DJI has announced its latest in its Air series of drones. The DJI Air 3S is a dual-camera drone with new nightscape obstacle sensing and precise next-gen Return To Home (RTH) features.
Dual cameras
The DJI Air 3S features a primary camera with a 24 mm lens and a 50 MP one-inch-CMOS sensor delivering up to 14 stops of dynamic range. The sensor is also enhanced by advanced image-processing technology and intelligent algorithms. DJI says that this preserves minuscule details in low-light conditions such as sunsets and nightscapes. In addition, the secondary camera has a 70 mm lens with a 3x optical zoom. It uses a 48 MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor. Both cameras offer a free panorama mode which stitches multiple images together across a manually selected area. With 42 GB of storage built-in, you don’t even need to use a microSD card with the Air 3S.
Video features
Both of the Air 3S’s cameras support video recording up to 120 fps in 4K and 60 fps in 4K HDR (high dynamic range). In normal color mode, you can record 10-bit H.265 video and DJI has raised the maximum ISO to 12500. The Air 3S also offers a 10-bit D-Log M color mode to ensure greater latitude for grading your footage. The ISO for this and for HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma) HDR recording has been raised to 3200. In addition, the Air 3S employs a more advanced video encoding compression algorithm. This reduces the size of your video files by over 30% compared with the previous-generation DJI Air 3. DJI says that this is achieved without compromising image quality.
Safer nighttime flying
The Air 3S is the first DJI drone to feature forward-facing LiDAR technology and downward infrared time-of-flight (TOF) sensors. It also has six vision sensors, two each at the front, rear and bottom. As a result, the new drone achieves nightscape omnidirectional obstacle sensing. This means it can automatically identify and circumvent obstacles during its flight and return paths. In addition, DJI says the Air 3S is designed to be the perfect easy-to-use all-rounder drone. With real-time vision positioning and map construction technologies, the drone can memorize flight paths when adequate lighting is available. This ensures a safe return when taking off from locations without a satellite signal.
ActiveTrack
The Air 3S features ActiveTrack 360° to keep any subject in the frame. Based on the surrounding flight environment, the drone’s optimized tracking technology automatically plans a flight path. DJI says that the Air 3S also adjusts the framing to guarantee more dynamic shots. These keep your subject as the center of attention even if the lower half of their body is partially obscured by bushes or a wall. In addition, the Air 3S has a new Subject Focusing feature. This automatically keeps your subject in sharp focus, even during manual flight or when if they move off-center. As a result, you can concentrate on shot composition and camera movement without worrying about focus.
Other features
The Air 3S has a maximum flight time of up to 45 minutes. Its charging hub also supports PD fast charging and has a power accumulation function. This means you can transfer the remaining power of low-power batteries into the battery with the highest remaining power. With Off-State QuickTransfer, you can send files from the drone to your smartphone even when the Air 3S is powered off. Alternatively, you can use a USB cable. In addition, the drone also features 10-bit O4 Video Transmission which video at 1080p and 60 fps over distances of up to 12.4 miles (20 kilometers).
What we think
With the Air 3S, DJI has introduced some major new features which make it much safer to fly in low light or at night. The drone also has two great cameras and high-quality cinematic video with a wide dynamic range. In addition, it’s good to see that DJI has increased the onboard storage so you can record for longer without needing a microSD card. The Air 3S isn’t cheap and you will need to register it with the Federal Aviation Administration. However, if you are a videographer, content creator or travel vlogger, it could be the drone you have been waiting for.
Pricing and availability
The DJI Air 3S is available now and costs $1,099.
You can also get the DJI Air 3S Fly More Combo (DJI RC-N3) for $1,399. This includes the DJI RC-N3 remote controller, an ND filter set, two additional batteries, a battery charging hub and a shoulder bag.
In addition, the DJI Air 3S Fly More Combo (DJI RC 2) retails for $1,599. This comes with the DJI RC 2 remote controller with a 5.5-inch 1080p 700-nit high-bright screen instead of the N3.
