DJI Air 3 vs DJI Mini 3 Pro vs DJI Mavic 3 Pro
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46 minutes flight time. Active Track 5.0, dual cameras - The Air 3 is an impressive mid range drone.
DJI’s AIR 3 was recently announced - for most beginner drone pilots my pick remains the Mini 3 Pro as the drone to buy but, if you have been flying that drone for a while and have felt limited or plan to fly in windier conditions - the Air 3 offers some advantages and a nice bonus - a dual camera system with a 70mm lens in addition to the standard 24mm-ish wide view typically found on drones. 70mm might not sound like much but it provides a significant difference in the type of footage you are able to capture from a drone and your photos and video can look much more like you rented a helicopter. Both cameras use the same sensor size so the footage quality is excellent and matches as you switch between the two. Fun fact - this 70mm lens and sensor combo is the same as you get on the much more expensive Mavic Pro 3. You also get a drone that is as fast as the Mavic Pro 3, handles the wind and offers a newer transmission spec for increased range and a new remote that is even a little lighter than what is bundled with the Mavic 3 Pro. The only real downsides - The Air 2s provided a 1” sensor, the Air 3 returns to the smaller 1/1.3” sensor ( more similar to your smartphone sensor) but it does provide the two sensors and two focal lengths. You also have a much newer sensor in the Air 3 and all comparison I see show an AIR 3 providing excellent image quality. The other downside is the price has increased. The Fly More bundle is now $1549.
One more neat feature for travelers when you are away from a power source - stick 3 batteries in the multi-charger and the lowest two will start to charge the 3rd. I often land with 20% battery - it is the safest way to fly - and now being able to use that 20% to charge up the 3rd is smart!
I will have a complete pros/cons list out soon - if you ever have any drone questions feel free to just reach out. I am FAA 107 certified and I have been flying drones for almost a decade now -Does anyone remember the 3D Robotics drone? Yes - that was my first :) I have flown everything from the mini to the Inspire and I can help you decide which drone is right for you.
| DJI Mavic 3 Pro | DJI Mini 3 Pro | DJI Air 3 | |
| BUY LINKS -> | DJI Mavic 3 Pro | DJI Mini 3 Pro | DJI Air 3 |
| Starting Price | $2,199 | $759 | $1,099 |
| Takeoff Weight | 958 g | < 249 g | 720 g |
| Max Flight Time | 43 mins | 34 minutes (with Intelligent Flight Battery) 47 minutes (with Intelligent Flight Battery Plus) |
46 mins |
| Max Flight Distance | 28 km | 18 km (with Intelligent Flight Battery) 25 km (with Intelligent Flight Battery Plus) |
32 km |
| Max Ascent Speed | 8 m/s | 5 m/s | 10 m/s |
| Max Descent Speed | 6 m/s | 5 m/s | 10 m/s |
| Max Horizontal Speed (at sea level, no wind) | 21 m/s | 16 m/s | 21 m/s |
| Max Takeoff Altitude | 6,000 m | With Intelligent Flight Battery: 4,000 m With Intelligent Flight Battery Plus: 3,000 m |
6,000 m |
| Max Wind Speed Resistance | 12 m/s | 10.7 m/s | 12 m/s |
| Operating Temperature | -10° to 40° C (14° to 104° F) | -10° to 40° C (14° to 104° F) | -10° to 40° C (14° to 104° F) |
| Internal Storage | 8 GB | None | 8 GB |
| Image Sensor | Hasselblad Camera: 4/3 CMOS, Effective Pixels: 20 MP Medium Tele Camera: 1/1.3-inch CMOS, Effective Pixels: 48 MP Tele Camera: 1/2-inch CMOS, Effective Pixels: 12 MP |
1/1.3-inch CMOS, Effective Pixels: 48 MP | Wide-Angle Camera: 1/1.3-inch CMOS, Effective Pixels: 48 MP Medium Tele Camera: 1/1.3-inch CMOS, Effective Pixels: 48 MP |
| Lens | Hasselblad Camera: FOV: 84° Format Equivalent: 24 mm Aperture: f/2.8-f/11 Focus: 1 m to ∞ Medium Tele Camera: FOV: 35° Format Equivalent: 70 mm Aperture: f/2.8 Focus: 3 m to ∞ Tele Camera: FOV: 15° Format Equivalent: 166 mm Aperture: f/3.4 Focus: 3 m to ∞ |
FOV: 82.1° Format Equivalent: 24 mm Aperture: f/1.7 Focus: 1 m to ∞ |
Wide-Angle Camera FOV: 82° Format Equivalent: 24 mm Aperture: f/1.7 Focus: 1 m to ∞ Medium Tele Camera FOV: 35° Format Equivalent: 70 mm Aperture: f/2.8 Focus: 3 m to ∞ |
| Digital Zoom | Hasselblad Camera: 1-3× Medium Tele Camera: 3-7× Tele Camera: 7-28× |
4K: 2× 2.7K: 3× FHD: 4× |
Wide-Angle Camera: 1-3x Medium Tele Camera: 3-9x |
| Obstacle Sensing | Omnidirectional binocular vision system, plus an infrared sensor at the bottom of the aircraft | Forward, backward, and downward vision system | Omnidirectional binocular vision system, plus an infrared sensor at the bottom of the aircraft |
| Video Transmission System | O3+ | O3 | O4 |
| Remote Controller Live View Quality | 1080p/30fps, 1080p/60fps | 1080p/30fps | 1080p/30fps, 1080p/60fps |
| Max Transmission Distance (free of interference) | FCC: 15 km CE: 8 km | FCC: 12 km CE: 8 km | FCC: 20 km CE: 10 km |
| Max Transmission Distance (with interference) | Strong Interference: urban landscape, approx. 1.5-3 km Medium Interference: suburban landscape, approx. 3-9 km Low Interference: suburb/seaside, approx. 9-15 km Low Interference and Obstructed by Buildings: approx. 0-0.5 km Low Interference and Obstructed by Trees: approx. 0.5-3 km |
Strong Interference: urban landscape, approx. 1.5-3 km Medium Interference: suburban landscape, approx. 3-7 km Low Interference: suburb/seaside, approx. 7-12 km |
Strong Interference: urban landscape, approx. 1.5-4 km Medium Interference: suburban landscape, approx. 4-10 km Low Interference: suburb/seaside, approx. 10-20 km Low Interference and Obstructed by Buildings: approx. 0-0.5 km Low Interference and Obstructed by Trees: approx. 0.5-3 km |
| Battery Capacity | 5,000 mAh | Intelligent Flight Battery: 2,453 mAh Intelligent Flight Battery Plus: 3,850 mAh | 4,241 mAh |
| Charging Time | 96 minutes (using the included data cable of the DJI 65W Portable Charger) 70 minutes (using the DJI 100W USB-C Power Adapter and DJI Mavic 3 Series 100W Battery Charging Hub) |
Intelligent Flight Battery: 64 minutes (with the DJI 30W USB-C Charger and the battery mounted to the aircraft) 56 minutes (with the DJI 30W USB-C Charger and the battery inserted into the Two-Way Charging Hub) Intelligent Flight Battery Plus: 101 minutes (with the DJI 30W USB-C Charger and the battery mounted to the aircraft) 78 minutes (with the DJI 30W USB-C Charger and the battery inserted into the Two-Way Charging Hub) |
80 minutes (using the included data cable of the DJI 65W Portable Charger) 60 minutes (using the DJI 100W USB-C Power Adapter and Battery Charging Hub) |
| Compatible Remote Controllers | DJI RC-N1, DJI RC | DJI RC-N1, DJI RC | DJI RC-N2, DJI RC 2 |
