Should You Buy the DJI Mini 5 Pro in Canada?

[trisen1981]

There’s been a lot of debate around whether the Mini 5 Pro is really “micro” in Canada once you actually weigh it.

I went through this personally after moving from a Mini 4 Pro to Mini 5 Pro and put together a short video explaining how the rules are structured, what happens at 252 g, and why the answer isn’t as simple as “just register it.”

Posting for anyone currently on the fence or trying to decide if the Mini 5 Pro makes sense for them in Canada.

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[Chrislaf]

I have mixed feelings about the Mini 5 Pro. I appreciate the upgrades - the 1 inch sensor, lidar, and twist lock props, but am puzzled why DJI decided to release a drone that is clearly over the 250g weight threshold in most cases except in maybe a few exceptions. As you have pointed out in your video, since in most cases the take-off weight is above 250g it requires one to have at least a basic pilots license and the drone to be registered to be legal.

For me, unless I replace my Mavic 3 Pro with the inferior Mini 5 Pro there is no reason for me to get a Mini 5 Pro when I already have a Mini 4 Pro when I want/need a drone to fly where I cannot legally fly my Mavic 3 Pro.

Another issue is many other countries have rejected the sub-250g rating for the Mini 5 Pro similar to Canada so this could be an issue for travel.

Chris

 

[Nexus Dragoon]

If you want, I just found it a little pointless, the whole reason for getting a mini was to be under 250g, else you get the Air 3s. If you're going to be over 250, why not go for the extra camera or wait for the avata360

 

[trisen1981]

I have mixed feelings about the Mini 5 Pro. I appreciate the upgrades - the 1 inch sensor, lidar, and twist lock props, but am puzzled why DJI decided to release a drone that is clearly over the 250g weight threshold in most cases except in maybe a few exceptions. As you have pointed out in your video, since in most cases the take-off weight is above 250g it requires one to have at least a basic pilots license and the drone to be registered to be legal.

For me, unless I replace my Mavic 3 Pro with the inferior Mini 5 Pro there is no reason for me to get a Mini 5 Pro when I already have a Mini 4 Pro when I want/need a drone to fly where I cannot legally fly my Mavic 3 Pro.

Another issue is many other countries have rejected the sub-250g rating for the Mini 5 Pro similar to Canada so this could be an issue for travel.

Chris

That’s a fair take, and I largely agree.


The Mini 5 Pro is an impressive piece of hardware on its own, but the problem isn’t the upgrades - it’s how those upgrades collide with the 250 g boundary. Once you cross that line in real-world takeoff weight, the whole value proposition of a “Mini” changes.

Like you said, if you already own a Mini 4 Pro specifically to cover situations where a Mavic 3 Pro isn’t practical or legal, the Mini 5 Pro doesn’t clearly replace that role anymore. It starts overlapping with small RPAS territory instead of sitting cleanly below it.

The international aspect is also a good point. With multiple countries taking a stricter view on the sub-250 g classification, the Mini 5 Pro becomes less predictable as a travel drone compared to previous Minis.

That uncertainty - more than the specs themselves - is what made me dig into this topic.

 

[Dale D]

I have mixed feelings about the Mini 5 Pro. I appreciate the upgrades - the 1 inch sensor, lidar, and twist lock props, but am puzzled why DJI decided to release a drone that is clearly over the 250g weight threshold in most cases except in maybe a few exceptions. As you have pointed out in your video, since in most cases the take-off weight is above 250g it requires one to have at least a basic pilots license and the drone to be registered to be legal.

For me, unless I replace my Mavic 3 Pro with the inferior Mini 5 Pro there is no reason for me to get a Mini 5 Pro when I already have a Mini 4 Pro when I want/need a drone to fly where I cannot legally fly my Mavic 3 Pro.

Another issue is many other countries have rejected the sub-250g rating for the Mini 5 Pro similar to Canada so this could be an issue for travel.

Chris

When I bought my Mini 5 Pro in November 2025 (to replace my Mini 4 Pro) , the main reason was that I was worried about the upcoming USA DJI ban and wanted the larger sensor, obstacle avoidance, and LIDAR. Because I purchased the PLUS batteries, I knew from the onset that it would not pass the weight test. But you know what? I have NEVER been challenged by anyone- neither Karen, nor police. Since flying my first drone (Mavic Air 1 red} in 2015, not a single time have I been approached by anyone. I have flown in my own city (Miami) , most states, and on various travels (Madagascar, Kyrgyszstan, Africa, Poland, to name a few). I have made a real effort to stay within the law (no national parks, including most of Alberta and B.C.).
So I really think this 249 gram business is a moot point. I must admit, that ALL of my flying has been done with the utmost stealth. I search for flying sites with none to few people, I fly from under the shadows of trees, I fly from behind barriers. If I have the slightest hesitation, I do not fly. I don't think I am flirting the law. I am sure many in this forum will take umbrage with this declaration.


Dale

 

[trisen1981]

When I bought my Mini 5 Pro in November 2025 (to replace my Mini 4 Pro) , the main reason was that I was worried about the upcoming USA DJI ban and wanted the larger sensor, obstacle avoidance, and LIDAR. Because I purchased the PLUS batteries, I knew from the onset that it would not pass the weight test. But you know what? I have NEVER been challenged by anyone- neither Karen, nor police. Since flying my first drone (Mavic Air 1 red} in 2015, not a single time have I been approached by anyone. I have flown in my own city (Miami) , most states, and on various travels (Madagascar, Kyrgyszstan, Africa, Poland, to name a few). I have made a real effort to stay within the law (no national parks, including most of Alberta and B.C.).
So I really think this 249 gram business is a moot point. I must admit, that ALL of my flying has been done with the utmost stealth. I search for flying sites with none to few people, I fly from under the shadows of trees, I fly from behind barriers. If I have the slightest hesitation, I do not fly. I don't think I am flirting the law. I am sure many in this forum will take umbrage with this declaration.


Dale

I appreciate Dale you sharing that perspective, and I don’t think your experience is unusual - many long-time pilots have similar histories, especially those who are careful about where and when they fly.

What I was trying to explore in the video isn’t enforcement probability or personal outcomes, but how the regulatory structure interacts with the Mini 5 Pro’s positioning. Once takeoff weight is consistently above 250 g, the drone simply occupies a different category on paper, regardless of how often that line is tested in practice.

For some pilots, that difference may be irrelevant based on where and how they fly. For others - especially newer pilots, urban flyers, or those making purchasing decisions specifically to stay below the micro threshold - it becomes a meaningful consideration.

A comparison I often think about is speeding.

In Canada, most drivers routinely go ~5-10% over the posted limit, and enforcement is relatively rare at that margin - but that doesn’t mean the limit isn’t real, or that the risk is zero. The ticket may be unlikely, but it’s still possible.

I see the 250 g boundary in a similar way. Being at 252 g probably won’t trigger enforcement in most cases, but it does move the drone into a different category on paper. For some pilots, that risk is acceptable or irrelevant; for others, especially those buying a “Mini” specifically to avoid that boundary, it matters.

So why not to add EU like +-3% tollerance in the law itself for the drone weight?

My goal wasn’t to suggest that people are being stopped or challenged regularly, but to highlight that the Mini 5 Pro no longer cleanly fills the “low-friction micro drone” role that earlier Minis did. Whether that matters or not really depends on the individual pilot’s use case.

 

[Dale D]

I appreciate Dale you sharing that perspective, and I don’t think your experience is unusual - many long-time pilots have similar histories, especially those who are careful about where and when they fly.

What I was trying to explore in the video isn’t enforcement probability or personal outcomes, but how the regulatory structure interacts with the Mini 5 Pro’s positioning. Once takeoff weight is consistently above 250 g, the drone simply occupies a different category on paper, regardless of how often that line is tested in practice.

For some pilots, that difference may be irrelevant based on where and how they fly. For others - especially newer pilots, urban flyers, or those making purchasing decisions specifically to stay below the micro threshold - it becomes a meaningful consideration.

A comparison I often think about is speeding.

In Canada, most drivers routinely go ~5-10% over the posted limit, and enforcement is relatively rare at that margin - but that doesn’t mean the limit isn’t real, or that the risk is zero. The ticket may be unlikely, but it’s still possible.

I see the 250 g boundary in a similar way. Being at 252 g probably won’t trigger enforcement in most cases, but it does move the drone into a different category on paper. For some pilots, that risk is acceptable or irrelevant; for others, especially those buying a “Mini” specifically to avoid that boundary, it matters.

So why not to add EU like +-3% tollerance in the law itself for the drone weight?

My goal wasn’t to suggest that people are being stopped or challenged regularly, but to highlight that the Mini 5 Pro no longer cleanly fills the “low-friction micro drone” role that earlier Minis did. Whether that matters or not really depends on the individual pilot’s use case.

Not to belabor the point but I think that this rule mostly affects those of our British brethren. Many of their posts about weight. I find that flying in any non US country has become a drone pilot's nightmare if one is trying to get registered or a permit. I have given up tryinfg to get a permit for a Dolomites photo workshop in October. The web site will not even allow a download of the app that shows where I can fly. I had this same obstacle in trying to get "legal" Zimbabwe, (I finally succeeded but left the drone home). I could go on and on. The world is against drones in general, unless you are a Russian or Ukrainian soldier. People are now afraid of drones. Drones are now major weapons. My main fear is being arrested.

Dale

 

[Chrislaf]

My goal wasn’t to suggest that people are being stopped or challenged regularly, but to highlight that the Mini 5 Pro no longer cleanly fills the “low-friction micro drone” role that earlier Minis did. Whether that matters or not really depends on the individual pilot’s use case.

The Mini label no longer means 'sub 250g' and to some people and in some countries that makes a difference to stay legal.

With regard to the EU adding a + or - 3% tolerance, that is a solution but unless it is adopted worldwide which is unlikely then we are still left with the same problem. The best solution is for DJI to trim some weight off the drone or battery. For the existing model they could release a slightly lower capacity battery that brings the drone under 250g. That would possibly get me to upgrade from my Mini 4 Pro. I would still have the option for the Plus battery as I do on my Mini 4 Pro.

Chris