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DJI Air 3S: Aiming to be a top-tier camera-drone

dji air 3s aiming to be a top tier camera drone

From all the DJI consumer drone series (Phantom, Mavic Pro, Air, and MINI) that I tested and reviewed, I like the Air family the most. The Air lineup has the best balance between flight performance, camera capabilities, and price, and it gets better with every new generation. Apparently, the biggest upgrade of the Air 3S from its predecessor is the new 1″ sensor, which can reproduce more details.

The DJI 3S, as indicated by its name, is an upgrade to the Air 3, released last summer. Even with the slight name change, this is far from just a simple refresh. It not just has a new camera but also an improved obstacle avoidance system with advanced LIDAR system for safer night flights.

While both third-generation DJI AIR drones are powered by a 4S 4276 mAh Li-ion pack, the older non-S version has one minute longer air time (46 vs 45 minutes). The deference can come for the extra weight (724g vs 720g) and from the more powerful hardware. This weight-class puts them in the C1 category of drones.

DJI Air 3S: Dual-camera system

As mentioned, the DJI Air 3S features a dual-camera array with 24mm (35mm EFL) wide-angle and 70mm (35mm EFL) medium-telephoto options for easy switching. Both installed on the same 3-axis gimbal. The wide-angle camera has a 1″ 50MP CMOS sensor and the
medium-tele camera, a 1/1.3″ 48MP image sensor. Both cameras come with fixed-aperture lenses, so videographers should consider acquiring DJI’s ND filter set to achieve slower shutter speeds on sunny days.

Additionally, the cameras offer digital zoom, but this noticeably softens video quality. This feature is great for search-and-rescue missions, but otherwise, you should avoid using it to maintain the sharpness and clarity of your videos and photos.

1″ Primary and 1/1.3″ Telephoto Camera

The DJI Air 3S features 42GB of built-in storage, along with micro-SD expansion, ensuring you can capture all your footage during its maximum flight time of 45 minutes. You can easily transfer files wirelessly to your phone or connect via a USB-C cable to your computer.

Pricing, availability, and package options

The DJI Air 3S has been available for purchase since its announcement on October 15, 2024. The base kit, which consists of the drone, a flight battery and the RC-N3 controller, costs $1,099 / £959 / AU$1,699. There are also two Fly More Combo bundle kits available. These include the drone, three batteries, a 3-way charging hub, an ND filter set and a shoulder bag, in addition to a radio controller (RC N2 or RC N3).

Key features

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DJI Air 3S vs DJI Air 3: What’s new?

I’ve compared the key specs of the Air 3 and the Air 3S in the table below. Areas where one drone outperforms the other are highlighted in green.

Air 3S Air 3
Cameras Wide-Angle Camera: 1″ CMOS, 50MP Effective Pixels
Medium Tele Camera: 1/1.3″ CMOS, 48MP Effective Pixels
Wide-Angle Camera: 1/1.3″ CMOS, 48MP Effective Pixels
Medium Tele Camera: 1/1.3″ CMOS, 48MP Effective Pixels
Max video resolutions 4K/60fps HDR or 4K/120fps 4K/60fps HDR or 4K/100fps
Obstacle avoidance system 6D Nightscape Omnidirectional
Forward-Facing LiDAR
6D Omnidirectional
Battery life 45 minutes 46 minutes
Range FCC: 20 km
CE/SRRC/MIC: 10 km
FCC: 20 km
CE/SRRC/MIC: 10 km
Weight 724g 720g
Release date 15 October 2024 25 July 2023
Price $1,099 $1,099
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