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DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo Review: The Ultimate Crash-Proof Drone for Beginners?

There is a very specific type of anxiety that hits you the first time you launch a drone into the sky. You watch hundreds of dollars of delicate technology hover in the air, knowing that a single misplaced tree branch or sudden gust of wind could turn it into expensive plastic confetti. For years, that fear kept countless people from getting into aerial photography. You either bought a cheap toy that took blurry photos, or you spent a fortune on a massive professional rig that required actual flight training to operate.
DJI has been slowly dismantling that barrier to entry, but with the latest iteration of their sub-250g series—equipped with a fully omnidirectional sensing system and an expanded battery kit—they might have finally destroyed it entirely. This setup practically acts like a virtual safety net in the sky. It is built explicitly for the creator, the traveler, and the total novice who wants breathtaking aerial video without the heart palpitations.
I’ve spent the last few weeks tossing this tiny quadcopter into a backpack and flying it through forests, over beaches, and around crowded parks. From the intelligent tracking features to the sheer convenience of having extra batteries ready to go, the experience feels suspiciously easy. Let’s break down exactly what makes this beginner-friendly bundle such a massive leap forward for solo creators.
Key Features & Specifications
- Weight: Under 249 grams (Bypasses FAA registration requirements for recreational flyers).
- Camera Sensor: 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor with Dual Native ISO.
- Video Capabilities: 4K/60fps HDR, and stunning 4K/100fps for slow motion.
- Obstacle Sensing: Omnidirectional (detects obstacles from all directions).
- Tracking Technology: ActiveTrack 360° for cinematic, hands-free following.
- Social Media Ready: True Vertical Shooting (the camera physically rotates 90 degrees).
- Transmission Range: O4 Video Transmission (up to 20km in ideal conditions).
- Bundle Extras: Includes multiple batteries and a multi-charging hub.
Performance & Real-Life Use
Getting the drone in the air is one thing, but how the footage looks when you pull it onto your laptop is what actually matters. The 1/1.3-inch sensor punches way above its weight class. Taking it out during a vibrant sunset, the camera handled the extreme contrast between the bright sky and the dark ground beautifully, thanks to the 4K/60fps HDR capability. The colors are rich, the details are razor-sharp, and the footage requires very little tweaking in post-production.
One of my absolute favorite tricks is the True Vertical Shooting mode. If you create content for Instagram Reels, TikTok, or YouTube Shorts, cropping horizontal video destroys your resolution. On this drone, you tap a button on the controller, and the entire gimbal physically rotates 90 degrees. You get a full-resolution, uncropped vertical 4K file that is instantly ready to post. It is a massive time-saver for modern content creators.
Wind resistance is surprisingly robust for something that weighs less than an apple. While you wouldn’t want to fly it in a hurricane, it comfortably holds its position in breezy coastal conditions, keeping the video feed perfectly stable.
Design & Build Quality
Portability is the whole point of this series, and DJI continues to excel here. When folded up, the drone is small enough to fit inside a large jacket pocket or the side pouch of a hiking backpack. The folding arms feel rigid and durable, snapping into place with a satisfying, premium click.
The bundle usually pairs the drone with the RC 2 controller, which features its own built-in, ultra-bright screen. This means you don’t have to drain your smartphone’s battery or deal with incoming text messages interrupting your flight. You just turn the controller on, turn the drone on, and they pair instantly. The included shoulder bag keeps the drone, controller, and the extra batteries neatly organized and protected.
Ease of Use & Controls
If you can play a modern video game, you can fly this drone. The DJI Fly app is incredibly intuitive. When you want to take off, you literally just hold a button on the screen and the drone launches itself, hovering perfectly still a few feet off the ground waiting for your command.
What completely changes the game for beginners is the Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing. Older small drones only had forward and downward sensors. If you flew backward or sideways into a tree, it was game over. This model has fish-eye lenses watching every single angle. If you try to fly it into a brick wall, it will aggressively brake and hover in place, or smoothly bypass the object entirely. It takes the sweat out of flying in tight spaces.
Special Features: The Magic of ActiveTrack 360°
The standout innovation here is ActiveTrack 360°. Let’s say you are riding a bike down a trail and want the drone to film you. You launch the drone, draw a box around yourself on the controller screen, and put the controller away. The drone will now follow you.
But it doesn’t just trail behind you like a lost puppy. Using the new touch-trace interface, you can command the drone to swoop around you in a spiral, fly ahead and film you from the front, or pull back into a wide cinematic reveal—all while you are moving. Because the omnidirectional sensing is active the entire time, the drone will automatically bob and weave around tree branches and light poles as it orbits you. It is like having a professional camera operator floating in the sky.
Battery Life & Maintenance
A single battery gives you roughly 30 to 34 minutes of flight time, depending on how aggressively you fly and the wind conditions. However, getting the bundle with extra batteries is the smartest move you can make. Having three batteries total means you get well over an hour and a half of airtime.
The included two-way charging hub is a brilliant piece of engineering. You pop all three dead batteries into it, plug it into the wall, and it intelligently charges them one by one. Even better, if your phone or controller is dying out in the field, you can plug a USB cable into the charging hub and use your drone batteries as a giant portable power bank.
✅ Pros
- Omnidirectional sensing makes it practically impossible to crash.
- Sub-249g weight avoids complex aviation regulations in many countries.
- ActiveTrack 360° creates complex, cinematic tracking shots automatically.
- True Vertical Shooting is a game-changer for social media creators.
- Included extra batteries and charging hub eliminate range anxiety.
❌ Cons
- Very strong winds can still push the lightweight body around.
- Using larger “Plus” batteries (if purchased separately) pushes the weight over the 250g legal limit.
- The small sensor struggles slightly in extreme low-light conditions compared to larger, professional drones.
Who Should Buy This Product?
This bundle is custom-built for solo travelers, vloggers, and complete beginners. If you want to capture stunning aerial footage of your vacations but have zero interest in spending weeks learning how to manually pilot an aircraft safely, the tracking and sensing features do all the heavy lifting for you.
It is also a fantastic secondary drone for professional wedding videographers. The quiet operation and ability to shoot uncropped vertical video makes it a highly versatile tool for quick establishing shots without drawing a massive crowd.
Final Verdict
DJI has managed to cram their most advanced, high-end safety features into an aircraft that fits in the palm of your hand. The addition of full 360-degree obstacle avoidance transforms what used to be a stressful flying experience into pure creative fun. You are no longer worrying about the mechanics of keeping the drone in the air; you are only thinking about getting the best shot.
Opting for the bundle with the extra batteries and the screened controller is the smartest way to buy it. You bypass the frustration of having to land right when the light gets good, and you have a complete, ready-to-travel ecosystem right out of the box. If you have been waiting on the sidelines for a drone that is genuinely smart enough to keep itself out of trouble, your wait is officially over.
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