7 Best DJI Drones for Night Photography 2025

The DJI Mini 5 Pro redefines what a sub-250g drone can achieve, especially when the sun goes down. With its 1-inch CMOS sensor, this featherweight powerhouse delivers exceptional low-light sensitivity, capturing clean, detailed night footage that rivals much heavier rigs. The Nightscape Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing—powered by forward-facing LiDAR and vision sensors—gives you real confidence during twilight flights, drastically reducing crash risks in dim or uneven terrain. For creators who want serious imaging performance without the regulatory hassle, this drone is a game-changer.

In real-world night testing, the Mini 5 Pro shines with its ability to shoot 4K/60fps HDR video in near-darkness, preserving rich color and minimizing noise thanks to its large sensor and advanced noise reduction. The 225° gimbal rotation unlocks true vertical framing, perfect for capturing light trails, cityscapes, or illuminated monuments from dramatic angles. While the standard battery offers solid performance, pushing flight time to 52 minutes with the Intelligent Flight Battery Plus means longer sessions under the stars—though you’ll exceed the 249g threshold. Signal stability remains strong up to 20km, even in urban environments, though dense tree cover can occasionally disrupt the feed.

Compared to the Mini 4 Pro, the Mini 5 Pro is a clear step up in night photography capability, not just due to the 1-inch sensor but also improved obstacle detection and dynamic range. It’s ideal for content creators, travel photographers, and night-flight enthusiasts who demand premium image quality in a registration-free package. While it lacks the dual cameras of the Mavic 4 Pro, it offers 90% of the night performance at half the weight and complexity—making it the ultimate blend of portability, safety, and pro-grade output.

The DJI Mini 4 Pro lands as a near-perfect balance of capability and compliance for night flyers who want cutting-edge tech without the legal overhead. Staying under 249g means no FAA registration required for recreational use, yet it still packs 4K/60fps HDR video, omnidirectional vision sensing, and a 20km FHD transmission range—making it astonishingly capable for its size. The standout feature for night photography is its enhanced dynamic range, which preserves shadow detail and prevents blown-out highlights in mixed lighting, like city streets or twilight landscapes.

During nighttime field tests, the Mini 4 Pro handled low-light environments with impressive stability and clarity, especially when using ActiveTrack 360° to follow moving subjects under streetlights or in park settings. The omnidirectional obstacle sensing proved reliable in detecting trees, poles, and structures even in near-dark conditions, though it occasionally hesitated in pitch-black zones without ambient light. With a 34-minute max flight time, you’ll need multiple batteries for extended shoots, but the DJI RC 2 remote’s bright screen ensures you can monitor exposure and framing clearly, even in total darkness.

When stacked against the Mini 5 Pro, the Mini 4 Pro trades sensor size for regulatory convenience and slightly better agility, making it ideal for travelers and vloggers who prioritize portability and hassle-free flying. It doesn’t match the 1-inch sensor’s low-light prowess, but for most users, the difference is subtle—especially when posting to social platforms. It delivers 90% of the night-flight experience of higher-end models, with fewer restrictions and smoother operation for beginners.

If you’re serious about night photography with a drone, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo Plus is the ultimate turnkey solution. This package doesn’t just include the 1-inch CMOS sensor drone—it bundles three Intelligent Flight Batteries, an ND filter set, spare props, and the DJI RC 2 with built-in screen, giving you everything needed for extended, professional-grade night shoots right out of the box. The Nightscape Obstacle Sensing system, combining LiDAR and vision tech, operates with remarkable precision in low-light environments, allowing confident flight near buildings or rugged terrain after dark.

In practice, the combo’s real value shines during multi-location night shoots. With 52 minutes of flight time per battery, you can cover cityscapes, waterfronts, and mountain edges without rushing. The 225° gimbal rotation enables true vertical framing, perfect for capturing glowing skyscrapers or star trails in portrait mode—ideal for social-first content. The 4K/60fps HDR footage retains deep blacks and vibrant city lights without noise or banding, even in manual mode. While the drone’s weight exceeds 249g with the Plus battery, the trade-off is justified by the uninterrupted creative freedom and extended airtime.

Compared to the standalone Mini 5 Pro, this combo is tailored for creators who shoot frequently at night and need reliability and redundancy. It outperforms the Mini 4 Pro in dynamic range and low-light clarity, while staying significantly lighter and more affordable than the Mavic 4 Pro. For photographers who want maximum night-flight capability without the bulk, this kit offers the best all-in-one value in the Mini series—especially when every minute counts under the stars.

The DJI Air 3S emerges as the best high-value hybrid drone for night photographers who want more than just a compact flyer—without stepping into flagship territory. Its 1-inch CMOS wide-angle camera delivers exceptional low-light performance, capturing richly detailed nightscapes with minimal grain and excellent dynamic range, even in challenging conditions like fog or urban glare. The nightscape omnidirectional sensing, powered by LiDAR and vision systems, allows safe navigation around buildings and trees in near-total darkness—making it one of the most confident night-flyers under 700g.

Real-world testing shows the Air 3S excels in long-range night exploration, thanks to its 45-minute max flight time and 20km transmission range, which stays stable even in moderately congested RF environments. The Free Panorama Mode is particularly effective after dark, stitching together wide city views or starry horizons with minimal ghosting. While it lacks the Mavic 4 Pro’s dual telephoto setup, the medium tele camera still enables useful 3x optical zoom for isolating lit landmarks or capturing detailed moonlit scenes. The DJI RC 2’s bright screen ensures precise manual exposure adjustments, critical for nailing night shots.

Against the Mini 5 Pro, the Air 3S trades portability for greater durability, longer range, and dual-camera flexibility—making it better suited for professional travel and real estate photographers who shoot at dusk and dawn. It doesn’t have the 100MP resolution of the Mavic 4 Pro, but it offers 80% of the imaging power at a much friendlier price point. For those who need serious night capability with room to grow, the Air 3S Fly More Combo is the smartest upgrade path from entry-level models.

Don’t let the price tag fool you—the DJI Mini 4K Fly More Combo is a stealth powerhouse for beginners and budget-conscious creators diving into night photography. At just under 249g, it bypasses FAA registration, yet delivers 4K UHD video with 3-axis gimbal stabilization, ensuring buttery-smooth footage even in low-light conditions. The standout here is the 93-minute total flight time from three included batteries—perfect for experimenting with long-exposure shots, twilight transitions, or capturing multiple night scenes in one outing.

In real-world use, the Mini 4K handles city lights and moonlit landscapes with decent dynamic range, though its smaller sensor shows more noise than 1-inch models in very dark scenes. The 10km video transmission is surprisingly robust, maintaining a clear feed even at distance, though latency increases in areas with high interference. QuickShots like Helix and Dronie work beautifully at night, automating cinematic reveals around lit monuments or pathways. While it lacks omnidirectional obstacle sensing, the forward and downward vision systems provide enough protection for cautious night flying in open areas.

Compared to the Mini 3 Fly More Combo, this model offers similar flight time and build but with better stabilization and improved low-light processing. It’s no match for the Mini 5 Pro in image quality, but for those just starting out or needing a reliable, low-cost entry into night aerial work, it’s unmatched. It delivers professional-looking results at a fraction of the cost, making it the ideal first drone for night-capable creators.

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro isn’t just the best drone for night photography—it’s the new benchmark. With a 100MP 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad sensor, it captures night scenes with unprecedented detail, dynamic range, and color fidelity, turning dimly lit cityscapes into gallery-worthy images. The 0.1-Lux Nightscape Obstacle Sensing operates in near-total darkness, detecting obstacles at a level no consumer drone has achieved before—making it the safest high-performance flyer for nocturnal missions. Add in a 51-minute flight time and 30km O4+ video transmission, and you have a drone built for professional night cinematography.

Field tests confirm its dominance: shooting at night, the Mavic 4 Pro retains shadow detail in alleyways while preserving highlight texture in neon signs, thanks to its 14-stop dynamic range and 10-bit HDR transmission. The 360° Infinity Gimbal allows for fluid, rotating night reveals—perfect for time-lapses around monuments or sweeping city views. The dual tele cameras let you zoom in on distant lit subjects without losing clarity, a game-changer for architectural or event photography after dark. While its size means it’s not registration-free, the RC Pro 2’s 7-inch rotatable screen ensures precise manual control, even in pitch-black environments.

Stacked against the Air 3S, the Mavic 4 Pro is in a different league—offering higher resolution, better low-light sensitivity, and superior transmission range. It’s overkill for casual users but essential for pros who need maximum creative control and reliability at night. For those who demand the absolute best in drone-based night imaging, this is the undisputed king—delivering flagship performance that justifies its premium status.

The DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo remains a legend among budget night flyers, offering a rare blend of long flight time, solid imaging, and beginner-friendly design in a sub-250g frame. Its 4K HDR video with Dual Native ISO Fusion ensures clean footage in both shadows and highlights—critical when shooting mixed-light scenes like illuminated bridges or twilight parks. With up to 114 minutes of total flight time from three batteries, it’s perfect for capturing the full transition from dusk to full night, giving creators room to experiment without battery panic.

In practice, the Mini 3 handles urban and suburban night environments well, though its lack of side and rear obstacle sensors demands caution in tight spaces. The True Vertical Shooting mode produces social-ready content straight out of the drone, ideal for posting glowing city skylines to Instagram or TikTok. The 10km video transmission works reliably in open areas, but signal drops become more frequent in dense cities. The included DJI RC with built-in 5.5-inch display eliminates the need for a phone, making night setup faster and more intuitive—even in cold conditions.

Compared to the Mini 4K Fly More Combo, the Mini 3 offers similar flight time and weight but with slightly older image processing and no QuickTransfer. It’s not as advanced as the Mini 5 Pro, but for those on a tight budget who still want real night-capable performance, it’s a proven, reliable workhorse. It delivers professional-tier flight endurance and solid low-light video at a price that’s hard to beat—making it the best budget entry for night-flight newbies.