DJI Air 3 vs Air 3S: Is It Worth Upgrading?

The DJI Air 3S is a close-generation update to the Air 3, and this page runs through what actually changed based on hands-on flying with both drones, based on our full upgrade breakdown.

LiDAR is the headline addition

The Air 3S adds a front-facing LiDAR sensor the Air 3 doesn’t have at all. It runs constantly, sending signals to detect obstacles and automatically raising altitude when one is found, working alongside the same six camera-based obstacle sensors both drones share (two front, two rear, two on the bottom). The camera-based sensors alone struggle in dim or dark conditions; LiDAR is where the Air 3S pulls ahead specifically for low-light and nighttime flying.

A meaningfully better main camera

The Air 3S’s main camera moves to a 1-inch sensor at 24mm f/1.8, a real upgrade over the Air 3’s smaller main sensor, most noticeable in dark environments where the bigger sensor and newer processing algorithms both help. The telephoto camera is closer to unchanged: both drones use a similar 1/1.3-inch, f/2.8, 70mm lens, though the Air 3S’s processor still produces a better final image from comparable hardware. One real workflow improvement: both Air 3S cameras now share identical frame rates, resolutions and color profiles, where the Air 3’s two cameras didn’t fully match.

Frame rate and low-light performance

The Air 3S tops out at 4K 120fps against the Air 3’s 4K 100fps, a modest bump driven by the larger sensor, and pairs that with better daytime image optimization and higher usable ISO values at night.

Should you upgrade

If you fly frequently in low light or want the safety margin LiDAR adds, the Air 3S is a real upgrade over the Air 3. If you fly mostly in good daylight, the gap narrows considerably. See the DJI Air 3 specs page and DJI Air 3 hub for ongoing coverage of both.