The latest Air 3S image leaks give us an in-depth look at DJI’s next drone

by IR Staff

posted Friday, October 4, 2024 at 3:12 AM EDT

New leaks for the upcoming DJI Air 3S have surfaced online giving us detailed information about its camera system, overall look, and Fly More Combo Kit. The series of leaks come from reliable insiders Jasper Ellens and Igor Bogdanov on X.

According to Ellens, the forthcoming DJI Air 3S is set to “end the era of 3's ... preparing the way for 'the big 4'.” The insider claims that the new drone will feature a slightly better camera and suggests that DJI is aiming to “solve camera quality issues from Air 3”.

 Image

Source: Jasper Ellens @ X

Ellens also revealed that the Air 3S will feature a front sensor bar that could potentially house “LiDAR or Infrared” sensors. The leaker says that the new sensor may "enable a safer automatic flight while in sport modes." The front sensor bar will be an interesting addition as the original Air 3 already features omnidirectional obstacle avoidance sensors, providing precise detection capabilities.

Bogdanov shared new images and the upcoming bundles for the Air 3S. According to the leak, one of the Air 3S kits will include the DJI RC 2 remote controller. The Fly More Combo kit will reportedly be priced at $1,445.

The kit includes:

  • The Air 3S drone
  • RC2 controller
  • Three batteries
  • A charging hub
  • ND filters
  • Spare propellers
  • A carrying case

The leaks also reveal that the upcoming Air 3S may also have a kit with the DJI RC-N3 remote. The RC-N3 requires a smartphone or tablet to be connected to the controller to serve as the display. This will be the cheaper of the two remote controller options.

 Image

Source: Igor Bogdanov @ X

Ellens suggests that the new DJI Air 3S may have features that bring it closer to the Mavic 3. This is a significant step up in the capabilities of the consumer-level drones from the company.

The leaks hint that the Air 3S will retain the dual camera setup of its predecessor but with improved image quality. Ellens says that the drone could possibly have a maximum aperture of F/1.7 on both cameras.

The upcoming drone will reportedly have a bigger battery and longer flight time. However, the leaks did not specify the improvements to the battery life or flight time.

 Image

Source: Igor Bogdanov @ X

Based on the images, the Air 3S will be retaining the form factor of the Air 3 and it looks like there will be no change in the layout of the obstacle avoidance sensors. The addition of the front sensor bar does give the Air 3S improved flight safety and autonomous capabilities.

The leaks reveal that the Fly More Combo bundles will include a set of clip-on ND Filters (ND8, ND32, and ND128) for the Air 3S. This will give owners more control over exposure settings, allow for long exposure shots, and smooth video in harsh lighting conditions.