DJI launches 1-inch-sensor Mini 5 Pro drone in Japan

Overview

On September 17, 2025, DJI JAPAN Co., Ltd., the Japanese subsidiary of Shenzhen-headquartered consumer drone maker DJI, announced the DJI Mini 5 Pro, a new compact camera drone. Its headline feature is a 1-inch, 50-megapixel CMOS sensor, which Japanese technology media described as a world first for a mini camera drone of this class. The aircraft weighs approximately 249.9 g, and the drone alone is priced from 106,700 yen (tax included) in Japan.

Background

DJI was founded in Shenzhen in 2006 and has become one of the best-known names in consumer drones worldwide. Its products are used not only for aerial photography but also for infrastructure inspection, agriculture and many other applications. The Mini series, valued for being light and easy to carry, has been especially popular with hobbyist aerial photographers and video creators.

Shenzhen has identified the "low-altitude economy", which includes drones, as a priority industry, and DJI is regarded as one of its flagship companies. In Japan, meanwhile, unmanned aircraft weighing 100 g or more have had to be registered with the national government since June 2022, so the new model is subject to registration and flight rules. For Japanese users, therefore, the appeal of a light airframe lies mainly in portability and ease of handling rather than in any exemption from the rules, and pilots are expected to check the applicable procedures before flying.

Key Points

• Sensor: a 1-inch, 50-megapixel CMOS sensor with a maximum ISO of 12,800.
• Video: 4K/60fps HDR video with up to 14 stops of dynamic range, 4K/120fps slow motion, and 10-bit H.265 recording in D-Log M and HLG.
• Shooting features: a new 48 mm medium-telephoto mode, 225-degree roll rotation for vertical shooting, and ActiveTrack 360° subject tracking.
• Safety: forward-facing LiDAR, front and rear fisheye lenses, plus downward vision sensors and a 3D infrared sensor enable omnidirectional obstacle sensing, including at night. The drone also carries L1 + L5 dual-band GNSS.
• Flight time: up to 36 minutes with the standard battery and up to 52 minutes with the high-capacity Intelligent Flight Battery Plus.
• Data transfer: Wi-Fi 6 transfers at up to 100 MB/s and Bluetooth remote wake-up through the DJI Fly app.

Package	Price (tax included)
DJI Mini 5 Pro (drone only)	106,700 yen
Fly More Combo (with DJI RC-N3)	128,700 yen
Fly More Combo (with DJI RC 2)	150,480 yen
Fly More Combo Plus (with DJI RC 2)	158,180 yen

What It Means for Japan–Shenzhen Exchange

The fact that a Shenzhen-developed hardware product was presented in Japan with a full yen price list on the day of its announcement suggests that Shenzhen companies regard Japan as one of their important markets. Compact drones are finding a widening range of uses in Japan as well, from promotional footage of tourist destinations and the documentation of local communities to content creation for social media.

Because Japan requires aircraft registration and compliance with flight rules, attention is also turning to after-sales support such as user information and training. Japanese companies, for their part, have strong technology in image sensors, batteries and electronic components, and how the relationship between Shenzhen's finished-product makers and Japan's component and materials industries develops is likely to attract continued interest.

Outlook

Reports at the time of the announcement did not give details of the shipping schedule or sales channels in Japan. Prices and availability may change over time, so the latest information should be confirmed through DJI JAPAN's official announcements. How changes in drone regulations and market conditions in various countries will affect future product rollouts also remains to be seen.

From the Association

The Association continues to follow the business activities of Shenzhen technology companies in Japan. We will keep working to share information on Shenzhen–Japan exchange through products and technology.