DJI is now offering the Air S3, a next-gen drone with advanced camera capabilities. While DJI points to the Air 3S as a "perfect all-rounder for travel photography," it appears to be an effective option for anyone seeking professional quality in the $1,000 price range.
Designed for photography and videography, the DJI Air 3S features a dual-lens system with a 50MP 1-inch-CMOS 24mm wide camera and a 48MP 70mm medium telephoto camera with 3x optical zoom. Each camera offers 14 stops of dynamic range and supports a new Free Panorama shooting mode for massive landscape images.
Video quality supposedly exceeds that of the DJI Mavic 3 Pro thanks to an improved 12,800 maximum ISO, though this is only available when shooting 10-bit H.265-encoded video. However, DJI claims that an improved compression algorithm will reduce the space of high-res video by up to 30%, which may alleviate storage concerns. The Air 3S also offers a 10-bit D-Log M color mode for professional-grade color control in post-processing (10-bit D-Log M is similar to shooting RAW on a DSLR). And, notably, the wide and telephoto cameras offer identical video specs and color modes, so you can seamlessly switch between each camera even when recording at 4K/120FPS or other intense settings.
This is also the first DJI drone to include forward-facing LiDAR, which should improve obstacle avoidance at night. The typical downward-firing TOF sensors and all-angle vision sensor array are also featured in this model. Other features include a 45-minute maximum flight time, 10-bit wireless video transmission, 42GB of built-in storage, and optional DJI Care Refresh protection.
Those who would prefer to control the DJI Air 3S via a dedicated remote, rather than a smartphone, must purchase the RC 2 or RC-N3 controller separately or as part of a Fly More Combo bundle. If you already own one of these controllers, you do not need to buy a new one.
It's unclear how the looming DJI drone ban, recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives, will affect this and other DJI products. DJI plans to stick with the U.S. market and is lobbying against the ban, which has yet to be passed by Congress.
You can buy the DJI Air 3S today with prices starting at $1,099. Purchases are currently limited to the DJI web store, though availability at authorized retailers will arrive at a later date.
Source: DJI