Review: DJI Air 3S

The latest addition to DJI’s lineup of consumer drones, the dual-camera DJI Air 3S (Starting at $1,699), is equipped with a 50MP 1-inch CMOS primary camera and a 48MP 1/1.3-inch medium telephoto camera, bringing high resolution to this tiny drone.

Sporting impressive specs including 4K/60fps HDR video, advanced obstacle sensing, and up to 45 minutes of flight time, the Air 3S offers astounding image quality as well as an array of safety features.

ActiveTrack 360° and nightscape obstacle avoidance mean the Air 3S is capable of safe operation at night and - thanks to a robust set of ND filters - can produce sharp and dynamic images even in the middle of the day.

Weighing in at only 724g of takeoff weight, the DJI Air 3S makes for a neat addition to any camera bag that allows amateurs and pros alike to safely take to the skies, at a price point that is very much down to earth.

First impressions

Out of the box, the DJI Air 3S is a new sight but similar feeling for veteran users of DJI products: a neatly packaged bundle of drone, remote controller, parts and accessories, immaculately presented and well-built.

Opting for the Fly More Combo kit, in addition to the Air 3S, you’re presented with the DJI RC 2 featuring a 5.5-inch 1080p 700-nit high-bright screen, an ND filter set, two additional batteries, a battery charging hub and a shoulder bag.

All seasoned drone pilots are well-familiar with the necessity of keeping batteries charged. With the Air 3S, even this routine task (and the first port of call after unboxing) is a pleasure.

The Air 3S’s Battery Charging Hub supports PD fast charging and a “power accumulation function”, allowing the transfer of the remaining power of multiple low-power batteries into the battery with the highest remaining power. A neat green status light on each battery indicates charging status as the hub charges each of them sequentially.

While the batteries and RC charge via USB-C, you can get well-acquainted with the drone itself.

Popping the cap off the gimbal reveals two vertically-mounted lenses - a 1-inch CMOS primary camera (50MP) for landscapes and wide shots and a 1/1.3-inch CMOS medium telephoto camera (48MP) with 70mm lens, ideal for portraits and close-up shots.

Both cameras support up to 14 stops of dynamic range.

As with most drones in the DJI lineup, the Air 3S’s arms come neatly folded but satisfyingly pop into place when unfolded.

Imaging

Like its little sibling the Air 3 and bigger sibling, the Mavic 3 Pro, the Air 3S is capable of very impressive shooting quality. The primary camera shoots 4K/60fps HDR and 4K/120fps video and 10-bit D-Log M color mode, with the medium tele camera supporting the same video specs for consistent footage.

The “free Panorama” mode creates seamless, expansive panoramic shots and improved video compression in the Air 3S has reduced file sizes by 30% without losing quality. 2.7K vertical shooting, MasterShots, QuickShots, and Hyperlapse are all supported.

Included in both the fly more combo kits is a ND filter set (ND8/32/128) allowing for further creativity in a variety of lighting conditions.

The ND filters clip on easily and once you’ve paired this with your fully charged batteries and navigated the sign-up process either in the app on your phone or on-screen in the case of the RC2, you’re good to take flight.

Ergonomically and interface-wise, the Air 3S will be a familiar sight and sound to previous DJI pilots as the commands and button layouts are all largely unchanged or at the very least reminiscent of previous builds.

The 700-nit high-bright screen of the RC2 is impressively bright even in broad daylight and is tack sharp, allowing you to get a good sense of the quality of imagery that the drone is capturing.

Safety, assistance & subject tracking

The Air 3S is the first DJI drone to feature forward-facing LiDAR, while also sporting a downward infrared time-of-flight (ToF) sensor and six vision sensors.

This array of sensors gives the Air 3S what DJI calls “nightscape omnidirectional obstacle sensing”, allowing it to automatically identify and avoid obstacles during its flight and return paths.

While the Air 3S sports technically advanced safety features, it also brings similar specs to its shooting assistance features like tracking.

ActiveTrack 360° keeps subjects in frame, even with partial obstructions and a new subject focusing feature keeps subjects in sharp focus, even during manual flight.

Flight automation is also possible with Waypoint Flight and Cruise Control allowing preset flight paths and camera actions.

Transmission and storage

We’ve all been there. Standing on the water’s edge at sunrise, batteries fully charged, not a breath of wind and…. SD card still sitting on the desk at home. A stand-out spec for the Air 3S is its internal storage.

In comparison with the Air 3’s and Mavic 3 Pro’s 8gb, the Air 3S can store a much more practical 42gb for those ah-dang-I-left-the-SD-at-home moments.

Powered by DJI O4 FHD technology, video transmission is supported for 1080p/60fps up to 20 km. The Air 3S also supports file transfers to smartphones or computers, even when the drone is powered off.

The wrap-up

The DJI Air 3S builds on its predecessors in several ways; offering improved image quality, enhanced safety and operability and never before seen features in DJI drones, making this new addition to the family testament to DJI’s on-going innovation.

LiDAR offers a significant leap in mitigating the risk of collision for the Air 3S, which will undoubtedly make this model even more attractive to prospective first-time drone pilots or anyone wanting to shoot at night. And the dual focal lengths will similarly open doors for photo and video creatives alike, who are looking for the angles and compressed perspective of a mid-range telephoto.

Priced sharply, the Air 3S offers great bang for buck for the amateur or prosumer budget. For not a huge dent in your savings, you can enjoy some cool tech features and a very enjoyable user experience, as you find literally new heights to your creativity. ❂

The results

Handling ★ ★ ★ ★

The Air 3S is very safe to fly, with collision-avoidance features in abundance.

Features ★ ★ ★ ★

Much innovation from DJI, as always. Something new, even for DJI veterans.

Build quality ★ ★ ★ ★

Feels great, looks great and a pleasure to use.

Image Quality ★ ★ ★ ★

As good as an entry-level drone gets, but it's still no Leica.

Value For Money ★ ★ ★ ★

With an RRP of $1,699, it’s hard to beat at this price point.

Final word

Fantastic value for money and dazzling innovation make the Air 3S a real joy to use. This is a great option for a first drone, but will also satisfy enthusiasts looking for an upgrade from previous models.