DJI - Air 3s

I own multiples of both the Air 3S and Mini 4 Pro, and two Air 3 units as well. What do you intend to shoot? How do you intend to shoot it? What lighting/time of day? What output do you expect to use? What wind conditions? What class/weight done can you fly regularly? The Air 3S has FAR better obstacle avoidance in low light on its normal obstacle avoidance sensors vs the Air 3 and Mini 4 Pro, plus it also has front facing Lidar, which has also been impressively good. On top of that, the Air 3S has D-log-M at extended ISO ranges, which happen to be the same ISO range the Air 3 and Mini 4 Pro only have shitty 8bit 'night mode' that SUCKS. I was NEVER impressed by the 'low light' capabilities of the Mini 4 Pro and Air 3, nor their Obatacle Avoidance tech even in what i would consider to be 'good lighting', sunset/dusk is too dark, Air 3S the sensors are fine even when its darker than im comfortable flying. The Air 3S exceeded my expectations in low light, both in terms of obstacle avoidance sensors (which are about 10x more light sensitive than the Air 3 and Mini 4 Pro) as well as 10 bit D-log-M performance vs shitty 8-bit 'night mode' on the Air 3 and Mini 4 Pro. Lidar works with zero light up front. The Mini 4 Pro is great if its calm weather and bright enough outside. Air 3 and Air 3S are FAR FAR FAR more stable in wind or gusty situations. The Mini 4 Pro is also quite small and handy if youre after something compact; its a killer piece of kit that punches WAY above its weight for what it is. We keep a Mini 4 Pro or an Air 3 in deployment as 'risky shot' drones for client work, the footage in proper lighting is GREAT! That said, i'd go Air 3S over a Mini 4 Pro, but we use both cams and low light/wind resistance matters for us.

Air 3s. Better drone overall.

Depends on your country. In the US? Good grief just get whatever drone you want and pay $5 to register it. That's it, you're done for three years when it'll have to be registered again for $5. You can fly it in all the same places you can fly a less than 250g drone. The Air 2, 2s, 3 or soon 3s is so much better than a mini. You don't need a part 107 certificate unless you are using the drone to make money. And if you are using it to make money, the weight of the mini drone is now irrelevant and you need the part 107 anyhow. Don't be stupid and fly it where you aren't supposed to and nobody will ever give you grief (except ugly women, they'll accuse you of spying on them any chance they get - my new response to them is to let them know they can complain to the FAA about a legal drone flight taking place in unrestricted air by a certified drone pilot (don't lie if you don't have a part 107 certificate though)). Not in the US? Get a mini. Those sub 250g laws are pretty restrictive from what I understand.

wait for air 3s bro. mini4pro is good but i find it gets displaced in even slight wind, which definitely impacts hyperlapses, etc.

DJI Air 3s is what you’re looking for. Don’t go for the mini, especially with the budget you have. The $1,500 gets you the fly more package which brings extra batteries which you’ll definitely want

You are smart to stay away from all of the drones that have sponsored reviews. Buying a drone is fairly easy: 1. Disregard anyone who tells you to buy a cheap drone first "to learn on". That's a complete waste of money. 2. In the U.S., buy DJI or Autel. I have specimens of both and find that Autel is just a little behind the curve, but not by much. DJI typically has much, much better after sales support than Autel. 3. Spend as much as you are comfortable spending. Don't hold back. 4. You can get a brand-new DJI Mini 4K for about $300... but that won't have extra batteries or a remote control with a screen (you'll have to use a smart phone or a tablet as your screen). Even though the battery claim may be 40 minute flight per battery charge, you're really only going to get 20 to 30 minutes. Get at least 3 batteries with your purchase. Adding an RC with a screen to the this package will get you close to $1K, new. 5. DJI MIni (or Autel Nano, or any drone under 250 grams) will allow you to travel to more international destinations and fly legally. That small weight also helps limit fatigue or space for carrying. 6. If you do not plan to travel outside the US, no need to limit your drone to the less than 250 gram category. VERY generally speaking, the heavier, the less affected by winds. That is, a Mavic 3 Pro at nearly 900 grams will handle higher winds and will handle better in winds than a 249 gram mini. 7. Right now the best drone over 250 grams is probably the DJI Air3s. Others will have differing opinions with this and all of the above. 8. These are not exhaustive guidelines but will provide you a start. We haven't even begun to talk about the need for Remote ID capability, for example. 9. So many options, so little time. Enjoy!

Air3S is halfway between the two Get what you need for your use case The Mini 3/4 Pro should be fine I do love my Air3S though! :)

I personally say yes. All the sensors will help you not crash it (obviously still be smart about it), it’s big enough that wind doesn’t have much affect on it, and it’s a good enough drone that you’ll be happy with it for a few years

I have an Air 3s and a M4P (and a Neo). The M4P / RC-2 / batteries pack down into a small light case, the 3 batteries charge quickly (on my 100w charger), it takes great video, it's sub250 so doesn't need registering if that's a thing where you are, and it's very inconspicuous - once it gets 3-4 metres away from people they don't hear it unless they're trying to and if it's up in the sky doing its thing rather than zooming up and down through a park people just don't notice it. It gets tossed around a little bit in the wind but the picture is stable and so long as the drone is moving rather than trying to hover it looks after itself. It's my goto drone for day to day stuff. The Air3s feels a lot more solid and powerful and substantial and doesn't seem to notice winds that would make the M4P complain. The batteries are physically about 3 times the size of the M4P ones and take about 3 times as long to charge, the bag it all lives in is about twice the size and weight of the M4P bag. It has to be a lot further away before people can't hear it, it needs to be registered, and I've heard that the 3 batteries of the flymore combo are just under the limit of how much LiPo battery you're allowed to take on a plane. It's my goto drone for chasing cars at our local dirt track because it doesn't get distracted and it's fast - an Air3s in sport mode is not only faster than the M4P in sport mode, it's faster than an Avata 2 in sport mode. Flying them the same way doing the same thing on the same day at the track It feels like I get more time out of the M4P batteries. I see you bought the same kit I did - you'll love it :) The Neo just for comparison comes with goggles and 3 batteries and the motion controller but not with a case and it REALLY doesn't like windy days. It's my goto drone for chilling and having fun but it's a PITA to take it anywhere because goggles and no case and low wind tolerance, and everyone knows it's there because it sounds like an angry mosquito so you have to stay away from people. I've seen a couple of people say that as it is a ducted propeller drone like the Avata 2 if you rotate it 180 degrees while it's moving then try to go back where you came from through the air it just disturbed it will stall a propellor and drop out of the sky just like an A2 (the yaw spin that people talk about), but I haven't found any videos of a Neo doing it (tbh I haven't looked).

the A3s and M4P are the same tech internally. The A3s is better in windy since it's heavier. I do like M4P(fly more +) on long hikes since it weighs less (around 500g less). Depends on what you want to do both are solid if you want to drive and fly go A3s if you like to hike and fly M4P

So really any DJI will work. You can start cheep with a Mini 4k for around $300, though I'd recommend the Fly More Combo (extra batteries and propellers) which goes up to $450. The Mini 4 Pro is a step up and adds obstacle avoidance, which is helpful but not a must have, and an improved camera, but the price goes to $760 to start and $1,099 for the fly more (which also includes the touchscreen controller). Mini 3 and Mini 3 Pro are also options, with the Mini 3 being a little better than the Mini 4k and the Mini 3 Pro being not quite as good as the Mini 4 Pro (the Mini 3 Pro only has front, rear, and below obstacle avoidance while Mini 4 Pro is all around). The Mini series has one big problem when it comes to Part 107 operations. When flying recreationally (not Part 107), drones taking off under 250g (which all DJI Mini drones are without accessories) do not require Remote ID. However, when Part 107, Remote ID is required regardless of weight. The Minis can support Remote ID, but due to the way DJI programmed it, it only turns on Remote ID when using an extended battery (sold separately). They do that because then it is 250g and above so requires Remote ID. So when using it for Part 107, you need to either use the extended battery or attach a Remote ID module (which is around $40). An alternative would be the DJI Air 3 (and soon to be released Air 3S). The Air is a bigger drone (about 2x-3x the size of the Mini series), so it is a little harder to carry (can't throw it in a bag as easily). However, it is more powerful and adds a 3x telephoto camera along with the standard camera (and like the Mini 4 Pro, has full obstacle avoidance). Because of its weight, it always has Remote ID enabled. It is a little higher in price than your budget though, coming in at $1,099 or a fly more combo (without the touchscreen controller) for $1,349. With the Air 3S on the horizon, I would recommend not buying one of these unless they are sale (we have been seeing sales lately as they try to get rid of inventory) or otherwise wait until the 3S comes out.

Air3s will come any day. Get that for a log image and you‘ll have a drone that’s high quality and light weight which will last you a long time in image quality Edit: it will have a remote which the drone will follow and reference as return to home point. Ideal for your purpose👍🏻

Not true. My Air 3s has tracked me at around 30 and kept up just fine

In many situations, the Air 3S footage is noticeably better. In many situations, that doesn't matter.

I’m also new to drones and debated the Air 3s vs Mini Pro 4. I ultimately decided on the Air 3s and while I don’t have anything to compare it to, I don’t regret it at all. Having a blast with it. If you can afford the price difference, go with the Air 3s.

I have the Air 3S. I also have the Neo. I used to have the Mini 3 and the Avata 2, but so far, the Air 3S is my favorite.

I think the best drone for your budget would be the DJI Neo. It’s a good beginner drone that is inexpensive and has good quality photos and videos. Have one myself, as well as an Air 3S. Best place to buy right now is Adorama online.

Hey, I shoot a lot of gardens and homes. I use a combination of the Sony Airpeak, DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine, and the DJI Mini 3 Pro. If you’re just getting started out, probably the Mini 4 Pro. But the new Air 3s would probably be the best if you are prioritizing image quality. The longer lenses in the Air 3s and the Mavic 3 pro really make a big difference. If you have any questions, feel free to DM me. Also, you’ll need a Part 107.

Honestly, if you go Mavic 3 Pro, I dunno. Mavic 3 classic or Air 3s should be your internal debate IMO, on budget. A year of flying the classic a lot, and I've wished I had a pro less than five times. Either way, both are phenomenal drones, while the Mavic-3 Pro is AMAZING, it's probably overkill and overspend. FWIW - from a selling footage standpoint, my lowly Mini-3 is the only one that has made money - clearly not as good quality as every other drone I have.

The first rule of tech is never wait for something new because there’s always something new. The new drone is an Air 3s which is going to be $1k+. Of the two you listed the mini 3 has a much better camera and better features. Also definitely recommend Care Refresh if this is your first drone. They’re a lot of fun. Enjoy!

Most people are going to say the Mini 4 Pro, and they're not wrong, it's a great first drone. A great drone in general. I started with the Mini 3 Pro and loved it. But then I got a Mavic 3 Pro, which is a lot like the Air 3s. It adds a 3x telephoto lens, and once you use a drone with one it's very hard to go back to not having it. So my vote is the Air 3S, it'll skip an upgrading step later on. Just be aware that since it weighs more than 250 grams you'll need to get your TRUST certificate, which is dead simple, takes like 30 minutes online. Those rules are if you're in the United States. Laws for sub 250 gram drones are different in other countries, and Canada has the huge advantage of being able to legally fly a sub 250 gram beyond visual line of sight, which is pretty amazing. Edit: I assume the downvotes are because some people think <250 gram drones in Canada require VLOS. Please post a link! Surprisingly enough it's not required.

Get the DJI Air 3S. Awesome drone. I got it recently as my first drone and I am loving this piece of tech 😁

I got my DJI Air 3S as ny first drone, and I love it. It's a great drone. If you're gonna get into this stuff and pay thid amiunt, I'd go for the Air 3S. Great for beginners, stable in winds and is the best drone overall.

The Mini4 Pro would be fine, it's the deliverables that count. You can also explain to people how the size of the drone is a safety feature that makes it so you can fly around people much easier. If you want something with a bit more 'oomph' and visual appeal, the Air 3/3S would be a perfect fit for your needs. I'd even say that the Mavic series would be overkill, really.

Go with DJI's Avata 2, Air 3/3s, you can connect their FPV goggles to the drone. All 3 DJI drones use the O4 system. If you go the BYO FPV system I'd recommend a SpeedyBee Bee25 or a QAV-Pro Nano Whoop 2" frame and build it/tune it how you want. Both of those frames can hold a GoPro Bones or a naked GoPro and has a flight time of 8-12 mins of flight time, obviously depending on configuration.