Today, DJI announced its latest drone offering, an upgrade to the mid-tier Air lineup called the Air 3. Like all other DJI consumer drones, it comes with Fly More Combos. Let’s delve into what the Air 3 includes if you order one.
Unboxing DJI’s Air 3 drone
Each Fly More Combo comprises of a carry case, the drone, a controller, two spare batteries, the charging case, and some spare propellers. While these are pretty standard, this year brings some exciting upgrades.
Another carrying case for you
Let’s start with the carrying case. The Air 3 comes with the same case as the one that came with the Mavic 3 Pro earlier this year. I have no complaints here, great quality and holds everything you might need, although not much else. While it is larger than the one that came with the Air 2S, the contents it now holds are larger too.
The best charging case DJI has ever made?
Now, instead of focusing on the DJI Air 3 itself, I recommend checking out our breakdown of what the drone can do here and my review after flying it for a week. Here, we’ll focus on the accessories that come alongside the drone, with the biggest upgrade being the charging case.
DJI has significantly improved the Air 3’s charging case. Similar to what came with the Mini 3 and Mini 3 Pro, the Air 3’s batteries now fit into a proper case that you can easily carry while traveling. This is unlike the Mavic 3, which only offers a strip that each battery plugs into to receive a charge. With this new case, you can keep your bag much more organized and avoid the hassle of digging around to find your batteries.
The charging case has more tricks up its sleeve. It charges all three batteries simultaneously instead of one at a time, which is a convenient feature. In the past, you’d have to buy a third-party tool for this, but now DJI includes this technology directly with the Air 3.
Additionally, the charging case allows you to transfer the remaining charge from your two lowest batteries into the highest one. This feature gives you the ability to squeeze in one more decent flight before needing to call it a day or find a power outlet. This is undoubtedly one of the coolest additions from the Air 3 announcement.
On the topic of charging, there’s one crucial item missing from the Fly More Combo: a charging block. Although DJI provides a USB-C cable for charging and data purposes, they don’t include a wall plug. This isn’t just DJI, many consumer electronic companies have begun removing these from their products in the name of reducing e-waste.
DJI does offer 65W and 100W charging block options for separate purchase, but not including one in the box is a significant omission for a package that’s supposed to give you everything you need to fly.
DJI RC 2, for now, is a Fly More exclusive
The DJI Air 3 comes with two new controllers, thanks to its upgraded O4 transmission system, which provides a stronger connection with additional antennas.
In the past, you could choose between two controllers: the RC-N1 (now N2), which requires a smartphone, and the RC (now RC 2) with a built-in screen. However, it seems that right now, the RC 2 is only available when purchasing the Fly More Combo version of the Air 3.
While I never experienced any issues with the original RC controller like others have reported, the RC 2 has been flawless in terms of performance. It is a rock-solid controller, and if compatible, it would be a welcome addition to the Mini and Mavic drones.
I would expect to see the Air 3 sold by itself and the RC 2 separately in the near future, which could offer these items together at a lower price than the current $1,549 price tag that is required now.
Honorable mention: Air 3 ND filter set
Like all new DJI drones, the Air 3 will also have ND filters available for separate purchase from the Fly More Combo. While it would have been nice to have these filters included in the package, the price points might not be as perfect.
Similar to what we’ve seen with the Mavic 3 and 3 Pro, the filters look like the standard UV filter and cover both cameras. The set includes the standard 8, 16, 32, and 64 stops, which will be useful on sunny days, considering the aperture on the Air 3 is not adjustable.
I’m sure we’ll see companies like Neewer will come out with their own versions soon enough that will feature a polarizer in place of the 64-stop filter. So if that is something you’re looking for, keep an eye out.
Overall, the Air 3 has once again surprised us with even better features and accessories than its predecessor. In the coming months or years, we may see some of these upgrades come to other lineups like the Mini and Mavic. It’s fascinating to see how much better DJI drones can get.
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