Review: DJI Flip

If you’re shopping for a compact entry-level camera drone, there’s no shortage of options available. And the truth is, most of the best options come from one brand—DJI. There's the recently released, low-priced DJI Neo, the DJI Mini 4K, the DJI Mini 3, and the DJI Mini 4 Pro (8/10 WIRED Recommended) to compare and contrast. And now, if that wasn't enough choice, they've been joined by the DJI Flip, a drone that fits in between the Neo and the Mini range and sports an all-new collapsible design.

The DJI Flip’s top-line features are its 4K camera (almost the equal of the much more expensive Mini 4 Pro’s), its 8.7-ounce (249-gram) ultralight build, and a front-facing sensing system, which enables it to avoid collisions while in autopilot and tracking a moving subject. And it's all priced at a mere $439 (£369), including an RC-N3 remote controller, which is significantly less than the $749 (£689) Mini 4 Pro, and not too much more than the (UK-only for now, sorry) £299 Neo Fly More Combo bundle that includes a controller.

But is the Flip's all-new folding design any good, can the camera keep up, and where does it fit in the ever-expanding DJI lineup? I took it for a fly to find out.

Into the Fold

I’ll start by heaping praise on the first-of-its-kind folding design, which I adore. All four of the Flip’s propeller motors fold down below its body, stacking on top of each other; the result is a slim pod that's straight from the Star Wars universe. It’s not that much smaller than a folded Mini 4 Pro, but the main advantage of this new method of folding is that it allows each motor to have its own incorporated prop guard—the circle of plastic that surrounds the propellers and prevents them from sustaining or causing damage in the event of a collision.

Most folding drones can’t use prop guards, or require them to be added on as optional accessories, so integrating them into the basic design feels like a big step forward for safety. I’d be much happier flying the Flip in a dense forest or indoors, or landing it on the palm of my hand than the Mini 4 Pro because if I did mess up it probably wouldn’t result in a destroyed drone or a sliced-up finger.

The black spokes on the prop guards are made from carbon-fiber string to keep the weight down, and despite a fairly broad unfolded wingspan of 11 inches (280 millimeters), the Flip’s total takeoff weight including a battery and microSD card is less than 8.7 ounces (250 grams). That’s key to its mass appeal because a sub-8.7-ounce (250-gram) drone is subject to far fewer flight restrictions than anything heavier. In the US there’s no requirement to register the Flip with the FAA for recreational use, while in my native UK, where drone laws border on draconian, it’s legal to fly in most public places for anyone with an operator ID (current price: £11.13 per year).

Of course, legal matters aside, the Flip being lightweight and compact makes it wonderfully portable—ideal for tossing in your backpack during day trips or weekends away. It can even be flown without a dedicated controller, either using a smartphone and the DJI Fly app (where it has a control range of about 50 meters) or completely controller-free, using the drone’s own tracking capabilities and automated flight modes.

Fear-Free Flying

Like the DJI Neo, the Flip is designed to safely take off from and land on the user’s hand, while a button on its side switches between the automated Intelligent Flight Modes, with a front-facing display and voice indication telling the user which mode is currently being used. Holding this same button launches the drone in the currently selected mode, whereupon it performs a move while filming the user, or follows behind the user as they walk, run, cycle, or skate. For most of these moves, the Flip returns to its take-off point once completing its shot, but when it's following you, if you walk up to it and hold your hand out it will land softly on your palm.

Unlike the Mini 4 Pro, which features full obstacle avoidance via multidirectional sensors, the Flip only has a downward vision sensor (for detecting landing spots and aiding in stability) and a front-facing infrared sensor to help prevent crashes into objects. The latter works very well, auto-braking in midair as it gets closer to walls, bushes, trees, etc. But obviously, if you pilot it backward, sideways, or upwards into something, there’s no sensor to stop the collision.

The Flip seems slightly less stable in flight than the Mini 4 Pro, perhaps on account of how its propellers are located. I’m not entirely sure of the reason, but I did notice that when flying into the wind the Flip struggled a lot more than I’m used to seeing with a DJI Mini, slowing down so much that it almost came to a complete halt at times. Propeller noise is also noticeably louder, so there are valid engineering reasons for paying a little more for the Mini 4 Pro.

While controller-free flight is fine for certain situations, I much prefer flying the Flip the old-fashioned way, with a twin-stick controller. DJI loaned me the Fly More Combo bundle ($779/£639) for this review, and it comes with a host of extras including the excellent RC 2 controller. The RC 2, which has an integrated touchscreen and several buttons, boosts control range into the kilometers and enables ultra-responsive, ultra-precise control of the Flip’s movements. Thanks to the large, bright touchscreen, it also makes changing settings or picking a subject for autopilot tracking much easier.

The Fly More Combo also comes with three batteries (each of which gives the Flip up to 31 minutes of flight time) rather than one, a hub able to hold four batteries at once (recharging them consecutively). and a robust shoulder bag able to accommodate itself and all of the above. I think it’s well worth the extra outlay if you plan on using the Flip regularly, but those who want a simple, affordable gateway to the world of camera drones can stick with the base package, which includes the Flip, an RC-N3 controller (which attaches to your smartphone), and a single battery.

Camera Quality

The camera is built around a 48-MP 1/1.3-inch Quad Bayer CMOS sensor capable of recording 4K/60p video in standard modes and 4K/100p video for slow-motion playback. It's mounted on a three-axis gimbal for stability and smooth movement. It can capture still photos in JPEG and/or DNG RAW format at 12-MP or 48-MP resolution, and for video supports HDR, 10-bit D-Log M, and HLG color profiles.

That's virtually identical to the camera on the DJI Mini 4 Pro, with the one key difference being the Mini 4 Pro’s ability to rotate the camera through 90 degrees to shoot native 4K 16:9 footage for social media and the like; the Flip can shoot 4K 9:16 footage, but only by cropping, which reduces the maximum resolution to 2.7K.

The Mini 4 Pro’s omnidirectional obstacle avoidance also boosts its camera functionality by supporting better, more responsive subject tracking, including for faster-moving subjects like cars and motorcycles. That’s just not possible on the Flip.

In terms of video and photo quality, however, it’s hard to see much difference between the two models. In comparison to the much pricier DJI Air 3S, sure, the Flip’s detail and dynamic range can seem lacking, but for a tiny drone in this price range I have no major complaints about its camera performance. The sample footage I’ve shot demonstrates its aptitude for strong dynamic range, sharp detail, and engaging, accurate colors; and compared to the DJI Neo the Flip’s images are far, far better.

People who already own a DJI Mini 3 Pro or Mini 4 Pro probably won’t see any advantage in swapping for the Flip. However, it might be the perfect choice for beginners looking to get into drone photography and videography, but who want a bit more quality and versatility than the ultra-affordable DJI Neo offers.

In short, the Flip is the best new entry-level drone on the market, and it comes highly recommended.