Watch the launch event.
DJI has released its latest drone and there’s a lot to take in.
The Mavic 3 takes a couple of big steps that should include the word ‘pro’ but we know that term is overused anyway.
The starting price is over $3000 AUD but the version you really want .. is over $7000 AUD .. if you are serious about your work and want to take advantage of that 422HQ ProRes goodness in the Cine model.
It all starts with the dual cameras.
A professional-grade Hasselblad 4/3 CMOS sensor with a 24mm prime lens. It shoots 20MP still images in 12-bit RAW and videos in 5.1K at 50fps, 4K at 120fps.
The larger image sensor gives Mavic 3 higher video resolution and dynamic range and better low-light performance.
A native dynamic range of 12.8 stops helps retain more details in highlights and shadows.
The aperture is adjustable – f/2.8 – f/11.
Mavic 3’s second camera features a 162mm tele lens with 28x Hybrid Zoom (digital + optical) and aperture of f/4.4 that can freely bring distant objects visually closer, offering the user more dynamic perspectives and creative possibilities at a distance.
DJI Mavic 3’s dual cameras
Here are your options with prices:
Mavic 3 Standard $3,099 AUD Mavic 3 drone X1, Intelligent Flight Battery X1, RC-N1 Remote Controller X1, RC-N1 Cable X3, Battery Charger X1, Storage Cover X1, Propellers (pair) X3, and other essential items.
Mavic 3 Fly More Combo – $4,199 AUD Mavic 3 drone X1, Intelligent Flight Battery X3, RC-N1 Remote Controller X1, RC -N1 Cable X3, Battery Charger X1, Battery Charging Hub X1, Storage Cover X1, Propellers (pair) X6, ND Filters Set (ND4|8|16|32), Convertible Carrying Bag X1, and other essential items.
DJI Mavic 3 Cine Premium Combo – $7,199 AUD Mavic 3 Cine drone X1, Intelligent Flight Battery X3, DJI RC Pro X1, Battery Charger X1, Battery Charging Hub X1, Storage Cover X1, Propellers (pair) X6, ND Filters Set (ND4|8|16|32), ND Filters Set (ND64|128|256|512), Convertible Carrying Bag, DJI 10Gbps Lightspeed Data Cable, and other essential items. Built-in 1TB SSD, supports Apple ProRes 422 HQ video recording.
Mavic 3 is a True Pro
The Mavic 3 quickly moves out of the consumer realm of drone flying when you add in the big ticket extras.
From its 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad camera and 28x hybrid zoom camera, to its omnidirectional obstacle sensors with a maximum 200-meter range, to its redesigned batteries that provide up to 46 minutes of flight time – this is a true pro drone in a small, foldable body.
“Creating the Mavic 3 was an arduous journey for our engineers who tackled complex technical problems to serve the goal that the Mavic series has always met – build professional-quality imaging and flight technology into a compact consumer drone,” said Ferdinand Wolf, Creative Director, DJI Europe.
“The result is incredible. Mavic 3 enables users to effortlessly make epic shots without compromising on small size, stunning performance, pervasive flight safety, and dazzling image quality. We are confident that this drone will astonish videography and photography enthusiasts, as well as professional production houses and media workers around the globe.”
The omnidirectional obstacle sensing system also enables more intuitive subject tracking with the upgraded ActiveTrack 5.0, allowing users to sense obstacles even in Normal mode. Previous iterations of ActiveTrack enabled the camera to follow a subject as it moved directly toward and away from the drone while remaining largely stationary as well as fly alongside a moving subject.
ActiveTrack 5.0 allows Mavic 3 to move with the subject as it moves forward, backward, left, right, and diagonally, and fly alongside as well as around a moving subject. In addition, if the subject moves too fast and temporarily goes out of frame, the visual sensors on the aircraft will continue to track and frame the subject intelligently and pick it back up when it reappears.
The increased positioning precision also makes Mavic 3 less likely to drift in the air and more stable when shooting long exposures and time-lapses.
Mavic 3 is DJI’s first drone that offers a High Frame-Rate Transmission with a 1080p/60fps live feed. This means the camera view is displayed at a resolution close to what the camera actually records. O3+ also makes Mavic 3 more responsive to the pilot’s control.
Intelligent Modes
● MasterShots lets users create high-quality content more easily and quickly. After automatic editing and dubbing in the app, videos can be created in minutes and directly shared with friends.
● Panorama Mode in Mavic 3 allows pictures to be directly stitched and processed by the drone, without the DJI Fly App or any post-production, allowing users to capture breathtaking landscapes with sweeping breadth and rich detail.
● QuickTransfer lets users store and process materials on their mobile devices without linking with the remote controller. Mavic 3 can now transmit materials from the drone to the mobile device more quickly through the Wi-Fi 6 protocol.
New, Advanced Accessories
DJI RC Pro
● The new smart controller DJI RC Pro offers a smoother control experience, upgraded with enhanced antenna power for an extended transmission distance of up to 15 km. Its 1000-nit high-bright screen allows better vision and control for outdoor flights. Its battery system offers an extended operating time of up to three hours and charging as fast as 90 minutes.
● The DJI 65W Portable Charger allows a fast-charging option with a charging time of approximately 96 minutes and is compatible with current notebooks and smartphones thanks to its USB Type-C output.
● The DJI Convertible Carrying Bag features an entirely new design with a backpack and shoulder bag configuration for taking Mavic 3, accessories, a laptop, and even clothes and other personal items.
● The DJI Mavic 3 Wide-Angle Lens offers an FOV of up to 108 degrees for a more immersive FPV-style flight experience.
● The DJI Mavic 3 Storage Cover uses a lightweight, minimalist design to protect the camera, gimbal, and propellers when folding and transporting Mavic 3.
● The DJI ND Filters Set comes in two ranges – ND4/8/16/32 and ND64/128/256/512.
● The DJI 10Gbps Lightspeed Data Cable enables users to download materials from the drone to their computer at high speed. Material backup is available on-site, thanks to high-speed transmission.
DJI Care Refresh
DJI Care Refresh is now available for DJI Mavic 3, covering various accidents, such as water damage, collisions, and flyaways. For an additional charge, DJI Care Refresh offers up to two replacement units within one year, including coverage for one flyaway incident. The two-year plan provides three replacement units in two years, including coverage for up to two flyaway incidents and an extension of the original warranty period by one year (extension durations vary by region).
(Given the cost of the Mavic 3, this might be worth looking at closely.)
SPECS
Takeoff Weight
Mavic 3: 895 g
Mavic 3 Cine: 899 g
Dimensions (Folded/Unfolded)
Folded (without propellers) 221×96.3×90.3 mm
(Length×Width×Height)
Unfolded (without propellers) 347.5×283×107.7 mm
(Length×Width×Height)
Diagonal Length
380.1 mm
Max Ascent Speed
1 m/s (C mode)
6 m/s (N mode)
8 m/s (S mode)
Max Descent Speed
1 m/s (C mode)
6 m/s (N mode)
6 m/s (S mode)
Max Flight Speed (at sea level, no wind)
5 m/s (C mode)
15 m/s (N mode)
19 m/s (S mode)
Max Service Ceiling Above Sea Level
6000 m
Max Flight Time (no wind)
46 minutes
Max Hovering Time (no wind)
40 minutes
Max Flight Distance
30 km
Max Wind Speed Resistance
12 m/s
Max Tilt Angle
25° (C mode)
30° (N mode)
35° (S mode)
Max Angular Velocity
200°/s
Operating Temperature
-10° to 40° C (14° to 104° F)
GNSS
GPS + Galileo + BeiDou
Hovering Accuracy Range
Vertical: ±0.1 m (with Vision Positioning); ±0.5 m
(with GNSS Positioning)
Horizontal: ±0.3 m (with Vision Positioning); ±0.5 m
(with High-Precision Positioning System)
Internal Storage
Mavic 3: 8 GB (available space is approx. 7.2 GB)
Mavic 3 Cine: 1TB (available space is approx. 934.8 GB)
Hasselblad Camera
Sensor
4/3 CMOS, Effective pixels: 20 MP
Lens
FOV: 84°
Format Equivalent: 24 mm
Aperture: f/2.8 to f/11
Focus: 1 m to ∞ (with autofocus)
ISO Range
Video: 100-6400
Still Image: 100-6400
Shutter Speed
Electronic Shutter: 8-1/8000 s
Max Image Size
Main Unit: 5280×3956
Still Photography Modes
Single shot: 20MP Photos
Automatic Exposure Bracketing (AEB): 20 MP, 3/5 bracketed frames at 0.7 EV
Timed: 20 MP, 2/3/5/7/10/15/20/30/60 s
Video Resolution
Apple ProRes 422 HQ
5.1K: 5120×2700@24/25/30/48/50fps
DCI 4K: 4096×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60/120*fps
4K: 3840×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60/120*fpsH.264/H.265
5.1K: 5120×2700@24/25/30/48/50fps
DCI 4K: 4096×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60/120*fps
4K: 3840×2160@24/25/30/48/50/60/120*fps
FHD: 1920×1080p@24/25/30/48/50/60/120*/200*fps* Framerates above are recording framerates. Videos will be played as slow-motion videos.
Max Video Bitrate
H.264/H.265 Bitrate: 200 Mbps
Supported File Formats
exFAT
Photo Format
JPEG/DNG (RAW)
Video Formats
Mavic 3:
MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265)Mavic 3 Cine:
MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265)
MOV (Apple ProRes 422 HQ)
Tele Camera
Sensor
1/2-inch CMOS
Shutter Speed
Electronic Shutter: 2-1/8000 s
Lens
FOV: 15°
Format Equivalent: 162mm
Aperture: f/4.4
Focus: 3 m to ∞
ISO Range
Video: 100-6400
Still Image: 100-6400
Max Image Size
4000×3000
Photo Format
JPEG
Video Formats
MP4/MOV (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, HEVC/H.265)
Still Photography Modes
Single shot: 12MP Photos
Video Resolution
H264/H.265
4K: 3840×2160@30 fps
FHD: 1920×1080@30 fps
Digital Zoom
4x
Gimbal
Stabilisation
3-axis motorised (tilt, roll, pan)
Mechanical Range
Tilt: -135° to 100°
Roll: -45° to 45°
Pan: -27° to 27°
Controllable Range
Tilt: -90° to 35°
Pan: -5° to 5°
Max Control Speed (tilt)
100°/s
Angular Vibration Range
±0.007°
Sensing
Sensing System
Omnidirectional binocular vision system, supplemented with an infrared sensor at the bottom of the aircraft
Forward
Measurement Range: 0.5-20 m
Detection Range: 0.5-200 m
Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤ 15m/s
FOV: Horizontal 90°, Vertical 103°
Backward
Measurement Range: 0.5-16 m
Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤ 14m/s
FOV: Horizontal 90°, Vertical 103°
Lateral
Measurement Range: 0.5-25 m
Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤ 15m/s
FOV: Horizontal 90°, Vertical 85°
Upward
Measurement Range: 0.2-10 m
Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤ 6m/s
FOV: Front and Back 100°, Left and Right 90°
Downward
Measurement Range: 0.3-18 m
Effective Sensing Speed: Flight Speed ≤ 6m/s
FOV: Front and Back 130°, Left and Right 160°
Operating Environment
Forward, Backward, Left, Right, and Upward: Surface with a clear pattern and adequate lighting (lux>15)
Downward: Surface with a clear pattern and adequate lighting (lux >15). Diffuse reflective surface with diffuse reflectivity>20% (e.g. wall, tree, person)
Video Transmission
Video Transmission System
O3+
Live View Quality
Remote Controller: 1080p@30fps/1080p@60fps
Operation Frequency
2.400-2.4835 GHz
5.725-5.850 GHz
Max Transmission Distance (unobstructed, free of interference and aligned with controller)
2.400-2.4835 GHz; 5.725-5.850 GHz
FCC: 15 km
CE: 12 km
SRRC: 8 km
MIC: 8 km
Max Download Bitrate
SDR:
5.5MB/s (with RC-N1 remote controller)
15MB/s (with DJI RC Pro remote controller)
Wi-Fi 6:
80MB/s
Latency (depending on environmental conditions and mobile device)
130 ms (with RC-N1 remote controller)
120 ms (with DJI RC Pro remote controller)
Antennas
4 antennas, 2T4R
Transmitter Power (EIRP)
2.4 GHz: ≤33 dBm (FCC); ≤20 dBm (CE/SRRC/MIC)
5.8 GHz: ≤33 dBm (FCC), ≤30 dBm(SRRC), ≤14 dBm(CE)
Battery
Capacity
5000 mAh
Voltage
15.4 V
Charging Voltage Limit
17.6 V
Battery Type
LiPo 4S
Energy
77 Wh
Weight
335.5 g
Charging Temperature
5° to 40° C (41° to 104° F)
Battery Charger
Input
100-240 V AC, 47-63 Hz, 2.0 A
USB-C Output
USB-C: 5.0 V⎓5.0 A/9.0 V⎓5.0 A/12.0 V⎓5.0 A/15.0 V⎓4.3 A/20.0 V⎓3.25 A/5.0~20.0 V⎓3.25 A
USB-A output
USB-A: 5 V⎓2 A
Rated Power
65 W
Charging Hub
Input
USB-C: 5-20 V⎓5.0 A max
Output
Battery: 12-17.6 V⎓5.0 A max
Rated Power
65 W
Charging Type
Charges three batteries in sequence.
Charging Temperature Range
5° to 40° C (41° to 104° F)
Car Charger
Input
Car Power Input: 12.7-16 V⎓6.5 A, rated voltage 14 V DC
Output
USB-C: 5.0 V⎓5.0 A/9.0 V⎓5.0 A/12.0 V⎓5.0 A/15.0 V⎓4.3A/20.0 V⎓3.25 A/5.0~20.0 V⎓3.25 A
USB-A: 5 V⎓2 A
Rated Power
65 W
Charging Time
Approx. 96 minutes
Charging Temperature Range
5° to 40° C (41° to 104° F)
Storage
Supported SD Cards
SDXC or UHS-I microSD card with a capacity of up to 2 TB
Recommended microSD Cards
SanDisk Extreme PRO 64GB V30 A2 microSDXC
SanDisk High Endurance 64GB V30 microSDXC
SanDisk Extreme 128GB V30 A2 microSDXC
SanDisk Extreme 256GB V30 A2 microSDXC
SanDisk Extreme 512GB V30 A2 microSDXC
Lexar 667x 64GB V30 A2 microSDXC
Lexar High-Endurance 64GB V30 microSDXC
Lexar High-Endurance 128GB V30 microSDXC
Lexar 667x 256GB V30 A2 microSDXC
Lexar 512GB V30 A2 microSDXC
Samsung EVO 64GB V30 microSDXC
Samsung EVO Plus 128GB V30 microSDXC
Samsung EVO Plus 256GB V30 microSDXC
Samsung EVO Plus 512GB V30 microSDXC
Kingston 128GB V30 microSDXC
SSD Specs
Capacity: 1 TB
Max Read Speed: 700MB/s*
Max Write Speed: 471MB/s** Data refers to the read and write speed inside the aircraft. Actual read and write speed of computer and other external devices may affect actual speed.
DJI RC-N1 Remote Controller
Remote Controller Transmission System
OcuSync 2.0
Max Supported Mobile Device Size
180×86×10 mm (Length×Width×Height)
Operating Temperature
0° to 40° C (32° to 104° F)
Transmitter Power (EIRP)
2.4 GHz:
≤26 dBm (FCC), ≤20 dBm (CE/SRRC/MIC)
5.8 GHz:
≤26 dBm (FCC/SRRC), ≤14 dBm (CE)
Battery Life
Without charging any mobile device: 6 hr;
when charging mobile device: 4 hr
Supported USB Port Types
Lightning, Micro USB, USB-C