Comparison
DJI Mavic Air 2 vs DJI Mavic 3 Classic
Would you notice?
Air 2 vs Mavic 3 Classic: 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 2 is unmarked (Flyer ID + Operator ID); Mavic 3 Classic 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 · 570 g |  C1 · 895 g |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | ||
| Released | 27 Apr 2020 | 2 Nov 2022 |
| App | DJI Fly Same | DJI Fly Same |
| Weight & UK law | ||
| Takeoff weight | 570 g Ahead | 895 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 × 84 mm | 221 × 96.3 × 90.3 mm (folded, no props) |
| Camera | ||
| Main sensor | 1/2-inch CMOS · 48 MP · 24 mm | 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad · 20 MP · 24 mm Ahead |
| Aperture | f/2.8 | f/2.8–f/11 |
| Field of view | 84° Same | 84° Same |
| ISO (photo / video) | 100–6400 / 100–6400 Same | 100–6400 / 100–6400 Same |
| Colour / log | D-Cinelike | D-Log / D-Log M / HLG |
| Other cameras | Single camera Same | Single camera Same |
| Max video | 4K/60 Ahead | 5.1K/50 |
| Gimbal / vertical | 24° tilt | 90° tilt Ahead |
| Flight | ||
| Lab flight time | 34 min | 46 min Ahead |
| Hover time | 33 min | 40 min Ahead |
| Wind resistance | Level 5 · 10.5 m/s | Level 5 · 12 m/s Ahead |
| Max speed | 68.4 km/h Sport Same | 68 km/h EU · 75 km/h FCC Same |
| Climb / descent | 4 / 3 m/s | 8 / 6 m/s Ahead |
| Max takeoff altitude | 5000 m | 6000 m Ahead |
| Sensing | ||
| Obstacle sensing | Front / back / down | Omnidirectional Ahead |
| Transmission | ||
| Video range (CE) | 6 km CE · O2 (10 km FCC) Same | 8 km CE · O3+ (15 km FCC) Same |
| Power & storage | ||
| Battery | 40.4 Wh | 77 Wh Ahead |
| Internal storage | 8 GB Same | 8 GB Same |
| microSD | microSD, up to 256 GB | microSD UHS-I Speed Grade 3, up to 512 GB |
| GNSS | GPS + GLONASS | GPS + Galileo + BeiDou |
| 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 2 main: 1/2-inch CMOS · 48 MP · 24 mm, 4K/60. Mavic 3 Classic 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 Classic in the UK?
Mavic 3 Classic is C1, takeoff about 895 g (Just under 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 2 in the UK?
Air 2 is unmarked, takeoff about 570 g (570 g with battery. No class mark. Not Air 2S.). 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 Classic in the UK?
Mavic 3 Classic (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 2 in the UK?
Air 2 (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?
Mavic 3 Classic carries more mass into DJI’s published wind figure (Air 2 10.5 m/s, Mavic 3 Classic 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 Classic on paper. Air 2 is 1/2-inch CMOS with Front / back / down; Mavic 3 Classic 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 2 if the constraint is a bag and UK class (unmarked, 570 g). Mavic 3 Classic if you will accept C1 and 895 g for the bigger airframe.
Can I keep my Air 2 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 2 —, Mavic 3 Classic £1,119. Used and CeX sit on the price board below — some of these are discontinued as new.
Who should buy which?
Air 2: Dual camera and wind; you accepted C1. Mavic 3 Classic: 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 2 as of 2026-08-31 | Mavic 3 Classic as of 2026-08-31 | |
|---|---|---|
| DJI Store UK RRP | — Discontinued as new — Mavic Air 2 (not Air 2S, not Air 3) | £1,119 Mavic 3 Classic (standard, not Cine, not Mavic 3 Pro) |
| Amazon UK | See Amazon No new Air 2 buy-box — search only; confirm it is not Air 2S | See Amazon No new Classic buy box — search only; ignore Mavic 4 Pro hits |
| eBay UK band | See eBay Used Air 2 kits — confirm it is not Air 2S | £650–£1,050 Used Mavic 3 Classic (standard, not Cine, not Mavic 3 Pro) |
| CeX sell | — CeX search — no SKU invented | — Mavic 3 Classic (DJI RC), SKU SROBDJIMAV3CLARCA — unpriced |
| CeX cash / voucher | See CeX CeX search — no SKU invented | See CeX Mavic 3 Classic (DJI RC), SKU SROBDJIMAV3CLARCA — unpriced |
Reviews that put these together
- 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 - DJI Mavic 3 Classic review: a more affordable entry into the Mavic world
4/3 Hasselblad without the telephoto, 5.1K, as a cheaper Mavic 3
DPReview · 2022-11-02