DJI Air 3S – LONGTERM REVIEW After 6 Months Of Flying!

I’ve been flying the DJI Air 3S for a number of months now, racking up a ton of flights throughout numerous circumstances—sunny days, windy afternoons, and some evening missions. As a mid-range drone launched in late 2024, the Air 3S is positioned between the compact Mini sequence and the premium Mavic lineup, promising a mix of portability, superior options, and high-quality imaging.

This long-term overview displays my real-world expertise with the drone, specializing in its efficiency, digital camera system, battery life, flight capabilities, and some quirks I’ve seen over time. As of immediately, March 23, 2025, I’ve been flying the drone for roughly six months, giving me sufficient time to push it via its paces.

Digicam System: A Twin-Lens Standout

Beginning with the digital camera system, the Air 3S boasts a dual-camera setup that has turn out to be a standout function after prolonged use. The first 1-inch CMOS sensor, equal to 24mm, delivers crisp, vibrant photographs with glorious dynamic vary, particularly in difficult lighting like golden hour or overcast skies. The secondary 70mm equal telephoto lens affords thrice optical zoom, which I’ve discovered invaluable for framing distant topics like Wildlife or architectural particulars with out sacrificing high quality.

Over time, I’ve seen the bigger sensor of the primary digital camera actually shines in low-light eventualities, producing very clear footage in comparison with its predecessor, the DJI Air 3. Options like 4K 60 frames per second HDR and 10-bit D-Log M have held up effectively for post-processing. Nonetheless, the fastened aperture on each lenses means I at all times depend on ND Filters in vivid circumstances, which could be a trouble to swap mid-flight. Nonetheless, the pictures can take some heavy grading with out points. If you wish to obtain an analogous search for your footage, take a look at my signature LUT pack, which comes with two conversion LUTs and 7 completely different appears relying on the temper you’re going for—I’ll hyperlink it under. Thanks in your assist!

Battery Life: Spectacular But Not Good

Battery life is one other class the place the DJI Air 3S simply impresses, although not with out some caveats. DJI charges it at as much as 45 minutes in excellent circumstances, however in real-world use—accounting for wind, temperature, and aggressive flying—I’ve persistently gotten between 30 to 35 minutes per cost. It is a stable step up from the Air 2S’s 31 minutes and almost matches the Air 3’s 46-minute declare, making it dependable for prolonged shoots. Nonetheless, the batteries take about 80 to 90 minutes to completely cost by way of USB-C, which feels sluggish when juggling a number of batteries and desperate to get again within the air.

Flight Efficiency: Regular and Dependable

In terms of flight efficiency, it has confirmed to be a robust swimsuit for the drone over these previous few months. The DJI Air 3S handles winds as much as 12 m/s with confidence, hovering steadily the place lighter drones may wobble. Its omnidirectional impediment avoidance, now enhanced with forward-facing LiDAR, has stored me out of hassle throughout complicated maneuvers. The LiDAR actually comes into its personal at evening, making nightfall flights far much less nerve-wracking than with earlier fashions. As for the sign, the O4 transmission system delivers a rock-solid 1080p 60 frames per second feed as much as 20 km with out noticeable dropouts, even in city areas with interference. I’ve had zero points with sign over the months I’ve been utilizing the Air 3S.

Clever Flight Modes: Rising on Me

Some clever flight modes have positively grown on me with extended use. ActiveTrack 360 lets me lock onto topics and alter the drone’s orbit with a easy touchscreen drag. It’s tracked reliably throughout dozens of flights, not often dropping focus even with reasonable obstacles. Waypoints, inherited from higher-end fashions, has been clutch for repeating exact flight paths or organising a route so I can deal with one other exercise. That mentioned, setting them up initially may be fiddly and time-consuming. Nonetheless, as a solo shooter, I’m an enormous fan of Waypoints and use it often.

Storage and Connectivity: Strengths and Minor Frustrations

Storage and connectivity have proven each strengths and minor frustrations. The bounce from the Air 3’s 8 GB to 42 GB of inner storage has been a game-changer, letting me shoot for hours with out swapping microSD playing cards—excellent for spontaneous journeys. This reduces my reliance on exterior reminiscence playing cards, and even when I neglect one, I can nonetheless shoot with simplified information administration. The RC2 controller, with its vivid 700-nit 5.5-inch display screen, is a pleasure to make use of, exhibiting no indicators of wear and tear and no issues in any respect.

Construct High quality and Portability: Holding Up Nicely

The construct high quality and portability have held up properly below common use. At 724 g, the DJI Air 3S folds down compactly, becoming simply right into a backpack, and its strong development has shrugged off gentle bumps and tough landings. The propellers, whereas sturdy, have picked up a number of nicks from particles—I strongly counsel changing them when unsure. The gimbal guard feels important to guard the digital camera throughout transport and is straightforward to placed on and off. Noise ranges are round 80 dB—not tremendous quiet—however the lower-frequency hum is much less intrusive than smaller drones, fading to close silence above 50 m. Nonetheless, it’s not tremendous stealthy, and I’ve obtained curious appears when filming in quiet areas, however I can dwell with that.

Shortcomings: Regulatory Hurdles and Artistic Limits

If I’ve to checklist a shortcoming, one could be the regulatory hurdles that include proudly owning this drone. Because it weighs over 249 g, it falls right into a stricter class, which means extra laws on the place and the way I can fly. Whereas not the drone’s fault, it impacts how I take advantage of it—I discover myself in search of areas farther from cities, folks, and potential issues. I nonetheless fly in city areas however restrict myself to keep away from points. Moreover, the dearth of adjustable aperture stays a inventive limitation in my view—one thing the Mavic 3 Traditional affords for the next worth. The absence of 5.4K video (4K most) appears like a missed alternative for a mid-range prime contender in 2025.

The DJI Air 3S – A Close to-Good Drone

To sum it up, the DJI Air 3S delivers distinctive picture high quality, dependable flight efficiency, and a set of sensible options which have confirmed their value over months of utilization. The twin-camera system, lengthy battery life, and night-capable LiDAR make it a flexible device for each newbie lovers and professionals. Limitations like no variable aperture, regulatory restrictions, and barely gradual charging don’t overshadow its strengths however do mood its attraction for sure customers. After loads of time within the air, I’d name the Air 3S a near-perfect drone, providing a compelling stability of energy, worth, and practicality. That’s all the pieces I’ve for you immediately—hope you loved it! Drop a like, subscribe for extra drone and tech movies, and by no means cease flying. Catch you within the subsequent one—ciao!