I just bought the air 3 and got it home today. I found the updating was a pretty easy process. Was a bit surprised by its overall size compared to my mini3 pro. I’ll be taking it out tomorrow for some test flying. Look forward to seeing your future episodes on this drone! 👍
I have the Classic and Mini 3 Pro. Happy forever. In 3-5 Years , a Mavic with Fullframe would be the next drone I would buy. Till then, I am happy with my drones.
To quickly summarize: Once you've reached the "no obstacles" height, the Air 3 is basically a heavier Mini 3 Pro, with an extra 70MM eq lens. And if you normally fly in an area where the wind isn't always howling, you're paying 1,500$ for an extra 70mm eq camera.
That summary is the equivalent of saying I only drive at 30mph so I may as well buy a fiat instead of a Ferrari as they are basically the same apart from all the additional benefits 😀
@@GAVINHR That could be the right analogy comparing the Mini 3 Pro to the Inspire 3 😉. In all seriousness: Speaking from a photographer (not a videographer) point of view: The Air 3 basically get you the same as you get with the Mini 3 Pro. Most of the enhanced features are video related. So if you're a videographer, and you like flying low, close to obstacles, you like shooting parallax etc. the Air 3 does offer added capabilities over the Mini 3 Pro - no doubt about it. So as always: We need to pick the right tool for the task.
You forgot a very important thing that the Air 3 has over the Mini 3 in Photo. The Air 3 has backside illuminated stacked CMOS sensor which improves photo quality.
Great overview Gavin, did it go down when you nicked a prop? Also I have not been able to get audio on the screen recordings and the screen recordings are not stored on the external card, so they are a pain to get off the controller
I have managed to get them on the SD card I think but I will now check, I needed to change the storage location manually on the controller for it to work, i will try with the audio myself and see what happens and incredibly - the Air 3 managed to stay in the air and it managed to free itself from being stuck on the branch
Yeah man me too.... however its interesting to hear dji listen to criticism on that first rc and correct it so quickly.... also who needs O4? Isn't O3 good enough? Wow
I thought changing the filters on the Air 2S was nerve wrecking until I realized it's far worse on the Air 3. Having difference aperture lenses makes it a nightmare becuase one image will be darker than the othef. I will hold out for the Air 3S.
Thats a great point about the filters to be fair, I know freewell are in the process of making some filters maybe they will be different to accommodate that
I'm a first time buyer here in Alaska. I've been really interested in dji for a few years. I just made the purchase last week on the air 3 fly more package. I'm really excited. I'm studying up a lot, trying to learn as much as I can before it arrives. Should I really worry about the filters yet? What other accessories should I get? Thanks for all the good information
The mini series do have their cons… smaller drone comes with issues especially on windy days. And most importantly no omnidirectional sensors I think having both either of the mini series drones with the new Air3 should be beneficial and really gives you more opportunities.
I can't justify buying a new drone every 7 month wher does it end im finding everytime a new drone is launched signal gets weaker on the older ones to push into buying a new one I bet , great content as usual gavin
Thank you Simon, yes its an expensive hobby but I feel this drone should you wish to get it would last quite some time, the signal should be killer on this I must admit!
No the classic is still the overall better drone all things considered, if you had the classic you wouldn’t sell it to get the air but I’d buy the air 3 over the classic
Better overall how? Is it just the camera or does it fly better than the Air 3? I have the classic but am not a professional photographer. Don’t know if should sell the classic to get the air 3. I feel the Air 3 is the drone that fits me better. I don’t know 😂
@ctrap7876 basically when it comes to outright spec the mavic 3 should be better however the more I have flown it since this review I don’t think I’d buy the mavic 3 the air 3 is a great drone and now my go to drone
The Air 3 is the first aircraft to put the "size matters" folks to sleep. This drone (sensors) is a game changer. It flies better than my M3 Cine with the very same flight time. Two rear-stacked sensors that are identical, making post with both cameras far easier. O4 is the best range/penetration to date. Don't overlook it people, it just might be the BEST tool in your tool-box.
great video I liked it, but putting charged battery loose in the bag with contact points exposed doesn't sound like the best thing to do, if those contact pins somehow touch eachother you are going to have an bad day, the charging cradle eliminates that
Its the fastest DJI drone Ive bought which is so useful for covering ground here in the Lake District. I've ordered more batteries as one battery takes so long to charge. I ordered the charger you suggested.
They also reengineered the controller's heatsink...looks like a 'flow-through' condition was created. As for the increased memory of the controller, that great for downloading maps. I found it was archaic having to store something you'll always need on a separate SD card. Also...any word if this drone will have SDK support like the Air2S?
@@jasonlee4267 Dumb on DJI’s part. I would bet a lot of Air2S flyers (me included)would love to switch aside from the drop in MP from 20 to 12. I use my AirS2 for mapping using DroneLink.
Another great video, as usual, I have a question which many potential buyers may be interested in. We know that the RC2 controller is only compatible with the Air 3 at the moment, but what about the new RC-N2 controller, I have yet to find any tubers reviewing this controller and if it is also restricted to the Air 3 at present or not, would this be good if know?
It’s actually pretty impressive, I just mentioned on another comment most of the time o find faults but this has been pretty ok and takes away the need for the mavic 3 really. I think we won’t see a mini drone this year
Great review Gav. I do like the look of the air3 it looks a beast. Can't justify spending that amount of cash on it just yet anyway. I Look forward to seeing you put It through its paces
Hi Gavin. Love your videos. Please help this 70 yr old flyer. You post some nice aerial shots with you walking and talking into a clipped mic. How do you then match up or integrate the audio and visual
Hi there, few ways it can be done, easiest is to screen record then use the voice prompts such as taking off, updated homepoint or even just spinning the props to match the audio then just kill the bad mic in post, or the old fashioned way is just to clap and create a spike in the waveform, match that up with the moment my hands touch together in the footage and bingo - matched audio :) hope this helps
Thanks for the review on the Air3 which is night & day upgrade on the Air2S which i loved during the time i owned one. Now the only real question is buy now or wait until Air3S/Air4/Air3Pro release…….😅😅
Gavin, nice video, you can always talk the topics together nicely. Well you noted it briefly but did you also test if an external usb-c microphone works on that one input?
@@GAVINHR Gavin, fine, I'll wait for that because I'm subscribed to your channel so see that pop up. I just got a nice affordable wireless microphone from Hollyland (the Lark C1) and am going to test it on the RC (1). I found my simple usb-c mic to be underpowered anyway.
Just to be sure I heard you correctly, the Fly More package does not come with a charger for the battery hub, or is what's included in the package is a very slow charging system?
Gavin....plz ask DJI about the publications here in the Netherlands that the Chinese government is about to restrict per 01 Sept all kind of consumerdrones especially DJI and components which can be used in the war Ukraine/Russia...
Does the 48mp mode still suffer from the same chromatic aberrations and colour shifts and a tonne of noise above 200 iso as the mini 3 Pro? It'd be interesting to see seeing as they both use the same omnivision ov48c sensor.
I'm saving you from pulling your hair off 6 months later! 😆 Wait for the Dji Air 3 Pro. I said this weeks ago, when the leaks confirmed that the Air 3 will come with a dual 1/1.3 sensor. PS. Dji is dropping the S version.
@@vincentrichard2703 Don't mistake my comment for a statement about myself. I already have 2 fantastic drones, including an FPV one, and the best thing is, I completely set them free, with no height limit. I'm only warning people who already have drones, especially the recent ones from Dji.
Another brilliant vlog Gavin, clear & concise as always. Although I won't be buying the air3 due to it's weight (waiting for the next sub 250g DJI drone to see what it offers) Having said that looking forward to other reviews of the air 3 on your channel. 🙂
Thanks Ian for the kind words, yes indeed restrictions are something people have to consider 100%, whilst important I felt for this review I just wanted to focus on the drone as now a huge amount of my audience are not in the UK so I needed to be more generic :) thanks for watching and your comment !
Hi Gavin great review. In a video you did 2 yrs ago you mentioned joining FPV UK flying club and getting the benefit of artical 16 and PL insurance. Does this still apply today? Im about to upgrade from the Mini 3pro to either an Air 3 or a mavic 3 classic. Which would you recommend? Thanks Jon
Hi there, hope you're well, yes this all still applies with FPVUK and applies to the Air 3 and Mavic 3 Classic Personally I would say the air 3, its much cheaper than the classic if you factor in the price of the fly more kit for hardly any difference in performance
@@GAVINHR Thanks for that, one further question - If I were to join FPVUK I would get PL cover and wouldnt need to sign up for insurance with "Coverdrone" am I correct or would I need both? Thanks Jon
Hi Jon sorry for the delay, so they soo different things, with Fpvuk you get the public liability but it won’t cover mishaps with your own drone, coverdrone will take care of mishaps, what I would do is sign up to Fpvuk and then if you take a coverdrone policy DON’T include liability as you will be paying twice. That way you have the best of both worlds
When I looked at the specs for transmitter power it shows the 5.2GHZ frequency is only available in CE countries with a power of 23dbm. So would the FCC hack be worth it. I run my mini 3 pro in FCC mode which doubled its range and gave much stronger signal. Is the new O4 connection any better then the mini 3 pro in fcc mode
Air 3 vs dji mini 3 pro? First drone for me and it will just be for fun. I’m most concerned with ease of flight. Is the air 3 easier to fly with the more weight?
the air 3 is brilliant and if you are not restricted where you can fly it its better in every way. the mini 3 pro is awesome too but if you have the money get the air 3
hey mate can u help me i hawe bought a (dji mavic mini 1) and i hawe trubble with the pichure feed to the screen i use an andriod pad a (tab 4 8) and the pad has the right prosesor and runs android 7.1.1 i can take picures and send it to the pad and i can se the numbers for exposure and wb is changing in difrent lights so it get some signals but not all but i donnt hawe anny live feed the qustion do you hawe the old firmware to this drone i only got the newest one that are instald in it that was the way i got it from the seller i would rly apresiate some help with the firmware kind regards
@@GAVINHR you may not get bribed with freebies,,,but your viewers trust your honest reviews and its so refreshing to watch a genuine review,,well done gav
Hello, I'm new to the channel, I already own a Mavic 2 zoom, it's still a decent drone, however when it comes to low light situations this is where you will have issues, I'm thinking about purchasing the Air 3 and I was wondering how does it fair in similar low light situations?
I would genuinely like to be able to offer honest advice but since I’ve never flown the mavic 2 zoom it would be unfair for me to pass judgement and that’s as honest as I can be I am afraid!
@GAVINHR I respect and agree that you cannot compare the two and yes it will be an unfair comparison, let me rephrase my question, How does the Air 3 perform in low light conditions? 🤔
Man I want this so bad cus the price point is great but just today I was flying my friends mavic pro zoom, and the manual f-stop is what kept saving me. I live in Puerto Rico, the clouds here move extremely fast. You can go from using an ND32 (like I was today) to using a ND8 in a heartbeat. 😞
A thumbs from me for your efforts Gav. I'm going to stick with the Mini 3 Pro and Air2s though. It will be interesting to see if DJI restrict the sales due to the Ukraine situation, as that zoom could come in very useful.
I bought the air3 But returning it. The camera sucks. I like the camera on the.air 2s Larger sensor is always better. I'm pretty sure when DJI comes out with.the air3s It will have A better camera just like the air2s vs the air2 Same drone Way better camera on the 2s
From what I have seen on YT Air 3 video’s I’m not impressed with the Air 3 video quality. I have the Mavic 3 Classic, it’s a cinematic beast. Totally happy with it. Maybe I consider a new drone when a Air 3 Pro or Mavic 3 Pro Classic or similar drone comes out with variable aperture. This Air 3 I pass. Greetings from 🇳🇱
@@GAVINHR any sideways input on the controller (even in Cine mode with rates adjusted to virtually zero) results in an approximately 30 degree bank (instant) and a lateral movement of about 1 metre. It’s maiden flight was nearly its last. All of my other DJI stuff has never flickered in any way from new. To their credit, DJI have jumped on this very very quickly after I posted stuff on FB, and arranged a replacement as soon as the old one arrives back at their Dutch site.
I think I maybe saw you post about this on one of the Facebook groups, yes it can be quite violent it has to be said, obviously it can be slowed down but that’s not something you shoukd have to deal with
Thanks for mentioning the insurance Coverdrone, good you can have multiple drones under one cover and getting a quote and selected this channel name gavinhr 😀
Always great vidéo and information. You mentioned the insurance Coverdrone. It is interesting as the care refresh of m'y mini2 is over. Price is similar to dji but what WE have pay in case of flyaway is much less. But what is not clearly stated is the amount reimbursed. Is it the price of a New mini2 ??? Do you know ? BTW on the site one has to tell how we learnt about this insurance. Top bad WE cannot enter your name 😮
Hi there! By name should be in their list as gavinhr :) yes you will receive a like for like replacement so you would bet brand new mini 2, although I am aware of somebody that received a mini 3 ad a replacement today.
Looks a great drone. But isn't it going to be a pain to find somewhere to fly it away from people ect due to the UK laws? As with the bigger drones. Maybe a reminder on how this would work being that it has the class label on it and what's needed to fly it within the law
I thought about this point and usually I talk about it however I wanted this review to be different and Just concentrate on the drone itself. The thing to remember I guess is whilst so many people concentrate on weight and worry about where they can fly a drone most people fly drones away from people in the countryside
C labels aren't recognised in the UK, and likely won't be until 2026 (if they ever will be). I usually fly far from people in the countryside anyway, but I am doing my a2 CofC which will give me more flexibility with the air 3 and be valid until at least 2026.
Nice Video Gavin, thanksI I take on board all the points you make and for sure, the additional telephoto lens is great for quick results. I struggle with the downgrade in sensor size on this drone though - it's generally agreed that a larger sensor will produce better results and even with my limited skills in video editing, it's fairly easy to crop in and achieve the same result. if the original footage is at high enough resolution and from a larger sensor, you'll arguably get better quality. I suppose they couldn't have given this drone a larger sensor, as it'd compete too strongly with the Classic. I'll stick with the Air2S for a good while yet, particularly with DJI's 'somewhat short' product life cycle!
@@GAVINHR Doing well. At the start of a 2-week holiday, going to Honduras on a mission trip to build shelters for a family struck by back to back hurricanes. We are going to spend a day at Cataratas Pulhapanzak - the largest waterfall in central america. I should have some good videos/photos to share!
@@GAVINHR lmao stop you know exactly what I mean. You know you can’t say anything negative about this drone. Like none of you guys saying anything about the mini 3s transmission problem
@@chrisclark7708 why can’t I say anything bad about drone ? If you watched the first 20 seconds I highlight I bought this myself so can say what I like, oh and as for nobody speaking about the signal issue… may want to fact check that as well as here’s a video I made on it. THIS Is WHY The DJI Mini 3 PRO Has Signal PROBLEMS! ( Yet Some Don't ) ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--vbkURClSFI.html
