DJI Mini 4K Quadcopter Drone Camera Fly More Combo (3 Batteries)

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The DJI Mini 4K is a petite drone that weighs in at under 249 grams. That means this quadcopter doesn’t have to be registered with the FAA. Keep in mind that any accessories that tip the scales over 249 grams (like an extended battery) will require you to register. If you do need to do that, registration only costs $5 and remains valid for 3 years.

The Mini 4K packs easily because of its compact size and the fact that you can fold the rotors in. Despite the diminutive size, it’s designed to be used outdoors. The chassis is rated to withstand Level 5 winds up to 38kph. Brushless motors allow the Mini 4K to travel at a zippy horizontal top speed of up to 35mph. Maximum range under ideal conditions is up to 10,000km with 4,000m max altitude, although real world numbers are much lower. You really want to maintain line of sight at all times since the remote uses OcuSync technology. The stock battery will give you up to 31 minutes of runtime.

The package includes a DJI RC-N1 remote control. You strap a smartphone to it in order to feed video through DJI’s Fly app. Because this is a camera designed for beginners, it also has intelligent features to assist you in piloting the drone properly. Automated functions include one-tap takeoff and landing, GPS Return to Base (RTB), and stable hovering. The built-in 4K camera features a 3-axis gimbal for stable video. Framing and composing your shot is also straightforward thanks to an array of preloaded video techniques like Helix, Dronie, Rocket, Circle, and Boomerang.

There are two bundles you can choose from. For $269, you can get two extra batteries, which extends your total flight time by about one hour. The Fly More combo is an arguably better deal because for only $40 more, you get three batteries for 93 minutes of total flight time and a 2-way charger that charges all three batteries and the remote sequentially. It can even be used as a power bank to charge other devices. The Fly More combo also includes extra propellers.

The DJI Neo is even cheaper, lighter, smaller, and comes with propeller guards

DJI Neo 4K Quadcopter Drone Camera

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If you’re unsure of your piloting skills and are looking for an even more affordable and “crash-friendly” drone, then consider the DJI Neo. It’s also on sale today for $149, or $60 cheaper than the DJI Mini 4K. Like the Mini, the Neo can record in 4K video. It also has automated functions to get you started and built-in guards to protect your propellers from damage. What is lacks, however, is a built-in 3-axis gimbal, which instead replaces it with DJI’s “Rocksteady” electronic image stabilization. Since it’s much smaller, it’s also only rated for Level 4 winds, so make sure you only take it out in fair weather. It also doesn’t include the controller, instead you just use the app on your mobile device.

Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn’t hunting for deals for other people at work, he’s hunting for deals for himself during his free time.