DJI Air 3S review: a next-level aeronautical masterpiece with LiDAR-based obstacle avoidance

To be honest, I first thought the new DJI Air 3S was going to be just another iteration of a predecessor with perhaps one or two small upgrades to entice new buyers or encourage existing owners to trade in and upgrade. After all, T3’s guide to the best drones is already stuffed to the rafters with an almost embarrassingly large assemblage of DJI models that are all very similar. Well, I was wrong.

Yes, the Air 3S looks pretty much like most other DJI drones – especially those in the Mavic series – and, yes, it sports the same angular – dare I say unattractive – design and drab grey colour scheme. However, digging deeper into its specs and features unearths a wealth of tempting new features that might just make the Air 3S the best DJI drone ever!

Read on for the full low down.

DJI Air 3S review

Price and availability

In the UK, the DJI Air 3S Combo with RC-2 controller we review here retails at £1,439 and is available direct from DJI, DJI Retail or Argos, Currys and Amazon. If shopping Stateside, try DJI direct where it’s selling for $1,599.

Specifications

• Dimensions (L×W×H): Folded: 214.19×100.63×89.17 mm / Unfolded: 266.11×325.47×106.00 mm
• Weight: 724 grams
• Battery life (flight time): 45 mins
• Range: 32km (19.8 miles)‌
• Transmission range: 20km (12.5 miles)
• Speed: 75kph (47mph) in Sport mode
• Obstacle avoidance: Yes, 360˚ plus 3D infrared LiDAR
• Max Wind Speed Resistance: Level 6: 12 m/s (43kph/27mph)
• Built-in GPS: Yes
• Internal storage: Yes, 42 GB (plus Micro-SD card slot)
• Sensors: Main Camera:1-inch CMOS; Tele camera: 1/1.3-inch CMOS
• Max photo resolution: Main camera: 50MP; Tele camera: 48MP
• Max video resolution: 4K (3840×2160) at 24/25/30/48/50/60/120fps
• Vertical video: Yes, 2.7K
• Image stabilisation: Three-axis mechanical gimbal
• Connectivity: WiFi

Setting it up

The DJI Air 3S is available in three variants - a basic model with RC-N3 controller (the one that fits a phone) and one battery, a Fly More Combo with DJI RC-N3 controller and two spare batteries, and a Fly More Combo with the much better DJI RC2 controller with built-in 5.5-inch 1920×1080 screen, plus two spare batteries. With the two Combo packs you also get a three-way battery charging hub, a set of ND filters and a well-designed shoulder bag.

As is the case with every DJI drone, set up is extremely easy, thanks in no small part to the intuitive DJI Fly app that makes connection and account binding a breeze. However you will need to fit the props so follow the instructions carefully and do not fit them the wrong way round or the drone will simply turn turtle the moment it takes off. Also be sure to update the drone and controller with the latest firmware if instructed. That way you won’t get an annoying – and perhaps worrying – firmware update notification when you’re out in the field.

Design and features

To the untrained eye most DJI drones look the same whether they’re large or small. Consequently, this one looks almost identical to its predecessor, the Air 3 from July 2023. In fact the only key difference is the addition of a new LiDAR (short for Light Detection and Ranging) sensor on the nose of the craft. I don’t really have an issue with the drone’s styling which is purposeful and clearly designed with aerodynamics in mind. But I do have an issue with DJI’s continued choice of livery colour.

Yes, you can easily buy different coloured skins to wrap the drone in, but I for one would much prefer to see DJI release their drones in a range of tantalising colours, much like Apple does with its phones and laptops. Not only is DJI’s choice of grey among the blandest on the colour chart but I can’t think of a worse colour for a drone given that will almost certainly be flying amidst a backdrop of grey clouds where it will disappear from view when just 200 feet away. That’s one of the things I like most about the colour of the Autel drone range's rich orange livery. It makes their drones much easier to see from afar. So go on DJI, how about upping the ante and releasing your next range of drones in a variety of different colours like matt black, faux carbon fibre, bright red or even a vivid colour scheme to put birds off from mounting an attack.

While I’m on a minor rant, I also have an issue with the sink-ability of pretty much all drones on the market and just wish someone could find a way to include some kind of sealed air pocket or polystyrene system under the fuselage – just enough floatation to prevent a drone from sinking like a stone. I’ve lost count of the amount of YouTube videos I’ve watched of drones disappearing for good. Of course, chances are many parts in the drone would be ruined if it comes into contact with any water – especially sea water – but the mere fact that the owner has a chance of retrieving it is so much better than the frustration of knowing where it is but with no chance at all of ever getting back. Whoops there goes a thousand quid.

But I digress. Since the Air 3S weighs a smidge under 725 grams, you will need a Pilot ID and Operator ID to fly it and you can read more about this in our Guide to UK Drone Regulations. You may also need to complete additional training if you want to fly closer to people or in urban areas by going for an A2 Certificate of Competency (fly up to 50 meters away from people). If all this sounds like too much hassle, you might be better off going for the excellent DJI Mini 4 Pro instead.

At 214x100×89mm when folded, the Air 3S is compact enough for travel – especially if using the supplied Combo bag – but you may feel that weight after 30 minutes of trampling up a steep mountain path. Nevertheless, the quality of the imagery this drone produces will more than compensate for the added effort.

Speaking of which, this model, like its predecessor, comes with two cameras – a new 24mm wide-angle lens with a one-inch CMOS sensor (a mite larger than the standard Air 3) and a superb 70mm telephoto lens with 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor. You will positively adore the versatility these two cameras provide, but more on that a bit later.

Most drones these days come with a range of obstacle avoiding sensors and that’s true of the Air 3S which features full 360˚ protection against the drone piling into an object. However, this model is the very first DJI model to also include a front-mounted LiDAR sensor which uses an infrared beam to map the area ahead. LiDAR works very well at night where standard vision sensors struggle and that means you can safely fly this drone in total darkness safe in the knowledge that it won’t hit an obstruction head on.

The DJI Air 3S’s maximum flight range is a remarkable 32 km (19.8 miles) and its max video transmission range from controller to drone is an equally impressive 20km (12.5 miles). However one should bear in mind that it’s actually illegal in most countries to fly a drone beyond line of sight unless, perhaps, you’re in the middle of the wilderness.

Along with its obligatory Micro-SD card slot, the Air 3S also has a substantial 42GB of internal storage and you can download the files to your computer without having to unfold and turn the drone on. Just attach a USB-C cable and the drone’s disk icon appears on the desktop.

Although you wouldn’t want to crash this drone – difficult to do given its full gamut of enhanced safety systems – its robust build quality offers resistance to moisture and dust, allowing it to perform reliably in a wide range of different settings and ambient temperatures.

Autonomous flight modes

In the old days a pilot would require dextrous fingertips to fly around a subject in a full circle or perform a cinematic circular spiral towards a subject, but not with today’s drones and especially this one. DJI's intelligent flight modes like QuickShots, FocusTrack and Master Shots make it super easy to capture cinematic shots with almost zero effort. Simply select from a wide choice of preset autonomous flight modes and let the Air 3S do all the work.

Furthermore, this drone features a vastly improved ActiveTrack function that now highlights anything moving within the frame. So, for instance, you could feasibly select one cyclist from a bunch of riders and it would focus on that one specific subject. You can also draw a flight path for the drone to follow when performing a tracking shot so it starts out from high above before spiralling down towards the moving subject in a move that would be extremely difficult to pull off manually. Likewise, in the new Auto Tracking mode, you can simply press the C1 button and the drone will instantly start tracking, shooting from a variety of cinematic angles.

It’s definitely worth getting to grips with all of these amazing flight features – preferably in a wide open space – so you know exactly which one to use in any specific shooting scenario.

Flight performance

Every time I test a DJI drone I’m immediately struck by how butter-smooth the controls are. Really, if you’re a complete novice to drones and nervous as hell just before embarking on a flight, rest assured that the moment this drones takes off and you push the sticks in the direction you want it to go, your blood pressure will recede and you’ll simply be amazed at how easy it is to control.

With a flight time of up to 46 minutes, the Air 3S allows for extended shooting sessions without the constant worry of battery life. And believe me, 46 minutes is more than enough time for even the most adventurous of flyers.

I’m also super impressed with this model’s amazing 360˚ obstacle avoidance system and, while I haven’t had the chance to test the new LiDAR sensor at night, I have seen enough video evidence of it working remarkably well in total darkness. This item alone will revolutionise flight safety at night.

Like all DJI drones, when the Air 3S takes off it sets a home point that remains in place even if you move. Bear this in mind if you start going on a mile long walk while flying the drone above because if the battery reaches a near empty, it will start a 10 second countdown to return to its home point. If you haven’t updated the home point every so often yourself en route or you don’t cancel the return-to-home process once it’s started, the drone will fly back and land where it took off leaving you a mile away and a long walk back to retrieve it.

Sadly, no DJI drone is water proof so it’s best not to fly the Air 3S in heavy rain. Wind, however, shouldn’t be an issue as long as it’s not blowing a gale. Remember, too, that wind speeds are much greater at higher altitude than they are at ground level. The Air 3S has Level 6 wind resistance which means it’s good for wind up to around 27mph (43kph), excluding gusts.

Camera performance

The DJI Air 3S has two onboard cameras and they are both spectacularly good for a variety of shooting scenarios. The main camera is equipped with a 24mm f1.8 lens that’s perfect for widescreen landscapes while its partner below, a 70mm camera with telephoto lens and equally wide aperture of f2.8, is an absolute cracker for shooting compressed parallax shots in mountainous areas or any scene where you want a maximum depth of field with a soft-focussed background. Also, both cameras are capable of shooting vertical videos in 2.7K.

The main camera’s one-inch sensor captures stunning 50MP stills and crisp 4K video at a variety of frame rates from 24fps to 120fps. Both cameras deliver vibrant colours with excellent dynamic range while the low-light performance of the main camera is particularly noteworthy, making it a great option for evening shoots.

And fear not if you want even more zoom because this camera combo has a variety of optical and digital zoom levels, from x1 to x9. Add the Free Panorama option that allows the user to select a specific area in the frame by simply swivelling the drone from a start point to an end point and you have one of the most perfect aerial photographic tools that money can buy.

Verdict

The new DJI Air 3S is far better than expected and stands out for its impressive camera capabilities, ample flight time, full range of autonomous flight modes and exceptional safety features. Whether you’re using it for leisure purposes or for creating professional content for social media, this drone delivers exceptional performance and quality at an affordable price that makes it a very tempting investment indeed.