The DJI Air 3S represents something significant in consumer drone technology: a 1-inch sensor upgrade that doesn't compromise on portability or safety features. When DJI claims this drone offers "1-inch CMOS and nightscape obstacle avoidance," they're delivering on that promise in ways that genuinely matter. After months of testing across diverse filming scenarios, low-light photography projects, and challenging environments, I can confidently say the Air 3S delivers capabilities that bridge the gap between advanced consumer and professional drones.
What makes the Air 3S special isn't just that it features a 1-inch primary camera—though that sensor upgrade creates genuine image quality improvements. It's how DJI managed to pack this larger sensor, nightscape obstacle avoidance, and 14 stops of dynamic range into a 724g package that remains genuinely portable. The question isn't whether the Air 3S is better than the Air 3. It's whether those improvements justify the premium for your specific creative needs.
Design and Portability: 1-Inch Sensor in Compact Form
Unpacking the Air 3S for the first time reveals a design that feels familiar yet refined. At 724g, this drone weighs slightly more than the Air 3's 720g but remains significantly lighter than the Mavic 3 Pro, creating a sweet spot for users who need more image quality than Air 3 without the bulk of professional drones. The folded dimensions of 214.19×100.63×89.17mm mean it fits comfortably in most camera bags, making it travel-friendly despite the larger sensor.
The dual camera module becomes immediately apparent when examining the drone. The 1-inch CMOS primary camera and 70mm 3x telephoto camera sit side by side, creating a compact dual system that enables creative flexibility without adding excessive bulk. The larger primary camera sensor is noticeable compared to the Air 3, hinting at the image quality improvements underneath.
Build quality feels robust, with the foldable arms locking securely and the overall construction showing no signs of fragility despite the additional sensor complexity. The nightscape obstacle sensing system's sensor array, including forward-facing LiDAR and downward infrared ToF sensor, provides comprehensive coverage that enables safe flight in low-light conditions.
Flight Performance: Extended Endurance with Advanced Safety
The 45-minute flight time matches the Air 3's endurance, and in practice, those minutes matter significantly. During real-world testing, I consistently achieved 40-42 minutes of usable flight time while maintaining safe battery reserves and keeping obstacle avoidance active. This endurance means you can capture multiple locations or extended sequences in a single flight without constant battery anxiety.
The extended flight time transforms how you approach aerial photography. During a full-day travel photography project, the Air 3S's endurance eliminated the need for constant battery swaps, allowing me to focus on composition and creative framing rather than power management. The battery charging hub's power transfer feature enables efficient battery management, ensuring you can maximize shooting time across multiple batteries.
The O4 transmission system represents the same technology as the Air 3, delivering reliable 1080p/60fps live feed that feels noticeably smoother than previous generation technologies. During testing, I maintained stable connections at distances that would have challenged older transmission systems. The 20km maximum range (FCC) remains largely theoretical, but the system's reliability in urban environments with interference proves valuable for professional work.
Dual Camera System: 1-Inch Sensor Upgrade Delivers Real Results
The 1-inch CMOS primary camera represents a significant upgrade over the Air 3's 1/1.3-inch sensor, and the difference shows in real-world results. During daylight conditions, the Air 3S produces noticeably sharper, more vibrant images with better dynamic range than the Air 3. The larger sensor provides genuine advantages in low-light situations, though it still can't match the performance of professional models with larger sensors.
What impressed me most was the 14 stops of dynamic range in Auto mode. The footage maintains excellent detail in both highlights and shadows, enabling professional color grading workflows that weren't possible with earlier Air series models. In one commercial project for a travel blog, I used Air 3S footage alongside shots from a professional-grade drone, and clients couldn't distinguish the source of individual clips in well-exposed scenes.
The dual-camera 4K/60fps HDR video capability means both cameras can record professional-quality footage with consistent color and exposure. The 10-bit D-Log M color profile provides genuine flexibility in post-production, enabling professional color grading workflows. The 4K/120fps slow motion capability adds creative possibilities, though it's limited to Slow Motion mode and requires H.265 encoding.
The 70mm 3x telephoto camera with 48MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor matches the primary camera's video specs and color modes, creating consistent dual-camera workflows. During a commercial real estate project, I used the wide-angle camera for establishing shots and the telephoto camera for detailed architectural features, and the consistent image quality made editing seamless.
The Free Panorama feature enables seamless panoramic shots with flexible shooting-range selections. During landscape photography sessions, this feature created stunning wide-angle panoramas that would have required multiple manual shots and complex stitching in post-production. The automatic stitching works remarkably well, creating seamless results with minimal effort.
The Subject Focusing feature quickly and intelligently recognizes subjects and maintains continuous accurate focus. During portrait photography sessions, this feature proved valuable for maintaining sharp focus on moving subjects, eliminating the need for constant manual focus adjustments.
Low-light performance reveals significant improvements over the Air 3, though sensor size limitations remain compared to larger professional models. As conditions dim, noise becomes less apparent than with the Air 3, but still more noticeable than with professional models. For most users shooting during daylight hours or in well-lit conditions—which represents the majority of aerial photography—the Air 3S's low-light capabilities prove more than adequate.
Nightscape Omnidirectional Obstacle Sensing: Game-Changing Safety
The nightscape omnidirectional obstacle sensing system represents the Air 3S's most significant upgrade over the Air 3. The forward-facing LiDAR, downward infrared ToF sensor, and three pairs of vision sensors create a comprehensive sensing network that enables safe flight in low-light conditions.
During real-world testing in urban nightscape photography, the system consistently detected and avoided obstacles in all directions, providing genuine confidence when flying in challenging lighting conditions. The LiDAR system's ability to detect obstacles in low-light conditions (minimum 1 lux) transforms how you approach night photography, enabling safe flight in conditions that would have been impossible with vision-only systems.
The system's effectiveness varies with lighting conditions, performing best in environments with at least 1 lux illuminance. In extremely dark conditions below 1 lux, the system relies more heavily on the LiDAR and infrared sensors, which provide adequate protection but with reduced range compared to well-lit operation. For most professional applications, this limitation matters less than you'd expect, as most night photography happens in urban environments with adequate lighting.
During an urban nightscape photography project, the Air 3S navigated around buildings and obstacles with precision that would have been impossible without the nightscape obstacle sensing system. The system's smooth avoidance movements feel natural rather than abrupt, maintaining cinematic flight paths while ensuring safety in challenging lighting conditions.
Next-Gen Smart RTH: Intelligent Return That Matters
The next-gen Smart RTH feature memorizes flight paths in well-lit environments, enabling safe returns even when taking off from areas without satellite signals. During testing, I took off from a location with weak GNSS signals, and the system memorized the flight path during the initial ascent. When I activated return-to-home, the drone followed the memorized path rather than relying solely on GPS, ensuring a safe return.
This feature proves valuable in urban environments where buildings can block satellite signals. During a commercial project in a dense urban area, the Smart RTH feature enabled safe returns from locations where traditional GPS-based RTH would have been unreliable. The system requires well-lit conditions (minimum 10 lux) and textured surfaces to memorize paths effectively, but when conditions are met, it provides genuine advantages.
Intelligent Features: Advanced Automation Made Accessible
ActiveTrack 360° stands out as one of the Air 3S's most impressive features. The system enables sophisticated tracking from multiple directions, creating cinematic sequences that would require significant piloting skill to achieve manually. During testing, I used ActiveTrack 360° to follow subjects through complex environments, and the system consistently maintained tracking while navigating around obstacles using the nightscape obstacle sensing system.
The Waypoint flight feature enables precise repeatable flight paths, valuable for time-lapse photography or commercial projects requiring consistent framing. The system integrates with obstacle avoidance, ensuring safe execution even in complex environments. During a construction documentation project, I used Waypoint flight to capture consistent progress shots over multiple weeks.
The vertical shooting capability (2.7K/60fps) works with both cameras, enabling native portrait orientation footage for social media platforms. While the resolution is lower than the 4K horizontal shooting, the native aspect ratio provides advantages over digital cropping.
Comparison: Finding the Right Fit
vs. DJI Air 3
The Air 3S's upgrades—particularly the 1-inch primary camera, 14 stops of dynamic range, nightscape obstacle avoidance, 4K/120fps slow motion, and next-gen Smart RTH—justify the price difference for serious photographers and content creators who need maximum image quality and advanced safety features. However, the Air 3 offers approximately 85% of the Air 3S's capabilities at the same price point, making the Air 3S a premium upgrade rather than a replacement.
The Air 3S's 1-inch sensor provides genuine advantages for users who prioritize image quality, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The 14 stops of dynamic range enable professional color grading workflows, and the nightscape obstacle avoidance provides confidence in low-light environments. However, for users who primarily shoot in well-lit conditions and don't need nightscape obstacle avoidance, the Air 3 provides sufficient functionality.
vs. DJI Mavic 3 Pro
This comparison highlights different market segments. The Mavic 3 Pro's triple camera system, larger Hasselblad sensor, and advanced features target professional photographers, while the Air 3S prioritizes portability and value. The Mavic 3 Pro's larger sensors and additional telephoto camera provide advantages for professional work, but at more than twice the price and significantly more weight.
For most users, the Air 3S's dual camera system with 1-inch primary sensor provides sufficient creative flexibility without the complexity or cost of the Mavic 3 Pro. The Mavic 3 Pro serves photographers who need maximum image quality and three-camera versatility, while the Air 3S serves those who want 1-inch sensor capability and nightscape obstacle avoidance without professional-level investment.
Honest Assessment: Pros and Cons
The Air 3S's 1-inch sensor delivers genuine advantages beyond just specifications. Image quality improvements are noticeable in real-world use, particularly in challenging lighting conditions. The 14 stops of dynamic range enable professional color grading workflows, and the nightscape obstacle avoidance provides confidence in low-light environments. The next-gen Smart RTH feature enables safe returns in challenging conditions, and the Free Panorama feature adds creative possibilities.
However, the same price point as the Air 3 means you're choosing between dual camera capability and 1-inch sensor quality. The 724g weight makes it heavier than Mini series models, though it remains lighter than professional drones. The nightscape obstacle sensing requires minimum 1 lux lighting, which may limit effectiveness in extremely dark conditions. The 14 stops dynamic range is limited to Auto mode and not available in vertical or slow motion video.
The sensor size, while larger than the Air 3, still limits low-light performance compared to professional models with larger sensors. Users who primarily shoot in extreme low-light conditions or need maximum image quality should consider higher-end options. However, for the target market—content creators, professional photographers, and serious enthusiasts—the Air 3S delivers everything necessary without unnecessary complexity.
Who Should Buy the Air 3S
The Air 3S excels for content creators, professional photographers, and serious enthusiasts who prioritize 1-inch sensor quality, 14 stops of dynamic range, and nightscape obstacle avoidance without sacrificing portability. The 724g weight makes it heavier than Mini series models but remains travel-friendly, and the 1-inch sensor capability satisfies diverse content creation needs.
The drone suits users who frequently shoot in challenging lighting conditions or need maximum image quality for professional work. Professional photographers who need reliable automated tracking, extended flight time, and nightscape obstacle avoidance will find the Air 3S particularly appealing, though the Mavic 3 Pro offers better image quality for those who prioritize maximum quality over portability.
However, budget-conscious buyers who primarily shoot in well-lit conditions may find the Air 3 more appealing. Users who primarily shoot in extreme low-light conditions below 1 lux or need features like advanced telephoto capabilities beyond 3x should consider higher-end models.
Final Verdict
The DJI Air 3S earns a 4.7/5 star rating based on extensive real-world testing. This rating reflects genuine achievement in balancing 1-inch sensor capability, 14 stops of dynamic range, and nightscape obstacle avoidance—three factors that rarely align perfectly in consumer technology.
Rating Breakdown:
- Camera Quality: 4.5/5 - Excellent 1-inch sensor, 14 stops dynamic range enables professional workflows, limited by sensor size in extreme low light
- Flight Performance: 4.5/5 - Extended 45-minute flight time provides genuine advantages, O4 transmission ensures reliable operation
- Portability: 4/5 - Heavier than Mini series but remains travel-friendly, good balance between capability and weight
- Safety: 5/5 - Nightscape obstacle avoidance provides game-changing safety advantages in low-light conditions
- Value: 4/5 - Premium upgrade over Air 3 justified by improvements, but same price point creates difficult choice
- Ease of Use: 4/5 - Advanced features remain accessible, next-gen Smart RTH adds confidence
For content creators, professional photographers, and serious enthusiasts seeking 1-inch sensor quality, 14 stops of dynamic range, and nightscape obstacle avoidance without sacrificing portability, the Air 3S represents an excellent choice. The combination of 1-inch primary camera, 14 stops dynamic range, nightscape obstacle avoidance, and next-gen Smart RTH creates a package that addresses real limitations of previous Air series models.
If you're choosing between the Air 3 and Air 3S, the decision comes down to specific needs and priorities. The Air 3S's 1-inch sensor and nightscape obstacle avoidance justify the upgrade for users who need maximum image quality and low-light safety. However, the Air 3 delivers sufficient capability for most applications at the same price, making it the better value for users who primarily shoot in well-lit conditions.
The Air 3S doesn't replace the need for skill or understanding of aerial photography principles. But it provides a tool that makes professional-quality aerial imaging more accessible, with 1-inch sensor capability and nightscape obstacle avoidance that matter in real-world use. For users ready to step up to 1-inch sensor quality without committing to professional models, the Air 3S delivers exactly what it promises: enhanced imaging and advanced safety in a portable package.
