DJI Mini 3 Professional vs Mavic Air 2 and Air 2S: which is best?

The DJI Mini 3 Professional launched this week to a lot fanfare. It provides not simply the most-desired specs, together with sub-250 gram takeoff weight, 4K/60fps video, tri-directional impediment sensing and 34 minutes of flight time — nevertheless it provides all that for a fairly low worth level of simply $759 (or $669 in the event you forego the controller, assuming you could have one from a earlier mannequin you’ve upgraded from).

Whereas the DJI Mini 3 Professional lives below the DJI Mini line of drones, it hardly resembles the Mini line. The DJI Mini and DJI Mini 2 drones have historically been entry-level drones, designed for amateur drone pilots given their stripped options at a low worth level (the DJI Mini 2 often goes for $449).

The one main spec that the DJI Mini 3 Professional has in widespread with its DJI Mini predecessors is the really Mini measurement. Mini drones all weigh below 250 grams. And since many nations solely regulate drones weighing 250 grams or larger, that makes these drones exempt from many kinds of rules or restrictions. Within the U.S., it makes them exempt from the registration requirement.

As a substitute, the brand new DJI Mini 3 Professional is definitely far nearer to the DJI Air 2 and DJI Air 2S virtually each metric. The Mini 3 Professional is the one one within the Mini lineup to date to incorporate impediment avoidance, which you’ll discover within the Air 2 and Air 2S drones.

It additionally provides far larger video high quality than the Mini drones, as a substitute extra aligning with the Air 2 and Air 2S. And sure, its worth level additionally higher aligns with the Air 2 and Air 2S drones.

Associated learn: DJI Mini 3 Professional is right here: every little thing it’s essential know

Given how the DJI Mini 3 Professional most carefully mirrors the DJI Air 2 and DJI Air 2S drones, which one is best for you? And if you have already got an Air 2 or Air 2S, is it value including a DJI Mini 3 Professional to your assortment as nicely?

Right here’s what it’s essential know when it comes to evaluating the DJI Mini 3 Professional vs the DJI Air 2 and the DJI Air 2S:

So with these specs in thoughts, which drone do you have to get? If you happen to don’t have any drones proper now, right here’s my evaluation of those three, and my steerage of which one to get:

Who the DJI Mavic Air 2 is finest for

If I’m being trustworthy, the reply is nobody, in all probability. Most of its most important specs mirror that of the Mini 2. Or, they’re related, however the tradeoffs really feel negligible (e.g. 1/2″ CMOS versus 1/1.3″ CMOS, and f/2.8 versus f/1.7).

Don’t get me improper, I beloved the DJI Mavic Air 2 when it launched again in 2020. It was a photographer’s dream, given its massive 1/2″ digicam sensor, pre-programmed flight modes, sensors to help in impediment avoidance and nonetheless comparatively small measurement.

However the Mini 3 Professional is smaller and sure, the Air 2 is small, however even the slight distinction if you’re packing for a visit will be important. And whereas I don’t discover registering your drone to be an enormous deal, there could possibly be guidelines in different nations that make it burdensome to fly a drone weighing over 250 grams versus below. The Mini 3 Professional removes that burden so you may fly your drone internationally with much less headache. And now, the Mini 3 Professional takes many of the nice tech specs and places them in a smaller (and cheaper) package deal.

And look, DJI is aware of the Mavic Air 2 might be a factor of the previous. Whilst you can nonetheless buy it from third-party retailers like Amazon, each the Air 2 and the Air 2 Combo are listed as out of inventory on DJI’s personal web site — and it’s not clear it’ll ever be restocked.

Except yow will discover the DJI Mavic Air 2 on a significant sale from one other retailer or used through a reseller for a deep low cost, skip it.

Who the DJI Mavic Air 2S is finest for

The Air 2S is finest for somebody who desires the very best high quality digicam together with skilled photographers like marriage ceremony photographers, however doesn’t have the price range for the DJI Mavic 3.

Whereas some elements of the Mini 3 Professional’s digicam are higher, comparable to a wider aperture, the DJI Mavic Air 2S usually nonetheless has a greater digicam than the DJI Mini 3 Professional. A bigger sensor, for instance, will be essential for skilled photographers, and the Air 2S entails a 1” sensor providing 20-megapixel images and 5.4K video, with a bigger pixel measurement of two.4μm.

If you happen to’re actually critical about images, you’re in the end finest off with the Mavic 3, which has a dual-camera system that includes Hasselblad. However that drone will value you $2,199, which will be prohibitively costly for a lot of. The Air 2S provides a pleasant candy spot of bigger sensor and usually wonderful digicam just like the Mavic 3, at a worth level below $1,000 just like the Mini 3 Professional.

Who the DJI Mini 3 Professional is finest for

Most individuals! It’s positively the very best drone for me — and it is likely to be the very best drone for you, too!

I think about the Mini 3 Professional to be a fruits of all the very best options that DJI has developed. Given its ultra-small measurement and light-weight weight, it builds on the portability that wowed me within the Mini and Mini 2 drones. However these drones, whereas small, weren’t precisely mighty. The Mini 3 Professional is small and mighty, bringing in lots of the strongest specs discovered within the DJI Air and DJI Mavic sequence of drones together with a superb digicam, sense and keep away from tech and clever flight modes.

Learn my full overview of the DJI Mini 3 Professional right here.

Is the DJI Mini 3 Professional value upgrading your DJI Air/Air 2/Air 2S?

Aside from small measurement (which is likely to be essential, particularly in the event you’re in a rustic that regulates drones 250 grams or extra), the DJI Mini 3 Professional realistically isn’t value upgrading your Air 2S for. When you have an limitless price range, then I say go for it, however you is likely to be higher off saving your cash.

But it surely does really feel superior to the sooner variations of the DJI Air and Air 2, given its improved digicam and impediment avoidance tech. It’s additionally far and away superior to earlier Mini drones, the DJI Mini and Mini 2. If you happen to’re used to any of these drones, you’ll discover a dramatic distinction if you contact the Mini 3 when it comes to ease of flight, digicam high quality and security. When you have the means, upgrading is justified.

And DJI has one other supply to make upgrading much more engaging. DJI is providing the DJI Mini 3 to you at simply $669 vs $759, assuming you’re prepared to recycle your controller.

If you happen to presently have a DJI Mavic Air 2, Air 2S or Mavic Mini 2, you seemingly have already got a DJI RC-N1 controller. And with the Mini 3 Professional launch, DJI is providing a bundle that provides the drone with out the distant controller. The DJI Mini 3 Professional equipment sans distant controller prices simply $669. That may make upgrading a bit extra palatable — particularly because you may give your controller a second life.

The underside line

The DJI Mini 3 Professional just isn’t essentially the very best in each class, given how different extra highly effective drones just like the Mavic 3 and Matrice line win on sure particular person specs). However it’s the finest total drone for most individuals, particularly contemplating its comparatively low worth.

If you happen to’re the type of one who likes to journey and get unimaginable high quality footage of your explorations to share on social media, there’s no higher drone on the market than the DJI Mini 3 Professional.

Buy the DJI Mini 2 beginning at simply $669 (no controller) or $759 with controller now from:

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