Potensic Atom 3 review: the best DJI Mini series alternative I've flown so far | Tech Radar

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Can’t buy the best-in-class DJI Lito X1 beginner drone? I tested the Potensic Atom 3 at length, and it’s the next best thing

The best alternative to DJI's beginner drones I've flown so far, and it's available in the US

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Potensic's best drone yet is a DJI alternative that's actually worth considering — and not just on paper, but in actual flight conditions. Sadly for the Atom 3, however, DJI has set the beginner drone bar impossibly high with the Lito X1, which costs about the same yet overall feels more polished with its slicker flight modes and obstacle avoidance. Still, I can absolutely recommend the Atom 3 for anyone looking for a DJI alternative.

+Editing latitude thanks to the flat P-Log color profile for video and RAW format photos

Editing latitude thanks to the flat P-Log color profile for video and RAW format photos

+Huge touchscreen controller (included in pricier RC PTD 2 Fly More combo)

Huge touchscreen controller (included in pricier RC PTD 2 Fly More combo)

-DJI Lito X1 has the performance edge, especially its tracking modes

DJI Lito X1 has the performance edge, especially its tracking modes

-Controller finesse for precise flight maneuvers requires lots of practice

Controller finesse for precise flight maneuvers requires lots of practice

-GPS signal issues within areas like forests can limit what flight maneuvers are possible

GPS signal issues within areas like forests can limit what flight maneuvers are possible

The best DJI drones in 2026 based on in-depth testing

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Many have tried and failed to produce drones to rival DJI's, but the Potensic Atom 3 is a DJI drone alternative that's actually worth considering — and not just on paper, but in actual flight conditions.

The folding quadcopter impresses with level 5 wind resistance and a 10% bigger battery than its predecessor, the Atom 2, making for robust flight performance even in tricky conditions. It's gargantuan RC PTD 2 touchscreen controller (in the pricier bundle) feels top-drawer, too.

Its 3-axis gimbal camera isn't half-bad, either — being equipped with a 1/1.3-inch sensor and offering 4K video up to 60fps in standard, HDR or Log profiles, slow-motion recording, and up to 50MP stills in RAW and JPEG.

The larger sensor, higher 4K video frame rates and bitrates, plus improved battery life and transmission range are all meaningful upgrades on the Atom 2, and make the Atom 3 a compelling DJI Mini rival, especially given Potensic's competitive pricing.

Despite a few handling issues (which I'll get into below), the Atom 3 could have pinched top spot in our beginner drones guide... six months ago. The bad news for Potensic is that the DJI Lito X1 is now in the picture, raising the bar for any would-be challengers.

For practically the same money, the Lito X1 is the slightly more polished drone overall — and it features object sensing, which the Atom 3 lacks, delivering this incredibly useful feature at a new-low price point (compared to DJI's Mini 5 Pro). Ultimately, the Lito X1 gives consumers so much for the money that the fight here feels unfair.

Would I still recommend the Atom 3? Absolutely. It's way better than the Ruko U11 Mini 4K, which we recently tested, and the next best thing for consumers who don't want, or can't buy, a DJI drone (US pricing is displayed on the Potensic website, suggesting it's available there, unlike new DJI products). Ultimately, Potensic's best drone yet is a highly capable beginner option — but it remains one big step behind the DJI competition.

The Atom 3 feels very much like a DJI Mini drone (Image credit: Tim Coleman)

Touchscreen RC3 controller bundle costs $424.99 / £499

Available now direct from Potensic and via Amazon; not available in Australia at launch

The Potensic Atom 3 is available now directly through Potensic's website and via Amazon in the US and the UK, but it's yet to hit stores in Australia.

Pricing varies considerably depending on the region and the bundle. In the UK, the base package costs £339.99, with the price rising to £579.99 for the Fly More Combo with RC PTD 2 bundle (which I tested), which includes two additional batteries, a charging hub, case, and the touchscreen RC PTD 2 controller in place of the standard smartphone-based remote.

US pricing starts at

At the time of writing, the Potensic Atom 3 is not available in Australia, but Potensic does have a dedicated Australia website which is the best place to check for future availability.

DJI's Lito X1 is the Atom 3's obvious rival, and it costs from £359 at Amazon UK, so just a little extra money gets you that drone's massively useful object-sensing feature. However, like other DJI drones, the Lito X1 is not available to buy in the US.

148 x 91 x 62mm / 5.83 x 3.58 x 2.44 inches (folded)

148 x 91 x 62mm / 5.83 x 3.58 x 2.44 inches (folded)

USB-C charging and Micro SD card slot, but no internal storage

The Atom 3's hard-plastic design is strikingly similar to recent models in DJI's Mini and Lito series of sub-250g folding quadcopter drones. It's a familiar formula — the drone folds down to a coat pocket-able size and, like most beginner models, weighs under 249g. Sub-250g drones are exempt from the strictest drone registration requirements in most regions, including the UK and US.

At the rear of the drone is a USB-C slot for charging the device directly, and for transferring images from the inserted micro SD card. The card slot is also at the rear — there's no internal storage.

I was able to transfer files directly onto a Mac Book Pro via that USB-C wired connection, but when I tried connecting the memory card directly my computer was unable to read it. Another option for file transfer is to download the desired files through the Potensic app, which is a reliable albeit slower process.

The Fly More Combo with RC PTD 2 bundle — the priciest of all the bundles

A clip-on cover ably protects the camera and gimbal mechanism when the drone isn't in use, and this is locked in place with a rear clip by stretching an elasticated band that connects the two (see above).

The Fly More Combo (with RC PTD 2 remote controller), which Potensic supplied for this review, comes with a padded zipped case that holds the drone, the charging hub with its two additional batteries, and the sizable controller. The case is notably larger than the one for the equivalent DJI Mini 4K bundle.

The touchscreen controller feels high-quality; the screen is huge, detailed, and provides a 1080p feed up to 60fps, with Potensic's latest Pix Sync 5.0 video transmission system boosting the range from 10km to up to 16km, and reducing latency to 150ms. In short, the on-screen feed is smooth and immersive beyond distances that you'll ever realistically fly over.

I found certain movements of the controller's joysticks a little jerky, which spoiled some of my footage, but with practice I was able to find the sweet spots of those controls for smoother moves.

The USB-C and micro SD card slots at the rear of the Atom 3

Potensic supplied me the dedicated ND filter kit. However, the lens guard in the press sample I received was glued in place, so I couldn't use these filters. Potensic assured me that retail units will be fine.

Potensic Atom 3: Features and flight performance

Battery life quoted at up to 40 minutes; the drone typically lasted around 20 minutes in real-world testing

No object sensing, just the usual downward-facing sensors for landing and takeoff

Decent selection of flight and tracking moves, but some have frustrating restrictions

Potensic quotes a battery life of 40 minutes for the Atom 3, which is an improvement over the Atom 2, thanks to a 10% (approx) higher-capacity 2,590m Ah unit, and on paper, this performance beats the comparable DJI; however, I didn't get close to this in real-world use.

The best battery performance I got during testing was more like 25 minutes on a calm day, while in windy coastal conditions I rarely, if ever, got more than 20 minutes. The drone's level 5 wind-resistance rating (19-24mph) seems fair, though — I used the Atom 3 in such conditions, and I found flight to be impressively stable and smooth, even if headwinds further drained the battery as I fought to bring the drone home when power was low.

When battery life drops to 10%, the drone automatically initiates landing (avoiding it simply dropping from the sky), so that's something to bear in mind, especially if you're flying over risky areas such as bodies of water.

The Fly More Combo includes three batteries and a charging hub

The Atom 3 has downward-facing sensors for takeoff and landing, with the useful Return to Home feature, but there are no front-, side- or rear-facing sensors, like you get with pricier drones equipped with omni-directional object sensing.

Six months ago I wouldn't have expected any more from a drone at this price point, but DJI has since brought object sensing to the much more affordable Lito X1. If Potensic is to go up a level, adding this incredibly useful feature is the logical next step for the Atom series.

Return to Home (RTH) worked flawlessly, with the drone automatically updating its position at takeoff — there's also an on-screen guide indicating where the RTH position is in relation to where the drone is in the air. It's possible to update the RTH position mid-flight, say if you move to a different location during flight and want it to land at your new location.

Downward sensors assist takeoff and landing, but there are no other sensors for obstacle avoidance

For regular flight, there are three speeds to choose from, with the Sport Mode being the quickest at 16m/s (horizontal), 5m/s ascent and 4m/s descent. It's not the quickest drone around, but it's zippy enough for beginner use.

I really did miss object sensing, given that I regularly fly in object-packed areas to capture dynamic footage, so I needed to be extra cautious about where I flew the drone. It is possible to get smooth and stable-looking footage, though, after much practice to get a feel for the controller's joysticks.

There's a good selection of DJI-style 'Quick Shot' flight moves, which perform an automated move using a selected subject as the reference point. To do this, you drag a box over the subject using the controller's touchscreen (or your smartphone's screen if using the basic controller). There are seven automated moves in all, including pull-away, rocket and boomerang.

I was happy to see three tracking modes too: Follow, Parallel and Spotlight, each of which keep your subject in the center of the frame as they move. 'Follow' tracks your moving subject from behind (though remember there's no object sensing), while 'Parallel' does the same but from the side. 'Spotlight' simply keeps the subject central as they move around the frame.

The tracking modes are hamstrung by several frustrating limitations, while the omission of object sensing further limits where you can fly. For example, to initiate Follow, the angle of the camera needs to be pointed down a certain degree — in other words the drone needs to be quite high up.

For me, the most dynamic 'follow' footage would be from a lower angle. It's possible to override the limit in the app's menu, which requires checking the option to say that propellor guards are installed (whether in reality they are or are not). Even with the options selected to free up the drone for tracking from a lower altitude, I regularly found that the drone reset itself, reimposing the restriction.

I also found that the tracking functions gave up altogether in less-open areas, when the GNSS (GPS/ GLOSNASS / Galileo / Bei Dou) signal was weak. One example was trying to get tracking video of myself biking in my local woods — the drone kept stopping just a second or so into sequences. I had no such issues in the same scenario when testing the DJI Mini 5 Pro (which also has omni-directional object sensing).

Those flight moves are great to have, but adding object sensing, and addressing the other limitations, would make them way more useful for dynamic footage.

Wider 24mm f/2.8 lens (vs 26mm f/1.8 lens of the Atom 2)

RAW stills and flat P-Log video color profile provide editing latitude

Video and photo quality are an upgrade from the older Atom 2, with the Atom 3's camera using a larger 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor that's comparable to those in the DJI Mini 4 Pro / Lito X1, rather than the Atom 2's 1/2-inch sensor. There's also a slight change to the lens — it's a wider 24mm f/2.8, where the Atom 2 uses a 26mm lens with brighter f/1.8 aperture, which somewhat counters the sensor-based advantage the Atom 3 has.

4K video recording up to 60fps can be done the easy way or the hands-on way, using the standard or detail-rich HDR profiles for ready-to-go footage, or the flat P-Log profile, which holds more detail in highlight and shadow areas, but which requires editing to taste later.

I tried all three profiles at 30fps and 60fps, and then took P-log footage to Adobe Premiere Pro for editing and compared the footage. There are incremental image quality gains when using P-Log, but on the whole I found myself happy with the quality of HDR footage, saving myself the editing hassle.

Same scene as before, but with the 2x digital zoom employed

Whereas manually adjusting exposure using exposure compensation kept the highlight details

The minimum focus distance doesn't allow for selfies!

In addition to 4K video, there's slow-motion capture up to 7x, but only in 1080p HD resolution. Meanwhile, stills are reasonable: 12.5MP as standard, or 50MP in the '8K' mode, with JPEG and RAW formats available.

Where photo quality impresses is in how much tonal depth is retained, although images benefit from a little sharpening afterwards. Another option for further increasing shadow and highlight detail is the 'bracket' mode, which combines multiple photos at different brightness values into one with a wider range of tones, but the standard mode already does a good job.

Interval and burst shooting modes are also included, while a panorama mode combines multiple images into one ultra-wide perspective that covers 180 degrees, with the drone automatically capturing multiple frames one after the other.

I'd say image quality is just about on par with the DJI Lito X1 / Mini 4 Pro, and it's clearly a cut above the recent Ruko model.

Competitively priced, but matched by the overall better DJI Lito X1.

Competitively priced, but matched by the overall better DJI Lito X1.

DJI-like build quality, immersive touchscreen controller (optional), no internal storage

DJI-like build quality, immersive touchscreen controller (optional), no internal storage

Stable flying, sticky controls, no obstacle avoidance, flight modes hit with limitations

Stable flying, sticky controls, no obstacle avoidance, flight modes hit with limitations

Smooth video even in windy conditions, decent 4K video quality, punchy HDR setting, and detailed stills. Digital-only zoom, though

Smooth video even in windy conditions, decent 4K video quality, punchy HDR setting, and detailed stills. Digital-only zoom, though

You're a US buyer and beginner pilot With the Lito 1 and Lito X1 unavailable in the US, the Potensic Atom 3 gives budget-conscious American buyers another option to weigh against older DJI models like the Mini 4K.

You want attractive footage straight out of camera, plus the option of flexible editing Attractive standard and HDR footage looks great, with no editing required, while a flat P-Log profile better enables editors to get the look they like from footage with wide dynamic range.

You plan to fly in places with lots of hazards The Atom 3 has no obstacle-avoidance safety features whatsoever, but the similarly priced Lito X1 does. Some of its flight modes, such as Follow, didn't work for me in obstruction-filled areas such as forests, either.

You want a super-cheap 4K drone The Atom 3 is the best DJI alternative for beginners, but the Atom 2 remains a decent buy for less, if you can live without the latest model's upgrades.

You want precise joystick control Even the pricier RC PTD 2 controller by Potensic lacks the finesse I've experienced with DJI's alternative controller, making cinematic movements a challenge.

DJI's Lito X1 is not available in the US, but for other regions it's the better pick over the Atom 3, for a similar price. Video and photo specs are similar, but the X1's flight modes are more polished and flight features are superior, including obstacle avoidance, which is lacking in the Atom 3. DJI has really made it tough for others to compete with the X1.

The Atom 3 is a solid upgrade over the Atom 2, with a larger sensor, high video frame-rates and 10-bit color depth with P-Log color profile. However, the Atom 2 offers a similar flying experience, and costs less.

I tested the Atom 3 in a range of conditions — in daylight and at dusk, and in both calm and windy weather

I shot video at every available resolution and frame rate combination, and still photos in all modes

I assessed battery life and wind resistance over several flights in various conditions

Potensic sent me the Atom 3 Fly More Combo kit with the RC PTD 2 touchscreen controller. The kit included the drone, battery hub with three batteries, controller, ND filter pack, spare propellors and a USB-C to USB-C charging cable.

I conducted multiple flights in daylight and in low light at dawn / dusk, and in both calm and particularly windy coastal conditions. I tried the various flight settings and modes, and regularly ran the three batteries down, making notes of real flight times and flight stability.

I took the same video sequences in the various color modes; standard, HDR and P-Log, and at 30fps, 60fps and 6x slow motion, and compared the 4K footage. I also tried the various photo modes, including RAW & JPEG capture, panorama and 8K (48MP) modes. I edited photos in Adobe Camera Raw and videos in Premiere Pro.

Tim joined the Tech Radar team as Cameras Editor in 2023 and has enjoyed more than 15 years as a tech journalist specializing in camera gear. He's previously worked at Amateur Photographer, for a photo accessory manufacturer and as a freelance photographer and video producer, with clients including Studio 44 and Canon. He also started a media team in Nairobi, Kenya, where he lived for a few years volunteering for a faith-based organisation. Tim is married, father of three children, and loves being active, primarily running since hanging up his football boots.

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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

• Can’t buy the best-in-class DJI Lito X1 beginner drone

• The best alternative to DJI's beginner drones I've flown so far, and it's available in the US