When you first see the Sky Rover X1. The X1 is the latest entry into the competitive world of sub-250 g drones, and at first glance, it looks strikingly similar to DJI’s Mini 4 Pro, which has pretty much become the gold standard in this category.
But are they really in the same league, or is the X1 just another flashy clone? Today, we’re diving deep into both of these ultra-light drones—feature by feature, flight by flight. Whether you’re a casual pilot, a content creator, or a pro looking for a reliable backup drone, you’ll want to see how these two stack up.
Table of Contents
Design & Build Quality
Let’s start with the basics—size and weight. Both drones come in under 250 grams, which means they avoid registration requirements in many countries. That’s a major selling point, especially for travelers, beginners, or anyone who wants to stay legal without extra paperwork.
Sky Rover X1
The Sky Rover X1 is a compact, foldable drone that feels both solid and lightweight. It features forward-facing obstacle sensors, two rear sensors, and downward sensors, enabling 360° omnidirectional obstacle avoidance. The drone also includes a USB-C charging port and a microSD card slot. However, it lacks built-in internal storage.
DJI Mini 4 Pro
The DJI Mini 4 Pro includes 8 GB of built-in storage, something the Sky Rover X1 lacks. The Mini 4 Pro also carries over DJI’s signature design language, with a slightly more polished feel. It features upward sensors in addition to front, rear, and downward ones, giving it an advantage in complex vertical environments. DJI’s design is also cleaner, with better integration of vents, lights, and seams.
Both drones are similarly portable, but DJI’s build feels more refined overall. There are also key structural differences between the two. The Sky Rover X1 has different sensor placements, no LED landing light, a different shell finish, and a unique camera cover. More importantly, the X1 does not support lens attachments or ND filters, which is a limitation for creators who rely on them to control shutter speed and exposure.
Camera Capabilities
Camera-wise, this is where things get really interesting. On paper, both drones are nearly identical. They each use a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor with an f/1.7 aperture, and both can record 4K video at 60 frames per second. They also support 4K at 100 frames per second for slow-motion capture.
Sky Rover X1
The Sky Rover X1 goes a step further with a flat color profile for post-production flexibility and an impressively effective night mode that delivers well-exposed footage in low-light conditions. One standout feature of the Sky Rover X1 is its rotatable camera, which enables true vertical filming using the full sensor. This is a major win for social media creators producing content for platforms like TikTok or Instagram Reels.
DJI Mini 4 Pro
The DJI Mini 4 Pro matches nearly all of these features but adds important refinements. It supports HDR video, D-Log M, and HLG color profiles for more advanced grading. Its color tuning is also superior straight out of the box. Unlike the Sky Rover X1, the Mini 4 Pro accepts ND filters and polarizing lenses, giving you full creative control. For professionals or serious hobbyists, that level of flexibility makes a real difference.
Fight Performance
Sky Rover X1
The Sky Rover X1 uses a system called Skybridge, rated for a maximum range of 15 km. While you’ll never actually fly that far, what really matters is signal strength—and in that regard, it performs reliably.
DJI Mini 4 Pro
The Mini 4 Pro is rated for 20 km and is widely regarded as one of the most reliable transmission systems in the industry. It provides low latency, high-definition live video, and consistently stable performance.
Obstacles Avoidance & Smart Fight
Sky Rover X1
The Sky Rover X1 includes full obstacle avoidance with sensors on the front, back, and bottom. These sensors are active in Scene and Normal modes but are disabled in Sport mode. Users can customize the avoidance behavior to either stop when an obstacle is detected or attempt to bypass it.
The drone also features a failsafe Return-to-Home function, which automatically activates when the battery is low or the signal is lost, bringing the drone back to its takeoff point with solid accuracy.
DJI Mini 4 Pro
The DJI Mini 4 Pro takes things a step further with upward sensors and APAS 5.0. This allows it to avoid obstacles more effectively and even reroute itself automatically to continue flying smoothly. Its Return-to-Home system is more precise and can navigate around obstacles with greater accuracy.
DJI also offers customizable Cruise Control, enabling smooth, hands-free cinematic shots. Overall, DJI’s system feels more advanced and refined, though the X1 still performs well—especially considering its price point.
Intelligent Features & Models
Sky Rover X1
The Sky Rover X1 comes with a full suite of intelligent flight modes. FocusTrack includes Point of Interest, Spotlight, and ActiveTrack for subject tracking. Waypoint Missions allow you to set and save custom flight paths, with support for KMZ files. The drone can also capture panoramas that auto-stitch in the app, record hyperlapses, and even respond to gesture controls for selfies. Impressively, these features work reliably in real-world flights—not just on paper.
DJI Mini 4 Pro
The Mini 4 Pro includes all of these modes and takes them further. It offers ActiveTrack 360°, MasterShots, QuickShots, and more advanced waypoint tools with customizable camera angles and smoother transitions. DJI’s automation is also more refined, featuring improved gimbal movement and more reliable object recognition during tracking.
Battery & Controller
The X1’s batteries are not cross-compatible with DJI—both physically and digitally, they are locked out. Its charger supports parallel charging for three batteries but lacks USB-A ports for charging accessories. This setup works for most users, but if the brand disappears, obtaining replacement batteries could become impossible—a situation that has occurred with other short-lived clone brands like Specta.
DJI Mini 4 Pro
DJI, on the other hand, offers ecosystem longevity. Its batteries are supported across multiple retailers, and the Mini 4 Pro supports optional extended-flight-time batteries—though these do push the drone over 250 g. The controller is solid, compact, features removable sticks, and includes cables for USB-C and Lightning. It even feels slightly more ergonomic than DJI’s RC N1.
DJI also provides options: the RC N2 for use with your phone or the RC 2 with a built-in display. Their system is better integrated and offers more customization, giving users greater flexibility overall.
Final Verdict or Conclusion
The Sky Rover X1 is marketed as an affordable alternative to the DJI Mini 4 Pro, but its lower price comes with trade-offs. Reviewers have noted that the X1’s app closely resembles DJI’s Fly app, and the drone may even use DJI’s FlySafe API backend. Originally listed under a different brand, this has raised questions about long-term support and brand reliability.
The X1 delivers solid performance, a capable camera, and smart features at a lower cost, but you’re trusting an unproven brand. DJI, in contrast, offers a polished experience, reliable long-term support, and ecosystem options—but US import restrictions could affect availability.
The Sky Rover X1 is a tempting value option if you’re willing to take a risk on an untested brand, while the DJI Mini 4 Pro remains the safer choice for long-term reliability and professional use.
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