DJI drones dominate The market is so big that you barely hear any other brands mentioned. They don’t exactly compete with themselves, but the DJI Air 3 does fill the gap between the professional-grade Mavic series and the pocket-friendly Mini series. The first new Air model since 2021’s Air 2S, DJI has done it again with a drone that delivers enhanced video performance and stress-free flying.
I’ve been flying the DJI Air 3 over the past few months and comparing it to a range of other drones, including its main competitor, the excellent Air 2S. The biggest improvement over older models is the multi-camera setup, previously only available on pricier Mavic models, but battery life and flight safety are also significantly improved.
twice as good
The main feature of the DJI Air 3 is its two cameras mounted on the front gimbal. There’s a “standard” wide-angle camera, which offers a 24mm equivalent field of view (roughly similar to the camera on the Air 2S), and a mid-telephoto camera, which offers a 70mm equivalent field of view. The latter offers a new creative option for drones, with angles that narrow the frame of smaller subjects and isolate them from the background in a new, dramatic way. A narrower field of view might not sound all that exciting, but it’s actually a significant upgrade.
Image source: DJI Innovations
Both cameras use a 1/1.3-inch Quad Bayer CMOS sensor with a resolution of 48 megapixels. What I like about these sensors is that they all capture video at the same quality, so it’s easier to give your footage a unified, harmonious look when editing, regardless of which part was captured by which camera.
The DJI Air 2S has a 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor, which might make the Air 3’s smaller 1/1.3-inch sensor sound a bit disappointing. But it doesn’t feel like a big loss. I understand DJI’s reasoning; two larger sensors would add weight and take up space. But all in all, I think the Air 3 has better image quality, wider dynamic range, and less noise.
The Air 3 does lose the ability to record video at 5.7K resolution, and both cameras are limited to 4K, but to be honest, I don’t think anyone will mind that much. For most casual users, 4K has more than enough detail.
4K shoots at up to 60 frames per second in standard video mode, up to 100 frames per second in slow-motion mode, and up to 30 frames per second in the new night mode, even in the sun. After descending the mountain, additional details can be captured. I also find the Flat D Log M color profile interesting as it allows me to do my own color grading and correction in post-production and achieve the results I want.
Photos (which can be taken in JPEG or DNG RAW format) look excellent, too, and while the Air 3 can’t match the Hasselblad three-quarters camera of the Mavic 3 that Wired recommends, it’s not far off, and it’s much larger. Smaller and much cheaper.
Fly safer and last longer
While buzzing around the beaches and headlands of Britain’s south-east coast, I found the Air 3 to be more forgiving and more enjoyable to fly than its predecessor (which was already forgiving and enjoyable). This makes collisions less likely thanks to a larger battery (46 minutes compared to the Air 2S’s 31 minutes, although actual usage is slightly lower for both drones) and a full omni-directional anti-collision sensor setup . The Air 3 now features forward, backward, up, down, and sideways sensors on the left and right sides that, in good light, can spot hazards and stop your drone from hurtling toward them. The darker the environment, the less reliable these sensors are, but it’s an invaluable feature that can save you blushes and your bank balance.
As with all DJI drones, the Air 3’s flight controls are intuitive and equipped with useful automation features. For example, you can tap one button on the controller to take off, then tap another button to bring the drone back and land it from any location. You can also define waypoints for fully autonomous flight and set the Air 3 to track a static or moving subject, keeping its camera pointed at that subject.