Comparison
DJI Air 3S vs DJI Avata
Air 3S spec · Avata spec · Upgrade from Air 3S · Upgrade from Avata · All compares
Would you notice?
Air 3S vs Avata: You would notice weight mostly as paperwork, bag mass and how close you may fly to people; you would notice the sensor (1-inch CMOS vs 1/1.7-inch CMOS) in evening light; you would notice a real telephoto (optical, not a crop). You would not really notice wind, 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 · 724 g |  C1 · 410 g |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Released | 15 Oct 2024 | 11 Aug 2022 |
| App | DJI Fly | DJI Fly / Goggles 2 |
| Weight & UK law | ||
| Takeoff weight | 724 g | 410 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 | 214.19 × 100.63 × 89.17 mm | 180 × 180 × 80 mm (with guards) |
| Camera | ||
| Main sensor | 1-inch CMOS · 50 MP · 24 mm Ahead | 1/1.7-inch CMOS · 48 MP · 12.7 mm |
| Aperture | f/1.8 | f/2.8 |
| Field of view | 84° | 155° Ahead |
| ISO (photo / video) | 100–6400 / 100–12800 | 100–6400 / 100–25600 |
| Colour / log | D-Log M / HLG | D-Cinelike |
| Other cameras | 70 mm 1/1.3-inch CMOS Ahead | FPV super-wide (no tele) |
| Max video | 4K/60 HDR, 4K/120 Ahead | 4K/60 |
| Gimbal / vertical | 90° tilt | 185° tilt Ahead |
| Flight | ||
| Lab flight time | 45 min Ahead | 18 min |
| Hover time | 41 min Ahead | 18 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 | 68 km/h EU · 97 km/h FCC Same |
| Climb / descent | 10 / 10 m/s Ahead | 6 / 6 m/s |
| Max takeoff altitude | 6000 m Ahead | 5000 m |
| Sensing | ||
| Obstacle sensing | Omni + nightscape Ahead | Downward |
| Transmission | ||
| Video range (CE) | 10 km CE · O4 (20 km FCC) Same | 8 km CE · O3 (10 km FCC) Same |
| Power & storage | ||
| Battery | 62.5 Wh Ahead | 35.7 Wh |
| Internal storage | 42 GB Ahead | 20 GB |
| microSD | microSD UHS-I Speed Class 3, up to 512 GB | microSD up to 256 GB |
| 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 3S main: 1-inch CMOS · 50 MP · 24 mm, 4K/60 HDR, 4K/120. Avata main: 1/1.7-inch CMOS · 48 MP · 12.7 mm, 4K/60. 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 Avata in the UK?
Avata is C1, takeoff about 410 g (With guards. FPV class.). 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 in the UK?
Avata (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 3S carries more mass into DJI’s published wind figure (Air 3S 12 m/s, Avata 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?
Air 3S on paper. Air 3S is 1-inch CMOS with Omni + nightscape; Avata is 1/1.7-inch CMOS with Downward. Nightscape still needs texture and a minimum lux — it is not night vision.
Which is better for travel?
Avata if the constraint is a bag and UK class (C1, 410 g). Air 3S if you will accept C1 and 724 g for the extra camera.
Can I keep my Air 3S 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 3S £959, Avata —. Used and CeX sit on the price board below — some of these are discontinued as new.
Who should buy which?
Air 3S: Dual camera and wind; you accepted C1. Avata: 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 3S as of 2026-08-31 | Avata as of 2026-08-31 | |
|---|---|---|
| DJI Store UK RRP | £959 Air 3S (DJI RC-N3) — not Air 3 | — Discontinued — original Avata (not Avata 2, not Avata 360) |
| Amazon UK | £859 Air 3S with DJI RC-N3 (third-party / Amazon listings) | See Amazon Explorer Combo listings exist; no new buy-box GBP (not Avata 2) |
| eBay UK band | £750–£1,150 Used Air 3S (standard + Fly More; not Air 3) | £250–£450 Used Avata Fly Smart / Explorer kits (not Avata 2 / 360) |
| CeX sell | — CeX search — no Air 3S SKU priced; ignore DJI Air 3S lens accessory | £450 Avata Pro-View Combo (A) — product id 6941565939739A EAN 6941565939739 |
| CeX cash / voucher | See CeX CeX search — no Air 3S SKU priced; ignore DJI Air 3S lens accessory | £198 / £283 Avata Pro-View Combo (A) — product id 6941565939739A EAN 6941565939739 |
Reviews that put these together
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Adjacent comparisons
Same-line alternatives for each side. The rest of the grid is on the drone pages and the compare hub.