DJI Mini 5 Pro Drone Allegedly Leaks Ahead of Official Reveal, Might Have LiDAR Sensors

The DJI Mini series has always been the choice for drone enthusiasts who want portability without compromise. The upcoming Mini 5 Pro promises to take that balance to new levels.

A 1-inch CMOS sensor is at the heart of the Mini 5 Pro’s camera system, a big jump up from the Mini 4 Pro’s 1/1.3-inch sensor. This bigger sensor should mean sharper images and better low light performance, perfect for capturing crisp landscapes at dusk or vibrant cityscapes at night. The camera shoots 4K at 120fps, so you can slow down fast motion without losing clarity. 48mm telephoto mode, likely achieved through in-sensor cropping, gives you more flexibility for tighter shots without having to fly closer.

Flight time is 36 minutes per battery, a small but welcome bump up from the Mini 4 Pro’s 34 minutes. That extra time gives you a bit more breathing room to frame the shot or explore a location without having to land. The drone has a 25km range thanks to the O4+ transmission system, so you can control it from far away.

Safety and navigation get a big boost with the addition of LiDAR sensors, a first for the Mini series. These sensors improve obstacle avoidance, especially in low light, perfect for dense forests or urban areas. Omnidirectional sensing also helps it dodge obstacles in any direction. ActiveTrack 360°, Waypoint, and Cruise Control are intelligent flight modes that let the drone follow subjects or fly pre-planned routes with minimal pilot input.

The gimbal is super flexible, with true vertical shooting and 225° rotation. That means you can capture tall structures or create social media ready vertical videos without having to crop. MasterShots, Night Mode, HDR and noise reduction round out the imaging toolkit so you can get professional results with less post production effort.

Portability is still a Mini series hallmark, the Mini 5 Pro is still super light and foldable. But a leaked box image raises questions about its weight. Unlike the Mini 4 Pro, the packaging doesn’t have the “less than 249g” label, so maybe the addition of LiDAR, a bigger sensor and more powerful motors has pushed it slightly over the 249g limit. Rumors suggest two battery options—a standard and a lighter one—which could help keep it under 249g for recreational flyers who want to avoid registration.

But availability is a big question mark. The China-US trade war might prevent the Mini 5 Pro from coming to the US, which is a bummer for American fans. DJI has been struggling to sell products like the Mavic 4 Pro in the US. For now, the drone is expected to launch in September 2025, a bit later than the earlier August 7 rumors.
[Source]