It won't be long before budget-conscious buyers can get their hands on the non-pro version of the Mini 3 drone with some units already on shelves.

The drone has already been teased for a 9 December release but it hasn't been 100 per cent confirmed by DJI so far. Except, some people in the United States have already started to spot the drone in local stores carrying a price of $859.99 for the Fly More combo.

That would definitely suggest that a release is just around the corner and it looks increasingly unlikely there will be any big unveiling. Rather, it now seems likely that DJI will simply drop this thing via press release.

While there's no denying that $860 isn't cheap, it's still a better proposition for many when compared with the $1,098 that drone lovers have to spend to get into the Mini 3 Pro Fly More combo, to be sure.

That Fly More combo means that buyers of the Mini 3 will get three batteries, but there are features missing from the Mini 3 Pro as you'd expect. It appears there are no front-facing obstacle sensors, and the 6.2-mile (10km) range is less impressive than the 7.4 miles (12km) that the big boy Pro can muster.

With DJI expected to announce this thing officially in just a few days, we can expect to learn much more about what it can and can't do soon enough.