The recent Countering CCP Drones Act by Congresswoman Elise Stefanik and Congressman Mike Gallagher may prove disastrous for leading drone maker DJI. It won’t be the first clash between the American government and Chinese companies and will probably not be the last. “DJI drones pose the national security threat of TikTok, but with wings,” Congresswoman Stefanik wrote in a statement on her website. It seems both sides have valid arguments and concerns, as well as other interests in this case.

Justified concerns – DJI Countering CCP Drones Act

The United States representatives’ concerns revolve around data collection, privacy issues, and national security. While some may dismiss such arguments as conspirative, lacking evidence, etc. they’re not completely far-fetched. The CCP is not famous for its transparency regarding its relationship with Chinese corporations, and the Shenzhen Da-Jiang Innovations Sciences and Technologies Company (aka DJI) is, in fact, a Chinese corporation. USA representatives may be deemed as paranoid, but being paranoid doesn’t necessarily mean you are not being stalked.

DJI’s drones are much more than flying cameras

As a leading drone manufacturer and an innovative company in general, DJI is exposed to some serious allegations. Affordable, off-the-shelf, semi-autonomous aircraft can be used for more than establishing shots.

As the world’s most prominent drone maker, DJI potentially bears some level of responsibility for actions and deeds done using their products. But then again, it’s quite unfair to blame the company for military adaptations and weaponization done to their products by third parties or end users. I don’t have the information or tools to judge here, and neither do most of us, I assume.

DJI Countering CCP Drones Act – Data is power

The Countering CCP Drones Act, however, doesn’t seem to originate from these concerns. As for the aforementioned act, the flying camera functionality (and geographic orientation linked with it) is what raises concern. Millions of these are roaming around the world, and it seems like some American Congress representatives are not convinced that the footage stays in the confines of the drone or wherever the operator downloads and publishes it. In their blog post, DJI counters the arguments. The company denies any involuntary data collection as well as any other allegation. According to this blog post, DJI is not compelled by the Chinese government to assist in espionage, is not a Chinese military company, and does not take part in atrocities around the world. Regarding the last point, DJI points out their inability to track each and every action carried out by their off-the-shelf products, and their intensive development of safety and security systems.

Innovative, liberal ideology, or lip service?

DJI warns that the Countering CCP Drone Act will hurt competition, innovation, and the drone community. Fair arguments indeed. However, I must point out the use of American core values, and the use of democratic and capitalistic terminology to counter an act aimed at protecting those very values and the nation. Respectively, those are Republican representatives using pro-regulation claims. These contradictions emphasize the complexity of this situation, sprawling further and deeper than the professional scope I’m able to cover. From my professional visual creator stance, a loss to DJI is a loss for the entire industry, as this company cemented themselves into the field with numerous innovative and even groundbreaking products.

Who do you think is right about this conflict? Are you afraid of the growing power of DJI, or is it excessive governmental power that gives you shivers? Let us know in the comments.

The world of FPV drones has always been tightly connected with a DIY approach. Many FPV pilots know how to fix their quads, modify them, and generally have some amount of knowledge and skills in electronics. DJI started to change this with the introduction of their ready-to-fly FPV drones a few years ago. Many new pilots started getting into FPV with DJI FPV, and the latest DJI Avata continues the trend. It turns out, however, that you can substantially modify the Avata as well. A few months ago, the Chinese company Axisflying released an upgrade kit for the DJI Avata FPV drone. Let’s take a look at this kit.

Axisflying AVATA 3.5″ Upgrade Kit

As the name of the upgrade kit already implies, one of the changes involves the size (diameter) of the drone’s propellers. The stock DJI Avata comes with 2.9” propellers. The Axisflying upgrade kit gives it a wider frame that can accept larger 3.5″ propellers. With larger props, the drone is more stable and can generate more thrust.

To be able to do that, however, the drone will need stronger motors as well. The recommended motors from Axisflying are the C157-2/3750KV. The modified drone will accept HQ DT90MM*3, HQ DT90MM*4 or other 3.5″ propellers with a T-mount style. One set is included. Furthermore, the set includes Axisyfling C35 prop guards.

Why would you need more power and stability?

Stability – “Yaw Tumble” issue fixed?

Addressing larger propellers for improved stability, the kit promises to minimize the Avata’s “yaw tumble” issue, a concern raised by pilots since the drone’s release. In short, occasionally, when executing a mid-air 180° turn following a straight flight, the Avata drones experienced instability and wobbling, sometimes resulting in crashes. For more information on this, I recommend googling “dji avata yaw tumble”.

The Axisflying claims that the upgrade frame kit minimizes yaw tumble by using stronger motors and larger propellers. From what I’ve read online, users usually confirm this.

Power – better flying with payload

Although the Avata’s main camera provides good enough image quality for most users, I saw several pilots putting GoPro cameras on the drone’s back to get slightly better footage with a manually exposed image. While the drone apparently can handle a full-size GoPro on its back, it becomes slow and sometimes unstable. This is where the modified Avata promises to provide more power to stay agile even with a back-mounted GoPro.

When it comes to battery life, Axisflying claims that with the upgrade kit installed, the DJI Avata drone delivers a cruising time of about 10’30” (freestyle flying will be around 5 minutes) while carrying a GoPro HERO10. Without the GoPro mounted, cruising time should be 14’30” (freestyle flying will be around 6 minutes).

NOT a ready-to-fly kit

Keep in mind that there are certain skills required to install this upgrade kit. Changing the motors, for instance, will require soldering. Also, by installing the Axisflying upgrade kit you, of course, lose the DJI warranty. Therefore, only proceed at your own risk and if you know what you are doing.

Price and availability

The Axisflying upgrade frame kit is available now through the company’s own webshop and the price is $59.90 for the frame kit with propellers (HQ DT90MM*3) but without any motors. The frame kit with four motors will set you back $129.90.

Do you use the DJI Avata for aerial filming? Would you consider upgrading it with this kit from Axisflying? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section underneath the article.

DJI’s entry-level line of drones, the “Mini” series, has always weighed less than 250 grams (249 grams, to be exact), in order to avoid regulations in many countries that require you to get some sort of drone license or certification that allows you to fly it legally.

Oddly enough though, the first iterations of the DJI Mini didn’t have any type of obstacle detection or avoidance mechanism, meaning you could maneuver it straight into a tree and nothing in DJI’s tech would have stopped you. At the time, only their higher-end (and heavier) Air and Mavic drones offered various degrees of obstacle avoidance. DJI recognized the shortcomings of their entry-level series, and certainly, it presented challenges to squeeze the necessary sensors into the small body while aiming to keep the take-off weight under 250 grams. Step by step, they made progress: the Mini 3 at least got downward vision sensing, and the Mini 3 Pro could sense every direction except laterally.

Obstacle sensing and avoidance get omnidirectional capabilities in DJI Mini 4 Pro

Finally, with the DJI Mini 4 Pro, they managed to do it all: omnidirectional obstacle sensing is now a reality, and the DJI Mini 4 Pro can also fly laterally without any blind spots. This, in turn, greatly enhances its tracking capabilities.

ActiveTrack 360º in DJI Mini 4 Pro

DJI drones offer various semi-automatic or automatic tracking features that enable even less experienced pilots to execute fairly complex shots. As many of these tracking features mean that the drone will fly autonomously, using them in previous versions of the Mini meant there was a greater risk of crashing the drone if one or several directions weren’t covered by the drone’s obstacle sensing. With omnidirectional sensing in the Mini 4 Pro, more of these features are included and can be used with more confidence.

FocusTrack offers three modes: Spotlight, Point of Interest, and ActiveTrack 360°. The accuracy of tracking has been greatly improved according to DJI, meaning the system should now be able to quickly auto-recognize and re-plan the tracking route after losing the subject.

ActiveTrack 360° equips the drone for various shooting scenarios. Camera movements like circling, pulling in, and pulling away can be executed with the new Trace wheel interface, which should be easy for beginners to learn.

The new omnidirectional obstacle sensing enables the planning of flight routes in advance while at the same time bypassing obstacles, which should result in smoother and more stable tracking. (We will thoroughly test these features when we review the drone at a later point in time.)

Same image sensor, better processing

The DJI Mini 4 Pro seems to share the same sensor with its predecessor, the Mini 3 Pro, because the specs are the same: 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, f/1.7 aperture, 48MP stills resolution, 4K/60fps HDR video. DJI claims image processing uses a new platform, which is probably what enables the drone to capture 4K/100fps, suitable for slow-motion shooting. The Mini 3 pro could only do 120fps in 1080p resolution, and that mode has always looked notoriously bad in most DJI drones. Let’s wait and see if the slow-motion recording quality of the new drone meets professional standards once we conduct our review.

DJI also says the Mini 4 Pro now offers “dual native ISO fusion”, without giving additional details. This might be a new mode that shoots at the dual native ISO settings (which were ISO 100 and 800 in the DJI Mini) at the same time, and fuses the image in order to get a cleaner image (?) – time (and reviews) will tell.

Additionally, DJI claims there will be less noise from the same sensor due to an “enhanced noise reduction algorithm” in Night Shots video mode. The small sensor drones are usually not very good in low light (and in fact, flying them in the dark is prohibited in many countries), so it will be interesting to see if low-light shots are more usable with the new drone.

Like the Mini 3 Pro, the Mini 4 Pro supports 10-bit recording. This feature was added to the Mini 3 Pro via firmware update upon its release, rendering many of my initial findings much less relevant, which is why I shelved my finished video review before publication (in case you wondered why we never published a review for the DJI Mini 3 Pro). What’s new is that the Mini 4 Pro can record D-Log M, while the Mini 3 Pro could only record in D-Cinelike. There’s also HLG recording in video, and in photo 48MP RAW and Smart Photo technology (an automatic mode that recognizes the type of scene and optimizes HDR imaging).

True vertical shooting

To address the omnipresent need for 9:16 vertical video for the likes of Instagram and TikTok, as with its predecessor, the DJI Mini 4 Pro can turn its camera 90º to truly record “real” vertical video.

O4 image transmission, up to 34 min flight time

The DJI Mini 4 Pro uses DJI’s O4 video transmission (at 1080p/60fps), so you can expect very stable and high-quality wireless video transmission.

Normal flight time is up to 34 minutes on one charge, and when the (available separately ) Intelligent Flight Battery Plus is used, this can be extended to 45 minutes (just keep in mind that if you use this battery, you will be over the 250-gram limit).

Accessories – wide-angle lens attachment and ND filter set

Optional accessories are a wide-angle lens attachment that gives a 100º field-of-view, and an ND filter set with ND16/64/256 filters – I have no clue whatsoever why they skipped the 128 filter…

Price and availability

As usual, various bundles are available for the DJI Mini 4 Pro, and you can get the drone either with the DJI RC-N2 or the DJI RC2 remote controller. Prices start at EUR 799 / GBP 689, and EUR 1,129 / GBP 979 for the DJI Mini 4 Pro Fly More Combo. Usually, DJI drones start shipping immediately but check in the buy links below (as soon as they are available).

What’s your take on the DJI Mini 4 Pro? Will you enter the drone game now or upgrade to the new drone? Let us know in the comments below.

Founded in 2014 by 3 MIT students, California-based startup Skydio truly is a pioneer in the world of autonomous drone technology. In 2018, after 4 years of R&D, the company launched a self-flying, AI-powered, 4K-capable drone – the Skydio R1 – thus taking its first major step into the consumer drone market.

Packed with advanced features such as subject tracking and obstacle avoidance, the R1 was soon followed by the more advanced Skydio 2 – which was eventually replaced by the Skydio 2+ at the beginning of last year.

Skydio sunsets consumer business

All good things come to an end – including Skydio’s offerings for consumer customers. Indeed, the company has decided to fully devote its resources to the enterprise and public sector markets. Over the years, Skydio introduced interesting features for videographers, such as their Keyframe pre-programmed flight mode. So it’s quite a pity to see them go.

“Our drones are making the core industries that our civilization runs on – public safety, transportation, energy, construction, and defense – safer and more efficient. And it’s becoming more and more clear every day that we need trusted, secure drones to meet these critical applications. The impact we’re having with our enterprise and public sector customers has become so compelling that it demands nothing less than our full focus and attention.”

Adam Bry, CEO at Skydio

As a result, the company will immediately stop selling their Skydio 2+ Starter, Sports, Cinema, or Pro kits to the consumer market, while their Skydio 2+ Enterprise kit will remain available for enterprise and public sector customers.

However, this doesn’t mean Skydio is turning their back on their loyal consumer customers altogether. Indeed, the company will keep providing software and customer support to anyone who purchased a Skydio 2 or 2+. Moreover, they will continue offering spare parts – such as batteries, propellers, and controllers – via their online shop.

For more information, please visit Skydio’s website here.

Have you ever flown one of Skydio’s autonomous drones? What do you think about the company’s decision to focus merely on other industries? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

The last drone from DJI’s Air series, the Air 2S, has been on the market since 2021. Now, the new generation has arrived. I had the chance to test the drone over a few days before its launch, so make sure to go check out my review article with the video. Now let’s quickly go over the specs and features of the new DJI Air 3.

DJI Air 3-24mm and 70mm dual cameras

First and foremost, the Air 3 now offers two cameras:

• 24mm (full-frame equivalent) f/1.7 1x camera
• 70mm (full-frame equivalent) f/2.8 3x camera

Both cameras are paired with DJI’s 1/1.3″ 48MP (8064 x 6048) 4:3 sensor with 2.4μm pixel size, and they are both capable of the same resolutions and framerates up to 4K UHD. In normal mode, 4K is available in 24, 25, 30, 48, 50, and 60fps. HDR video is also available at up to 4K 60fps.

In slow-motion mode, the drone can record 4K 100fps or FHD 200fps, and the footage is slowed down in the camera and saved as 25fps clips.

There are two color profiles available:

• normal – only 8-bit, and either H.264 or H.265
• D-Log M – 10-bit 4:2:0 in H.265

The video wrapper is MP4 and the bitrate is limited to a maximum of 150Mbps. The drone can also record vertical video at up to 2.7K 60fps and it uses the full height of the 4:3 sensor.

When it comes to still images, the drone can produce 48MP photos with both cameras. These can be saved as either JPEG or DNG raw. Or both. The drone has 8GB internal storage that can be expanded with microSD cards.

Drone body, battery

This is the heaviest drone of the Air series – the take-off weight is 720g. The body has a new design to match the Mavic 3 series. The drone has four sensors on all corners plus a few sensors at the bottom for omnidirectional sensing.

The new DJI O4 wireless transmission system can send a 1080p 60fps video signal further than previously. The maximum distance is 20km according to DJI (FCC, 10km in other regions) which makes the signal more robust. DJI additionally claims that for the frequency band in Europe, 5.1 GHz has been added to improve transmission performance. DJI RC 2 controller now features foldable antennas to take full advantage of the O4.

The new battery charging hub supports a power accumulation function that can (without plugging it in) concentrate power from all the batteries at once. The battery is quite large, and with its 4241mAh capacity, it keeps the drone in the air for up to 46 minutes.

Smart features

Of course, there are many smart features in the drone. A few of these are:

• FocusTrack for both cameras – Consisting of Spotlight 2.0, ActiveTrack 5.0, and Point of Interest 3.0
• QuickShots – DJI Air 3 can automatically perform camera movements like Rocket, Dronie, Circle, Helix, Boomerang, and Asteroid
• MasterShots – Allows the DJI Air 3 to automatically perform diverse camera movements, shoot multiple clips, edit the clips, and add music to automatically generate a video.
• Night Mode – By boosting noise reduction, the DJI Air 3 can capture up to 4K/30fps footage in low-light environments.
• Hyperlapse: Select from four sub-modes of Free, Circle, Course Lock, and Waypoint to shoot up to 4K horizontal or 2.7K vertical timelapse footage.

The LightCut app can create video edits automatically, after wirelessly transferring footage from the drone to the phone.

Waypoint Flight is available on the Air Series for the first time. The user can plan flight routes for the DJI Air 3 in advance to achieve camera movements like one-takes. Pilots can also save a flight route to repeat the exact same mission later, making it easy to create long-duration timelapse videos such as day to night or season to season.

Price and availability

The DJI Air 3 is available now with three different configurations:

• DJI Air 3 with RC-N2 costs $1,099 (around €1,099 with VAT in Europe)
• DJI Air 3 Fly More Combo with RC-N2 sells for $1,349 (around €1,349 with VAT in Europe)
• DJI Air 3 Fly More Combo with RC 2 sells for $1,549 (around €1,549 with VAT in Europe)

As always, there are a wide variety of accessories (such as ND filters, wide-angle lens adapter, car charger, etc.) that can all be purchased separately.

What do you think about the new DJI Air 3 drone? Is it a worthy successor of the “Air line”? Let us know in the comments section underneath the article.

The new DJI Matrice 350 RTK is built on the legacy of the Matrice 300 RTK that launched in 2020. As part of the Matrice Enterprise series, these drone types are designed for applications such as inspections, rescue missions, and photogrammetry.

Instead, if you’re looking for something geared specifically towards cinematography, the company recently launched the 8K-capable DJI Inspire 3. If you’d like to know more about their flagship cinema drone, make sure to check out our recent interview with DJI here. But now let’s take a closer look at the Matrice 350 RTK!

DJI Matrice 350 RTK – safer and more efficient

The Matrice 350 RTK can carry a maximum payload of 2.7 kg and, according to DJI, is engineered to fly even in the toughest environments. The drone has a claimed maximum flight altitude of 7,000 meters, can withstand temperatures ranging from -20 up to +50 °C, and has an IP54 rating, meaning that it’s protected against rain and sand.

According to the manufacturer, this updated model features a more efficient battery system that should provide up to 55 minutes of flight time. The UAV is powered by two TB65 batteries, which are hot-swappable to minimize downtime and support up to 400 charging cycles.

Moreover, the drone comes with the new BS65 Intelligent Battery Station that acts both as a charging and a storage solution. The battery station sits inside a convenient hard-wheeled case, allows you to charge up to 8 TB65 batteries simultaneously, and offers three different charging options: 100%, 90% (Ready-to-Fly Mode), and 50% (Storage Mode).

The company also worked on enhancing the drone’s safety features. Along with the 6-directional binocular vision and infrared positioning, plus an obstacle-avoiding system, the FPV camera has been improved for increased safety during night flights. Additionally, the top of the drone can accommodate an optional CSM radar that helps detect subtle obstacles at a distance of up to 30m and within a 360° range.

The drone also packs a full set of intelligent features, such as Waypoint, Mapping, Oblique, Linear Flight, Terrain Follow, Smart Oblique, PinPoint, Live Mission Recording, and AI Spot-Check.

Video transmission up to 20km

The Matrice 350 RTK relies on DJI’s OS3 Enterprise Transmission technology for video transmission and supports triple-channel 1080p HD live feeds. According to the company, the video signal can travel through a maximum distance of 20km, from the drone to the included DJI RC Plus controller.

Both the UAV and the RC integrate a 4-antenna transceiver device. This design allows the system to automatically pick up the two antennas with the best signal strength for transmission, while all 4 antennas are active when receiving.

The controller features a 7-inch bright screen, provides up to 6 hours of operating time on a single WP37 battery, and is not afraid of harsh weather. Indeed, the device is IP54 rated and should be able to resist large temperature changes (-20 up to +50°). Moreover, it supports Dual Operator Mode.

Expandable payload options

The drone can be configured to carry up to three payloads simultaneously. These include a single upward or downward gimbal and a dual downward gimbal setup. DJI offers different camera modules to choose from, such as:

• Zenmuse H20 Series: with zoom, wide, and thermal camera, plus a laser rangefinder;

• Zenmuse H20N: wide and zoom cameras with starlight sensors;

• Zenmuse P1: full-frame sensor with interchangeable fixed-focus lenses on a 3-axis stabilized gimbal;

• Zenmuse L1: Livox Lidar module, high-accuracy IMU, and mapping camera.

Finally, the system is designed to be expandable through DJI’s Payload SDK in order to support third-party payloads.

Price and availability

The new DJI Matrice 350 RTK commercial drone platform is now available to order from official DJI Dealers worldwide. There’s currently no official pricing info, so if you’d like to find out, you can fill out a form on here.

For more information, please visit DJI’s website.

Have you ever flown a DJI Matrice drone? What do you think about the new features of the DJI Matrice 350 RTK? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!

Back in November 2021, DJI announced the Mavic 3 drone, which featured significant improvements over the previous generation Mavic. Even though they used the wording “Mavic 3 series” a few times in the press release, I did not really pay attention to the drone not having the “pro” in its name – unlike its predecessor at that time – the DJI Mavic 2 Pro.

Following a series of very useful firmware updates for the Mavic 3, DJI has announced a new addition to the Mavic 3 series – namely the more affordable DJI Mavic 3 Classic, which comes almost precisely one year after the initial release. Despite ditching the telephoto camera and having only the main Hasselblad-branded camera, the Mavic 3 Classic also comes with one advantage over the Mavic 3 – it has re-introduced the adjustable maximum speed setting in all flying modes. I refer to it as the “new tripod mode”.

Enough of the Mavic 3 history. Today, DJI announced the most capable drone of the series yet: Let’s take a look at the new DJI Mavic 3 Pro.

DJI Mavic 3 Pro – now over 900g

The most interesting thing about the new Mavic 3 Pro is, without a doubt, the camera unit that now features three cameras and looks like the face of a droid that just came out of a Star Wars movie, but more on that later.

The drone’s body basically stayed the same, and it uses the same batteries, but it is now slightly heavier. The takeoff weight is now 958g (Cine: 963g). That isn’t a lot more, but this difference could have some consequences for drone pilots in Europe. The Mavic 3 (takeoff weight up to 899g) got the C1 label that qualified it for the subcategory A1. The C1 label is only available for drones under 900g, so the Mavic 3 Pro will most likely have to get the C2 label (900g – 4kg takeoff weight). This is only my speculation. We will have to wait for the official information regarding the “C” labeling. We will inform you as soon as we know, so stay tuned.

Because of the increased takeoff weight, the maximum flight time is now 43 minutes (slightly less than the original Mavic 3’s flight time of 46 minutes).

The drone’s face – three cameras

The new larger gimbal-stabilized camera unit now houses not two, but three cameras that form a face (kind of). The large main camera occupies the lower half and the two telephoto cameras resemble the “eyes”. These are the three available cameras:

1. Main “Hasselblad” camera

The main Hasselblad-branded camera features a 20MP Micro four-thirds CMOS sensor. The lens has a 24mm focal length (full-frame equivalent, FOV 84°) and a variable aperture between f/2.8 and f/11. The camera can focus from 1m to infinity.

It can shoot 12-bit raw photos with a dynamic range of up to 12.8 stops, and video at up to 5.1K 50fps or DCI 4K 120fps. Please note that ActiveTrack is unavailable at video resolutions higher than 4K or frame rates over 60fps.

2. Medium 3x telephoto camera

This newly added camera has a 48MP 1/1.3” CMOS sensor. The lens has a 70mm focal length (full-frame equivalent, FOV 35°) and a fixed f/2.8 aperture. The focus distance is 3m to infinity.

It can take 48MP or binned 12MP stills, as well as video, in up to 4K 60fps. This camera also supports the new D-log M picture profile.

3. Telephoto 7x camera

This camera, which was featured on the original Mavic 3, has a 1/2” CMOS sensor and a lens with a 166mm focal length (full-frame equivalent, FOV 15°). Here in the Pro version, there is a slight improvement – a better lens. The aperture of the 166mm (equivalent) lens is now fixed at f/3.4 (as opposed to f/4.4 on the Mavic 3). It shoots video in 4K up to 60fps (currently only in the normal color profile) as well as 12MP stills. The hybrid (digital) zoom reaches up to 28x.

Video codecs – Pro versus Pro Cine

The standard version of the Mavic 3 Pro can record either in H.264 or H.265 with a bitrate of 200Mbps (MOV or MP4 wrapper). In the D-Log M profile, the main camera and the medium telephoto record video with 10-bit color depth and 4:2:0 subsampling. The 7x telephoto can only do 8-bit 4:2:0 and it does not have D-Log M. Ferdinand from DJI told us, however, that DJI might add D-Log M to the telephoto camera as well with a future firmware update. The drone has 8 GB internal storage and a microSD card slot to save the recorded footage.

Additionally, the Cine version of the drone supports an Apple ProRes codec with 10-bit 4:2:2 subsampling (all flavors – 422 HQ, 422, and 422 LT) on all three cameras. Same as with the Mavic 3 Cine, the Pro Cine also has the built-in 1TB SSD that can offload the footage via the included 10Gbps data cable.

Image transmission, sensors, auto features

The drone features Omnidirectional Sensing and APAS 5.0 technology that is made possible by eight wide-angle vision sensors. The drone can sense obstacles in all directions and plan a safe flight route to avoid them.

DJI O3+ transmission system can send 1080p 60fps live feed at a distance of up to 15km (FCC). This, of course, only shows how robust the signal is, as the drone should only be flown within the pilot’s line of sight.

The drone includes a variety of DJI’s intelligent modes to help with creating content:

• FocusTrack: This includes ActiveTrack 5.0, Spotlight, and Point of Interest, for stable tracking shots in multiple directions. The main Hasselblad camera and the 3x medium tele camera of Mavic 3 Pro support all modes of FocusTrack, while the 166mm tele camera only supports Spotlight and Point of Interest.
• MasterShots: MasterShots are enabled with just one tap and the drone will automatically shoot, edit, and add soundtracks to generate a video automatically (only supported by the main 24mm camera).
• QuickShots: Perform diverse camera movements like Dronie, Rocket, Circle, and Helix (only supported by the main 24mm camera).
• Panorama: Compose a 100MP lossless panorama photo (only supported by the main 24mm camera).

The Mavic 3 Pro also includes additional automated-flight features such as:

• Waypoint Flight – automatically plans a flight route based on the user’s preset waypoints, and can precisely repeat routes.
• Cruise Control – set Mavic 3 Pro to fly in any direction without continually pressing the control sticks for smoother camera movement during long-distance manual control.
• Advanced RTH – automatically determines a safe and efficient flight route back to its home point, bypassing obstacles on the RTH path.

QuickTransfer, ND filters

The QuickTransfer option allows quick wireless image transfer directly from the drone to a mobile phone via Wi-Fi 6 at speeds up to 80MBps without connecting to the remote controller.

The ND filters that DJI will offer with the Mavic 3 Pro are adjusted with different strengths to compensate for different apertures for each camera. The in-flight switching between cameras should therefore be seamless, even with an ND filter on the drone.

All the drones from the Mavic 3 series are compatible with the latest DJI Goggles Integra, DJI Goggles 2 and DJI RC Motion 2.

Price and availability

DJI Mavic 3 Pro is available for pre-order now, and DJI claims that the shipping will start shortly in May 2023. The following configurations will be available:

• DJI Mavic 3 Pro with DJI RC – priced at $2,199 (€2.099 in Europe)
• DJI Mavic 3 Pro Fly More Combo with DJI RC – priced at $2,999 (€2.799 in Europe)
• DJI Mavic 3 Pro Fly More Combo with DJI RC Pro – priced at $3,889 (€3.499 in Europe)
• DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine Premium Combo – priced at $4,799 (€4.599 in Europe)

Do you use any of the existing Mavic 3 series drones for your video work? What do you think about the new DJI Mavic 3 Pro? Do you think the new 70mm is a useful focal length for a drone? Let us know in the comments section below the article.

DJI Inspire has been the top cinema drone series from the Chinese manufacturer ever since the first DJI Inspire was announced in November 2014. Two years later, in November 2016, DJI announced the hugely improved successor, DJI Inspire 2, with up to 5.2K raw video capture and camera modules with interchangeable lenses. Subsequently, we haven’t seen any new Inspire drones from DJI. Until today. DJI just announced the new Inspire 3. Let’s take a closer look at the company’s new top-of-the-line cinema drone.

DJI Inspire 3 – new generation cinema drone

The new DJI Inspire 3 has been designed to carry the Zenmuse X9-8K Air camera, but more on that later. As far as we know, the esisting Zenmuse X9 cameras from the Ronin 4D are not compatible with the Inspire 3. Other than the main 3-axis stabilized full-frame camera, the Inspire 3 also has a 161° ultra-wide FOV camera at the front. This features a 1/1.8″ image sensor with night-vision, 3μm pixel size, and 1080p 60fps ultra-low-latency (90ms) live feed for more flight safety even at night. For livestreaming on set, the camera can also send 4K up to 30fps live feed with a reduced 5km transmission.

The drone uses DJI’s O3 Pro transmission and control system for long-reach, low-latency control, and image transfer technology. DJI says it enables a range of up to 15km (FCC, up to 8km in CE/SRRC/MIC) with one controller and up to 12km (FCC, 7km in CE) in dual-control mode.

Just like the Inspire 2, the new Inspire 3 body design features arms with landing gear that can be lifted or lowered. When lowered, the gimbal supports obstruction-free upward-angle shooting up to 80°. The new hot-swappable TB51 intelligent dual batteries provide flight time of up to 28 minutes. When it comes to maximum speed, the Inspire 3 can reach 94km/h and 8m/s ascent and descent speed or dive speed of 10m/s.

The drone features 9 visual sensors for the omnidirectional sensing system. Horizontal, upward, and downward obstacle sensing can be enabled or disabled independently, and an obstacle alert range can be set manually to suit different scenarios.

Camera unit – Zenmuse X9

As mentioned above, the Inspire 3 will be able to carry the gimbal-stabilized Zenmuse X9-8K Air camera. Please note that this camera unit is not the same one that was announced back in October 2021 along with the DJI Ronin 4D. Besides, the 8K version of the Zenmuse X9 for Ronin 4D has not been made available, and Ronin 4D users have to work with the 6K version only.

Now, with the new Inspire 3 drone, DJI will launch the 8K Air version of the Zenmuse X9 (Zenmuse X9-8K air). It features the CineCore 3.0 image processing system that supports the following internal video recording modes:

• 8K 25fps CinemaDNG (only available with an optional paid license key)
• 8K up to 75fps Apple ProRes RAW (full-frame 2.4:1 aspect ratio and ProRes RAW in S&Q mode, only available with an optional paid license key)
• 4K up to 120fps ProRes RAW (full-frame, no crop)

The X9-8K Air’s sensor features a dual native ISO that varies based on frame rate:

• At 30fps or below, the base ISO values are EI 800 and 4000
• Above 30fps, the base ISO values are EI 320 and 1600

DJI claims the X9-8K Air offers 14+ stops of dynamic range. We are planning to confirm these claims in our CineD lab once we get a test unit in our office, so stay tuned for the results.

Just like previous Zenmuse gimbal cameras, the X9-8K sports DJI’s proprietary DL mount. You can use any of the existing DL lenses (such as the 24mm, 35mm, and 50mm) or the newly announced 18mm f/2.8 ultra-wide lens. According to DJI, the camera uses the DJI Cinema Color System (DCCS) to produce pleasing colors with accurate skin tones.

When it comes to storage, the drone uses DJI PROSSD 1TB media with up to 1,100 MBps write and 900 MBps read speeds. The SSD can be connected directly to a computer via USB-C cable for easy offloading.

Intelligent precise flying modes

On top of the standard 3 GNSS positioning system (GPS + Galileo + BeiDou), the Inspire 3 can utilize the high-precision RTK positioning technology for “centimeter-level” accuracy. To activate it, users can either purchase the RTK network service or the optional D-RTK 2 mobile station.

RTK also enables the new Waypoint Pro function for customizable pre-programmed flight routes. The following Waypoint Pro options will be on offer:

• Repeatable Routes: This mode gives pilots full control of precisely repeatable flight routes and maintains all preset parameters such as altitude, speed, gimbal angle, and camera settings. It will allow difficult one-takes, or flying at different times in the same place for long-duration time-lapse transitions such as day to night or season to season.
• 3D Dolly: It can simulate a crane, cable cam, or a dolly that allows users to create an aerial motion path where the pilot can move backward and forward along the path with adjustable speed and full gimbal control according to the needs of the shot.

Additionally, the new Spotlight Pro feature offers pilots single-object recognition and tracking so the gimbal camera will stay locked on it.

Remote controller, timecode, battery charger

The Inspire 3 comes with the DJI RC Plus with a 7-inch 1,200-nit high-brightness screen to operate even in strong sunlight. The internal battery provides up to 3.3 hours of operation time and extends to 6 hours with an external hot-swappable WB37 battery. It also features an HDMI out port, along with customizable buttons and dials on the front, back, and top, which enable fast and intuitive operation. The installed DJI Pilot 2 app for Inspire provides users with a fast startup time and an intuitive user interface with easily accessible functions like the built-in health management system.

Further functions of the Inspire 3 include Timesync (timecode) support through a 3.5mm jack. The drone can be paired with one RC Plus and one high-bright remote monitor for compatibility with DJI 4D hand grips or DJI master wheels. The DJI Three-Channel Follow Focus can also be connected to the RC Plus to enable remote focus and iris control on the Zenmuse X9-Air camera.

The new foldable battery charging hub can accommodate eight batteries and can charge two batteries to 90% simultaneously in 35 minutes in fast charge mode (to 100% in only 160 minutes). The included 65W USB-C port can also be used to charge an RC Plus.

Price and availability

The new Inspire 3 drone will be available for purchase by the end of June 2023. The price is $16,499 (around €14.990 including VAT in Europe), and the combo includes the DJI Inspire 3 Aircraft, Zenmuse X9-8K Air Gimbal Camera, RC Plus remote controller, 6x TB51 Intelligent Battery, Charging Hub, PROSSD 1TB, Trolley Case, 3x Foldable Quick-Release Propellers (Pair), Lens Carrying Box, RC Plus Strap, and more.

The new DJI DL 18mm f/2.8 lens will be selling for $1,299 (around €1.349 including VAT in Europe). The CinemaDNG and Apple ProRes RAW license keys are available for $979 (€999 including VAT in Europe).

Competition?

Looking at other DJI drones such as the previous Inspire 2 or the DJI Mavic 3 Cine, I think the closest competitor to the Inspire 3 is the Sony Airpeak drone. This one is priced similarly even though the drone itself only costs $8,999, but a ready-to-fly package with a gimbal and a Sony camera will set you back over $16,000. As an example, a Sony FX3 with the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM lens retails for around $5,300 – so that makes it around $16,800 in total with the Airpeak S1 drone. The fully rigged Sony Airpeak is also significantly heavier than the Inspire 3.

Do you film with larger drones such as the DJI Inspire 2? What do you think about the new Inspire 3? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section underneath the article.

Back in May 2022, the new drone model in DJI’s sub 250g line – the DJI Mini 3 Pro – was announced. The list of improvements and new features compared to the previous DJI Mini 2 was fairly long (in fact, much longer and more interesting than between the first Mavic Mini and the Mini 2). Later last year, I upgraded from the Mini 2 to the new Mini 3 Pro as I really like the sub 250g drone category.

Shortly after the announcement, DJI made the Mini 3 Pro an even better drone by adding 10-bit color to the D-Cinelike H.265 recording mode. Recently, the Mini 3 Pro received another firmware update that adds a very interesting feature. Let’s take a look at the details.

DJI Mini 3 Pro firmware update adds new “tripod mode”

The new firmware update was launched a few days ago. The full version of the aircraft firmware is v01.00.0500. As always, the new firmware can be loaded into the Mini 3 Pro via DJI Fly App (iOS or Android). The latest version of the app is v1.9.8, which is required for the latest firmware and its features to work. There are basically two new features added to the drone with this firmware:

• Added Reset All Settings and Clear All Data options. This feature can basically return the aircraft and the remote controller back to factory settings. The “Reset All Settings” feature will delete all the data stored in internal storage, microSD card, and SSD – including the flight log. Important – If an accident occurs during flight, it is recommended to provide proof (flight log) when claiming compensation from DJI, so make sure not to delete all the data before sending the flight log to them if something happens. More information about these features can be found in the DJI Mini 3 Pro user manual v1.6.
• Added Gain and Expo Tuning. This is the most exciting new feature that comes with the Mini 3 Pro. The maximum flight speed, brake sensitivity, and other settings can be now adjusted in different flight modes. This is the so-called “new tripod mode”, but because it is adjustable, it is actually even better.

A short side note in case you did not follow “the story of the tripod mode”. The so-called tripod mode was a very useful super-slow mode in older DJI drones that was later replaced with the Cine mode. The new cine mode was, however, still too fast with its 5m/s. Philip Bloom campaigned for the return of the tripod mode or adjustable cine mode and his online petition collected quite a few signatures. DJI thankfully listened and introduced the adjustable cine mode with the DJI Mavic 3 Classic back in November 2022. Anyway, it is good to see this feature getting to other drones via firmware updates as well.

Price and availability

DJI Mini 3 Pro currently sells for $669 (drone only), $759 (drone with the RC-N1 remote controller), or $909 (drone with the DJI RC remote controller). The fly more kit can now be purchased separately for $189. The recent firmware update can, of course, be downloaded free of charge via DJI Fly app.

Do you use the DJI Mini 3 Pro drone for your video work? How do you like the drone and the image quality? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section underneath the article.

The DJI Avata is a compact and lightweight FPV drone introduced in August 2022. The main advantages of the Avata over “DIY” FPV drones are that it comes fully equipped, has a robust wireless video transmission system, and you don’t have to attach a third-party camera to it. In short, it is ready to fly out of the box. Furthermore, this drone can fly for up to 18 minutes and capture video up to 4K at 60fps or 2.7K 120p, which is impressive for a drone weighing 410g/0.92lbs.

At launch, the Avata was compatible with the DJI Goggles 2 which was launched simultaneously. Also, the drone was controlled using the DJI Motion Controller that was introduced with the DJI FPV drone that we reviewed. DJI is now back with the Goggles Integra, a more budget-friendly option if you are starting in the FPV world but want to maintain quality and features, as well as the DJI RC Motion 2.

DJI Goggles Integra – features

Let’s start with the DJI Goggles Integra, which has a lot of similarities to the Goggles 2, including:

• The same two HD 1080p Micro-OLED screens with a maximum brightness of 700nits, a 100 Hz refresh rate, and TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification.
• DJI O3+ video transmission technology with a low 30 ms latency.
• Foldable antennas and a 2-hour battery life.
• The built-in GPS allows you to fly without connecting to a smartphone.

So what is different? First, the DJI Goggles Integra are heavier at 410g/0.92lbs (290g/0.64lbs for the Goggles 2), but the headband and battery are now merged into one unit.

You no longer have to connect the goggles to the external battery with a cable. According to DJI, “the built-in battery headband is light, balanced, and incredibly comfortable.”

Next, the touch panel of the Goggles 2 is replaced with physical buttons on the Goggles Integra. The diopter adjustment function, wireless streaming function, dot matrix display, speaker, and 3.5mm audio port have been removed from the Goggles Integra. The Integra comes with multiple diopters, but you must change them manually.

DJI RC Motion 2 – features

The DJI RC Motion 2 replaces the DJI Motion Controller and will now become the standard included controller with the Avata.

This updated version now features an upgraded joystick and accelerator with a reverse function to support multidirectional flight.

On the left side of the RC Motion 2, the tilt switch has been replaced with a Function dial that lets you adjust camera settings such as ISO or shutter speed. But how do you control the Tilt axis of the Avata?

The DJI RC Motion 2 now features motion sensors, so your hand movements control the Avata’s flight direction. As a result, the flight experience should be as immersive as ever.

Pricing and availability

The DJI Goggles Integra and DJI RC Motion 2 are both available now. The Goggles Integra retails for $499 (€659), and the RC Motion 2 is $239 (€179). Also, a DJI Avata Explorer Combo is available with the DJI Goggles Integra, DJI RC Motion 2, and DJI Avata for $1278 (€1269).

For more information, please visit DJI’s website here.

What do you think about these new accessories for the DJI Avata? Did you already have the chance to play with the Avata? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments down below!