By Yadira B. Arnold 
DJI is one of the most innovative gadget companies on the market, which is constantly trying new things with its drones, such as a triple camera setup on the Mavic 3 Pro. With the launch of the mid-size Air 3 camera drone, the company has introduced a new trick called dual primary cameras. This means that the telephoto lens has the same specifications as the main camera, instead of being referred to a lower quality, as in the matter of the Mavic 3. This opens up new opportunities for pilots and gives them two options for creating film recordings.
It also has many improvements over Air 2 and Air 2S. It uses DJI’s new O4 transmission system, which greatly increases the range while bringing the waypoint function to aerial drones for the first time. It also has a significantly improved battery life and is significantly quieter. Otherwise, it corresponds to the Mavic 3 Pro functionality with all-round obstacle detection, focus tracking, hyper lapse and more.
However, some buyers might consider the 1/1.3-inch sensors to be a downgrade from the Air 2S’ 1-inch sensor. How is it compared to this model and how does it fit with the Mavic 3 Pro and Mini 3 pro models? I took him with my drone pilot friend to the Loire Valley in France to find out.
With a dual camera module on the front and a similar design, the Air 3 (more from Mavic in the name) is more like the Mavic 3 than the Air 2 and the Air 2S. It has the same frog-like design and folds up just like the Mavic 3, collapsing to a compact size on the go. The body has omnidirectional sensors for obstacle detection all around. For storage, it comes with the usual microSD storage location and has 8 GB internally, which is really just for emergency use. It is also considerably heavier than the Air 2S and weighs 720 grams out of 595.
At the same time, it borrowed some aero tricks from the Mini 3 Pro, especially the larger propellers, which reduce the noise to 81 decibels and make it almost inaudible when flying over 100 feet or so. The body is also more aerodynamic, which gives it a superior range in ahead flight and the ability to cope with stronger winds than previous models.
Much of the extra weight comes from the new 4,241 mAh batteries, which weigh 267 grams more than a whole Mini 3 Pro. They have almost the capacity of the Mavic 3 Pro’s batteries and significantly increase the running time of the Air 3 to 46 minutes, compared to 34 minutes on the Air 2S.
In real use, we saw flight times of about 35 minutes before the homecoming warning was triggered, depending on the flight style and the winds. This usually allowed us to fly for a whole day on three powered batteries. DJI has also introduced a new powering feature with the updated battery hub, which allows you to transfer power from two weaker batteries to the most powerd at the touch of a catch. This allows for longer flights if you are in a place where repowering is not available. The only drawback of higher capacity batteries is that the powering speeds are relatively slow.
Another important feature is the next-generation O4 video transmission system, which increases the range from 15 to 20 km (9.3 to 12.4 miles). The range of drones can be a big problem in Europe, as the laws significantly reduce the transmission power compared to the USA. To compensate for this, DJI has added a new frequency of 5.1 GHz in Europe, which seems to have a big impact on the range and transmission losses in difficult terrain, as we have seen in our tests in France.
In terms of handling and speed, the Air 3 offers a good compromise in the middle the stability of the Mavic 3 Pro and the agility of the Mini 3 pro. The latter makes it ideal for tracking fast-moving subjects such as set upain bikers and vehicles, but it is also stable in a steep breeze. When a subject is moving through trees, the obstacle avoidance with APAS 5.0 is exceptional and, thanks to the additional sensors, offers a lower peril of collision than with the Mini 3 Pro — especially on the side and at the rear.
All the functions of the DJI tent pole such as active runway, main strikes, quick strikes and time lapse are available on the Air 3 and work on both cameras. The active track, which is used to lock and track subjects, works similarly on both cameras. As with DJI’s other drones, it is generally reliable, but if you are chasing a set upain biker through trees, it may be delayed a little and the pursuit may fail without warning.
The features of quickstrikes like Dronie and Rocket are more interesting because the telecamera offers more privacy and drama. Obstacle detection is also practical there. Because the drone flies automatically as soon as you press “go” it’s easy to misjudge boundaries, so it’s good to know that it will give up if it gets a little too close.
In addition to these flight modes, DJI has added the Mavic 3’s waypoint flight mode to the Air series for the first time. It allows you to plan flight and camera movements in advance, allowing you to accurately repeat a flight for multiple strikes, time-lapse videos and more. It requires some learning and setup time, but gives consistent results. It also opens up creative possibilities, such as making a time lapse during the day and night, and then seamlessly mixing them.
With the Air 3, DJI introduced the new RC-2, DJI’s third screen controller after the RC and the RC Pro. It’s a good compromise in the middle the two, as it’s significantly inexpensive than the RC Pro for 1,200. At the same time, it has a brighter screen, a more substantial feel and more precise controls than the RC. It is available separately or as a bundle with the Air 3 Fly More kit. DJI also announced another new controller, the RC-N2, which is a refresh of the RC-N1, with the main advantage being the new O4 transmission system.