Less than 20 years. That is the age of DJI, a company that was born led by Frank Wang after enrolling in a university course to develop drones. And in that short period it has become a benchmark for commercial drones. We had already talked about models like the Air, the Neo and even the Air 3. And now comes the latest evolution, the DJI Air 3S.
Regarding weight, one of the most important variables when requesting permits, we are looking at a 724 gram drone, which greatly reduces the use requirements and allows us enormous freedom of action. If we go to the battery, it charges quickly: In less than an hour, we have about 40 minutes of flight. It is very compact, a little larger than two clasped hands if fully folded. Thanks to this it is very easy to transport it. All the equipment, batteries, controller and drone, barely exceed one kilo and can be carried comfortably in a backpack. Its ability to fold not only makes it small, but also gives it greater resistance.
Then come its advantages. The most important or at least the one that stands out first is its double lens. By including wide-angle and mid-telephoto cameras (each with its own 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor), expands creative possibilities and gives us much more play without having to expose it to more risky flights.
The new DJI Air 3S has also increased the size of the wide-angle camera sensor compared to previous generations, bringing it to one inch, which improves dynamic range and low-light image quality. Of night behaves wonderfully, both in image and in flight. It also adds integrated SSD storage for photos and videos and increases its “spatial awareness” thanks to the front lidar sensors: programming it to return to the take-off site is a luxury, even if it is inside a tent.
One detail that we liked is that It can record regular 4K videos at up to 60fps. It also does it in slow motion at 4K and is capable of recording videos in 9:16 vertical format, ideal for quickly posting on social networks, at a more than acceptable resolution of 2.7K and 60 fps.
The cameras are not perfect: perhaps they The option of an adjustable opening is missing to give it even greater versatility. Photography experts will notice this. That’s what makes them not a 10. But for 99% of users it will be a luxury.
As usual at DJI, the flight experience, whether from the controller or fromThe application is very simple, it is the first experience with a drone for an advanced user. Like most DJI drones, it has Automatic takeoff and landing and return to home functionswhile omnidirectional object detection makes it very difficult to collide with something, even when wind resistance is strong or when it is night.
Two equally powerful assets: the detection of obstacles (at high speed and in visibility or wind conditions that are not always adequate) works with enormous delicacy – as does the tracking it does for us once programmed for it.
The RC 2 controller with touch screen is linked in seconds and offers a very clear transmission up to 20 km away and with a latency of just 120 milliseconds, the time it takes for the drone to respond to our commands, almost instantaneous. It has three satellites for its navigation system and can operate between -10 º C and 40 ° C. Its maximum takeoff altitude is about 6,000 meters and its operating range reaches 32 km. All this has a base price of 1099 euros.
Verdict: Like a high-end phone, its price is above 1,000 euros. Those who want easy entertainment, a toy, may lean towards the DJI Neo, but the DJI Air 3S is a tool to get the most out of it. If we only want the flight, there are other cheaper options. It is, at the moment, the best commercial drone for those who enjoy photography and video.