DJI is further subdividing its drone lineup with the DJI Mini 3. This small drone costs less than $500, but incorporates some features of the $760 DJI Mini 3 Pro (such as vertical video recording and HDR), but is priced closer to the $449 Mini 2.

Like all of the DJI drones I tested, the Mini 3 flew effortlessly and its 4K camera took great photos and video. Plus, with the right battery, it can fly for nearly an hour, the longest of any drone of its size; read the rest of the DJI Mini review to see if this model hits the sweet spot between price and features.

The DJI Mini 3 is available today (December 9) and comes in several configurations:

For the purposes of this review, DJI sent us the pricier of the two Fly More Combos, which includes a DJI RC remote controller with its own built-in display. They sent me the higher priced one; the DJI RC-N1 remote has no screen and requires the use of a cell phone instead.

The Mini 3 looks just like DJI's other small drones. Folded up, it fits nicely in the hand, weighs a feather-light 249 grams, and does not need to be registered with the FAA The Mini 3 is the same warship gray as DJI's other drones. [Like the company's other drones, the Mini 3's arms fold down for flight, a camera attached to a three-axis gimbal hangs out front, and two forward-looking eye-like sensors are just above it. [Just above that is a microSD card slot and a USB-C port.

The Mini 3 has some of the DJI Mini 3 Pro's most notable features (primarily, the ability to shoot vertical video). Pressing a button on the remote control rotates the Mini 3's camera 90 degrees

. For example, the more expensive model can record 4K video at up to 60 fps, whereas the Mini 3 does so at up to 30 fps. Additionally, the Pro can capture 1080p slow-motion video at 120 fps. The Pro models also have front, rear, and downward-facing sensors to avoid objects in flight.

Like the Mini 3 Pro, the Mini 3's camera can rotate 90 degrees to take portrait-oriented photos and videos. This is useful for those who plan to use the drone on social accounts such as TikTok, where vertical videos are the norm. It has also proven to be really useful when trying to take pictures of very tall objects, such as skyscrapers or trees.

The 4K video I shot with the Mini 3 was crisp and clear. On the late fall day I flew the drone, it accurately captured the reds and yellows of the few trees that still had leaves, and the bright green grass on the grounds stood out among the brown and gray trees.

While not as capable of tracking subjects as DJI's more expensive Mavic series, the Mini 3 has several flight modes called QuickShots that allow the drone to lock onto a subject and fly away from a person in a pre-set pattern. This has been around for several years and is not new, but it is fun to use; the Mini 3 does not have as many sensors as the Mini 3 Pro or Mavic 3, so you have to be careful where you use QuickShots.

The Mini 3 can fly for up to 38 minutes and up to 51 minutes with the extended flight battery. The Mini 3 Pro can fly for up to 34 minutes and up to 47 minutes with extended flight batteries.

With a normal battery, we were able to keep the Mini 3 in the air for about 30 minutes, but flight time depends on how the drone is flown, hover time, and ambient temperature.

Anything longer than 30 minutes is great, and drones that can stay in the air for up to 40 minutes are becoming more common these days.

While DJI touts the Mini 3's Pro-like features as its main selling point, I would argue that the Mini 3's amazing flight time (with extended battery) is one of the best reasons to get this drone. Also, bloggers and influencers who want to film themselves will love the ability to shoot vertical video at a much lower price than the Mini 3 Pro.

If you want to save money on some of the best drones, we recommend the DJI Mini 2, which starts at $449, or the DJI Mini SE, which costs just $299. But if you want a great balance of features and price, the Mini 3 is definitely a drone to consider.