Comparison
DJI Air 3 vs DJI Avata 360
Air 3 spec · Avata 360 spec · Upgrade from Air 3 · Upgrade from Avata 360 · All compares
Would you notice?
Air 3 vs Avata 360: You would notice weight mostly as paperwork, bag mass and how close you may fly to people; you would notice the sensor (1/1.3-inch CMOS vs dual 1/1.1-inch square CMOS (1-inch-class in 360)) in evening light; you would notice a real telephoto (optical, not a crop). You would not really notice wind, obstacle sensing, internal storage. UK: C1 on every one of these. Flyer ID and Operator ID apply from 100 g with a camera — that is every drone here.
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 |  C1 · 720 g |  C1 · 455 g |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Released | 27 Jul 2023 | 1 Aug 2025 |
| App | DJI Fly | DJI Fly / Goggles |
| Weight & UK law | ||
| Takeoff weight | 720 g | 455 g Ahead |
| UK class / IDs | C1 · Operator ID + Flyer ID Same | C1 · Operator ID + Flyer ID Same |
| Open subcategory | A1 Over People (C1 until 31 Dec 2027) Same | A1 Over People (C1 until 31 Dec 2027) Same |
| From uninvolved people | May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID. Remote ID on from 1 Jan 2026 (C1 as UK1). Towns OK in A1. Same | May overfly uninvolved people; not crowds. Flyer ID + Operator ID. Remote ID on from 1 Jan 2026 (C1 as UK1). Towns OK in A1. Same |
| Height (Open) | 120 m AGL Same | 120 m AGL Same |
| Folded size | 207 × 100.5 × 91.1 mm | 246 × 199 × 55.5 mm (with guards) |
| Camera | ||
| Main sensor | 1/1.3-inch CMOS · 48 MP · 24 mm | dual 1/1.1-inch square CMOS (1-inch-class in 360) · 64 MP · 7.8 mm Ahead |
| Aperture | f/1.7 | f/1.9 |
| Field of view | 82° | 200° Ahead |
| ISO (photo / video) | 100–6400 / 100–6400 | 100–6400 / 100–25600 |
| Colour / log | D-Log M / HLG | D-Log M |
| Other cameras | 70 mm 1/1.3-inch CMOS | 360 capture |
| Max video | 4K/60 HDR, 4K/100 Ahead | 8K/60 360, 4K/60 single-lens |
| Gimbal / vertical | 90° tilt | 360° tilt · true vertical Ahead |
| Flight | ||
| Lab flight time | 46 min Ahead | 23 min |
| Hover time | 42 min Ahead | 22 min |
| Wind resistance | Level 5 · 12 m/s Ahead | Level 5 · 10.7 m/s |
| Max speed | 68 km/h EU · 75.6 km/h FCC Same | 65 km/h Sport Same |
| Climb / descent | 10 / 10 m/s Same | 10 / 10 m/s Same |
| Max takeoff altitude | 6000 m Ahead | 4500 m |
| Sensing | ||
| Obstacle sensing | Omnidirectional | Omni + nightscape Ahead |
| Transmission | ||
| Video range (CE) | 10 km CE · O4 (20 km FCC) Same | 10 km CE · O4+ (20 km FCC) Same |
| Power & storage | ||
| Battery | 62.6 Wh Ahead | 31.7 Wh |
| Internal storage | 8 GB | 42 GB Ahead |
| microSD | microSD UHS-I Speed Class 3, up to 512 GB | microSD up to 1 TB, U3/V30 |
| GNSS | GPS + Galileo + BeiDou Same | GPS + Galileo + BeiDou Same |
| Operating temperature | −10 to 40 °C Same | −10 to 40 °C Same |
The i beside a spec is the explainer — hover or tap.
Questions
Will I notice the camera?
Air 3 main: 1/1.3-inch CMOS · 48 MP · 24 mm, 4K/60 HDR, 4K/100. Avata 360 main: dual 1/1.1-inch square CMOS (1-inch-class in 360) · 64 MP · 7.8 mm, 8K/60 360, 4K/60 single-lens. 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 3 — that is a different picture, not a sharper crop.
Do I need to register the Avata 360 in the UK?
Avata 360 is C1, takeoff about 455 g (Approx. 455 g with guards. C1. Weigh the unit you fly.). 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 Avata 360 in the UK?
Avata 360 (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).
Which is better in wind?
Air 3 carries more mass into DJI’s published wind figure (Air 3 12 m/s, Avata 360 10.7 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?
Avata 360 on paper. Air 3 is 1/1.3-inch CMOS with Omnidirectional; Avata 360 is dual 1/1.1-inch square CMOS (1-inch-class in 360) with Omni + nightscape. Nightscape still needs texture and a minimum lux — it is not night vision.
Which is better for travel?
Avata 360 if the constraint is a bag and UK class (C1, 455 g). Air 3 if you will accept C1 and 720 g for the extra camera.
Can I keep my Air 3 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 3 £869, Avata 360 £719 — £150 less for the Avata 360. Street, eBay bands and CeX trade-in are on the board; they move.
Who should buy which?
Air 3: Dual camera and wind; you accepted C1. Avata 360: Goggle flying, not a travel stills drone.
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 3 as of 2026-08-31 | Avata 360 as of 2026-08-31 | |
|---|---|---|
| DJI Store UK RRP | £869 Air 3 (DJI RC-N2) — not Air 3S | £719 Avata 360 (goggles combo) — not Avata 2, not an RC 2 camera drone |
| Amazon UK | See Amazon No new Air 3 (not 3S) buy box — search only | £829 Avata 360 Fly More (goggles + motion; confirm listing B0G4R9GZYR) |
| eBay UK band | £600–£850 Used Air 3 Fly More Combo (not Air 3S) | £520–£800 Used Avata 360 (first sold band; ignore £200–£400 accessory/kit noise) |
| CeX sell | — Air 3 (RC-N2) Fly More Combo, SKU SROBDJIA3RCN2FMA — unpriced | — CeX search — no Avata 360 SKU priced on 31 Aug 2026 |
| CeX cash / voucher | See CeX Air 3 (RC-N2) Fly More Combo, SKU SROBDJIA3RCN2FMA — unpriced | See CeX CeX search — no Avata 360 SKU priced on 31 Aug 2026 |
Reviews that put these together
- 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 - DJI Air 3 vs Mini 4 Pro: which compact drone is best?
Dual 1/1.3 + 70 mm tele and wind vs sub-250 g Mini 4 Pro legality and size
DPReview · 2023-10-10 - DJI Avata 360 vs DJI Avata 2
8K 360 dual 1/1.1 vs single-lens 4K/100 FPV, omni sensing only in 360 mode
Heliguy · 2026-03-15
Adjacent comparisons
Same-line alternatives for each side. The rest of the grid is on the drone pages and the compare hub.