drone mini 3 pro from DJI has just been launched, and for the first time in a Mini model from the Chinese company, it now features obstacle sensors, a technology that was previously only present in the Air and above models. But the drone brings a number of other novelties that deserve attention, such as: a camera with a 1/1.3-inch sensor; f/1.7 aperture; bitrate up to 150 Mbps; video recording in 4K 60FPS and FullHD 120FPS; photos 48 megapixels; a camera that takes photos and videos vertically; flight autonomy up to 47 minutes with the Plus battery and 34 minutes with the standard battery; control distance up to 12 km with O3 technology; follow the function MasterShot and Quickshots modes; panoramic photos; In short, a drone with many attractions.

DJI Mini 3 Pro Announced With Many New Features

That being said, it’s natural to compare the Mini 3 Pro to the Air 2S, the drone that sits between the Mini 3 Pro and the Mavic 3 when it comes to pricing. But in technology, which is better? Air 2S with a large size and a 1-inch touch camera? Or the Mini 3 Pro with its compact size, good camera and up to 47 minutes of battery life? In this short article, I will highlight the main differences between drones that are similar in different technologies, despite different weights and even different prices.

I’ll start by highlighting the technical differences in the comparison tables below:

comparative

DJI Mini 3 Pro

DJI Air 2S

What is very similar between Mini 3 Pro and Air 2S

Drones use several common technologies. As I said, they are very similar in several specifications, as you can see below:

• Video recording in 4K 60FPS and 1080p 120FPS
• Support for RAW photos
• O3 technology with distance control up to 12km with 1080p 30FPS transmission
• Support for FocusTrack automatic flight modes (ActiveTrack 4.0, Spotlight 2.0 and Point of Interest 3.0)
• Support for MasterShots and Quickshots flight modes
• Hyperlapse mode for accelerated video
• Panoramic photo modes
• RC-N1 controller support

What is better in Mini 3 Pro

The Mini 3 Pro comes with very good specifications, some of which are equal or even better than the Air 2S. It is important to note that the size and weight of the Mini 3 Pro, combined with good wind resistance, makes it a great travel drone as it is easy to carry around. DJI has optimized the aerodynamic issues by promising to make the drone quieter, which is another interesting feature as it makes the drone less flashy to use.

Official site with specifications of Mini 3 Pro

The Mini 3 Pro’s camera stands out because it can rotate 90º and stay upright. So it can capture images without loss of resolution, which is interesting for social media use like Tiktok, Instagram Reals and Youtube Shorts, which are getting bigger and bigger as they focus on smartphone viewing. As for the camera, the Mini 3 Pro supports HDR photos and videos, while the Air 2S only supports photos.

OUR The battery life of the Mini 3 Pro is up to 34 minutes.but you can go further with Plus battery reaching an incredible 47 minutes. It is currently the DJI consumer drone with the longest flight time on a single battery. Another very important detail: you don’t need a charger with a power supply, a USB charger for a cell phone is enough, which is of great importance in practice.

The QuickTransfer file copying technology is only available on the Mini 3 Pro and can reach up to 30MB/s, which is more than 5 times faster than the Air 2S copy system. Another detail is that this technology enables communication between the drone and smartphone without the use of cables. On the Air 2S, the smartphone must be connected to a copy control that does not exceed 6 MB/s.

The Mini 3 Pro comes with built-in support for the new RC controller, but the Air 2S may be supported in the future via firmware as both drones use O3 technology.

The Mini 3 Pro is cheaper than the Air 2S outside of Brazil, but the difference will be very small at launch, so they will be priced very similarly. The basic Mini 3 Pro combo is $769 versus $999 for the Air 2S.

What is better in Air 2S

The Air 2S was released in the first half of 2021, bringing some improvements over the Mavic Air 2. The highlights are the camera with a 1-inch sensor and the sensor is also on top.

It is a faster drone than the Mavic Air 2. With more weight and size, as well as more powerful motors, this makes it very responsive and provides more safety in high winds while maintaining good camera stabilization even in these scenarios. On the other hand, flight autonomy has dropped from 34 minutes on the Mavic Air 2 to 31 minutes on the Air 2S.

Air 2S official website

The drone cameras are very similar, although the Air 2S records at 5.4K 30fps, maxes out at 150Mbps at that resolution, while the Mini 3 Pro has 150Mbps at 4K resolution, which in practice tends to be , no worse. lot. It’s also worth noting that the Air 2S has a 20MP 1-inch sensor and an f/2.8 aperture with support for a 10-bit Dlog-M color profile, but that makes sense depending on usage. In videos for Youtube and social networks, Mini 3 with its 1/1.3-inch camera with a 48-megapixel sensor and f/1.7 aperture will do the job perfectly.

The Air 2S has an ADS-B system that detects helicopters and airplanes, which is interesting from a security standpoint, but few people use this technology in practice. It also has one more sensor than the Mini 3 Pro. In addition to sensors that detect obstacles at the front, bottom, and rear, the Air 2S has a sensor at the top that can make a difference in some scenarios.

Which one to buy? Mini 3 Pro!

Given the specs and pricing, and those who still want to buy a drone, I would easily pick the Mini 3 Pro because it’s a smaller drone and mostly because it offers the same level of technology, including some better ones. Only very specific users can take advantage of the Air 2S’s 5.4K resolution, 10-bit color, or 1-inch sensor, but overall the Mini 3 Pro has more in my opinion. I don’t see the point in switching from the Air 2S to the Mini 3 Pro, given the technology, only if you really need a smaller and more portable drone, in addition to being able to have longer battery life.

A vertical system camera will appeal to many, especially users who travel a lot and are active on social networks. The drone has a very strong appeal to this audience. The quick file copy technology will certainly appeal to those who want to publish content immediately after creating images, as it speeds up the process.

Being able to have a battery life of up to 47 minutes, even if in practice it stays around 40 minutes or more, is very cool. This is almost 50% higher than the Air 2S in practice. Another detail, the Mini 32 Pro has a charger without a power supply, which is very good. The charging hub is based on a USB C connection, which allows you to use the mobile phone charger itself and reduces space and weight in your bag.

Since this is a launch, naturally the Mini 3 Pro will be overpriced in the first few weeks, but over time we should have a natural drop and make it more attractive.

Below is a brief comparison table of drone characteristics, indicating which one, in my opinion, is better. Of course, I’m talking about technical specifications here, only tests will show whether these bets really come true.

Video Mini 3 Pro and Air 2S

Below are the videos we are posting related to these two drones, which are some of the most compelling for DJI when it comes to product cost-effectiveness that delivers high quality technology, also for professional use.

Mini 3 Pro announcement video with comments on its main technologies:

Below is our video review of the Air 2S: