1C remote with its phone cables, spare propellers, a gimbal cover, a charging cable and the manuals. That single battery is the catch: one flight and you’re waiting for a recharge. We’d get the DJI Mini 4K Fly More Combo instead, which comes with three batteries.
What we like
- True 4K video for a low price
- Easy to learn on
- Steady GPS hover
- Under 249 g: the fewest rules
- Footage goes to your phone
- Folds up small
What we don’t
- Downward sensors only
- Struggles in low light
- Older O2 signal: urban dropouts
Quick Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
| Brand | DJI |
| Weight | Under 249 g |
| Camera | 1/2.3-inch CMOS12 MP |
| Video | 4K at 30 fps2.7K at 60 fps |
| Flight time | Up to 31 min |
| Range | Up to 10 kmDJI O2 |
| Obstacle sensing | Downward only |
| Features | MicroSD card |
| Included | RC-N1C remote1 batterySpare propellers |
Size and weight
Folded up, the Mini 4K fits in a glovebox or the side of a camera bag. It weighs under 249 g, which matters in Australia: drones under 250 g have fewer restrictions, and you don’t need a licence or registration to fly it for fun. The gimbal cover clips over the camera to protect it in the bag.
The remote and your phone
The Mini 4K comes with the DJI RC-N1C remote. You clip your phone into the holder on top, plug it in with the short cable and fly from the DJI Fly app, with your phone as the screen. The best thing about it, for us: what you shoot is stored straight onto the camera roll of your iPhone. No microSD card to pull out, no laptop: you land, and the photos and video are ready to share.
The downside is that your phone is tied up while you fly. The Mini 5 Pro with the RC 2 remote has its own screen, so you don’t need your phone at all.
Flying it on a trip
The Mini 4K is easy to fly from the app, even as a first drone. We used it for scenic shots of camp and the coast, to look at the track ahead when driving in remote areas, and to find good fishing spots along the coast: from above you can see the rocks, channels and gutters that you’d never spot from the beach.
It only has sensors underneath, though, so it won’t stop for a tree or a cliff in front of, beside or behind it, and a side or rear crash is much more likely than with the Mini 5 Pro. Keep it high and in open space, and take it slowly near anything it could fly into. It also uses DJI’s older O2 video link, which is more prone to signal interference around buildings; out in the bush that matters less.
Photo and video quality
In daylight the Mini 4K shoots sharp 4K video and 12 MP photos that look great on a phone or a laptop. The 3-axis gimbal keeps video smooth. Where it falls behind is low light and high-contrast scenes: at sunrise, sunset and in the shade, its small 1/2.3-inch sensor loses detail in the shadows and the sky. That’s the main reason we upgraded to the Mini 5 Pro, which shows much more detail when the light drops.
Battery and flight time
DJI quotes up to 31 minutes a battery. With only one battery, that’s your flying until you can recharge it from the car or a power station, and that got annoying fast. That’s why we’d get the Fly More Combo: three batteries let you fly at sunrise, check the track at lunch and still have one for the sunset. It also comes with a two-way charging hub that charges the batteries one after the other, a shoulder bag for the drone, remote and accessories, and extra propellers and cables.
| Tested Mini 4K | Our pickFly More Combo | |
|---|---|---|
| Two-way charging hub | No | Yes |
| Shoulder bag | No | Yes |
| Batteries | 1 | 3 |
| Total flight time | 31 min | 93 min |
| Spare propellers | 1 set | 3 pairs |
| RC cables | 1 | 3 |
| Good for | Short flights | Full days out |
| Shop | Check price at Amazon | Check price at Amazon |
Drone rules in Australia
You don’t need a licence or registration to fly a drone like the Mini 4K for fun in Australia, as long as you stick to CASA’s safety rules. Here they are at a glance.
- Crowds and busy beaches
- Busy roads
- Bushfires, crashes and rescues
- Airports and helipads
Vs the Mini 5 Pro
We upgraded from the Mini 4K to the DJI Mini 5 Pro. Both shoot great content, but the Mini 5 Pro has a much bigger sensor, sees obstacles all around and has a remote with its own screen. It also costs nearly four times as much.
This one DJI Mini 4K |  DJI Mini 5 Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | 1/2.3-inch, 12 MP | 1-inch, 50 MP |
| Video | 4K at 30 fps | 4K at 120 fps |
| Low light | Good | Much better |
| Obstacle sensing | Downward only | All around, plus LiDAR |
| Flight time | 31 min | 36 min |
| Remote | Phone clips on | RC 2 with screen |
| Footage | Straight to your phone | microSD card |
| Weight | Under 249 g | 249.9 g |
| Price paid | $450 | $1700 |
| Our score | 8.9 | 9.5 |
Conclusion: DJI Mini 4KConclusion
The DJI Mini 4K is a great first drone. For $450 it shoots sharp 4K video in daylight, weighs under 249 g and saves what you shoot straight to your phone, which makes it easy to share scenic shots from a trip or check the track and the fishing spots ahead. It only has sensors underneath and it’s weaker in low light than the Mini 5 Pro, and one battery isn’t enough for a day out. Get the Fly More Combo with three batteries.
Our first drone, and a great one for the money.
It shoots sharp 4K by day, stays under 249 g and sends footage straight to the phone clipped on the remote, ready to share. It only has sensors underneath, so watch the trees yourself, it's weaker at dusk, and get the three-battery combo.
- Travellers
- 4WD tourers
- Day trips
Yes, as a first drone. It shoots great daylight footage for $450. Pay a bit more for the Fly More Combo with three batteries, and if you shoot a lot at sunrise and sunset, look at the Mini 5 Pro.
