Comparison
DJI Air 3S vs DJI Mavic 3 Pro
Air 3S spec · Mavic 3 Pro spec · Upgrade from Air 3S · Upgrade from Mavic 3 Pro · All compares
Would you notice?
Air 3S vs Mavic 3 Pro: You would notice weight mostly as paperwork, bag mass and how close you may fly to people. You would not really notice second / third camera, obstacle sensing, internal storage. UK paperwork is part of the difference: Air 3S is C1 (Flyer ID + Operator ID); Mavic 3 Pro is C2 (Flyer ID + Operator ID).
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| Spec |  C1 · 724 g |  C2 · 958 g |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Released | 15 Oct 2024 | 27 Apr 2023 |
| App | DJI Fly Same | DJI Fly Same |
| Weight & UK law | ||
| Takeoff weight | 724 g Ahead | 958 g |
| UK class / IDs | C1 · Operator ID + Flyer ID | C2 · Operator ID + Flyer ID |
| Open subcategory | A1 Over People (C1 until 31 Dec 2027) Ahead | A2 (A2 CofC) or A3 |
| 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. Ahead | A2: 30 m from uninvolved people (5 m low-speed). Without CofC, A3: 50 m and 150 m from built-up areas. No overflight. Remote ID on from 1 Jan 2026 (C2 as UK2). |
| Height (Open) | 120 m AGL Same | 120 m AGL Same |
| Folded size | 214.19 × 100.63 × 89.17 mm | 231.1 × 98 × 95.4 mm (folded, no props) |
| Camera | ||
| Main sensor | 1-inch CMOS · 50 MP · 24 mm | 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad · 20 MP · 24 mm Ahead |
| Aperture | f/1.8 | f/2.8–f/11 |
| Field of view | 84° Same | 84° Same |
| ISO (photo / video) | 100–6400 / 100–12800 | 100–6400 / 100–6400 |
| Colour / log | D-Log M / HLG | D-Log / D-Log M / HLG (ProRes on Cine only) |
| Other cameras | 70 mm 1/1.3-inch CMOS | 70 mm 1/1.3-inch CMOS + 166 mm 1/2-inch CMOS Ahead |
| Max video | 4K/60 HDR, 4K/120 Ahead | 5.1K/50 |
| Gimbal / vertical | 90° tilt Same | 90° tilt Same |
| Flight | ||
| Lab flight time | 45 min Same | 43 min Same |
| Hover time | 41 min Ahead | 37 min |
| Wind resistance | Level 5 · 12 m/s Same | Level 5 · 12 m/s Same |
| Max speed | 68 km/h EU · 75.6 km/h FCC Same | 68 km/h EU · 75 km/h FCC Same |
| Climb / descent | 10 / 10 m/s Ahead | 8 / 6 m/s |
| Max takeoff altitude | 6000 m Same | 6000 m Same |
| Sensing | ||
| Obstacle sensing | Omni + nightscape Ahead | Omnidirectional |
| Transmission | ||
| Video range (CE) | 10 km CE · O4 (20 km FCC) Same | 8 km CE · O3+ (15 km FCC) Same |
| Power & storage | ||
| Battery | 62.5 Wh | 77 Wh Ahead |
| Internal storage | 42 GB Ahead | 8 GB |
| microSD | microSD UHS-I Speed Class 3, up to 512 GB | microSD UHS-I Speed Grade 3, up to 512 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. Mavic 3 Pro main: 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad · 20 MP · 24 mm, 5.1K/50. You would notice sensor class in low light; you would not notice the word 4K if both already do it.
Do I need to register the Mavic 3 Pro in the UK?
Mavic 3 Pro is C2, takeoff about 958 g (Over 900 g.). 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 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).
How far from people can I fly the Mavic 3 Pro in the UK?
Mavic 3 Pro (C2): A2 (A2 CofC) or A3. A2: 30 m from uninvolved people (5 m low-speed). Without CofC, A3: 50 m and 150 m from built-up areas. No overflight. Remote ID on from 1 Jan 2026 (C2 as UK2). 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 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).
Which is better in wind?
Mavic 3 Pro carries more mass into DJI’s published wind figure (Air 3S 12 m/s, Mavic 3 Pro 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?
Mavic 3 Pro on paper. Air 3S is 1-inch CMOS with Omni + nightscape; Mavic 3 Pro is 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad with Omnidirectional. Nightscape still needs texture and a minimum lux — it is not night vision.
Which is better for travel?
Air 3S if the constraint is a bag and UK class (C1, 724 g). Mavic 3 Pro if you will accept C2 and 958 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, Mavic 3 Pro £1,689 — £730 more for the Mavic 3 Pro. Street, eBay bands and CeX trade-in are on the board; they move.
Who should buy which?
Air 3S: Dual camera and wind; you accepted C1. Mavic 3 Pro: The job pays, or the Hasselblad is the point.
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 | Mavic 3 Pro as of 2026-08-31 | |
|---|---|---|
| DJI Store UK RRP | £959 Air 3S (DJI RC-N3) — not Air 3 | £1,689 Mavic 3 Pro (DJI RC) — not Cine, not Classic, not Mavic 4 Pro |
| Amazon UK | £859 Air 3S with DJI RC-N3 (third-party / Amazon listings) | See Amazon No new Mavic 3 Pro (not 4 Pro) buy box — search only |
| eBay UK band | £750–£1,150 Used Air 3S (standard + Fly More; not Air 3) | £1,200–£1,600 Used Mavic 3 Pro (not Classic, not Cine, not Mavic 4 Pro) |
| CeX sell | — CeX search — no Air 3S SKU priced; ignore DJI Air 3S lens accessory | — CeX search — no Mavic 3 Pro (not Cine) SKU priced |
| CeX cash / voucher | See CeX CeX search — no Air 3S SKU priced; ignore DJI Air 3S lens accessory | See CeX CeX search — no Mavic 3 Pro (not Cine) SKU priced |
Reviews that put these together
- Mini 5 Pro vs Mavic 4 Pro vs Air 3S
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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 - DJI Mavic 3 Pro review
Triple camera: 4/3 Hasselblad 24 mm, 70 mm medium tele, 166 mm tele
Heliguy · 2023-04-27
Adjacent comparisons
Same-line alternatives for each side. The rest of the grid is on the drone pages and the compare hub.