The release of a new DJI drone is always an exciting moment – no matter the volume of leaked information on the product beforehand – and one of prolonged anticipation as buyers get an official eyeful of the cutting-edge gear they can finally order. That’s no different today as the global UAV leader unveils its Air 3, featuring dual cameras, omnidirectional obstacle sensors, and an extended 46 minutes of flight time.
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As readers of DroneDJ know, the weeks running up to today’s new Air 3 introduction were punctuated by image and data alerts about the drone from leakers – and one prolific pilferer of DJI secrets in particular. That premature unofficial previewing notwithstanding, the updated UAV now promises to combine the advantages of light weight, easy portability, and middle-of-product-line price with some of the most powerful onboard tech DJI has to offer – not to mention a major upgrade from the Air 2S predecessor rolled out in April 2021.
Read: Leaker reveals new DJI delivery drone nearing rumored unveiling
At the risk of stating what in recent weeks has become increasingly obvious, the marquee features of DJI’s Air 3 are dual 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensors: a wide-angle and a 3x medium tele camera, respectively. Those will provide users with what the company describes as an improved “sense of compression in their shots and… a medium focal length,” with 48MP photos and 4K/60fps HDR videos, and 2.7K vertical video shooting (9:16) that can be uploaded immediately to social media.
As noted previously, the Air 3 also ensures full obstacle avoidance assurance through its omnidirectional sensing capabilities and a nearly 50% longer flight time of 46 minutes over DJI’s existing Air 2S drone’s 31 minutes. Adding to that power innovation, meanwhile, is the company’s battery charging hub that supports a charge accumulation function, allowing users to transfer leftover juice from multiple other batteries to the one with the highest remaining reserves.
So enough about the previously leaked gadgetry for a second (prospective buyers will be protesting), and what about the cost?
The entry-level Air 3 package – including the drone and DJI RC-N2 – sells for $1,099, a mere 100 bungeros more than the Air 2S when it was released two years and oh-so-many inflation price increases ago. The DJI Air 3 Fly More Combo (DJI RC-N2) costs $1,349, while the DJI Air 3 Fly More Combo (DJI RC 2) runs $1,549.
The resulting reinforced balance between powerful drone, camera, and tech capacities and the relative affordability and easy transportability of the new drone, says DJI creative director Ferdinand Wolf, is the most recent manifestation of the logic behind the Air line of products since its inception.
“The DJI Air 3 is the first drone of our Air Series which offers professional features like dual primary cameras and omnidirectional obstacle sensing, and at the same time (retains) its lightweight capabilities with a weight of just 720g for more freedom and flexibility,” said Wolf. “The drone is the perfect all-rounder for your outdoor adventures, and offers you a more diverse camera language.”
Additional features of the new Air 3 include drone flight and content-enhancing functionalities that DJI’s release document details as:
FocusTrack for both cameras: Consisting of Spotlight 2.0, ActiveTrack 5.0 and Point of Interest 3.0. FocusTrack keeps the subject in the center of the frame. When using the 3x medium tele camera, a unique sense of spatial compression will be generated to highlight the pilot or any other person as the subject in terrific status.
QuickShots: Empowers the DJI Air 3 to perform creative camera movements like Rocket, Dronie, Circle, Helix, Boomerang, and Asteroid.
2.7K Vertical Shooting: The DJI Air 3 supports dual-camera 2.7K vertical video shooting. The wide-angle camera can include rich image information, while the 3x medium tele camera can portrait the pilot or others as the subject, facilitating more eye-catching vertical aerial photography. The 2.7K vertical shot output can be shared immediately on social media without post-cropping.
MasterShots: Allows the DJI Air 3 to automatically perform diverse camera movements, shoots multiple clips, edits the clips, and adds music to generate fast and effortless cinematic footage.
Night Mode: Thanks to the noise reduction algorithm, the DJI Air 3 can capture up to 4K/30fps clean footage in low-light environments.
Hyperlapse: Select from four sub-modes of Free, Circle, Course Lock, and Waypoint to shoot up to 4K horizontal or 2.7K vertical timelapse footage.
Slow Motion: Select 4K/100fps or 1080p/100fps to directly record a 4x slow-motion video.
SmartPhoto 3.0: In single shot mode, the DJI Air 3 uses SmartPhoto 3.0 by default, which can automatically select among HDR, hyperlight, and scene recognition according to the scenario for better imaging results. In HDR DNG format, the camera can record a larger dynamic range with built-in contrast enhancement. The image file can achieve JPG-level quality in post-editing software, reducing the difficulty of post-production.
QuickTransfer: Quickly download photos and videos from the aircraft to your smartphone through a wireless connection, saving time and effort.
LightCut: Connect the DJI Air 3 wirelessly to the LightCut app on the phone for intelligent recognition of highlight moments and one-tap editing. There is no need to download the footage during the process, saving storage on the phone.
One-Tap Edit: Intelligently identifies the composition and flight path, selects clips with delicate composition and stable camera movements, automatically matches the best template and sound effects, and then generates a cinematic video effortlessly.
Tilt-Shift Effects: Enjoy incredible effects that make the shot look miniature and toy-like with just one tap. Apply this feature to footage shot with the 3x medium tele camera for even better results.Waypoint Flight: This feature is available on the Air Series for the first time. The user can plan flight routes and shooting actions for the DJI Air 3 in advance to achieve difficult camera movements like one-takes. Pilots can also save a flight route to repeat the same mission precisely later, making it easy to create long-duration timelapse videos that capture transitions such as day to night or season to season.
Read: After Air 3 drone posts, leaker shares info on new DJI Osmo 4
Other DJI options available during the purchase of a new Air 3 include the DJI Air 3 ND Filters Set; DJI 100W USB-C Power Adapter; DJI 65W Car Charger; and DJI Care Refresh extended protection and servicing of the drone.
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