DJI Air 3 Overview – Is This the Drone for You? – Droneblog

Contains:

• DJI Air 3
• DJI RC-N2 Distant Controller
• 1 x Clever Flight Battery
• USB-C Cable
• Entrance Sensor and Gimbal guard
• 2 Spare Props
• Connection Cables

Air 3 RC-N2 Fly Extra Combo

Contains:

• DJI Air 3
• DJI RC-N2 Distant Controller
• 3 x Clever Flight Battery
• 3-Battery Charging Hub
• Shoulder Bag
• USB-C Cable
• Entrance Sensor and Gimbal guard
• 8 Spare Props
• Connection Cables

Air 3 DJI RC2 Fly Extra Combo

Contains:

• DJI Air 3
• DJI RC2 Distant Controller
• 3 x Clever Flight Battery
• 3-Battery Charging Hub
• Shoulder Bag
• USB-C Cable
• Entrance Sensor and Gimbal guard
• 8 Spare Props
• Connection Cables

Technical Specs

No evaluation can be full with out a record of technical specs. For these searching for exact specs, see under:

 » MORE: 21 Finest Lengthy-Vary Drones (2023-2024)

Air 3 & RC2 {Hardware}

Air 3 {Hardware} Overview

The Air 3 sports activities a totally overhauled and Mavic 3-like aggressive design. The Air 3 seems prefer it actually means enterprise.

Flying the Air 3 is a pleasant expertise, as it’s not solely fast, however it is usually very deliberate and managed in its flight.

Due to this, it’s straightforward for a newbie to choose up and fly, but in addition enjoyable for seasoned drone operators as properly.

An space the place the Air 3’s overhaul is felt is in how briskly it flies. As seen within the tech specs, the Air 3 can stand up to speeds of 46 miles per hour, when in sport mode.

Likewise, with an ascent and descent velocity of twenty-two miles per hour, the Air 3 is ready to shortly get out of the best way of most airborne hazards, corresponding to birds (fly straight as much as get away from them) or manned plane (descend to keep away from them).

New to the Air 3 is the addition of an omnidirectional impediment avoidance system.

Prior, the Air 2S had four-way directional sensing: entrance, again, upward, and downward.

With the brand new 360-degree safety, the Air 3 may even fly safely sideways.

With the Air 3 with the ability to fly sideways whereas remaining protected, the upgraded Lively Observe capabilities permit the Air 3 to trace from all 4 sides of an object, sure, together with the edges.

We’ll contact on this extra within the monitoring part of the evaluation.

The Air 3 has obtained an upgraded picture transmission system, Ocusync 4. This method is efficient as much as 12.4 miles.

Now, after all, we don’t advocate flying BVLOS (past visible line of sight), as that is unlawful in lots of international locations.

Nonetheless, with such a powerful transmission system the connection between the Air 3 and RC may be very robust and isn’t overly affected by various interference.

Doing lots of flying in city and downtown areas, the Air 3 dealt with these numerous areas fairly properly.

Even when flying amongst very tall and crowded buildings, the sign by no means ever faltered. I felt in management always.

Along with the transmission system holding a powerful sign, the picture streamed to the controller has elevated from 30fps to 60fps.

This won’t appear to be quite a bit, however while you view it, particularly on the DJI RC2, the upgraded video stream is impressively crisp, clear, and fluid.

Being barely bigger than the Air 2S and heavier as properly, the Air 3 festivals properly in increased wind gusts than any of the smaller drones from DJI.

The Air 3 is rated to face up to 26mph winds. Though I by no means flew it in gusts above 20mph, I’ve little question it could nonetheless fare properly within the excessive winds it’s rated for.

When flying it in gusts, the Air 3 did transfer round somewhat, nonetheless, as a result of gimbal being so strong, not one of the footage taken with it was affected within the slightest.

Final however not least, I’d like to say the sound of the Air 3.

Due to its redesign and the angle and dimension of the propellers, the Air 3 is a reasonably quiet drone, contemplating its dimension.

Soundwise, it actually sits between the Mini 3 Professional and Air 2S.

Flying in crowded downtown space parks and lakes, the Air 3 didn’t appear to boost any issues from these passing by, as many barely even acknowledged the Air 3.

As soon as within the air, nobody within the neighborhood even seemed its approach. As somebody who does lots of industrial work downtown, the Air 3 will get my approval.

» MORE: Finest Drones with Impediment Avoidance

Distant Controller

With the brand new Ocusync 4.0 transmission system comes new {hardware}.

To have the ability to accommodate and use the brand new O4 system, there are an extra 2 antennas added to the Air 3 distant controllers, these being the:

• RC-N2 (inner antennas)
• DJI RC2 (exterior flip ahead antennas)

That is the place somewhat irritation is available in.

As a result of the Air 3’s controllers have been made particularly for the Ocusync 4.0 transmission system, it’s not appropriate with some other distant controller that DJI at the moment has, particularly the DJI RC, RC-N1, or DJI RC Professional.

Likewise, none of DJI’s different drones are at the moment appropriate with the brand new DJI RC 2 or RC-N2.

What does this imply? In case you have an Air 2S, Mini 3, or Mavic 3 line, and buy an Air 3 and wish to fly it additionally while you exit, you’ll have to carry and use the Air 3-specific controller.

This provides bulk to any bag, bulk and inconvenience some don’t need to hassle with.

It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if DJI opens compatibility between both the brand new RCs and the older drones, or visa versa, the older RCs and the Air 3 and subsequent drones.

Just like the DJI RC, the DJI RC2 has an built-in 700-nit sustained brightness smart-screen which is pretty straightforward to see, even when flying within the vivid Central Florida solar that we have now right here.

At just a few hundred {dollars} greater than the RC-N2, the RC2 could also be properly definitely worth the cash spent, for the comfort of a vivid display screen with android in-built.

Concerning the RC-N2, it seems virtually precisely just like the RC-N1 and runs the DJI Fly app in the identical method on appropriate Android and iOS gadgets.

One of many advantages of proudly owning and utilizing the RC-N2 controller is that if in case you have a high-brightness sensible system (maybe utilizing it for the Air 2S, Mini 3, or Mavic 3), you may proceed to make use of it with the RC-N2.

» MORE: Is the DJI RC Controller Price it?

Batteries & Charging Hub

Due to the 46-minute flight instances, flying with the three batteries discovered within the Fly Extra Combo, the Air 3 flies for a really very long time.

In fact, when flying the Air 3 outdoors of DJI’s managed check surroundings, if flying right down to about 25% battery, the Air 3 can simply get about 32/33 minutes of utilization.

When flying the primary battery right down to 25%, the batteries lasted so lengthy that I used to be able to pack up and swap areas.

I used to be then in a position to fly at 3 or 4 extra areas by the point all three batteries have been at 25%.

Utilizing the charging hub’s energy switch function (extra on that shortly), I used to be in a position to practically replenish the primary battery, and fly some extra.

Concerning the brand new charging hub, it prices batteries sequentially and never concurrently, as with DJI’s different charging hubs.

Nonetheless, there may be an possibility that means that you can double-press the ability button (whereas the hub is unplugged) and switch the remaining energy from a number of batteries to the battery with the best remaining energy.

As an alternative of getting 3 partially powered batteries, now you can have one totally, or near a completely charged battery to your subsequent flight.

Much like the Mini 3 charging hub, the Air 3 charging hub permits for the charging of RCs or sensible gadgets of your selecting.

» MORE: Drone Battery Care (All You Have to Know)

Photograph & Video

As talked about earlier, the Air 3 has twin cameras, not in contrast to the Mavic 3 Professional, though these are a bit smaller at 1/1.3″ sensors.

The primary digicam is equal to 24mm with an f1.7 aperture.

Whereas the tele-lens digicam is equal to 70mm with an f2.8 aperture. Each of those cameras take the identical decision images and movies.

As will probably be seen under within the examples, I’m a fan of the 70mm digicam, particularly since its high quality is the very same because the 24mm digicam.

The 70mm digicam is good for getting nice shot views whereas sustaining a good way away out of your topic.

This, after all, provides an additional layer of safety towards those that would possibly present irritation on the sight of drones.

One thing many have scratched their heads over was DJI’s choice to make use of 1/1.3″ sensors as a substitute of both a 1-inch sensor and a 1/1.3″ sensor or twin 1-inch sensors.

To the typical eye, and even to many professionals, the back-lit stacked picture sensor on each cameras produces very clear and detailed photographs.

The photographs under have been taken with the Air 3 and Air 2S, at completely different instances of the yr and edited months aside.

Nonetheless, even so, the Air 3’s 1/1.3″ sensor did properly in contrast with the Air 2S’ 1-inch sensor.

With the f1.7 aperture 1/1.3″ sensor, the Air 3 additionally takes wonderful mixed-light photographs.

Right here we have now an instance of the sensor working properly simply previous to golden hour.

If you’re one which likes taking pictures vertically and posting to social media, the Air 3 has a vertical taking pictures mode (for each cameras), though vertical taking pictures is completed by cropping the horizontal picture, in-camera.

Whereas it does look good, it’s not true vertical taking pictures, as your entire digicam doesn’t rotate 90 levels and your entire sensor shouldn’t be getting used.

With the large f1.7 aperture, the Air 3 shoots great-looking nighttime video utilizing Night time Mode, which was launched with the Mavic 3.

In Night time Mode, the ISO threshold is elevated from 6400 max to 12800, whereas additionally making use of a little bit of noise discount in digicam.

The Air 3 shoots video at 4k as much as 100fps and slow-motion in 1080p at 200fps, all of which could be carried out in 10-bit utilizing the D-Log M shade profile, which is less complicated to color-grade than the earlier D-Log shade profile.

The Air 3 additionally gives 10-bit HLG (HDR) filming for elevated dynamic vary.

Monitoring

With every successive iteration of DJI drones these days, there may be an rising curiosity in Focus Observe, extra particularly, Lively Observe, which is a part of the Focus Observe mode.

For the uninformed, Lively Observe offers totally autonomous flight monitoring of topics: folks, land automobiles, watercraft, and many others.

With the Air 3’s addition of an omnidirectional impediment avoidance system, full Lively Observe capabilities are lastly open to the Air sequence.

With this technique, the Air 3 can observe an individual or topic from any angle, whereas this could possibly be problematic within the Air 2S.

Whereas the system is improved, the Air 3 often has issues anticipating the place a topic will find yourself if falling out of the body of view.

This occurred to me a few times when using my mountain bike behind a bunch of palm bushes.

Nonetheless, the Air 3 did impress me when it adopted me via a cover of bushes and completely navigated its approach via, over, and beneath overhangs and branches, all in dimmer mild, all whereas by no means shedding sight of me.

I by no means favored having to make use of clever flight modes, or Lively Observe, as I didn’t like letting go of the management sticks.

Nonetheless, having the added safety of the sideways impediment sensing has made me somewhat bolder in my Lively Observe taking pictures and I discover myself utilizing it even on consumer shoots when attainable.

Ought to You Improve

As an Air 2S proprietor and somebody who has been flying the Air 3 for some time now, the Air 3 is a worthy improve to the Air 2S.

If you’re searching for twin cameras (24mm and 70mm), prolonged battery life, quicker all-around velocity, and full 360-degree impediment safety, then the Air 3 is for you.

Nonetheless, if the 1/1.3″ sensor is a no-go, we’d counsel photographs on-line taken with the twin digicam system and see if the shortage of a 1-inch sensor will actually impression your, or your consumer’s wants (if doing industrial work).

If not needing to enlarge photos for printing functions, you simply would possibly discover the Air 3 will work.

In the event you already personal a Mini 3 Professional and love your true vertical taking pictures, small footprint, and sub-250g weight, however nonetheless need to add one thing bigger to your fleet with a greater digicam, you then would possibly need to skip the Air 3 altogether and get a Mavic 3 traditional, which has the entire options of the Air 3, minus the twin cameras.

Moreover, the distant(s) you at the moment personal will work with it.