DJI Avata 2 vs. Air 3: which drone is best?

DJI makes two wonderful drones for various functions: the adrenaline-pumping Avata 2, an FPV (First-Particular person View) racing flyer, and the versatile Air 3, a high-quality (but simple to fly) digital camera drone for gorgeous visuals. So between the DJI Avata 2 vs. Air 3, which one must you get? The reply isn’t so simple as you may suppose, so let’s break down which drone is best for you.

DJI Avata 2 vs. Air 3: a comparability of value and specs

The DJI Avata 2 drone is all about FPV (First Particular person View) flying, permitting pilots to see the world by the drone’s eyes by sporting the DJI Goggles 3. It’s nice for flying indoors, notably in tight areas, or for individuals who wish to take wildly acrobatic motion movies. It launched in April 2024 because the second version of the Avata, which was DJI’s first forray into Cinewhoop-style drones.

The DJI Air 3 is a extra conventional digital camera drone — and it’s an ultra-high high quality one at that. With two cameras (a wide-angle digital camera and a 3x medium tele digital camera), it’s one of many finest digital camera drones on the market. Nevertheless it’s additionally fairly merely a robust workhorse, providing boffo specs like 46 minutes of flight time. That’s double the flight time of the Avata 2.

And with omnidirectional binocular imaginative and prescient system — supplemented with an infrared sensor on the backside of the plane — it’s virtually crash proof. That makes it particularly nice for novices who nonetheless need a super-high-quality drone.

Each have the same value level. Although the Avata 2 begins at $999, finally you’ll doubtless find yourself paying $200 extra to improve to the DJI FPV Distant Controller 3 (so finances $1,199). That’s the one manner you may fly the Avata 2 in handbook mode, which is absolutely the place you may unlock these unbelievable flight capabilities. The DJI Air 3 begins at $1,099, placing you in the identical ballpark by way of value.

Past simply value, although, right here’s a comparability of key specs differentiating the DJI Avata 2 vs. Air 3:

So what do all these specs really imply? Right here’s a deeper dive into the DJI Avata 2 vs. DJI Air 3 drones:

DJI Avata 2 vs. Air 3 digital camera

Based mostly on digital camera alone, the DJI Air 3 is the clear winner versus the Avata 2.

Following within the footsteps of higher-end drones just like the DJI Mavic 3, the DJI Air 3 boasts not only one however two cameras. Listed below are these two digital camera’s specs.

• A 1/1.3-inch CMOS wide-angle digital camera
  • 24mm format equal
  • F1.7 aperture
• A 1/1.3-inch CMOS 3x medium tele digital camera (can obtain 3x optical zoom)
  • 70mm format equal
  • F2.8 aperture

Each DJI Air 3 cameras provide the identical specs by way of:

• 2.4μm pixel dimension
• 48MP photographs
• 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensors
• Put up-cropping assist for straightforward secondary composition. 
• Help for twin native ISO for direct output of 4K/60fps HDR video at excessive body charges and as much as 4K/100fps max
• Help for 10-bit D-Log M and 10-bit HLG shade modes

Now the DJI Avata 2’s digital camera is definitely not unhealthy, and it really makes for an unbelievable decide when you’re wanting to make use of it for making wild FPV movies and even doing indoor actual property images. Nevertheless it’s simply not fairly there in case your main objective is extremely top quality pictures:

Clearly, the DJI Air 3 simply provides a lot greater picture high quality. Extra pixels means bigger picture sizes, which is ideally if you wish to show your aerial imagery on one thing greater than a smartphone display. It operates at the next video bitrate, which implies higher video high quality. (Although the disadvantage is bigger file sizes, too.)

There are some key variations, that are onerous to definitively state are higher or worse, although. That features the gimbal versus no gimbal, in addition to the sphere of view.

Gimbal vs EIS: The DJI Air 3 has a 3-axis mechanical gimbal, which is a staple in drones in providing that silky clean aesthetic of the digital camera simply gliding by the air. In distinction, the Avata 2 ditches the gimbal in favor of digital stabilization algorithms to clean out footage. DJI touts two algorithms: DJI RockSteady (to get rid of total image shake) and DJI HorizonSteady (to make sure your footage stays locked on the horizon — even when the drone turns sharply or sways dramatically).

Whereas the DJI Air 3’s gimbal isn’t essentially delicate, the protruding exterior half is only one extra potential object that might be broken. DJI’s designers had that in thoughts when constructing the Avata 2, given it’s just about anticipated that the Avata 2 would crash.

The footage on the Avata 2 remains to be extremely clean, although. Simply take a look at this glide over my yard, filmed on the Avata 2:

It’s tough to disregard the ultra-wide, 155° subject of view on the Avata 2. It provides a slightly immersive sort of aesthetic, which you’ll or could not need.

With the Air 3, you’ve two cameras to select from. The zoom digital camera clearly provides a comparatively slim subject of view at 35°. And even the 82° FOV on the wide-angle digital camera is nothing like what you get on the Avata 2. Conventional filmmakers will doubtless err with what the Air 3 provides, however somebody looking for a unique aesthetic may be curious to strive the Avata 2.

Avata 2 vs. Air 3: Evaluating drone dimension (winner: Avata 2) 

The DJI Air 3 is the larger of the 2 drones, so somebody attempting to fly by doorframes will choose the narrower design of the Avata 2. The Air 3’s dimensions (size and width) are 258.8 x 326 mm, whereas the Avata 2’s dimensions are simply 185 x 212 mm.

The Air 3’s uncovered propellers make it much less forgiving in crashes in comparison with the Avata 2, which has a built-in propeller guard.

So far as touring with the drones, they begin to change into extra comparable. As a result of whereas the Air 3 is bigger in flight, its arms fold in, permitting it to shrink right down to 207×100.5×91.1 mm when folded up. The Avata 2 shouldn’t be a foldable drone.

So far as the load of those two drones, the Air 3 is greater. The Avata 2 weighs 377 grams, and the Air 3 weighs 720 grams. Whereas I wouldn’t name the Air 3 ‘heavy,’ it’s nonetheless quite a bit heavier than the Avata 2.

Weight issues on each of those drones, as a result of they exceed the crucial 250 gram threshold. Many international locations categorize drones based mostly on their weight. And in lots of international locations, drones that weigh beneath 249 grams are exempt from sure plane regulation, together with the necessity for registration. Particular to the U.S., drones that weigh 250 grams or extra should be registered and Distant ID compliant if flying outdoor in most locations.

Sure, meaning each the Air 3 and Avata 2 should be registered when flown outdoor in most locations within the U.S.

DJI Avata 2 vs. Air 3: variations within the plane itself

The 2 plane look fairly totally different. The DJI Air 3 follows the shape first launched within the DJI Mavic Professional again in 2016. Which means foldable arms and a gimbal.

The DJI Avata 2 shouldn’t be foldable, however as an alternative options propellers protected by built-in propeller guards. These are supposed to shield the drone (and your partitions) within the occasion of a crash. And sure, given this drone’s nature as a racing drone, it’s form of prepared for a crash.

In the event you’re flying outdoor, the Air 3 is best for one key purpose: it holds up higher within the wind. The Air 3 provides 12 m/s wind velocity resistance. In the meantime, the Avata 2 provides a superb however not nice degree of 10.7 m/s wind velocity resistance.

Impediment avoidance imaginative and prescient programs (winner: DJI Air 3)

The DJI Air 3 model has an omnidirectional binocular imaginative and prescient system supplemented with an infrared sensor on the backside of the plane. That successfully makes your DJI Air 3 drone crash-proof. In the event you don’t wish to danger crashing, order the DJI Air 3

The Avata 2 has simply downward and backward visible positioning — however that’s form of the purpose. That is meant to be a racing or acro drone, that means it flies flips and does acrobatic aerial methods. In the event you’re afraid of crashing, this isn’t the drone for you.

Transmission (winner: tie)

It is a tie. Each drones use O4, which is DJI’s latest transmission system. This ultra-low latency, high-definition digital video transmission system, shows flight reside feeds in real-time, creating an immersive flying expertise.

Since each drones are suitable with the DJI Goggles 3, that characteristic actually turns into attention-grabbing. Alas, when used with DJI Goggles 3, the latency is as little as 24 ms at 1080p/100fps reside feeds.

Battery life (winner: DJI Air 3)

The Avata 2 will get simply 23 minutes. The DJI Air 3 provides double that, at an unbelievable 46 minutes of flight time. Positive, you may all the time purchase extra batteries. However having longer flight instances reduces dangers of drawback ought to your drone be flying distant in powerful wind situations and must return to house. It additionally simply means much less time needing to spend slicing flights quick for recharging or changing batteries.

resolve between the DJI Air 3 vs. Avata 2

Given how totally different these two drones are, the choice needs to be comparatively simple, regardless of their very comparable value level.

The Avata 2 is an adrenaline-pumping, racing and acro drone. The Air 3 is extra versatile as a digital camera drone for gorgeous visuals that may nonetheless perform as an FPV drone once you pair it with the brand new DJI Goggles 3 and RC Movement 3.

Who’s the DJI Air 3 finest for?

Get the DJI Air 3 in case your main objective is high-quality imagery. The not one however two cameras are superior to what the Avata 2 provides.

And don’t skip it when you worth ease of use and stability or choose an extended flight time. It’s undoubtedly the extra beginner-friendly possibility versus the Avata 2.

Simply be aware that when you ARE inquisitive about flying FPV model with the DJI Air 3, it’s going to be much more costly. To get the total FPV expertise, you’ll have to buy suitable DJI goggles individually, including to the associated fee. If it’s the DJI Goggles 3 you need, that’ll be a further $500. Even the cheaper DJI Integra aren’t precisely ‘low cost,’ nonetheless coming in at $349.

Who’s the DJI Avata 2 finest for?

Whereas the DJI Air 3 is sort of a slick luxurious automobile, the Avata 2 is for the one who needs a race automobile.

Solely get the Avata 2 when you thrive within the thrill of FPV flying. It’s the drone for adrenaline junkies who nonetheless need the comfort and high quality that DJI is know for. In case your model of an excellent video is tight maneuverability, motion photographs, flying quick or doing methods, that is your drone.

In the end the Avata 2 goes to be finest drone when you actually wish to showcase your flying expertise. However you’ll additionally have to improve to the DJI FPV Distant Controller 3 to make that occur (which prices a further $200).

Positive, the Avata 2 guarantees to be new-pilot pleasant with its RC Movement 3 offering a simplified management scheme. However finally, the Avata 2’s finest options don’t come by until you’re a extremely expert pilot. On condition that, novices (or individuals whose objective is to not be a professional pilot) are simply higher off with the Air 3.

For extra details about these two drones, take a look at my detailed DJI Air 3 overview in addition to my complete DJI Avata 2 overview. Oh and by the best way, are you additionally contemplating the DJI Air 3 over a less expensive drone, just like the DJI Air 2S? Try my information to the DJI Air 3 vs DJI Air 2S.

And inform me, between the DJI Air 3 versus Avata 2 drone, which one would you slightly have? Share your remark beneath!

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