a digital camera drone for rookies and vacationers

The DJI Flip launched in January 2025, marking a game-changing addition to the world of compact drones. It’s design is a big departure from any form of drone we’ve seen earlier than, representing one thing like 4 large wheels surrounding a digital camera. The DJI Flip drone is finest for vloggers, rookies and journey lovers — providing one thing of a combination between the ultra-low value DJI Neo (which launched in late 2025) and the DJI Mini lineup.

With its foldable, full-coverage propeller guards, superior security options and a strong digital camera system, the DJI Flip is palm-sized drone that mix’s Neo’s ease of use with digital camera high quality that’s nearer to skilled grade (aerial photographs are the identical high quality because the Mini 4 Professional). I spent the previous month testing out this neat little drone to place collectively my DJI Flip evaluate. So with that, right here’s a deep dive into its options, strengths and weaknesses — plus an evaluation of the way it stacks up towards different DJI drones.

Its beginning value? It is available in underneath $500, at $439 to be actual. Upgraded fashions embody the DJI Flip with the upgraded RC 2 slightly than the usual RC-N3($639) and the Fly Extra Combo with RC 2 ($779).

Try my unboxing video under, the place you’ll discover all types of key particulars (and see them for your self)! In any other case, learn on:

Who’s the DJI Flip finest for?

There are all types of digital camera drones available on the market. The Flip definitely isn’t probably the most highly effective, as different digital camera drones just like the DJI Air 3S and DJI Mavic 3 Professional can supply even stronger flight and better picture high quality. Nevertheless it’s robust to argue with a drone underneath $500 that’s this good.

• Vloggers and social media creators: With vertical taking pictures capabilities and audio recording by way of smartphone integration, this drone is optimized for movies meant for platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
• Newbie drone pilots: The foldable propeller guards, automated braking, and light-weight design (<249g) make it one of many most secure and best drones for first-time flyers.
• Vacationers: As a result of it’s compact and transportable, it’s closely checks the comfort field in a rating of finest journey drones.

Key options of the DJI Flip

Design

The DJI Flip takes the enclosed propeller guards that made the Neo a preferred drone for youths (and a preferred drone for rookies, too). From there, it provides the foldable design first launched into DJI merchandise with the DJI Mavic method again in 2016.

That makes the DJI Flip the primary DJI’s first drone to function foldable, full-coverage propeller guards. It’s environment friendly in design from a portability standpoint, but additionally far safer versus having propellers uncovered.

These propeller guards are made with conventional polycarbonate materials.

And naturally, this drone is extremely light-weight. It weighs underneath 249 grams. Any drone weighing underneath 250 grams is critical because it’s not regulated by federal aviation businesses in most nations. That features the U.S., the place the Federal Aviation Administration requires that pilots register drones weighing 250 grams or extra. Drones 250 grams or extra additionally have to be Distant ID compliant.

Digicam

The digital camera will get you principally the identical high quality because the Mini 4 Professional (but that drone begins at greater than $300). The picture above is an unedited model of a shot I took in nonetheless picture mode with this drone.

This drone’s digital camera additionally will get actually attention-grabbing in that it’s designed to additionally modify for close-up photographs of individuals. When taking close-ups, count on the identical high quality as what you’d get on the Osmo Pocket 3, which is part of DJI’s hand-held lineup of cameras.

Faucet to deal with the topic you need in focus (if it doesn’t routinely focus to the realm you need). From there, the drone snaps a photograph that pulls out particulars in faces whereas blurring out the background (that’s the place the f/1.7 aperture is available in). The picture above reveals precisely what these close-up photographs appear to be. I personally discover the standard of close-up photographs to be greater than even photographs taken from a medium distance.

Listed here are some key digital camera specs:

• 48MP pictures with excessive dynamic vary and 4x zoom.
• 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor.
• Twin Native ISO Fusion.
• f/1.7 aperture.
• 2.4μm 4-in-1 pixels.
• 4K/60fps HDR video, 10-bit D-Log M shade mode, and sluggish movement at 4K/100fps.
• AI-powered instruments like SmartPhoto and clever taking pictures modes (e.g. Dronie, Circle, Helix).

Flight time and management

This factor is tremendous straightforward to fly. DJI provides you a couple of choices, together with the choice to fly it handsfree purely by utilizing voice management by way of the DJI Fly app.

You may also decide to make use of it with only one hand by way of the DJI Fly app by way of Wi-Fi direct, which helps you to change between totally different taking pictures modes in a brand new vertical display interface.

After all, your different possibility is to go the standard route by way of distant management. You need to use the cheaper DJI RC-N3 (included with the $439 DJI Flip), or go for the upgraded RC 2 ($639 together with the Flip), which I want.

Learn extra: DJI RC 2 vs RC-N2: ought to Mini 4 Professional pilots improve?

Anticipate 31 minutes of max flight time with the Clever Flight Battery.

If you buy the $779 Fly Extra Combo, you get two spare batteries (three complete) plus the Parallel Charging Hub, which fees two batteries concurrently.

Security and ease of use

Listed here are some key security specs:

• Foldable propeller guards created from carbon fiber for minimal weight and most safety.
• Automated braking and impediment sensing for protected flying by way of DJI Flip’s 3D ToF sensors.
• Return-to-Dwelling.

Designed with social media in thoughts

It’s not simply the vertical mode that signifies this drone was designed for social media. There’s the brand new emphasis on close-up photographs, so content material creators can get higher aerial photographs of themselves.

And should you’re doing a standup, you are able to do that too. When related to your cellphone, the DJI Fly app truly can seize audio. Even when there’s a slight whirring of propellers within the background, the app can routinely filter out propeller noise.

Listed here are another key specs:

• Vertical taking pictures with a 4:3 CMOS sensor for high-quality content material creation with out cropping.
• Built-in audio recording with noise discount.

DJI Flip: execs and cons

Execs

This drone is a straightforward, protected to fly entry level to drones — notably for folks whose precedence isn’t a lot flying drones however extra documenting the opposite points of their lives. Listed here are the highest 5 “execs” of the DJI Flip:

1. Security First: Full-coverage propeller guards and automated braking are unmatched for newbie security.
2. Compact and Transportable: Light-weight and foldable for on-the-go creators.
3. Excessive-High quality Output: Wonderful picture and video high quality with clever modes to simplify advanced photographs.
4. Ease of Use: Intuitive controls with app and voice command choices.
5. Reasonably priced Entry Level: Beginning at $439, it’s moderately priced for its function set.

Cons

However whereas I do love the Flip, it’s not for everybody. Listed here are some causes you would possibly skip it.

• Restricted Skilled Options: This drone lacks superior impediment avoidance and bigger sensor sizes seen in higher-end DJI drones. That’s maybe the most important distinction between the Flip and the Mini 4 Professional, which has an omnidirectional binocular imaginative and prescient system. Certain, the enclosed propellers will defend folks within the occasion of a crash — nevertheless it is likely to be value upgrading to that impediment avoidance to restrict the percentages of a crash, interval.
• Flight Time: Whereas enough for rookies, 31 minutes might really feel limiting for extra intensive shoots. The DJI Air 3S will get you 45 minutes.
• Wind Resistance: The light-weight design might battle in windy situations in comparison with heavier DJI fashions. Just like the Mini 4 Professional, the highest wind velocity resistance is simply 10.7 m/s. My prime total journey digital camera drone, the DJI Air 3S, simply surpasses the Flip by way of flight energy with 12 m/s of wind velocity resistance.

How the DJI Flip suits into DJI’s lineup

The DJI Flip is positioned as a hybrid between the DJI Mini collection and the Osmo Pocket collection, mixing the portability and affordability of the Mini with the vlogging and vertical video options of the Osmo Pocket (and naturally, capability to fly).

It’s additionally value contemplating the DJI Neo, one other tremendous tiny drone, versus the DJI Air 3S, which is a much more highly effective digital camera drone.

DJI Flip vs. Neo vs. DJI Mini 4 Professional vs. DJI Air 3S vs. DJI Osmo Pocket 3

So how do these drones (and, effectively, the Osmo Pocket) evaluate side-by-side?

The Flip is principally a candy spot product between the Air 3S and Neo. It’s fairly just like the DJI Mini 4 Professional however with what I usually take into account upgraded options (e.g. enclosed propellers, straightforward flight modes) that I’ll be curious to see if the Flip finally ends up canabalizing the Mini 4 Professional in reputation.

Easy methods to get your fingers on the DJI Flip

You don’t even should be affected person. If you happen to order right this moment, you gained’t have to attend lengthy as delivery begins right this moment. While you order, you’ll have the selection of some totally different configurations, that are:

• DJI Flip with RC-N3 controller: $439
• DJI Flip with DJI RC 2 controller: $639
• DJI Flip Fly Extra Combo: $779

While you buy the Fly Extra Combo, you get a couple of extras past what’s included within the DJI Flip with DJI RC 2 controller equipment. You do get that upgraded RC 2 versus the same old RC-N3, in addition to:

• Two extra batteries (3 complete)
• Parallel Charging Hub
• 2 extra propellers
• Shoulder bag

You even have the choice so as to add on DJI Care Refresh, which is DJI’s personal safety plan. It’s fairly complete and even covers unintended injury, together with flyaway, collisions and water injury. The catch? Paying for DJI Care Refresh doesn’t routinely get you a brand new drone. You’ll should pay a small extra cost, to have your broken product changed if an accident happens — which is DJI’s method of making certain you might have some pores and skin within the recreation.

DJI Flip: is it value it?

The DJI Flip is a superb entry-level drone for aspiring content material creators and rookies searching for a protected, easy-to-use system. Whereas it lacks a few of the superior options of higher-end DJI drones just like the DJI Air 3S, its foldable design, clever taking pictures modes, and integration with social media platforms make it a standout alternative for vloggers and vacationers. It would even push out the DJI Mini 4 Professional as any form of contender for drone decide.

Its safety-focused design makes it ideally suited for rookies, whereas its superior digital camera options attraction to creators looking for high-quality content material with out professional-level complexity. If security, simplicity, and social media content material are your priorities, the DJI Flip gives super worth.

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