Comparison
DJI Air 2S vs DJI Air 3S
Would you notice?
Air 2S vs Air 3S: You would notice weight mostly as paperwork, bag mass and how close you may fly to people. You would not really notice max video, gimbal, wind. UK paperwork is part of the difference: Air 2S is unmarked (Flyer ID + Operator ID); Air 3S is C1 (Flyer ID + Operator ID).
Set I fly on the home bench to see net upgrade cost from your airframe (CeX cash vs used / RRP). It stays in this browser.
| Spec |  unmarked · 595 g |  C1 · 724 g |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Released | 15 Apr 2021 | 15 Oct 2024 |
| App | DJI Fly Same | DJI Fly Same |
| Weight & UK law | ||
| Takeoff weight | 595 g Ahead | 724 g |
| UK class / IDs | unmarked · Operator ID + Flyer ID | C1 · Operator ID + Flyer ID |
| Open subcategory | A3 Far from People | A1 Over People (C1 until 31 Dec 2027) Ahead |
| From uninvolved people | No class mark. CAA legacy weight table: 50 m from uninvolved people; 150 m from built-up areas. No overflight. A2 only with an A2 CofC. Flyer ID + Operator ID. | May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID. Remote ID on from 1 Jan 2026 (C1 as UK1). Towns OK in A1. Ahead |
| Height (Open) | 120 m AGL Same | 120 m AGL Same |
| Folded size | 180 × 97 × 77 mm | 214.19 × 100.63 × 89.17 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main sensor | 1-inch CMOS · 20 MP · 22 mm Same | 1-inch CMOS · 50 MP · 24 mm Same |
| Aperture | f/2.8 | f/1.8 |
| Field of view | 88° Same | 84° Same |
| ISO (photo / video) | 100–12800 / 100–6400 | 100–6400 / 100–12800 |
| Colour / log | D-Log M | D-Log M / HLG |
| Other cameras | Single camera | 70 mm 1/1.3-inch CMOS Ahead |
| Max video | 5.4K/30, 4K/60 | 4K/60 HDR, 4K/120 |
| Gimbal / vertical | 24° tilt | 90° tilt Ahead |
| Flight | ||
| Lab flight time | 31 min | 45 min Ahead |
| Hover time | 30 min | 41 min Ahead |
| Wind resistance | Level 5 · 10.7 m/s | Level 5 · 12 m/s Ahead |
| Max speed | 68.4 km/h Sport Same | 68 km/h EU · 75.6 km/h FCC Same |
| Climb / descent | 6 / 6 m/s | 10 / 10 m/s Ahead |
| Max takeoff altitude | 5000 m | 6000 m Ahead |
| Sensing | ||
| Obstacle sensing | Front / back / down | Omni + nightscape Ahead |
| Transmission | ||
| Video range (CE) | 8 km CE · O3 (12 km FCC) Same | 10 km CE · O4 (20 km FCC) Same |
| Power & storage | ||
| Battery | 40.4 Wh | 62.5 Wh Ahead |
| Internal storage | 8 GB | 42 GB Ahead |
| microSD | microSD, up to 256 GB | microSD UHS-I Speed Class 3, up to 512 GB |
| GNSS | GPS + GLONASS + Galileo | GPS + Galileo + BeiDou |
| Operating temperature | 0 to 40 °C | −10 to 40 °C |
The i beside a spec is the explainer — hover or tap.
Questions
Will I notice the camera?
Air 2S main: 1-inch CMOS · 20 MP · 22 mm, 5.4K/30, 4K/60. Air 3S main: 1-inch CMOS · 50 MP · 24 mm, 4K/60 HDR, 4K/120. You would notice sensor class in low light; you would not notice the word 4K if both already do it. Optical telephoto is only on Air 3S — that is a different picture, not a sharper crop.
Do I need to register the Air 3S in the UK?
Air 3S is C1, takeoff about 724 g (C1. About 724 g takeoff.). In the UK a Flyer ID is required from 100 g, and an Operator ID is required from 100 g with a camera or from 250 g — this airframe needs both. This is not legal advice; read the CAA Drone Code for the airframe and battery you actually fly. Longer version: the UK Open explainer on this site (/guides/uk).
Do I need to register the Air 2S in the UK?
Air 2S is unmarked, takeoff about 595 g (595 g with battery. No class mark.). In the UK a Flyer ID is required from 100 g, and an Operator ID is required from 100 g with a camera or from 250 g — this airframe needs both. This is not legal advice; read the CAA Drone Code for the airframe and battery you actually fly. Longer version: the UK Open explainer on this site (/guides/uk).
How far from people can I fly the Air 3S in the UK?
Air 3S (C1): A1 Over People (C1 until 31 Dec 2027). May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID. Remote ID on from 1 Jan 2026 (C1 as UK1). Towns OK in A1. Open height is 120 m AGL. Never over crowds. This is not legal advice — the CAA Drone Code (March 2026) applies to the airframe and battery you actually fly. Longer version: the UK Open explainer on this site (/guides/uk).
How far from people can I fly the Air 2S in the UK?
Air 2S (unmarked): A3 Far from People. No class mark. CAA legacy weight table: 50 m from uninvolved people; 150 m from built-up areas. No overflight. A2 only with an A2 CofC. Flyer ID + Operator ID. Open height is 120 m AGL. Never over crowds. This is not legal advice — the CAA Drone Code (March 2026) applies to the airframe and battery you actually fly. Longer version: the UK Open explainer on this site (/guides/uk).
Which is better in wind?
Air 3S carries more mass into DJI’s published wind figure (Air 2S 10.7 m/s, Air 3S 12 m/s). On a UK headland that is often the whole decision. Lab Level numbers that match can still feel different because weight is not in the level name.
Which is better at dusk?
Air 3S on paper. Air 2S is 1-inch CMOS with Front / back / down; Air 3S is 1-inch CMOS with Omni + nightscape. Nightscape still needs texture and a minimum lux — it is not night vision.
Which is better for travel?
Air 2S if the constraint is a bag and UK class (unmarked, 595 g). Air 3S if you will accept C1 and 724 g for the extra camera.
Can I keep my Air 2S batteries, controller or ND filters?
These do not share a battery family. Plan to buy packs, and check ND thread and RC protocol — Mini 4 Pro filters and batteries do not sit on a Mini 5 Pro.
How much more does it cost?
DJI UK RRP (as of 2026-08-31): Air 2S —, Air 3S £959. Used and CeX sit on the price board below — some of these are discontinued as new.
Who should buy which?
Air 2S: Dual camera and wind; you accepted C1. Air 3S: Dual camera and wind; you accepted C1.
Should I jump from Air 2S to Air 3S?
You would notice the 70 mm tele, omni nightscape, C1 / A1 paperwork until 2027, and O4. You would notice Air 2S’s 1-inch wide in evening light more than Air 3S’s 1-inch plus a second camera in noon sun. Batteries do not swap. RC-N1 flies Air 2S; Air 3S wants RC-N3 or RC 2. If your Air 2S work is one 1-inch camera, Air 3S is the dual-camera bag, not a sensor upgrade.
Price board
UK pounds, dated snapshots. Each cell names the box that figure is for. EAN is the barcode on that carton when a UK listing cited one; otherwise we leave it blank rather than guess. Not live APIs. Buying used checklist.
| Air 2S as of 2026-08-31 | Air 3S as of 2026-08-31 | |
|---|---|---|
| DJI Store UK RRP | — Discontinued as new — Air 2S (not Air 3, not Air 3S) | £959 Air 3S (DJI RC-N3) — not Air 3 |
| Amazon UK | See Amazon No new Air 2S buy-box — search only | £859 Air 3S with DJI RC-N3 (third-party / Amazon listings) |
| eBay UK band | See eBay Used Air 2S kits; Fly More at the top — confirm it is not Air 3 | £750–£1,150 Used Air 3S (standard + Fly More; not Air 3) |
| CeX sell | — CeX search — no SKU invented | — CeX search — no Air 3S SKU priced; ignore DJI Air 3S lens accessory |
| CeX cash / voucher | See CeX CeX search — no SKU invented | See CeX CeX search — no Air 3S SKU priced; ignore DJI Air 3S lens accessory |
Reviews that put these together
- Mini 5 Pro vs Mavic 4 Pro vs Air 3S
Camera systems, gimbal rotation, weight class and who each airframe is for
Heliguy · 2025-10-01 - Best DJI drone 2026: Neo 2 vs Flip vs Mini 5 Pro vs Air 3S vs Mavic 4 Pro vs Avata 2
UK running costs, legality vs weather, Mini 5 Pro vs Air 3S as a complementary pair
Gadget Scout · 2026-01-15 - Best DJI drone (2026): Mini 5 Pro to Mavic 4 Pro
Sub-250 argument, Mini 5 Pro 1-inch sensor, Air 3S telephoto vs Mini 5 Pro
DroneXL · 2026-03-01 - Review: DJI's Air 2S is the ultimate consumer drone
1-inch 20 MP, 5.4K/30, 4K/60, 10-bit D-Log, 595 g
DPReview · 2021-04-17 - DJI Air 2S vs Mavic Air 2 vs DJI Mavic 2 Pro
1-inch vs Air 2, 5.4K, no class mark, front/back/up/down sensing
Heliguy · 2021-04-15