DJI’s Mavic drones have become the leading choice for aerial photography enthusiasts, and with the Mavic 3, DJI is upgrading nearly every aspect of its newest high-end drone.
Like the previous Mavic, the Mavic 3 will be available in two slightly different models: the standard Mavic 3 and the Mavic 3 Cine, the latter of which features support for Apple ProRES 422 recording and comes with a bonus 1TB onboard SSD for faster data transfer. But no matter which version you choose, you still get a big 4/3 CMOS designed in partnership with Hasselblad and a secondary telephoto cam that offers up to a 28x hybrid zoom.
The Mavic can capture 5.1K video at up to 50 fps, or 4K video at up to 120 fps, while still supporting all of DJI’s program modes like MasterShots, a new 100-MP Panorama mode, and QuickTransfer for offloading footage via Wi-Fi 6. And with Hasselblad’s Natural Color Solution, DJI claims the Mavic’s colors are deeper and more accurate than ever before. Support for 10-bit D-Log color makes grading your footage in post that much easier.
But the most impressive thing about the Mavic 3 is that basically every spec and feature has been upgraded in some way. To start, both versions of the Mavic 3 can now fly for up to 46 minutes on a single charge, which is up from just 32 minutes on the Mavic 2. With DJI’s improved O3+ transmission system, the Mavic 3 now boasts a range of 15 kilometers, which is double the 8km range of the Mavic 2.
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To make sure the Mavic returns home safe and sound, DJI created a new Advanced RTH (return to home) protocol that allows the drone to fly back to you in a more direct and power-efficient manner (mostly by flying over obstacles instead of weaving around them). DJI says that Mavic 3 can even read current wind conditions to calculate the most efficient route home.
There’s also a new APAS 5.0 system that uses the Mavic 3’s eight on-board vision sensors (six fish-eye and two wide-angle) to provide omnidirectional collision detection to better avoid incoming objects, while DJI claims its new and improved Active Track 5.0 helps the Mavic 3 better follow your subjects as they move, even in a tricky space like a dense forest.
Naturally, it wouldn’t be a new Mavic without a bunch of new accessories. Alongside the Mavic 3, there’s a new RC Pro controller that supports the Mavic 3’s full 15km transmission range and comes with a brighter screen, while new ND filters give you more control over exposure. There’s also a new 65-watt portable charge, a 10GBps Lightspeed Data Cable for the Cine model, a new 108-degree wide-angle lens, and a number of new carrying options.
The only real downside is that the Mavic 3 ain’t cheap. Available today, the standard Mavic 3 kit starts at $2,199 and includes the Mavic 3, one battery, an older RC-N1 controller, three RCN1 cables, a battery charge, storage cover, and three pairs of extra propellers.
If you move up to the $2,999 Mavic 3 Fly More Combo, you also get a battery charging hub, even more replacement propellers, DJI’s ND filter set, a convertible carrying bag, and more, while the even more expensive Mavic 3 Cine Premium Combo goes for $4,999 and has basically all the accessories you could want, including the upgraded RC Pro controller.