The Question Everyone Keeps Asking

"Which one's actually better, the DJI Mini 4 Pro or the SkyRover X1?" It's easily one of the most common questions in the drone community right now. Reviewer KULT knows the feeling well. A few months back, SkyRover sent him a brand-new X1 to test, and it won him over almost immediately — enough that he genuinely felt it could stand in for a DJI drone. He was so satisfied, in fact, that he never bothered picking up a Mini 4 Pro, and even shelved plans to upgrade to the Mini 5 Pro. For everything he needed, professional work included, the X1 simply held its own.

But once that first review went live, the comments didn't stop. Viewers kept asking how the X1 stacked up against DJI's Mini 4 Pro — and a few even floated a theory that had been circulating online: that SkyRover might actually be a DJI-backed brand, created to sidestep the U.S. import restrictions on DJI products. After spending real time with the X1, KULT admitted the theory wasn't easy to dismiss. The hardware, the interface, the whole experience felt strikingly familiar.

Curious enough to settle it for himself, he decided to run a proper side-by-side comparison.

A Brand-New Mini 4 Pro? The Price Tag Said No

Setting out to buy a DJI Mini 4 Pro, KULT hit the usual wall: a new unit starts north of $650, and the Fly More Combo pushes close to $1,200. For someone already happy with the X1, that price felt hard to justify.

He checked secondhand marketplaces too, but prices there weren't much better — and plenty of the used units on offer weren't in great shape.

That's when he came across RenewDrone, a platform specializing in officially refurbished DJI drones. Through it, he picked up a DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo — in near-mint condition — for around $500. That number suddenly made a lot more sense, without the guesswork of a random secondhand listing.

Design and Build: Practically Twins

Once he had both drones in hand, the resemblance was hard to ignore.

• Aside from color (DJI in gray, SkyRover in yellow), the obstacle-avoidance camera layout and overall weight are nearly identical
• Both gimbals tilt for vertical and standard 16:9 shooting
• The folding mechanism and in-hand feel are virtually the same
• The only visible difference is subtle: SkyRover's body is a touch more rounded, while the Mini 4 Pro has slightly sharper edges

KULT put it plainly — the two drones feel like they came from the same product family. It's exactly the kind of detail that fuels the "same company" speculation.

The Real Gap Is in the Camera Specs

Hardware-wise, it's nearly a wash. But on paper, the camera gives the Mini 4 Pro a genuine edge:

• Both drones use a comparable 1/1.3-inch sensor
• The DJI Mini 4 Pro supports 10-bit color and D-Log shooting, which means significantly more room to grade footage in post
• The SkyRover's raw image quality is close, but without D-Log, there's less latitude to recover detail or push the color grade

Controller Experience: Built-In Screen vs. Phone Required

The controllers tell a slightly different story. The Mini 4 Pro ships with a smart controller that has a built-in screen — power it on and you're flying, no phone needed. The SkyRover unit KULT tested still required plugging in a phone to get the video feed through the app, which adds a small step before takeoff.

That said, SkyRover has already released a newer version with its own built-in-screen controller — visually almost identical, just finished in black — so this gap is closing fast.

Real-World Test: A Sunset Face-Off

To really put both drones through their paces, KULT flew them back-to-back over the same Los Angeles skyline at sunset, capturing matching shots for a direct comparison.

In the air, the two are nearly indistinguishable — similar noise levels (the SkyRover was arguably a touch quieter), and comparable handling and responsiveness.

The real difference shows up in color science:

• The SkyRover's footage comes out more saturated, with punchy, immediately eye-catching colors straight out of the camera
• The Mini 4 Pro leans more natural and true-to-life, which gives editors more room to fine-tune in post

KULT's takeaway: this is more a matter of taste than a clear win for either side. If you want vibrant, ready-to-post footage without spending time color grading, the SkyRover's punchier look might actually suit you better. If you're shooting something like real estate, where accurate color matters, the Mini 4 Pro's natural palette and extra grading headroom give it the edge.

The Refurb Surprise

Here's the part that stood out most: this was KULT's first time buying a refurbished drone, and the experience left an impression. The Mini 4 Pro he received through RenewDrone performed and looked essentially indistinguishable from a brand-new unit — no cosmetic wear, no performance compromises.

For anyone on a budget who still wants flagship-level DJI image quality, an officially refurbished unit is an option that's easy to overlook — and, based on this experience, shouldn't be.

Bottom Line: Which One Should You Get?

If you value post-production flexibility and shoot for professional use, the Mini 4 Pro is the safer bet. If you're newer to flying and want great-looking footage straight out of the box, the SkyRover X1 holds its own. And if budget is the deciding factor, a certified refurbished unit — with near-new condition at a meaningfully lower price — might be the smartest call of all, rather than agonizing over which brand-new drone to buy.

This article is based on a hands-on review by drone reviewer KULT.
Watch the full video above for the complete flight footage comparison.