DJI Mini 5 Pro vs Mini 4 Pro Specs Favor the Newer Drone
In the DJI Mini 5 Pro vs Mini 4 Pro comparison, the Mini 5 Pro leads on reported specifications, with a 1-inch sensor, a forward light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensor and a 36-minute rated flight time.
The Mini 4 Pro is the safer pick for United States (US) buyers: DJI publishes its specification page and it went on sale in the US before the December 2025 cutoff.
Every Mini 5 Pro figure here comes from retailer and reviewer tables, since DJI's specification page for the Mini 5 Pro was not available to us.
Who Should Pick the Mini 5 Pro or the Mini 4 Pro
The DJI Mini 5 Pro is the stronger drone on reported specifications, and the DJI Mini 4 Pro is the lower-risk purchase for US buyers. Retailer and reviewer tables give the Mini 5 Pro a 1-inch 50-megapixel (MP) sensor, against the Mini 4 Pro's 1/1.3-inch 48 MP sensor.
The same tables add forward LiDAR, 4K video at 120 frames per second (fps) and a gimbal that rotates 225 degrees.
The Mini 5 Pro is also listed with 36 minutes of rated flight against 34 minutes for the Mini 4 Pro. Its reported wind rating is 12 meters per second (m/s), against 10.7 m/s for the Mini 4 Pro.
The Mini 4 Pro carries less uncertainty for a US buyer. DJI's own specification page lists a 20 kilometer (km) transmission range under Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules for the Mini 4 Pro. The Mini 5 Pro's FCC range is reported as 15 km by one retailer and 20 km by another, and reports say DJI does not officially sell the Mini 5 Pro in the US.
Pick the Mini 5 Pro if the larger sensor, LiDAR and 4K/120 slow motion matter more than a manufacturer-published specification sheet and a settled US sales channel. Pick the Mini 4 Pro if those two things matter more than the camera and sensing gains. For an existing Mini 4 Pro owner, the listed differences add up to a modest upgrade.
Every Mini 5 Pro figure on this page is reported by a retailer or reviewer. Where Heliguy, DroneXL and Maison du Drone disagree, this page marks the figure as not confirmed.
Specification Snapshot
The Mini 5 Pro leads the Mini 4 Pro on sensor size, video frame rate, gimbal rotation, wind rating and storage, while the Mini 4 Pro has the confirmed weight, confirmed FCC range and settled US status. Mini 4 Pro figures come from the DJI Mini 4 Pro specifications page. Mini 5 Pro figures come from Heliguy, DroneXL and Maison du Drone.
Both drones use a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. The video rows use high dynamic range (HDR) where a source lists it. Both drones are listed at 10 km of range under CE rules.
| Attribute | DJI Mini 5 Pro | DJI Mini 4 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Takeoff weight | 249 g (Heliguy) or 249.9 g (Maison du Drone); sources differ by 0.9 g | Under 249 g with battery, propellers and microSD card (DJI) |
| Sensor | 1-inch CMOS, 50 MP | 1/1.3-inch CMOS, 48 MP, 24 mm equivalent |
| Maximum video | 4K/60 fps HDR or 4K/120 fps | 4K at up to 100 fps (slow motion) |
| Gimbal | 225 degree rotation, 55 degree upward shooting | 90 degree true vertical shooting, 60 degree upward shooting (not like-for-like: rotation vs vertical-shooting angle) |
| Forward LiDAR | Reported yes (DroneXL, Maison du Drone) | Not listed; omnidirectional binocular vision plus a bottom 3D infrared sensor |
| Rated flight time, standard battery | 36 minutes (DJI claim, as reported) | 34 minutes |
| Maximum wind resistance | 12 m/s (DJI claim, as reported) | 10.7 m/s |
| Top speed | 18 m/s (DJI claim, as reported) | 16 m/s (as reported by Maison du Drone) |
| Maximum transmission distance, FCC | Not confirmed: 15 km (Heliguy) or 20 km (Maison du Drone) | 20 km |
| Maximum transmission distance, CE | 10 km | 10 km |
| Video transmission | O4+ | O4 |
| Built-in storage | 42 GB (DroneXL) | 2 GB |
| US availability | Not officially sold by DJI in the US; mostly third-party sellers | On sale before the December 2025 cutoff, as reported |
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs Mini 4 Pro Camera and Gimbal
The Mini 5 Pro has the larger reported sensor and the higher reported frame rate. Heliguy lists a 1-inch CMOS sensor at 50 MP for the Mini 5 Pro, while DJI lists a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor at 48 MP for the Mini 4 Pro. The resolution gap is 2 MP.
For video, Heliguy lists the Mini 5 Pro at 4K/60 fps with HDR or 4K/120 fps. DJI lists the Mini 4 Pro at 4K up to 100 fps for slow motion.
The gimbals also differ. Heliguy describes 225 degrees of rotation on the Mini 5 Pro, against 90 degree true vertical shooting on the Mini 4 Pro. These are different measures, so the gimbal figures are not like-for-like. Upward tilt runs the other way: Heliguy lists 55 degrees upward for the Mini 5 Pro and 60 degrees for the Mini 4 Pro.
DJI lists no telephoto lens on the Mini 4 Pro. Zoom is digital only, at 1 to 3 times on 12 MP photos and 4K video, and 1 to 4 times on full HD video. The Mini 5 Pro sources cited here do not list a zoom range.
DJI Mini 5 Pro vs Mini 4 Pro Flight Time, Sensing and Wind
The Mini 5 Pro is rated for 36 minutes on the standard battery, two minutes more than the Mini 4 Pro's 34 minutes. Both figures are DJI claims, reported for the Mini 5 Pro by DroneXL and Maison du Drone. The gap works out to roughly 6% more rated flight (2 divided by 34).
Rated flight times are manufacturer benchmarks. Hovering, climbing, wind and cold all cut them. DJI lists the Mini 4 Pro's maximum hovering time at 30 minutes, four minutes under its rated flight time.
Obstacle sensing differs in hardware. DroneXL and Maison du Drone report a forward-facing LiDAR sensor on the Mini 5 Pro. DJI lists the Mini 4 Pro with omnidirectional binocular vision sensing plus a 3D infrared sensor on the bottom, and no LiDAR.
Maison du Drone lists the Mini 5 Pro at 12 m/s of wind resistance and an 18 m/s top speed. DJI lists the Mini 4 Pro at 10.7 m/s of wind resistance, and Maison du Drone lists its top speed at 16 m/s. The Mini 5 Pro figures are DJI claims that no listed source has independently verified.
The Mini 5 Pro uses O4+ video transmission, according to DroneXL and Maison du Drone, while the Mini 4 Pro uses O4. FCC range is the one transmission figure in dispute. Heliguy lists 15 km for the Mini 5 Pro and Maison du Drone lists 20 km, so the Mini 5 Pro's FCC range is not confirmed.
Both retailers list 20 km under FCC rules for the Mini 4 Pro, which matches DJI's own page. DJI qualifies that figure as unobstructed and free of interference. Both drones are listed at 10 km under CE rules.
Storage also separates the two. DroneXL lists 42 GB of built-in storage on the Mini 5 Pro, and DJI lists 2 GB on the Mini 4 Pro.
Weight and FAA Registration
Both drones sit near the 250 g line that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) uses for registration. DJI lists the Mini 4 Pro's takeoff weight as under 249 g with the standard battery, propellers and microSD card. Heliguy lists the Mini 5 Pro at 249 g and Maison du Drone lists it at 249.9 g.
DroneXL reports that the Plus battery makes the Mini 5 Pro heavier than 250 g. A recreational flyer does not need to register an aircraft under 250 g. Any aircraft over 250 g needs registration and Remote ID, so a Mini 5 Pro flown with the Plus battery falls under both requirements.
Commercial flight under Part 107 changes the math for both drones. Any aircraft flown under Part 107 must be registered, whatever its weight. The FAA sets out the rules on its drone registration page and its Remote ID page.
US Availability of the Mini 5 Pro
The Mini 5 Pro is reported not to be officially sold by DJI in the US. Units reach US buyers mostly through third-party sellers. That leaves a US buyer without DJI as the direct seller for the Mini 5 Pro.
Sources disagree on the Mini 5 Pro's legal status after DJI was added to the FCC Covered List in December 2025.
The Mini 4 Pro went on sale in the US before the December 2025 cutoff, as reported, but US buyers should still verify the current FCC status and the seller.
Who This Comparison Is Not For
A buyer working under procurement rules that exclude Chinese-made aircraft should skip both drones. Both the Mini 5 Pro and the Mini 4 Pro are DJI products. The DJI alternatives guide covers drones outside the DJI lineup.
This page gives no price advice, and prices vary by seller.
What Would Change This Comparison
A DJI specification page for the Mini 5 Pro would settle the FCC range dispute. If that page lists 20 km, the Mini 4 Pro loses its one confirmed transmission edge. If it lists 15 km, the Mini 4 Pro keeps a 5 km FCC range advantage.
A confirmed US authorization for the Mini 5 Pro would remove the main reason to pick the Mini 4 Pro. A confirmed US ban would make the Mini 4 Pro the only option of the two for US buyers. Prices vary by seller, so the current price gap between the two models could also shift the upgrade case for a Mini 4 Pro owner.
How to Use This Comparison
Use the Mini 5 Pro column as reported figures and the Mini 4 Pro column as DJI's published figures. This comparison is built from published manufacturer specifications and retailer and reviewer spec tables, set side by side. Drone and Defense did not fly either drone for this page.
The practical takeaway is short. A buyer who wants the larger sensor, LiDAR and 4K/120 picks the Mini 5 Pro and accepts the open US status. A buyer who wants confirmed specifications and settled availability picks the Mini 4 Pro.
Open the DJI Mini 4 Pro specifications page and the Heliguy Mini 5 Pro vs Mini 4 Pro table, then ask the seller listing the Mini 5 Pro for its weight, FCC range and US status before buying either side of the DJI Mini 5 Pro vs Mini 4 Pro decision.
Drones and UAS FAQs
Is the Mini 5 Pro worth upgrading from the Mini 4 Pro?
The Mini 5 Pro is a modest upgrade over the Mini 4 Pro on reported specifications. Retailers and reviewers list a 1-inch 50 MP sensor against 1/1.3-inch 48 MP, forward LiDAR, 4K/120 video, a 225 degree gimbal, 36 against 34 minutes of rated flight and 12 against 10.7 m/s of wind resistance.
US buyers face conflicting reports on the Mini 5 Pro's legal status, and DJI is reported not to sell it officially in the US.
Is the Mini 5 Pro under 250 g?
The Mini 5 Pro is reported just under 250 g with the standard battery. Heliguy lists 249 g and Maison du Drone lists 249.9 g. DroneXL reports that the Plus battery pushes it over 250 g, which brings FAA registration and Remote ID into play for recreational flight, as set out on the FAA registration page.
Which has the better camera, the Mini 5 Pro or the Mini 4 Pro?
The Mini 5 Pro has the larger reported camera sensor. Heliguy lists a 1-inch CMOS sensor at 50 MP, against DJI's listed 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor at 48 MP for the Mini 4 Pro. The Mini 5 Pro also reaches 4K/120 fps against 4K/100 fps, and its gimbal rotates 225 degrees against the Mini 4 Pro's 90 degree vertical shooting.
Does the Mini 5 Pro fly longer than the Mini 4 Pro?
The Mini 5 Pro is rated for 36 minutes on the standard battery, two minutes longer than the Mini 4 Pro's 34 minutes. Both are DJI benchmark figures. Hovering, climbing, wind and cold all cut rated flight times.
Can you buy the Mini 5 Pro in the US?
The Mini 5 Pro is reported to be available in the US mostly through third-party sellers, and DJI is reported not to sell it officially there. Sources disagree on its legal status after DJI's December 2025 FCC Covered List addition. The Mini 4 Pro went on sale in the US before the December 2025 cutoff.