DJI Lito X1 review: the new best beginner drone, period | Tech Radar

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'A huge step up over the Mini 4K, and my favorite new beginner drone’ — the DJI Lito X1 quadcopter sets new standards, and it’s incredible value too

DJI supplants its own Mini 4K with this fantastic all-rounder

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While I wouldn't call the Lito a particularly thrilling or innovative drone, it's a brilliant option for those who want to get into aerial photography and videography without spending a fortune. With great image quality and safety features, particularly in the X1 model, plus longer battery life than DJI's other entry-level options, the Lito is a breeze to fly, while being capable of delivering eye-catching videos and photos anywhere thanks to its ultra-lightweight build. It's yet another high-quality drone from DJI, and excellent value for money.

+Great video quality for the price, especially with Lito X1

Great video quality for the price, especially with Lito X1

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DJI's Lito series represents the company's latest bid to own the entry-level camera drone market — and with the Lito X1 and the more affordable Lito 1, it's made a compelling case. Both are compact folding drones in the same pocket-friendly mould as DJI's Mini series, weighing under 250g and earning a C0/UK0 class designation that means you can fly them almost anywhere, including over people.

Out in the field, the Lito models impress on almost every front. Flight performance is smooth and stable; I flew in challenging coastal conditions in the UK and the drones held their own, and despite an 81d B noise rating, both models are surprisingly unobtrusive in the air.

Battery life is a high point too, with up to 36 minutes on a charge comfortably outpacing DJI's Neo 2 and other entry-level rivals. What really sets the Lito apart at this price, though, is its obstacle sensing: full omnidirectional coverage comes as standard on both models, while the X1 adds forward-facing Li DAR for even sharper hazard detection — a significant upgrade over the downward-only sensor on the DJI Mini 4K.

The DJI Lito X1 drone is well equipped and specced for the asking price. And its sister drone, the Lito 1, is even cheaper. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

On the camera front, both drones punch above their weight. The Lito X1's 1/1.3-inch sensor captures 10-bit 4K 60fps footage with D-Log M support and 14 stops of dynamic range, giving videographers real room to work in post. The Lito 1's 1/2-inch sensor is no slouch either, though it lacks that dynamic range, and isn't as comfortable in lower-light situations.

I'd recommend most buyers stretch to the X1; the small premium over the Lito 1 also gets you Li DAR, 10-bit shooting and 42GB of built-in storage, which is a lot of extras for a modest price jump. Neither drone is perfect: the digital zoom gets noticeably soft at its tightest setting, the X1 has a default tendency to overexpose, and neither camera can rotate to shoot vertical video natively.

At £299 / AU

Lito 1 priced from £299 / AU

The Lito series was introduced worldwide on April 23 2026, and is available to order now from DJI's website and other retailers – except in the United States where, as with all recent DJI products, there are no plans to bring it to retailers (although buyers may be able to acquire it through certain retailers on the grey market).

As mentioned above, there are two models available at launch: the barebones Lito 1, and the more premium Lito X1. These are priced at £299 / AU

The RC 2 controller and battery charging cradle are included in the Lito X1 Fly More Combo, alongside a small but well-designed sling bag. (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

The Litos are slotting in right at the bottom of DJI's drone range, alongside models like the Mini 4K, Neo 2 and Flip. In fact, I suspect the Mini 4K is about to be phased out in favor of the Lito, as the Lito is superior in every major respect, but the Neo 2 and Flip will remain, as they offer something a little different.

Is the Lito good value? Yes, in short — it's the same price as the Flip and more expensive than the Neo 2, but offers better battery life than both (significantly so, compared to the Neo 2) and better obstacle sensing than the Flip. In fact, the Lito X1 offers similar specs to the Mini 4 Pro (another drone that I believe may be on the way out of DJI's lineup) at a significantly lower price.

42GB of internal storage (X1 model only) plus micro SD slot

The Lito X1 and Lito 1 are virtually identical in design, with the only real physical difference being a (very) slight variation in the color of their plastic bodies. If not for that, and the product name displayed on their prop arms, the two drones would be impossible to tell apart.

The folding design is reminiscent of DJI's Mini series, and like those drones, the Lito weighs under 250g. As a result it's classed C0 in Europe and UK0 in the United Kingdom, meaning it can be flown almost anywhere, as well as close to and above "uninvolved" people. Additionally, the Lito's folding design means it's one of the few drones out there that I could genuinely say is pocket-sized – although we're talking trenchcoat pocket rather than jeans pocket here.

As with most of its drones, DJI supplies the Lito with a plastic cap to protect the camera and gimbal when they're not in use, but no carry case by default — you'll have to upgrade to the Fly More Combo if you want a bag.

In general, the drone is well built, despite its weight. The plastic used for the body is sturdy, with built-in feet/landing gear to prevent the sensors getting damaged when it's sitting on a surface; the propellers, however, are largely unprotected, so some care is required when handling.

The battery slides in and out from the back, which is also where you'll find the USB-C port and micro SD slot. The USB port can be used for charging and data transfer, while the micro SD slot supports storage. The Lito X1 also includes 42GB of built-in storage space, which can be supplemented with micro SD if required, but you'll need a micro SD card for the Lito 1.

The RC 2 and RC-N3 controllers supplied with the Lito are tried and tested models that we've covered in previous DJI drone reviews. Suffice to say they're solidly built and comfortable in the hand, and the RC 2 has a very impressive built-in touchscreen.

Quick Transfer uses Wi-Fi 6 to move files quickly to a mobile device

Both Lito 1 and Lito X1 offer omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, plus Li DAR on Lito X1

The Lito X1 includes a front-facing Li DAR sensor to help map complex environments and avoid collisions, even in low-light conditions (Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

Lito X1 has 1/1.3-inch sensor, while Lito 1 has 1/2-inch sensor

Lito X1 supports 10-bit video and D-log M color profile

Both drones shoot JPEG and DNG photos at 12MP and 48MP

Most of DJI's drones now record 4K video — even the bargain-basement original DJI Neo — but the Lito X1 and Lito 1 offer a better flavor of 4K than the existing entry-level Mini 4K model's 4K 30fps footage, captured from a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Lito 1 records 8-bit 4K 60fps video from a slightly larger 1/2-inch sensor (presumably the same one that's in the DJI Neo 2), while the Lito X1 records 10-bit 4K 60fps video using a 1/1.3-inch sensor (which I suspect is the same as the one in the DJI Flip, Mini 4 Pro and Avata 2). Both use a 3-axis gimbal to steady the camera as they shoot.

The Lito X1 also supports the flat D-log M color profile, offering a dynamic range of up to 14 stops when graded in post-production — something that's sure to appeal to demanding aerial videographers who enjoy tweaking their own footage to perfection. You can see both straight-from-the-camera and graded footage in my sample video above, and further down there's another video showcasing the Lito 1's camera which, while certainly a step down from the X1's, is no slouch itself, especially in good lighting.

I'm impressed with the results from both cameras, both video and 12MP/48MP stills (which can be captured in raw DNG as well as JPEG); the Lito X1 is especially noteworthy.

That being said, these are still entry-level models, and they can't match results from the likes of the DJI Mini 5 Pro or Air 3S. This is especially true when you attempt to 'zoom' in, which is where the sensors' small sizes shows their limitations. You can see examples in my videos, but the digital zooms on both Litos are somewhat disappointing. I also felt that the X1 had a tendency to overexpose its video by default, but even if this isn't tweaked in a future firmware update it's something the user can fix by adjusting the EV.

Overall, it's fair to say that the cameras on the Lito X1 and Lito 1 are really solid by entry-level standards, and a step up over what we've seen on the Mini 4K.

Both models are great value for their performance and camera quality.

Both models are great value for their performance and camera quality.

The folding quadcopter design is a classic for a reason.

The folding quadcopter design is a classic for a reason.

Strong by entry-level standards, particularly on the X1 model.

Strong by entry-level standards, particularly on the X1 model.

You want a superb entry-level option With 10-bit 4K 60fps video and Li DAR sensor, the Lito X1 is a huge step up over the Mini 4K, and our favorite new beginner drone.

You need longer battery life With up to 36 minutes of flight time per battery, the Lito beats DJI's other entry-level drones for stamina.

You want the cheapest good drone DJI's tiny Neo 2 is even cheaper, and it offers similar image quality to the Lito 1. Its battery life is only half as long, however.

You need the best image quality The Lito X1 has an excellent camera by entry-level standards, but you'll need a Mini 5 Pro, Air 3S or Mavic for sharp zoomed-in shots.

Both small and mighty, the Mini 5 Pro is the current ultralight king. Despite being the same size and weight as the Lito, this drone's 1-inch camera sensor makes it a much better performer for pixel peepers. You'll have to pay for that image quality bump, though – it's around three times the price of the Lito 1.

Even more affordable and lightweight than the Lito, the Neo 2 looks like a toy. But, while it's a ton of fun, it's a seriously impressive flyer, able to track fast-moving subjects while dodging obstacles and fly without a controller. It's upgradeable too, and can be turned into an FPV or long-range flyer with ease.

About a week before the official launch, DJI sent me both the Lito X1 Fly More Combo and the basic Lito 1 package (including the RC-N3 controller) to test. That gave me a few days to take both drones out and about for real-world flight and camera tests in a range of conditions.

I flew in both windy and calm weather, and was able to test the two drones' cameras in low-light conditions. I tested not only manual flight, but autonomous modes like Spotlight, Active Track and Master Shots, as well as assessing how DJI's battery-life and object-avoidance claims held up to real-world conditions.

After flying, I edited together the videos you see above using Da Vinci Resolve 20, including using LUTs and color correction for the D-log M footage I captured with the Lito X1. I also tweaked the DNG raw still photographs I took with both drones using Adobe Lightroom.

Sam has been writing about tech and digital culture for over 20 years, starting off in video games journalism before branching out into the wonderful worlds of consumer electronics, streaming entertainment and photography. Over the years he has written for Wired, Stuff, GQ, T3, Trusted Reviews and PC Zone, and now lives on the Kent coast in the UK – the ideal place for a camera reviewer to ply their trade.

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Key Takeaways

• News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets

• Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more

• Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards

• 'A huge step up over the Mini 4K, and my favorite new beginner drone’ — the DJI Lito X1 quadcopter sets new standards, and it’s incredible value too

• DJI supplants its own Mini 4K with this fantastic all-rounder