If recent leaks and FCC filings are any indication, we may be approaching the release of the DJI Air 3. However, the company has yet to provide an official date. Here’s everything we currently know about DJI’s upcoming enthusiast drone, the Air 3.
The DJI Air 3 is here! Check out our review.
The first hint of the DJI Air 3’s arrival came from DealsDrone, who included it in his annual calendar of products DJI planned to release in the following year. For 2023, DealsDrone listed the Air 3, Mavic 3S (now known as the Mavic 3 Pro), and the Inspire 3. Although he missed the Mini 2 SE and the dates were off, it seems he was accurate in predicting the drone’s release this year. An upgrade to the Air lineup was much anticipated.
Over the past few weeks, we have learned a lot about the Air 3, including its appearance and specifications, even before any official DJI event announcement.
Air 3 dual camera gimbal
The most significant change in the Air lineup will be the addition of a second camera system. Similar to the Mavic 3, this additional camera will feature a zoom lens. Early photos hinted at this possibility, but it was confirmed when marking photos were leaked by WinFuture. Coupled with a close-up shot of the camera by Jasper Ellens, we now have information about the drone’s focal length and aperture.
The complete specifications were soon revealed, and for those interested, here’s what we know so far:
- Dual 1/1.3 inch cameras capable of shooting up to 4K/100 slow motion, 4K/60 HDR, and 2.7K vertical
- Bottom camera: 24mm equivalent, F1.7, 2.4um pixel size
- Top camera: 70mm equivalent, F2.8, 2.4um pixel size
- 48MP stills
Unlike the Mavic 3, which offered two cameras with different sensors, the Air 3 appears to have the same sensors but with two different lenses.
Battery size meaning increased flight time?
According to DJI’s FCC filing, the Air 3 will feature a 4241mAh battery, much larger than the Air 2S battery. This suggests an expected increase in flight time as well. The Mini 3 and Mavic 3 were both announced with flight times of over 40 minutes, the best on the market. Can we expect the Air 3 to match that?
According to leaked specs by Jasper Ellens and Igor Bogdanov, yes, the Air 3 could have a 46-minute flight time. It’s truly remarkable to see all three of DJI’s consumer drones offering such lengthy flight times.
The new charger also seems to have some innovative features. Apparently, the battery case may facilitate charge transfer between batteries and the ability to charge multiple batteries simultaneously. I can’t wait to try that out.
New RC 2 and RC-N2 controllers
During the DJI Air 3 release, we will also see new controllers that have been leaked and spotted in the FCC filing. These new controllers, the RC 2 and RC-N2, don’t seem to have many external upgrades compared to their predecessors. The only visible change is the addition of external antennas on the RC 2.
The potential improvements are likely to be internal, possibly including support for an O4 transmission system, which would enhance connection strength and bitrate compared to previous drones.
The DJI Air 3 has quickly transformed from a mysterious, blurry image to a fully-fledged product within a matter of weeks. While some leakers claimed that DJI was working harder to prevent leaks, it seems the leakers have once again prevailed by revealing details ahead of the official release. Stay tuned to find out when DJI announces the release date for this exciting new drone.
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