- The DJI Air 3 is a lightweight, compact camera drone with dual imaging system;
- The drone features a medium tele camera and wide-angle sensor - both capable of 48MP stills and 4K/60fps HDR videos;
- Collect more content in one flight with a maximum flight time of 46 minutes;
- DJI Air 3 also features the new O4 transmission system, omnidirectional obstacle sensing, and brings with it two new controllers - the DJI RC 2 and DJI RC-N2;
- This blog highlights the 10 best features of the DJI Air 3 and how they help with aerial content creation.
The DJI Air 3 is a compact, powerful, and intelligent all-round drone with two cameras.
In this article, we'll take a look at the 10 best features of the DJI Air 3, and explore how they can help you capture quality aerial content.
The list includes:
- Dual imaging system: Medium tele and wide-angle sensors - 48MP stills and 4K/60fps HDR video;
- Up to 46 minutes of flight time;
- O4 transmission system for enhanced range;
- New controllers: DJI RC 2 smart controller and DJI RC-N2 controller;
- Enhanced safety features, including omnidirectional obstacle sensing.
1: Two Main Cameras
The Air 3 features two cameras:
- Medium Tele Camera: 70mm equivalent focal length; f2.8 aperture.
- Wide-angle Camera: 24mm equivalent focal length; f1.7 aperture.
Both cameras are 1/1.3" CMOS, with 48MP imaging capabilities and can shoot 4K/60fps video or slow motion at either 4K/100fps or 1080p at 100/200fps (16:9). Also utilise HLG/D-Log M colour profiles across both sensors.
Achieve 1-3x digital zoom with the wide-angle camera, and 3-9x digital zoom with the medium tele camera.
Both sensors also support four photo modes: Single Shot; Burst Shooting; AEB; and Timed Shot.
The same sensors ensure uniform footage resolution and colour style, and provide an excellent visual experience. This allows users to create effortlessly and to easily adjust the colour.
Combining a wide-angle sensor with a tele camera provides numerous benefits, such as:
- Safer Flying: Switch between focal lengths directly to take detailed close-up shots while maintaining a safe distance.
- Create More Efficiently: Quickly switch between fields of view with no need to change the camera position, improving your creative efficiency.
- Richer Content: Two cameras serve respective purposes. The wide-angle camera is ideal for landscape shots, while the medium tele camera is perfect for portraits and people shots, making it easier to capture the shot you want.
Application Scenarios for the medium tele camera include:
- Bring distant scenes closer.
- Obtain minimalist images.
- Compare the sense of speed in pictures, before and after.
2: Intelligent Functions
The DJI Air 3's cameras feature comprehensive intelligent functions. Some of these, including MasterShots, QuickShots, and Waypoint Flight can help beginners quickly and easily obtain content that was previously unattainable and improve creative efficiency while lowering creative thresholds.
The table below illustrates the pick of these intelligent functions.
| Function | Description | Which Camera |
| Waypoint Flight | For the first time, the Waypoint feature is now available on the Air series. Plan flight routes and shooting actions for Air 3 in advance to achieve difficult camera movements and stunning one-takes. You can also save flight routes to repeat the same movement with precision at a later time or date. | Both |
| MasterShots | Automatically perform diverse camera movements, shooting multiple clips and editing them with music, cuts, and effects for fast and simplified cinematic footage. | Both |
| Portrait Mode | 2.7K vertical shooting delivers clips that are optimised for smartphone viewing and ready to share on social media without any cropping needed in post. | Both |
| Timelapse | Capture timelapse footage at up to 4K horizontally or 2.7K vertically. | Both |
| Night Mode | Capture noise-free footage at up to 4K/30fps in low-light environments or at night. | Both |
| Quick Shots | Creative camera movement options like Rocket, Dronie, Circle, Helix, Boomerang, and Asteroid. | Both (but Asteroid mode not included on tele camera). |
| Panorama | Supports shooting HDR ultra-HD panorama photos and provides multiple modes, including Sphere, 180°, Wide Angle, and Vertical. | Wide-angle camera only. Not supported on tele camera. |
The drone is also capable of intelligent functions, such as:
1: Cruise Control: Lock the flight speed, so there is no need to continue pushing the control stick. Make manual adjustments to the speed/direction at any time, ensuring more flexibility.
2: FocusTrack: Keeps you or your subject easily in the centre of the frame. The FocusTrack suite includes:
- Spotlight 2.0: The aircraft does not fly automatically, but the camera remains locked on the subject while the user manually controls the flight.
- Point of Interest 3.0: The aircraft tracks the subject in a circle based on the set radius and flight speed. The maximum flight speed is 12 m/s and the flight speed may be adjusted dynamically according the actual radius.
- ActiveTrack 5.0: The aircraft keeps a certain distance and altitude from the tracked subject, and there are two modes: Trace and Parallel. The maximum flight speed is 12 m/s.
3: Ultra-long Battery Life
The DJI Air 3 has a maximum flight time of 46 minutes - a 48% improvement over the previous generation. The Air 3 can hover for 42 minutes.
To complement the Air 3's impressive endurance, the Battery Charging Hub (available separately or in the Fly More Combos) supports quick charging, as well as new power accumulation and mobile power supply functions.
- Rapid Charging: Charge up to three DJI Air 3 Intelligent Flight Batteries sequentially. It takes 60 minutes (with DJI 100W USB-C Power Adapter) or 80 minutes (with DJI 65W Car Charger) to fully charge one battery.
- Power Accumulation: The remaining power of batteries with low power levels can be transferred to the battery with the highest power level.
- Mobile Power Supply: The Battery Charging Hub can be used as a mobile power source that supports 82WPD fast charging.
4: Enhanced Safety Features
For the first time, the Air series supports omnidirectional obstacle sensing, and the upgraded fisheye lenses provide all-around support during flight.
With the omnidirectional obstacle sensing system (APAS 5.0), Air 3 supports Advanced Return To Home (automatically plan a flight route back to the home point) and Eight-way ActiveTrack (works with Advanced RTH to achieve fully automatic flight and a worry-free return to home).
5: New Image Transmission
The Air 3 adopts DJI's new O4 image transmission system and sports a six-antenna (2 TX and 4 RX) design to stabilise video transmission.
As such, Air 3 enables a transmission distance of up to 10km (CE) and provides a clear and smooth 1080p/60fps live view feed.
6: New Controllers
To support the O4 transmission system, the Air 3 brings with it two new controllers: The DJI RC 2 and DJI RC-N2.
The RC 2 is a smart controller with a built-in screen and powerful processor...
...while the RC-N2 is a controller which integrates with a separate smart device.
The table below outlines the key features of both controllers.
| RC 2 | RC-N2 | |
| Number of antennas | 4 antennas (2 TX and 4 RX) | 2 antennas (2 TX and 2 RX) |
| Operating Time | 3 hours | Not charging mobile device: 6 hours Charging mobile device: 3.5 hours |
| Charging Time | 1.5 hours | 2.5 hours |
| Screen Size | 5.5" | - |
| Resolution | 1080p | - |
| Frames per second | 60fps | - |
| Max brightness | 700 nits | - |
| Internal storage | 32 GB | - |
| Application installation | Not supported | - |
For the RC-N2, the blank rows in the table above are dependable on the smart device used in conjunction with the device.
7: LightCut App
Connect to Air 3 wirelessly via the LightCut app on your smartphone for expanded creative options such as One-Tap Edit. There is no need to download all the footage during the process, which helps save storage space on your mobile device.
- One-Tap Edit: Intelligently selects clips based on composition and flight path and automatically matches optimal template options and sound effects to generate a quick and effortlessly cinematic video.
- Tilt-Shift Effects: Enjoy a tilt-shift effect with just one tap. Apply this feature to footage shot with the 3x medium tele camera for even more dramatic results.
8: Size
The Air 3 is not a Mini drone, but it is still a highly portable platform, thanks to its compact, lightweight, and foldable frame.
Tipping the scales at 720g, the Air 3 s a great option for slipping into a bag and capturing content on the go.
9: Accessories
Make the most of each DJI Air 3 flight with a stellar ecosystem of accessories.
We've already mentioned the Battery Charging Hub, but other accessories - which are available separately - include:
- DJI Air 3 ND Filters Set: This set comes with ND8/16/32/64 filters, allowing you to create smoother footage at slower shutter speeds.
- DJI Air 3 Propeller Guard: Keep your DJI Air 3 drone safe, especially when flying indoors or in confined areas, with the Air 3 Propeller Guards. They are lightweight, durable and really simple to fit and remove.
- DJI Air 3 Wide-angle Lens: Increase the field of view during aerial content creation with the DJI Air 3 Wide-angle Lens.
- DJI 100W USB-C Power Adapter: The power adapter can fast charge the battery and remote controller simultaneously, or mobile devices through the USB-C ports.
- DJI 65W Car Charger: The lightweight and portable car charger uses a universal port. It can charge a battery, remote controller, smartphone, laptop, and other devices.
- heliguy™ Repair Refresh for DJI Air 3: Okay, so it's not strictly an accessory, but heliguy™ Repair Refresh crash cover is available for the DJI Air 3 drone. Bolt-on this policy which runs for up to a year and includes the cost of the cover and repair/replacement of the drone, giving you peace of mind during your next flight.
10: Multiple Combos - Choose The Best Package For Your Needs
The Air 3 is available in three packages, providing a number of options to enable operators to pick the best option for them.
| DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) | DJI Air 3 Fly More Combo (RC-N2) | DJI Air 3 Fly More Combo (RC 2) | |
| DJI Air 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DJI Air 3 Low-Noise Propellers (Pair) | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| DJI Air 3 Gimbal Protector | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DJI RC-N2 Remote Controller | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| DJI RC-N2 RC Cable (USB-C Connector) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| DJI RC-N2 RC Cable (Lightning Connector) | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| DJI RC 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| DJI Air 3 Battery Charging Hub | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| USB-C Cable | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DJI Air 3 Intelligent Flight Battery | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| DJI Shoulder Bag | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Buy DJI Air 3 & RC-N2 | Buy DJI Air 3 Fly More Combo (RC-N2) | Buy DJI Air 3 Fly More Combo (RC 2) |
The two Fly More Combos provide more value for money in the long term. Featuring additional accessories, the Combos are more cost-effective than purchasing these extras separately at a later date.
Summary
The DJI Air 3 is an impressive camera drone, stacked with features such as its dual imaging system, 46 minutes of flight time, and enhanced safety and transmission features.
Designed for recreational and amateur content creators, the Air 3 packs a decent blend of power, portability, and performance, enabling impressive imaging and video outputs on the go.
To discuss anything in this article and to find out more about the DJI Air 3, contact us.
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